I like the Custom Custom, BUT

[RiffGuy]

NO BASS. Using this pickup made me realize that I need a fair amount of bass from a pickup. Is there a pickup with similar characteristics to the Custom Custom that has more bass? I don't need tons , just the standard amount that most pickups have. I love the mids on this pickup, though.

 

[ErikH]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

No bass? Impossible. What guitar is it in? What amp do you use? Open or closed back cab?

I feel there's plenty of bass from the CC. It's not a huge amount but enough to fill things out. Leave the lower frequencies for the bass guitar. I sometimes have to turn the bass down on my amp.

 

[JeffB]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Standard Custom SH-5 has the mids and the bass, but I'd def be curious what ya put it in and are playing through too.

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

I'm also curious about your total setup. Mine has plenty of bass.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

It's in an Epi Les Paul Custom. My amp is a Mesa/Boogie Triaxis, Mesa poweramp, Marshall cab. In my two other guitars (Ibanez RGs) I'm using a Distortion (b), and Tom Anderson H3 (b), which have substantially more bass. I guess the CC has some bass, but it seems way low. I like the mids and cut of this pickup though. Could it be that I'm mostly hearing the boosted mids?

 

[JeffB]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Go for the custom then....

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

This is actually a Custom I've had for a while that I switched the magnet on. With an eq of 3/7/7 I should have expected this, but it's still hard to get used to.

Been thinking about puting the regular Custom back in, as you suggested. The last time I used it was about 3 years ago when I started looking for a warmer sound. I used the C-5 for a few years but decided I needed more mids.

What would an A3 magnet do for a CC? I have one.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

That's funny because I have almost the exact same set up, tri-axis, boogie power amp (50/50), but a carvin 4X12. I have the custom custom in my Hamer Monaco and it has more than enough bass for me, especially with the Boogies being pretty bassy amps. Just goes to show you how subjective sound is! You could be hearing the more prominant mids of the CC. I like them though, but if you have your tri settings eq'd with a lot of mids it can be too much. What I did with a lot of my settings is back off on the mids quite a bit to compensate for the CC having strong mids. Its a different tone, but your just getting more of your mids from your guitar/pup than from your amp. (which is cool in a lot of ways, I can get some neat scooped mid sounds and still be able to cut through) I actually tried the Distortion with my set up in the Hamer, and I didn't like its tone at all.

 

[ErikH]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Strange. I have a CC in a Epi LP Standard and going in to my Marshall 2100 MkIII and Music Man 4x12 and the low end is there, plenty of it. I have the bass setting on the amp at 8 or 10 depending on what I'm playing.

Mine is a production floor CC, not a magnet swap from a ceramic Custom. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. It shouldn't since the windings of the CC and Custom are supposed to be the same with the magnet being the only difference but you never know.

The Custom may be better suited for you in this case.

Curious, have you inspected the body wood of your Epi LP Custom? If not, pop out the neck pickup and look at the wire channel going to the control cavity. You should be able to see some unfinished wood in there. My pickup cavities and control cavity are painted black. I verified mine is maghogany. The body wood will affect the bass response.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Yeah, I like "BOOM" haha. I also have the 50/50 power amp, btw. I use the LD2 Orange mode, mostly. I usually keep the Dynamic Voice down. Maybe I should raise it with this pickup to put some bass back?

Anyway, I'll have to mess around with this pickup some more. I like it. It's the weirdest pickup I've every used, and I've tried almost all the Duncan humbuckers (mostly the Ceramic and A5 mags though).

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Strange. I have a CC in a Epi LP Standard and going in to my Marshall 2100 MkIII and Music Man 4x12 and the low end is there, plenty of it. I have the bass setting on the amp at 8 or 10 depending on what I'm playing.

Mine is a production floor CC, not a magnet swap from a ceramic Custom. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. It shouldn't since the windings of the CC and Custom are supposed to be the same with the magnet being the only difference but you never know.

The Custom may be better suited for you in this case.

