Recommend a bridge pickup with less mid-range honk than the Duncan Custom

[ianmgull]

I'm looking for a recommendation.

I have a PRS 7 string that currently has a Jazz in the neck, and a Duncan Custom in the bridge position. I love the neck sound, but I'm pretty luke warm on the bridge.

Through my rig, the Jazz sounds nice and balanced: tight lows and crisp highs with a gentle mid-scoop. The bridge however has this mid-range honk that I'm not feeling. I'm looking for something closer to the Jazz but for a bridge position on a 7-string.

My preference is lower to mid level output pickups (nothing too hot).

Any recommendations for something with more of a mid scoop?

 

[Chistopher]

Swap the ceramic magnet with an Alnico 5 and you have a Custom 5, which should do what you want.

 

[jeremy]

yeah, the custom takes mag swaps really well. ive used ceramic, a5, a3, and a2 with good results

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, the A5 should scoop that honk right out.

 

[ianmgull]

yeah, the custom takes mag swaps really well. ive used ceramic, a5, a3, and a2 with good results

When you refer to mag swaps, do you mean using a Custom 5 (which I assume is similar to the Custom, but with an A5)? Or do you mean physically swapping the magnet in the pickup?

 

[jeremy]

i mean physically swapping the bar magnet in the pup. the custom, custom custom, and custom 5 are all the same wind and materials other than the bar magnet.

 

[beaubrummels]

When you refer to mag swaps, do you mean using a Custom 5 (which I assume is similar to the Custom, but with an A5)? Or do you mean physically swapping the magnet in the pickup?

The latter. You loosen the 4 screws holding the bobbins on just a little bit from the baseplate side, then slide the magnet out very carefully and put in a different magnet. You have to pay attention to orientation of the magnet and put the new one in with North facing the same direction as the one you took out.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

If it's a 7-string pickup... don't those use off-size magnets?

 

[Seashore]

If it's a 7-string pickup... don't those use off-size magnets?

Most of the 7 string magnets I've pulled out are 2.75" (70mm), but a 2.5" (63mm) magnet will contact all the poles. I've used them and they work fine.

 

[Mincer]

Most of the 7 string magnets I've pulled out are 2.75" (70mm), but a 2.5" (63mm) magnet will contact all the poles. I've used them and they work fine.

I honestly didn't know this, as I never had a reason to check. I never had a 7 string pickup apart.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Kind of an urelated but kinda related matter... I wonder how 7 string pickups compare to their 6 string counterparts. I mean, with the added magnetic material, I'm sure there's a difference in gauss and inductance. Add to that, the added copper in the coils... I wonder what they do to homogenize their sound with the "regular" versions of the pickups?

I also wonder what the magnet is like in a 7 string Distortion? Is it taller than a 7 string Custom? Also, do the 7 string Invader and Black Winter even use the triple ceramic setup?

I suppose the way I can land these questions to these thread is I'd never describe a 6-string Custom as honky. It's pretty scooped to my ears with either the stock ceramic or an A5 magnet. Then again, if you're comparing it to the neck Jazz... yeah, the bridge position has more honk inherently.

 

[Seashore]

Rex_Rocker and anyone else who's interested, here are some magnet pictures.

Here's a 70mm 7 string magnet from a BKP:


Here's a 69mm 7 string magnet from a Duncan JB7:




Here's a 64mm 6 string A8 I got from Philadelphia Luthier:



Here's how the 7 string and 6 string magnets line up against the poles of a 7 string Jazz neck (same pole spacing as the 7 string bridge models):






And here is an end shot of the mags from a JB7 and a Distortion bridge 7. Length and width are the same, DD7 is double thick like the 6 string version:

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Rex_Rocker and anyone else who's interested, here are some magnet pictures.

Here's a 70mm 7 string magnet from a BKP:


Here's a 69mm 7 string magnet from a Duncan JB7:




Here's a 64mm 6 string A8 I got from Philadelphia Luthier:



Here's how the 7 string and 6 string magnets line up against the poles of a 7 string Jazz neck (same pole spacing as the 7 string bridge models):






And here is an end shot of the mags from a JB7 and a Distortion bridge 7. Length and width are the same, DD7 is double thick like the 6 string version:

Thank you! That's very interesting information.

 

[ToneFiddler]

...
I suppose the way I can land these questions to these thread is I'd never describe a 6-string Custom as honky. It's pretty scooped to my ears with either the stock ceramic or an A5 magnet. Then again, if you're comparing it to the neck Jazz... yeah, the bridge position has more honk inherently.

This!
Is it the OP's first guitar and does he know this is normal to some degree for a bridge PU?

 

[jeremy]

great info there, thanks!

 

[beaubrummels]

I'd never describe a 6-string Custom as honky. It's pretty scooped to my ears with either the stock ceramic or an A5 magnet.

What guitar/wood was this in? FWIW the regular Custom (ceramic) in my mahogany SG, mahogany/maple top LP Studio and poplar Jackson, while doesn't have an actual 'honk' sound to it, does have a filled in mid "voice" to it - which lives up to it's advertising as a "PAF on steroids" IME. The Custom 5 was scooped, however.

 

[Masta' C]

My experience with the 6-string versions of the Custom and Custom 5 is pretty similar to Beau's.

However, my experience with 7-string versions of several pickups alongside their standard 6-string counterparts (JB, Invader, PAF Pro, Crunch Lab, etc) tells me that some differences in tone are inevitable as you move up to the larger format.

Whether those differences matter or not depends on a number of factors, but I think most 7-string versions of pickups initially designed for 6 strings are "close enough" for most players to feel content.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

What guitar/wood was this in? FWIW the regular Custom (ceramic) in my mahogany SG, mahogany/maple top LP Studio and poplar Jackson, while doesn't have an actual 'honk' sound to it, does have a filled in mid "voice" to it - which lives up to it's advertising as a "PAF on steroids" IME. The Custom 5 was scooped, however.

Ooof, it went in all of my guitars at the time, so Les Paul Tribute, EC-400VF, and hot-rodded Strat.

I suppose I found it scooped because, at the time, the other pickups I had at hand were a JB, a Nazgul, and a 500T, and all of them are way more mid-forward than the Custom is.

IME, the Custom does have some aggression in the lower treble and maybe high mids... but the low-end is also really thuddy and filled out, which pushes back the core mids *compared to the other pickups I had at the time*, I feel.