Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

openj

openj

New member
i've serched around and im still not sure which custom is for me. i have a gift coming soon and im not sure what bridge pup will be best for me. It's an Edwards les paul custom with the maple cap, ebony fretbord, Mahogany neck and back.. I was thinking a custom but im not sure which will be best for me.. i'm pairing it with an alnico 2 pro neck and i need the most all around custom to go into the bridge. i was thinking C5 but have read it can be vary harsh on the highs... also i need decent to good mids so.... which custom is for me? thanks!

mike
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

The CC SH-11 is all about great mids IMO. To my ears the SH-5 is a bit harsh sounding where as the SH-14 is somewhere in the middle as far as a less harsh SH-5 and a brighter SH-11.:) Hope this helps.
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

SH-14 can be lacking in mids like you said..

How about playing the guitar b4 you decide?
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

kmc thanks that does help, jony i do plan on it but im always thinking of a backup plan just in case im not happy... how do you think alnico 2 and cc would sond in an alder with maple neck?
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

I'd figure the CC would go best with the A2Pro, but what you could always do is buy one of either of them and the magnets for the other two. That way you can "swap" pups without having to get the soldering iron out, so quickly that it's almost like having all three there at the same time. Magnets are pretty cheap, too.
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

I like the Custom and CC best. Although I like all three, the Custom and CC are my faves of the three.

The Custom 5 sometimes needs more mids...the CC could sometimes stand a little tighter bass and a little more treble...the Custom is just fine as is and has everything I need.

I have the CC in one of my favorite Strats and used it in my Hamer Monoco too...it's a great pickup, especially if you don't want alot of bite to your treble.

Lew
 
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Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

I played all three and honnestly, you will probably have to do the same to be sure. But since you have to make a first choice, I'd say go with the Custom. It's the best of the 3 in my opinion.

I don't like the CC's voicing although I like its mids. The Custom is perfectly balanced to me, although it's on the agressive side. Yet it's the more Hot Paf sounding of the three. The C5 lack mids to the point of being annoying.

Personally, and this is really just my opinion, I do not like magnet-swapped pikcups. Seymour Duncan came up with the Custom after extensive R&D and that's why it sound so good. I'm sure if Seymour was to swap the magnet of this pickup to produce a new model, he would have made adjustement to optimize it - more bottom end for the CC, more mids for the C5.

In the end, only the Custom is well balanced. The others are not.

And thats why the 59 blows the C5 out of the water.

And that's why the Seth Lover blows the CC out of the water.

But that's just my opinion and my ears :)

For classic to hard rock, buy a Custom.
For classic rock, blues and good cleans, buy a 59b.

Now you'll read so many different things that at the end of the thread, you will probably be even more confused than before asking.

That's the cool side of this forum :dance:
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Sounds to me like the Custom is your best bet first time out.

The CC is a mid MONSTER - Although it would be cool with the A2P in a similar way to the PG neck...both would be super fat highs, though. CC is a particular creature and not for everyone.
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Sly_D said:
For classic to hard rock, buy a Custom.
For classic rock, blues and good cleans, buy a 59b.
Click to expand...

This is great advice IMO. Definitely don't overlook the 59b - it covers a lot of ground. The Custom is great distorted but can sound a little hard in the mids for cleaner tones. What kind of music will you play with the Edwards? I'd wait and play it for a while before changing the pickups. Get to know its tonality and how well it delivers the sounds you're trying to achieve.
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

The 59b is an excellent pup but in my Les Paul at times found it too bright and thin, The C5 took care of those Issues its thick and no harsh highs I'm am now able to use more treble on my amp with out the Ice pick highs..... also the mids are not a problem I have no trouble cutting thru the mix and this is with another guitar and keyboards!

I've got the C5 paired with a 59n which is also another Kick A$$ pup!
 
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Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Simon_F said:
This is great advice IMO. Definitely don't overlook the 59b - it covers a lot of ground. The Custom is great distorted but can sound a little hard in the mids for cleaner tones. What kind of music will you play with the Edwards? I'd wait and play it for a while before changing the pickups. Get to know its tonality and how well it delivers the sounds you're trying to achieve.
Click to expand...

Yes, actually, the 59b is my favorite 99% of the time. BUT, I rarely play at stage voume. This is another thing. At stage volume, brightness jumps out of the amp and can become an issue. A very present pickup at room or rehearsal volume can be too bright at stage volume. That's why many people like the CC I guess. The CC must be killer at stage volume, but it's a bit too dark sounding at room volume.

