JB Vs. Custom 5
- Thread starter manza
- Start date
T
theodie
Guest
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
The C5 is alot tighter on the bottom end than the JB. At times with the JB, it sounds like the bass just falls out of the speakers rather than drives hard. The C5 drives it, IMO this is tightness. The C5 does not have the crazy high mid spike either.
The C5 is alot tighter on the bottom end than the JB. At times with the JB, it sounds like the bass just falls out of the speakers rather than drives hard. The C5 drives it, IMO this is tightness. The C5 does not have the crazy high mid spike either.
fenderiarhs
Active member
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
i didn't like at all the C5 in my strat.......sounded empty, and quite trebly.....and colder than the JB.......
i didn't like at all the C5 in my strat.......sounded empty, and quite trebly.....and colder than the JB.......
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
Is your strat an Alder strat with rosewood fingerboard?
I think the JB has enough high end, and I don't want a treblier pickup at all..
Maybe a little bit fattier in the mid low..but just a little bit..
Manza
Really?
Is your strat an Alder strat with rosewood fingerboard?
I think the JB has enough high end, and I don't want a treblier pickup at all..
Maybe a little bit fattier in the mid low..but just a little bit..
Manza
Last edited:
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
I tried several JB's in several different types of guitars, and they all had that awful ice pick spike (a.k.a. "dentist drill" tone). Big disappoint after all the hype about JB's. Just too bright for me, but some guys like them in their guitars. I replaced mine with Customs & C5's. The Customs were as bad (or worse) because of their ceramic magnets: bright plus harsh. But the C5, with 250K pots, had color & character, with pronounced mids and just enough treble to cut through for solos & give me some bite. With 500K's, the C5 is a little on the bright side (but not as bad as the JB). Many guys like their C5's with 500K's. All a matter of opinion.
You'll get dozens of PU recomendations; everyone has their favorites that happen to work well for them. But you will soon learn that the same PU's won't probably sound the same in your guitars because there are so many variables that shape the final sound. So...the thing to do is to gradually get a few basic American-made PU's (I assume you have a few guitars, if not, you should), and as you run across good deals on new and used PU's start getting a few, such as:
Seymour Duncan - neck: '59N & JazzN, bridge: '59B, JazzB, PGB, & C5
DiMarzio - neck: PAF, Bluesbucker, & Air Classic, bridge: Fred, Air Norton, & Virtual PAF
Gibson - neck: Burstbucker, '57 Classic, & 490R, bridge: Burstbucker Pro & 498T
Carvin - "C" series
These are all very good HB's. In your guitar, amp, & music style however, some will be too bright, too dark, not enough mids, too low output, etc. With a small investment in magnets, pots, and caps, you can adjust their EQ & output to fit your needs. For example, I like neck PU's that sparkle & have some cut, so I pull the A2's out of those that have them (usually Gibson's), and put in something brighter, like an A5, A4, or A3. For bridge PU's, I like to trim off the highest treble with 250K pots & .100 caps. For PAF type HB's (low output), I often use A4's to give more mids & take off a little more treble. You can also warm bright PU's (JB's & ceramic-magnet HB's) with an A2, A3, or A4. If you have a high output ceramic HB, like a 500T, try an A8 to maintain the output, which will also add some color.
There's no way to tell for certain a PU will sound in your guitar until you've bought it & installed it. By then it's "used" & if it isn't quite what you had hoped, you can sell it at a loss & keep trying different PU's in a hit-or-miss approach. You'll get lots of heartfelt recomendations, & you still may be disappointed when you try them. Or... you can use a magic bag of tricks with magnets, pots, and caps to dial in the tone you want.
I tried several JB's in several different types of guitars, and they all had that awful ice pick spike (a.k.a. "dentist drill" tone). Big disappoint after all the hype about JB's. Just too bright for me, but some guys like them in their guitars. I replaced mine with Customs & C5's. The Customs were as bad (or worse) because of their ceramic magnets: bright plus harsh. But the C5, with 250K pots, had color & character, with pronounced mids and just enough treble to cut through for solos & give me some bite. With 500K's, the C5 is a little on the bright side (but not as bad as the JB). Many guys like their C5's with 500K's. All a matter of opinion.