Curious, have you inspected the body wood of your Epi LP Custom? If not, pop out the neck pickup and look at the wire channel going to the control cavity. You should be able to see some unfinished wood in there. My pickup cavities and control cavity are painted black. I verified mine is maghogany. The body wood will affect the bass response.

I think the Epi is mahogany and alder right? I'll check out the cavity when I go home.

About the magnet, should I try flipping it maybe? Also, the A2 I put in is slightly bigger than the stock Duncan mag. Maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Yeah definately try adding more of the dynamic voice. That will give you more bass and scoop out your mids. On my "Death Metal" channel!, I have the DV at like 9, and no mids hehe. Its kind of cool because I get a decent amount of mids still from the pup. On my regular rock/metal channel I think I have the DV at about 4 or so. I usually use the LD2 red channel, that's my favorite.

 

[ErikH]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

I think the Epi is mahogany and alder right? I'll check out the cavity when I go home.

About the magnet, should I try flipping it maybe? Also, the A2 I put in is slightly bigger than the stock Duncan mag. Maybe that has something to do with it.

It will be mahogany or alder, not both.

Don't know what flipping it would do tonewise but a worthy experiment.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

It will be mahogany or alder, not both.

Don't know what flipping it would do tonewise but a worthy experiment.

On Epiphone's website it says "Body Material: Mahogany/Alder" so I'm assuming it has an alder top, though MF says it has a maple top.

As for flipping the magnet, I was thinking of the possibility of the pickup being out of phase, which I’ve heard cuts some bass out. The remedy would be to flip the magnet.

 

[ErikH]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

On Epiphone's website it says "Body Material: Mahogany/Alder" so I'm assuming it has an alder top, though MF says it has a maple top.

I know. It's been discussed at length before. It's one or the other, not both. The top is maple, but a veneer, not a real maple cap. I know mine is veneer because it's really thin. A real cap would be the thinnest, 1/8".

As for flipping the magnet, I was thinking of the possibility of the pickup being out of phase, which I’ve heard cuts some bass out. The remedy would be to flip the magnet.

Ok, that makes sense. I've never flipped a magnet before let alone changed one so you've got more on me in that arena.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

I know. It's been discussed at length before. It's one or the other, not both.

Weird. Why would they do that? How can you tell if it's mahogany or alder?
Mine's black inside the pickup cavity, too.

Btw, have you noticed how crappy Epiphone's website is? It's seriously one of the worst company websites I've ever seen.

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Interesting. I agree that the C5 might be the way to go, but definitely play around with it some more, until you're certain you can't get the tone you're looking for from that pup.

Also, are your pots and caps stock? Odds are this isn't where the culprit lies, but I'm thinking there might just be more upper mids and treble coming through that makes it seem like less bass. Not likely with the stock electronics, but some people do some pretty off the wall things that make one pup sound great but others sound horrible.

 

[ErikH]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Weird. Why would they do that? How can you tell if it's mahogany or alder?
Mine's black inside the pickup cavity, too.

Mahogany will be darker. Look at Warmoth's site. On their wood descriptions they have image swatches of each type of wood they use. That will help.

Btw, have you noticed how crappy Epiphone's website is? It's seriously one of the worst company websites I've ever seen.

Yes, I have. But then again. Look who owns them.

I don't mind how it's layed out. The simplicity is good there, but the freakin text graphics are horrible to read.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

...but the freakin text graphics are horrible to read.

I know!! :smack:

Thanks for the info on the wood. I'll definitely check it out.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: I like the Custom Custom, BUT

Before dumping the CC, consider converting it to a C3 or C4. Alnico 4* is a good deal beefier than Alnico 2 while at the same having a flatter EQ response than Alnico 5 -- no mid-scoop to make it sound hollow, and the bass doesn't get boomy.

Also stay tuned to the Alnico 8 threads. Several of us have placed orders for Alnico 8 magnets after reading of Wicked Lester's glowing review of his "C8", a Custom with an Alnico 8 mag in it. According to him it's the ideal combination of A2, A5 and ceramics. We will soon see...

*(Especially if you can find a stronger one -- get a bunch of 4's and choose which ever one is hardest to pull off your refrigerator. A crude but effective test method.)