Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

[dreamist]

My guitar is an HSS with mahogany body and rosewood fingerboard. General sound is warm and mid-rangy. I'm gonna put the SD Custom 5 in the bridge and now looking for the two matching pups for the single-coil slots. I'll be using 500k-Ohm pots and figure I'll probably go for the DiMarzio's. I play funk and alternative rock mostly, metal sometimes. So other than nice crunchy tone, good clean funk tone is also a must.

I already have a Fast Track 1 in the middle position, but I'm fine with replacing it with something else.

Here's the options I'm thinking about:

1. Fast Track 1 + Cruiser Neck
2. Both Cruiser Neck
3. Fast Track 1 + Virtual Vintage Blues
4. Both Virtual Vintage Blues
5. Or any other combination of these 3 pickups

I'm not sure which one should go in the middle or the neck though. Seems to me like it's usually the lower-output one that goes to the neck. Is that the case?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

I'd move the FT1 to the neck. I had one in my HM Strat and it killed there. The lead tones were big, rich, and almost liquid with high gain, while the cleans were pretty much a strat on steroids. For the mid, I'd throw a cruiser in there for nicer notch tones.

 

[Grandturk]

Re: Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

I put a Blue Velvet bridge model in the neck of a HSS Floyded Strat and and it kills. Great single coil tone. Matches OK with the volume output of the Tone Zone in the bridge. Does vintage sound, handles high gain well enough.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

My vote is for the Area series. Specifically the '67. Best damn single DiMarzio makes. The volume difference won't be a deal breaker either. It matches up great with my Tone Zone.

 

[moshuajusic]

Re: Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

If you wanna cancel hum, VV Blues. Punchy, but not brittle. I've tried the Area 61 and one other which I can't remember. Didn't like either of 'em--bright, but not stratty to me. If you don't mind hum, the Red Velvet is pretty awesome. Lots of spank and punch. Great tone. Of course you could combine it with the inner coil of the humbucker to cancel hum.

Might also consider the YJM Fury. But for a little more oomph, definitely the VV Blues.

 

[dreamist]

Re: Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

Lots of good options here. Too bad trying new pups is quite an expensive hobby...

 

[Grandturk]

Re: Need advice: Custom 5 + DiMarzio's on my HSS

Troll the forums for deals - no reason to pay more than $45 for a pickup - especially if its a common one.