Is the Custom5/Jazz set the most versatile SD set?

[Reee]

The JB/Jazz gets praise as best all round set, but IMO the JB is not a very good allrounder, the cleans are bad and it's not a very dynamic pickup, it's too loud to do anything subtle with it.

Would you guys agree C5/Jazz takes the crown for most versatile SD set? if not, why and which set would you say is the most versatile for someone who needs to cover all genres?

 

[superpete]

it's clearly a set of p-rails with the triple shot wiring.

 

[beaubrummels]

The elephant-in-the-room question would be versatile for what types of music?

C5/Jazz is versatile. I've also found all of the following combinations to be very versatile.
Custom / Jazz
Custom Custom / A2P or Seth
59/C / Seth or Jazz
Pearly Gates / Jazz
Jazz set
Whole Lotta Humbucker set
Jazz bridge / Pearly Gates
Jazz bridge / 59/A4 neck
59 bridge / Pearly Gates neck
Slash set or Slash bridge / 59/A4 neck

The number one problem I've encountered trying to get versatility is that some music needs a very mid-heavy/chimy pickup without to much low end or highs (rock, leads), while others need a scooped sound that is weak in the mids but thumpy in the bass and plenty of top end to work with (for example, to get chicken-pickin country out of). So it's a question of, do I use scooped pickups and pull mids somewhere else like an EQ or mid-heavy amp? Or do I use really mid-focused pickups and pull out some thumpy lows and high end from the amp presence and bass, or speakers/cabinet?

There's even other versatile options from SD, like
P-Rail set
Stag Mag / Phat Cat
Duality set

If we list the types of music, I could sort my list better based on my experiences.

 

[Mincer]

I think the C5 is too compressed to be used for more dynamic music forms. For versatility, I think the 59 set is really the best. It isn't compressed, has a good EQ, and can easily be boosted.

 

[Ronnie_Snow]

The 59 really cannot be beat in terms being the standard in which all humbuckers are compared against (Bridge version at least). It is extremely versatile. The other advantages being it's widely available and doesn't break the bank compared to getting fancy with a Whole Lotta Humbucker set. I barely use neck pups so cant comment there.

I thought the Custom 5 was my answer I had been looking for regarding tone and potential versatility. However I think it's too hot to be versatile, even after magnet swapping. You also say yourself "it's too loud to do anything subtle with it." I don't think it can cover all genres. I think the 59 is probably your best bet...

 

[ItsaBass]

The most tonally versatile is probably their lowest output active pickup set.

 

[Reee]

The 59 really cannot be beat in terms being the standard in which all humbuckers are compared against (Bridge version at least). It is extremely versatile. The other advantages being it's widely available and doesn't break the bank compared to getting fancy with a Whole Lotta Humbucker set. I barely use neck pups so cant comment there.

I thought the Custom 5 was my answer I had been looking for regarding tone and potential versatility. However I think it's too hot to be versatile, even after magnet swapping. You also say yourself "it's too loud to do anything subtle with it." I don't think it can cover all genres. I think the 59 is probably your best bet...

too loud was referring to the JB.

those saying 59 set is the most versatile i have to disagree with, 59b is a fine pickup, but it's simply too polite, no matter how much you boost it or what amp you are using, playing high gain lead with a 59b sucks, it will never scream like a C5 does, it's fine for fusion high gain leads i guess, but it falls flat for heavier rock and metal.

 

[Mincer]

too loud was referring to the JB.

those saying 59 set is the most versatile i have to disagree with, 59b is a fine pickup, but it's simply too polite, no matter how much you boost it or what amp you are using, playing high gain lead with a 59b sucks, it will never scream like a C5 does, it's fine for fusion high gain leads i guess, but it falls flat for heavier rock and metal.

With the right boost, the 59 does a fine job. Certainly with the right amp, it does. A pickup that specializes in heavier rock and metal isn't versatile.

 

[Artie]

For what it's worth, I'm amazed by the DD 59's. (HB-101's.) I don't know if I just got lucky, and got a good set, or if I matched them perfectly to the guitar. But they do what I hoped the USA 59's should do. The bridge is a bit more tame on the high end, and the neck is more defined and tight on the low end. Just an amazing set.

They do have chrome covers. I wonder what impact that has?

 

[Reee]

With the right boost, the 59 does a fine job. Certainly with the right amp, it does. A pickup that specializes in heavier rock and metal isn't versatile.

the idea is a humbucker set that can cover all genres at least somewhat decently, a 59 is way too polite to play any kind of heavy music, if what you say was true then nobody would be using pickups hotter than 9k.

the jazz can cover any kind of music and most genres that the custom 5 would be too much for don't really ask for a bridge humbucker anyway.

it seems to me SD has a gap in their line of pickups when it comes to a versatile allround bridge pickup, the 59 is too wimpy, the custom series is too compressed, the screamin demon, full shred and perpetual burn are too thin, the hybrid is a strange mismatch that suffers from the same issues the 59 does, the pegasus is too tight for anything but djent music, it's like SD is making all kind of quirky niche pickups but not an actual useable pickup, maybe that's why so few professionals use duncan these days.

I can already hear the replies coming, but seriously, tell me the name of 1 virtuoso (not just generic shredder) guitarist a la Guthrie Govan/Alex Hutchings who uses SD pickups?? there are none, except for some youtuber Ibanez AZ players who play the same dorian licks over and over, but those don't even count because even the duncan custom shop refuses to sell the Hyperions and IMO their tone isn't all that good either, it's too tight just like the pegasus.

why there is no simple dynamic thick 12-15k 43awg A5 duncan on the market is mindboggling to me, the custom 5 comes the closest (custom custom sounds like poop to my ears, but so does every A2 high output pickup i've heard) but it could be more dynamic indeed.