Congrats for the new assignement Simon by the way!
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Sly_D said:
Yes, actually, the 59b is my favorite 99% of the time. BUT, I rarely play at stage voume. This is another thing. At stage volume, brightness jumps out of the amp and can become an issue. A very present pickup at room or rehearsal volume can be too bright at stage volume. That's why many people like the CC I guess. The CC must be killer at stage volume, but it's a bit too dark sounding at room volume.

Congrats for the new assignement Simon by the way!
Click to expand...

Interesting...at stage volume I feel like my tone gets warmer and fuller and sustains better.

It's when I'm playing at home or at rehearsal at lower volumes that it feels like my tone is brighter and thinner...

Lew
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Lewguitar said:
Interesting...at stage volume I feel like my tone gets warmer and fuller and sustains better.

It's when I'm playing at home or at rehearsal at lower volumes that it feels like my tone is brighter and thinner...

Lew
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Strange indeed. It may depend on the type of amp, size of room etc. I always experience sharper treble with volume. Everytime I crank my amp, I either tame the treble on the amp or on the guitar.

It may very well be the amps I used though. I only had Traynor tube amps and they are definitely brighter than Marshall and Mesa.
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

All the Customs are great pickups. They just have to be mated to the right guitar, to push the tone in a direction that the guitar naturally lacks.
Also, they all have an inherent sound that reminds me of other bands/players.

Custom, full frequency ballsy pickup, best for gain tones. Think KISS, Judas Priest. The "metal" custom

Custom 5, tight percussive lows, neutral mids, and open highs like a 59, best for rock tones with mahogany/EL-34's, which have naturally great mids that don't need cluttering by pickup mids. Think VH, AC/DC, Rush type sound.
The 'heavy rock' custom

The CC, soft warm bottom, dense low mids, creamy top end. Best for fat buttery tones similar to Robben Ford, Carlton, Allmans.
The 'fusion or blues' custom.

Hope that helps
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Gearjoneser said:
All the Customs are great pickups. They just have to be mated to the right guitar, to push the tone in a direction that the guitar naturally lacks.
Also, they all have an inherent sound that reminds me of other bands/players.

Custom, full frequency ballsy pickup, best for gain tones. Think KISS, Judas Priest. The "metal" custom

Custom 5, tight percussive lows, neutral mids, and open highs like a 59, best for rock tones with mahogany/EL-34's, which have naturally great mids that don't need cluttering by pickup mids. Think VH, AC/DC, Rush type sound.
The 'heavy rock' custom

The CC, soft warm bottom, dense low mids, creamy top end. Best for fat buttery tones similar to Robben Ford, Carlton, Allmans.
The 'fusion or blues' custom.

Hope that helps
Click to expand...

I use my Custom and Custom Custom through Matchless and Fender amps and I play blues. When I play blues, the Custom and Custom Custom sound like great blues pickups.

So I think any of the Customs can play any genre of music and sound perfect for that genre if the player plays the right stuff...

Just my opinion...

I never play Metal...so I never hear my Custom sounding like a Metal pickup...least of all do I ever hear ME sound like KISS! :laugh2: Maybe I would if I knew a KISS song...thank God I don't!

Lew
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Lewguitar said:
I never play Metal...so I never hear my Custom sounding like a Metal pickup...least of all do I ever hear ME sound like KISS! :laugh2: Maybe I would if I knew a KISS song...thank God I don't!

Lew
Click to expand...

It's not as painful as it looks Lew ;)
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

Sly_D said:
It's not as painful as it looks Lew ;)
Click to expand...

:laugh2: Just not my style or interest. Never has been...never will. :)
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

The custom is a really nice pup i find its nice and tight but still remains fat, and the high end if harsh in that particular guitar can be rolled down if needed, which makes the pup sound smoother and still very useable. I like the split tones better than the custom custom, and its not as nasally sounding. I found the custom custom distorts very easily, and is no where near as tight as the custom. The increased midrange is nice, and adds a great marshall kind of growl but i think it would better match a brighter guitar.

Dills
 
Re: Need help C, CC, or C5 .... whats for me?

yeah, I've always been screamed at for liking Kiss by guys who where into classic 60s rock... I guess it just made me like them even more at the time, you know, just to piss off older people. I like outrageous stuff that shakes the establishement's little world. And Kiss did in the 70s. :offtopic:

Yet to avoid completley highjacking openj's thread, the 59b is great for old Kiss stuff too, but the Custom is the closest pikcup to the Super Distortion in my opinion. Just a tad brighter with a tad less bass and a little less harmonics.
 
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