JB vs. Custom vs. C5, how do they comare?

[FuelGTRX]

I've been on a bit of a pickup kick lately and have been thinking of trying something new in my PRS. I have a JB in it right now and I like it, but I've always wanted it to sound a little more bold and maybe a little more vintage sounding. I've tried a custom, but it had too much gain to the sound and it didn't sing quite like the JB did.

So I was thinking maybe the Custom 5 might be a good idea. Since it has a little less output (sound wise) and it sounds like it has more of a vintage sound to it. How does the C5 compare to the JB and Custom?

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: JB vs. Custom vs. C5, how do they comare?

WOW
NIGHT AND DAY to my ears

JB is very rude and cutting, all chunky mids and slices and dices thru anything.
The C5 is verrrry sweet, cleans up gorgeous. Great bass, lacking in mids.

Never used a Custom enough, but for me it was the sizzle and the ceramic magnet feel I just don't vibe with. Then again, I rarely like ceramics.

 

[Dills]

Re: JB vs. Custom vs. C5, how do they comare?

I would definetly buy an a5 magnet and an a2 magent (or use magnets from exsiting pickups) and swap the magnets in the custom, i highly recomennd the custom custom whcih i use in the bridge of my PRS, it is smooth and soft in the h end and i think it has a vintage charachter but the mids sound so nice very raw and growly, very thick and almost black sabbathy sounding i love it. I dont like pups with very little mids and the C5 looks like it would make your guitar sound thin unless it is already fat sounding in the bridge. Up to you tho.

 

[FuelGTRX]

Re: JB vs. Custom vs. C5, how do they comare?

WOW
NIGHT AND DAY to my ears

JB is very rude and cutting, all chunky mids and slices and dices thru anything.
The C5 is verrrry sweet, cleans up gorgeous. Great bass, lacking in mids.

Never used a Custom enough, but for me it was the sizzle and the ceramic magnet feel I just don't vibe with. Then again, I rarely like ceramics.

Thats the thing I didn't like about the custom was that sizzle that most ceramic pickups have.

I don't have the Custom to play around with any more.

What else would be a good idea? What about the Screamin' Demon?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: JB vs. Custom vs. C5, how do they comare?

I don't think players would hear the Custom as having "sizzle" if someone hadn't put that word in thier minds.

To me it sounds like a 59B with more output and more mids.

As for the JB, I don't hear it the way so many describe it either. It does seem to have a peak in the upper mids that gives it a certain hard focus but in terms of treble I don't hear it as being extremely trebley. Using 250K pots instead of 500K makes the JB sound very thick and smooth...even smoother than a Custom Custom with 500K pots.

As for the Custom 5, it lacks the mids of the Custom and without those mids it is the one that sounds brightest to me of the three.

The C5 does sound great when played through a cranked Marshall or similar amp...when played at moderate volumes through a blackface Fender or similar amp I always thought it sounded a bit bright and like it could use more mids to give it a little smoother and fatter tone.

Mids and bass mask treble. So a pickup with lots of highs and also lots of mids doesn't sound as bright as a pickup with lots of highs and without lots of mids.

The JB has pretty thick mids...the Custom has plenty of mids...the C5 could use more mids, IMO.

Lew

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: JB vs. Custom vs. C5, how do they comare?

Screaming Demon has a medium ouput , but a lot of punch and clarity if you like it bold .
EQ wise :
more highs and bass than JB , less thick mids
less thick in mids and less fuzzy highs than Custom , tighter bass
more mids and less bass than C5