replacing jb with a custom ?

E

extendedping

New member
hi all, i have the jb jazz combo in my agile 3500 which is a les paul copy but has an ebony fretboard and maple cap on mahogony body, both of which i'm told add brightness to the guitar. I love the jazz but am not nuts bout the jb which just seems too harsh sounding with not enought bass or warmth for me. perhaps this is because the guitar is already bright sounding due to the ebony? anyway the sound i'm into is blues and classic rock (60's 70's). I wanted to get your thoughts on which custom (custom, custom 5, or custom custom) would sound best in this type of guitar coupled with the jazz. really appreciate it thanks............
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

I think any one of the customs would sound great. My preference is the custom custom though. It just kills in my LP.
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

I love the Custom but, anything is better than whats in the bridge position as of right now!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

Custom 5. I love the Custom to bits as well, but it's a bit harsh when trying to play slightly dirty.
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

We all hear and play differantly. But if the JB sounds to bright to you I'd suspect that the Custom 5 would too. I think of it as being a fairly bright pickup and feel like if it had more mids to shift the balance a little I'd like it better. I know Gearjoneser wound his a little hotter which thickened the mids and I think he likes that better. Anyways, I'd recommend the Custom Custom if you want less treble bite and a thicker, more touch sensitive midrange. Or the Custom...because it seems to have thicker mids than the Custom 5. It's brighter than the Custom Custom though. Lew
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

In my experience JB + Les Paul is just an awful shrieky thing.

Custom is always a great choice in a Les Paul if you want a hot, thick hard rock sound (like the JB is in a bolt on style guitar)

I've only heard a CC in one Les Paul and I did not care for it...too much mids, however because of the way guitars vary, I'm loathe to dismiss it outright.

59's, APII. C-5, Custom. Prolly not a bad one in the bunch.
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

JeffB said:
APII.
Click to expand...


The Alnico II pro will probally be one of the best choices for the styles of music he mentioned!!!!! That or the Seth Lover!
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

extendedping said:
theodie is that alnico 2 in the bridge keeping the jazz in the neck???
Click to expand...
I dont fully understand the question but, you can use a Jazz in the neck with the Alnico pro II or, you can get an alnico II pro neck to go with the bridge.
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

FWIW...it's a SG, but comparisons are worthwhile...I went from a tone zone to a Demon to a '59 to a C5 to a JB, because I wanted something with heft but also some highs but *not* shrieky and I'd say the JB has smooth highs, bit not a lot of glass/shriek (unlike the demon-that shrieks!). The C5 & Tonezone had no jangle/glass so I think either one would suit if you find a JB shrieky. (Are you SURE that's a JB & not a '59?!) Both split well (as does the JB).

Was that Lew suggesting a AP2 & Seth in the bridge - I find that unfathomable. They both are gonna have a lot more upper highs than the JB.

But don't forget you've got tone controls for a reason..try rolling off the treble in the guit & in the amp and the JB should do. Maybe that's what Lew is thinking. "Woman tone"?
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

I think the difference here is the inherent tone in a SG vs. the original posters guitar which is a Les Paul copy...

SG= thin mahogany body, RW board

Agile= thick mahogany body, maple cap, and ebony board

In an SG/V/Explorer, etc....The JB doesn't sound too shrieky at all...still not *my* cup of tea, but...

In a Les Paul with the added highs from the maple cap (and in the case of the Agile, the ebony board too)....you get alot of frequency overlap w/ the JB..and hence the "shriek"....also depends on the amp...through a "dark" amp like say a MESA (non recto) you may need/want that extra high mids/treble of the JB. But in amp that pushes alot of top end and high mids like a Marshall or similar, the JB is (to my ears anyway) overwhelming in a Les Paul.
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

thanks for the insight jeffb btw in your les paul that you had the cc that you were not crazy about did it have the maple cap and ebony fretboard and do you think that the brightness added by these might make the cc sound better? for some reason im leaning cc and want to be convinced i have no idea why when i've never actually heard this vrs custom....i guess a "custom" custom to my small brain just sounds more fancy :)
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

extendedping said:
thanks for the insight jeffb btw in your les paul that you had the cc that you were not crazy about did it have the maple cap and ebony fretboard and do you think that the brightness added by these might make the cc sound better? for some reason im leaning cc and want to be convinced i have no idea why when i've never actually heard this vrs custom....i guess a "custom" custom to my small brain just sounds more fancy :)
Click to expand...

It was not my guitar. It was someone elses at the music shop. The guitar was a Les Paul classic (same construction as a Les Paul standard) played through a Rivera Chubster 40 like mine.

Don't get me wrong, it was a *good* sound, just not *my* thing. It was a little "soft" (again to my tastes), but it was very smooth and fluid for lead work. I like a little more "crunch" for powerchording/riffs and more "bite" for leads..think Angus Young on steroids, and that's the sound I prefer. In alnico II, I think the Seth's just sound awesome...a bit more crunch and bite, with less mids than the CC (I also heard/played these in a LP Classic)

Duncan has a 21 day exchange policy, use it if need be ! :)
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

I have a JB in my Les Paul, with a Jazz in the neck, and it sounds excellent. There's no shrillness to the JB's tone. I don't know if the fact that it's over 20 years old has anything to do with it, but it sounds a bit warmer to my ears than the newer one I have in my Schecter's bridge.
I've played a Custom in a few of my guitars and really like it. In a LP, for me anyways, it sounded warm but crunchy. Excellent for rock rhythms and blues leads, IMO.
It's a great humbucker.

....Bob
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

extendedping said:
hi all, i have the jb jazz combo in my agile 3500 which is a les paul copy but has an ebony fretboard and maple cap on mahogony body, both of which i'm told add brightness to the guitar. I love the jazz but am not nuts bout the jb which just seems too harsh sounding with not enought bass or warmth for me. perhaps this is because the guitar is already bright sounding due to the ebony? anyway the sound i'm into is blues and classic rock (60's 70's). I wanted to get your thoughts on which custom (custom, custom 5, or custom custom) would sound best in this type of guitar coupled with the jazz. really appreciate it thanks............
Click to expand...

ceramic custom sounds the best in a LP
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

i'm no closer, looks like the cc or rhe regular custom....arggggggggg..or the anlico 2 .......crying :(
 
Re: replacing jb with a custom ?

ok so before i decide to get this straight, the order of "brightness" would be c5 custom and then cc? which in that case would mean either the cc or the custom for me. now between those 2 which would produce a more classic rock sound? if im driving you crazy you should see what im doing to myself :)
 
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