Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

[papersoul]

Hi guys,

I have a friend of a friend with a Gibson Gothic Paul and found it too dark and focused with the Dimarzio Tone Zone he had installed. I think a lot of this is the guitar and not the p'up as you'll see below. He plays a heavy modern style and is in the band Jaded Faith. jaded faith

He had a recent gig where after breaking a string had to switch to a Schecter C-1+ with Dimarzio Steve's Special in the bridge. He sounded much more alive and full.

I had a chance to compare my stock LP with his TZ loaded Paul and mine sounded more acoustically alive and had much more clarity through the amp and seemed more versatile.

I sent them a Duncan C-5 I had available and he said it made a difference in that it had a little less gain and output, a little more highs, and a little more open than the TZ in this particular LP. The big test is their gig tonight.

I think he is going to be happy with the C-5 but may want something more vintage. The next step is finding a good and clear neck pickup. I am familiar with the C-5 but I am thinking the PGn or Jazz may be the way to go. I know it is important for these guys to get a decent clean from theit neck and middle position plus good clarity under gain. I have no experience with the Jazz.

Any Jazzers know if the C-5/Jazz is a nice match?

Thanks

ps

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

Hi guys,

I have a friend of a friend with a Gibson Gothic Paul and found it too dark and focused with the Dimarzio Tone Zone he had installed. I think a lot of this is the guitar and not the p'up as you'll see below. He plays a heavy modern style and is in the band Jaded Faith. jaded faith

He had a recent gig where after breaking a string had to switch to a Schecter C-1+ with Dimarzio Steve's Special in the bridge. He sounded much more alive and full.

I had a chance to compare my stock LP with his TZ loaded Paul and mine sounded more acoustically alive and had much more clarity through the amp and seemed more versatile.

I sent them a Duncan C-5 I had available and he said it made a difference in that it had a little less gain and output, a little more highs, and a little more open than the TZ in this particular LP. The big test is their gig tonight.

I think he is going to be happy with the C-5 but may want something more vintage. The next step is finding a good and clear neck pickup. I am familiar with the C-5 but I am thinking the PGn or Jazz may be the way to go. I know it is important for these guys to get a decent clean from theit neck and middle position plus good clarity under gain. I have no experience with the Jazz.

Any Jazzers know if the C-5/Jazz is a nice match?

Thanks

ps

I had that combo for a while in a Hamer USA Studio. Worked very well. The Jazz is my favorite alnico 5 neck humbucker and it'll sound great (to me!) with just about any good bridge bucker. Lew

 

[papersoul]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

Thanks Lew!!

Any thoughts on a replacement for the C-5 bridge if he wants to go a tad more vintage or a tad less output? My BB Pros are fairly vintage and low output but sound great. Maybe something between the C-5 and BB Pro?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

I like the BB's I've tried too. Don't understand why some people think they're crap...they're not.

I really like the 59B myself. It's one of my favorite bridge humbuckers of all time and I have one in two of my Strats.

Another good choice would be the Screamin Demon. It's just a little hotter than the 59B but not as hot as the C5 or JB.

I used the C5 for about a year. I liked it alot, but went back to a 59B.

The 59B, to me, reminds me of Clapton with Cream. Or even early EVH...

Lew

 

[papersoul]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

Thanks Lew! Keep in mind he plays a fairly heavy style but would rather get the gain from the amp so maybe something like a 59b, Jazzb, PGb or SD would work. I have heard the SD can be shrill. You can check their mp3s through the link above.

ps

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

Thanks Lew! Keep in mind he plays a fairly heavy style but would rather get the gain from the amp so maybe something like a 59b, Jazzb, PGb or SD would work. I have heard the SD can be shrill. You can check their mp3s through the link above.

ps

Alot depends on the guy's touch and the amp he uses.

My guitar always sounds differant when I listen to someone else bang on it.

The Jazz should have its name changed. :smack: Because the Jazz can rock!

Lew

 

[papersoul]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

I have been liustening closely to the Duncan sound samples and I am liking the PG and 59 a lot. I checked out Jolly's site and I prefer the PG over the Custom in these clips because I am starting to really appreciate lower output pickups that breathe like my BB Pros, PRS McCartys, Duncan 59s...etc.
http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/VirtualStudios/Listen/usersong.php?userid=108822

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Good clean neck for the Custom-5??

PS -

Don't overlook the APH and the Seth. The APH is my favorite neck bucker. I've got a couple of clips in my soundclips of the APH neck and one of the Seth Neck. The clips that I think most accurately portrays the APH tone is my cover of Heavens Door. ALl the cleans and the leads are done with the APH neck.

If you want to hear the APH raw, raw, raw, check out my NOS Shootout. The clean sounds are the APH straight through my Marshall JCM 800 with no effects other than a touch of reverb from the amp.

Just annother thought.