BTW I'm not bashing SD, the Jazz is probably my favorite neck pickup, but i'm kinda disappointed in their bridge pickup offerings, it seems to be all about creating hype for "unique" "new" designs with all kinds of buzzwords instead of making something simple and straightforward but truly versatile and musical.

 

[Francois]

I always thought the most versatile pickups are P-90.

But when you said "versatile" do you go from country twang to modern metal djent ?
Few artists would cover all thoses genres but Mr Bungle could maybe...
I like them !

You can always boost your single coils and some of the high gain metal pickups clean well. Not all, right
But a split Black Winter has nice cleans and even the nazgul sounds not bad in a clean amp.

Today I ordered a set of SSL-5 for an brand new pickguard. I am pretty sure they will cover a lot of genre to my tattes (punk rock, Floyd, classical music, black metal and blues)

(I'm sorry I never actually tried the Jazz but I like the 59).

 

[weepingminotaur]

Getting in here like a dirty shirt to recommend the Black Winter set for versatility!

 

[superpete]

Bill Steer of Carcass uses 59s...far from "wimpy/polite" metal tone.

 

[superpete]

also, and i may be in the minority here, but to me the idea of aftermarket pickups isn't versatility, it's getting something more specialized. A Gibson 498T will kinda do everything ok, it's ok at rock, it's ok at blues, it's ok at metal, etc...but when you want a specific sound, extreme metal...vintage PAF...country twang, that's when Duncan or Dimarzio or whoever can really help you nail the exact sound youre looking for.

that said i still think you'll never have a more versatile set than dual p-rails with triple shots.

 

[Mincer]

I can already hear the replies coming, but seriously, tell me the name of 1 virtuoso (not just generic shredder) guitarist a la Guthrie Govan/Alex Hutchings who uses SD pickups??

I'd say Yngwie qualifies here.

 

[IronSean]

Mark Morton of Lamb of God had '59s in his signature Jackson Dominion guitars until he made a custom model with Dimizario a couple years back. They're not exactly a tame band

 

[IronSean]

the idea is a humbucker set that can cover all genres at least somewhat decently, a 59 is way too polite to play any kind of heavy music, if what you say was true then nobody would be using pickups hotter than 9k.

the jazz can cover any kind of music and most genres that the custom 5 would be too much for don't really ask for a bridge humbucker anyway.

it seems to me SD has a gap in their line of pickups when it comes to a versatile allround bridge pickup, the 59 is too wimpy, the custom series is too compressed, the screamin demon, full shred and perpetual burn are too thin, the hybrid is a strange mismatch that suffers from the same issues the 59 does, the pegasus is too tight for anything but djent music, it's like SD is making all kind of quirky niche pickups but not an actual useable pickup, maybe that's why so few professionals use duncan these days.

I can already hear the replies coming, but seriously, tell me the name of 1 virtuoso (not just generic shredder) guitarist a la Guthrie Govan/Alex Hutchings who uses SD pickups?? there are none, except for some youtuber Ibanez AZ players who play the same dorian licks over and over, but those don't even count because even the duncan custom shop refuses to sell the Hyperions and IMO their tone isn't all that good either, it's too tight just like the pegasus.

why there is no simple dynamic thick 12-15k 43awg A5 duncan on the market is mindboggling to me, the custom 5 comes the closest (custom custom sounds like poop to my ears, but so does every A2 high output pickup i've heard) but it could be more dynamic indeed.

BTW I'm not bashing SD, the Jazz is probably my favorite neck pickup, but i'm kinda disappointed in their bridge pickup offerings, it seems to be all about creating hype for "unique" "new" designs with all kinds of buzzwords instead of making something simple and straightforward but truly versatile and musical.

Out of curiousity, what are some examples of pickups that do fit that mold from other companies?

 

[Reee]

I'd say Yngwie qualifies here.

definitely qualifies, but my posts are about humbuckers, I think SD's single coils and low output humbuckers are fine, it's the higher output humbuckers where it's all gimmicks

 

[Clint 55]

^ I agree. If there were something vintage hot or medium that could sit between genres and was tone rich like the JB and not either scooped or all metal and aggressive, I would get it. The PB seems to be the closest thing, although I don't have that one. Don't really need any more bridge hums.

If you like the vintage output hums, why not pony up and swap in a double thick magnet? It boosts it a lot. Achieve your goal for a few bucks. Noone does it tho. May as well spend $80 for more output and compression instead of $20 for boosted clarity.

 

[Reee]

Mark Morton of Lamb of God had '59s in his signature Jackson Dominion guitars until he made a custom model with Dimizario a couple years back. They're not exactly a tame band

where are Mark Morton's soaring virtuoso leads with the 59?

Out of curiousity, what are some examples of pickups that do fit that mold from other companies?

Suhr pickups, strandberg's new pickups (plini and jack gardiner), charvel MFB pickups, there might be others that i'm not aware of yet.

I've been a duncan guy for a long time, but since i've become a bit more aware of dynamics and tone i fear i might have to start using a different brand, there's still a few duncans i haven't tried in person (full shred, perpetual burn), but what tones i have heard from them are pretty meh, it's hard to describe but they just sound very contrived and not very musical.

I'd say Yngwie qualifies here.

definitely qualifies, but my posts are about humbuckers, I think SD's single coils and low output humbuckers are fine, it's the higher output humbuckers where it's all gimmicks and buzzwords instead of balanced tone and dynamics.