Replacement for Shawbucker 1 in bridge of strat

[ebagjones]

Hello! I recently got an amazing deal on a new American Elite Strat. I have a SSS american strat and a Les Paul I primarily use, and I thought a humbucker equipped strat would be a great 1 guitar for a gig compromise. I use mostly either a PRS Archon 50 or a Splawn Quick Rod 50 and get all of my dirt from their gain channels. My Les Paul has a Burstbucker 2 in the bridge, which I know is a vintage PAF voiced pickup and it sounds killer through both amps. The American Elite has a shawbucker pickup in the bridge, which is also a vintage PAF voiced pickup. Both have alnico 2 magnets. I figured they would be similar but the Shawbucker completely falls apart under high gain, the bottom end gets boomy and loose, the mids disappear, and the highs are thin and scratchy. I'm looking for a medium-ish output pickup to replace the shawbucker that will stay tight under high gain but retain the smooth rounded sweet top end of the burstbucker type pickup. I am a lead player and use gain frequently but not much more than 80s or 90s hard rock levels.
The pickup I have in mind to try is the Custom Custom, because the eq seems to have a tight low end but the alnico 2 should impart and sweeter rounder top. I also like that it has a lot of mids as I prefer a mid heavy setup. I also have an alder body Luke III and the Dimarzio Transition in the bridge of that sounds incredible, but I'd prefer to vary it up. I'm looking for suggestions if anyone has any. Thanks!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Replacement for Shawbucker 1 in bridge of strat

I was actually tempted about halfway through your post to skip the rest and suggest a Custom Custom. I think you would definitely like it.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Replacement for Shawbucker 1 in bridge of strat

I highly recommend the Custom Custom as well. I had one in Double fat Strat for years and it was my favorite bridge humbucker, out of many tries. It will sound sweet and hold together under many different gain levels. I don't play anything much harder than 80's rock and what was called "metal" back then. It's certainly nothing like metal today.

For me, through a JCM800 2205 it did a great job of GnR stuff and everything in that vein. If you don't love it for some reason, a simple magnet swap will turn it into a Custtom or a Custom 5, depending on what magnet you use.

Good luck.