You'll get dozens of PU recomendations; everyone has their favorites that happen to work well for them. But you will soon learn that the same PU's won't probably sound the same in your guitars because there are so many variables that shape the final sound. So...the thing to do is to gradually get a few basic American-made PU's (I assume you have a few guitars, if not, you should), and as you run across good deals on new and used PU's start getting a few, such as:
Seymour Duncan - neck: '59N & JazzN, bridge: '59B, JazzB, PGB, & C5
DiMarzio - neck: PAF, Bluesbucker, & Air Classic, bridge: Fred, Air Norton, & Virtual PAF
Gibson - neck: Burstbucker, '57 Classic, & 490R, bridge: Burstbucker Pro & 498T
Carvin - "C" series
These are all very good HB's. In your guitar, amp, & music style however, some will be too bright, too dark, not enough mids, too low output, etc. With a small investment in magnets, pots, and caps, you can adjust their EQ & output to fit your needs. For example, I like neck PU's that sparkle & have some cut, so I pull the A2's out of those that have them (usually Gibson's), and put in something brighter, like an A5, A4, or A3. For bridge PU's, I like to trim off the highest treble with 250K pots & .100 caps. For PAF type HB's (low output), I often use A4's to give more mids & take off a little more treble. You can also warm bright PU's (JB's & ceramic-magnet HB's) with an A2, A3, or A4. If you have a high output ceramic HB, like a 500T, try an A8 to maintain the output, which will also add some color.
There's no way to tell for certain a PU will sound in your guitar until you've bought it & installed it. By then it's "used" & if it isn't quite what you had hoped, you can sell it at a loss & keep trying different PU's in a hit-or-miss approach. You'll get lots of heartfelt recomendations, & you still may be disappointed when you try them. Or... you can use a magic bag of tricks with magnets, pots, and caps to dial in the tone you want.
Metalblaze
New member
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
I like them both but C5 has way better bass response for me.
I like them both but C5 has way better bass response for me.
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
Hello Blueman,
thanks for your reply, I agree with you to experiment and to try different PUPS, that's what I've got in mind to do, I've got several guitars..strats and Pauls ' (I'm a pro player) and it's ok for me to do a little money investment just to come closer to the sound that I've got in my mind..
I use a 250k volume pot in my Strats, and don't like the JB with 500K..too harsh...
I like the singing quality of the JB, but I didn't try other humbuckers on my strats..I just put the JB on them for the suggestion of a friend and I thanks him for the suggestion, 'cause I like the result..it works great, but now I would like to fine tune better my bridge tone, and
I'm sure departing from the pickup is the right starting point...'cause over the last years I already did a big selection on amps/cabs/mics..
Ideally I would like a JB with a little bit rounder highs and a little bit more low end, not too much lows but some meat more...
Could it be the Custom 5?
..or the '78 EVH?
Thx
Manza
Hello Blueman,
thanks for your reply, I agree with you to experiment and to try different PUPS, that's what I've got in mind to do, I've got several guitars..strats and Pauls ' (I'm a pro player) and it's ok for me to do a little money investment just to come closer to the sound that I've got in my mind..
I use a 250k volume pot in my Strats, and don't like the JB with 500K..too harsh...
I like the singing quality of the JB, but I didn't try other humbuckers on my strats..I just put the JB on them for the suggestion of a friend and I thanks him for the suggestion, 'cause I like the result..it works great, but now I would like to fine tune better my bridge tone, and
I'm sure departing from the pickup is the right starting point...'cause over the last years I already did a big selection on amps/cabs/mics..
Ideally I would like a JB with a little bit rounder highs and a little bit more low end, not too much lows but some meat more...
Could it be the Custom 5?
..or the '78 EVH?
Thx
Manza
Last edited:
T
theodie
Guest
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
Try the PATB-1 then.
Try the PATB-1 then.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
I love C5's with 250K pots: pronounced mids, for a rich, full tone, and just enough treble for bite. If you use 500K's, you might want to use an A4 to take off some of the highs, and boost the mids.
My opinion is the JB has a nasty spike (as many on this forum concur), and the C5 is a better building block for your tone. The C5 can be fairly bright in some guitars with 500K pots, but now you know how to tame excess brightness if you need to.
I love C5's with 250K pots: pronounced mids, for a rich, full tone, and just enough treble for bite. If you use 500K's, you might want to use an A4 to take off some of the highs, and boost the mids.
My opinion is the JB has a nasty spike (as many on this forum concur), and the C5 is a better building block for your tone. The C5 can be fairly bright in some guitars with 500K pots, but now you know how to tame excess brightness if you need to.
Re: JB Vs. Custom 5
I'll buy one and try it..
Manza
Thx Blueman for the description of the Custom 5, it could be what I'm looking for..
I'll buy one and try it..
Manza
