Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
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Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
To me, the C-5 sounds great when paired with the right neck pup, but seems to lack a little bass on its own. A very open sounding pickup, but still retains it's clarity. Cuts through a mix very well on its own. The cleans can be a little bright if you hit them too hard, but are very nice with some good picking techniques.
To me, the C-5 sounds great when paired with the right neck pup, but seems to lack a little bass on its own. A very open sounding pickup, but still retains it's clarity. Cuts through a mix very well on its own. The cleans can be a little bright if you hit them too hard, but are very nice with some good picking techniques.
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Custom: Bridge postition in my Ec-1000 (mahogany lp style). Lot of output, great clarity and articulation. Tight bass and good mids. A really aggressive pick-up, drives my JCM800 nicely but the cleans are also very useable. Sounds great for heavier rock, metal, hardcore, whatever needs some aggression and balance.
Custom 5: Had it in the bridge position of a ltd ec-300 (lp style mahogany). I wasn't pleased with this pick-up. Too much bass, not enough mids or highs... Sounded muffled and muddy (to my ears). I couldn't get it to cut through, I often switched to the '59 in the neck for my solos to be heard. A lot of people get great results with it in les pauls so I guess I could've done something wrong, (amp settings or something) but it always sounded dead compared to my '59. I would, however think it would be great in a brighter guitar, such as a strat....
Custom: Bridge postition in my Ec-1000 (mahogany lp style). Lot of output, great clarity and articulation. Tight bass and good mids. A really aggressive pick-up, drives my JCM800 nicely but the cleans are also very useable. Sounds great for heavier rock, metal, hardcore, whatever needs some aggression and balance.
Custom 5: Had it in the bridge position of a ltd ec-300 (lp style mahogany). I wasn't pleased with this pick-up. Too much bass, not enough mids or highs... Sounded muffled and muddy (to my ears). I couldn't get it to cut through, I often switched to the '59 in the neck for my solos to be heard. A lot of people get great results with it in les pauls so I guess I could've done something wrong, (amp settings or something) but it always sounded dead compared to my '59. I would, however think it would be great in a brighter guitar, such as a strat....
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Duncan Custom: Probably the most aggressive PAF-style Tone out there. Cutting highs, good harmonics, and a fat, defined bass make this the ultimate all-around pickup for heavier styles IMO, not necessarily limited to rock.
It splits relatively well, though a bit stale compared to the JB. Not the best pickup for clean tones, but the amp settings can be tweaked a bit so they´re more usable. But there are definitely humbuckers that sound "worse" clean
Seems to work well with almost any amp, likely due to the PAF-ish character. Quite dynamic for a high output pickup, cleans up nicely when you roll the volume off. Sounds best to me with very few effects and "saturated but not compressed" High-gain tone, where the dynamics of the pickup become more apparent as well. Works well in Les Pauls, but some find it almost too powerful on the low end. Strats on the other hand seem to benefit more from the custom, particularly alder ones.
Duncan Custom: Probably the most aggressive PAF-style Tone out there. Cutting highs, good harmonics, and a fat, defined bass make this the ultimate all-around pickup for heavier styles IMO, not necessarily limited to rock.
It splits relatively well, though a bit stale compared to the JB. Not the best pickup for clean tones, but the amp settings can be tweaked a bit so they´re more usable. But there are definitely humbuckers that sound "worse" clean
Seems to work well with almost any amp, likely due to the PAF-ish character. Quite dynamic for a high output pickup, cleans up nicely when you roll the volume off. Sounds best to me with very few effects and "saturated but not compressed" High-gain tone, where the dynamics of the pickup become more apparent as well. Works well in Les Pauls, but some find it almost too powerful on the low end. Strats on the other hand seem to benefit more from the custom, particularly alder ones.
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kaknight
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Custom 5 - I put this pup into my PRS Cu22. The pickup worked wonders for my tone. think of a PAF pickup (warm full bass, crisp articulate highs, and a scooped mid) with high output. This pickup drives my rig very well and gives it a very rich vintage tone but with enough output to make pinch harmonics. It sits in my mahogony body with maple cap guitar and turned my PRS from a heavy metal machine into a vintage hard rock monster.
The only downside that I could say I have found in this pup is its top-end. My rig tends to run a bit bright, and balancing it with the tone of the 59n in the guitar, I have to keep it set so. When I use the C5, I often turn down the tone knob on my guitar to 8 or so. If you have a really bright rig, you might consider a different pup - perhaps one with an AII magnet like a CC.
Custom 5 - I put this pup into my PRS Cu22. The pickup worked wonders for my tone. think of a PAF pickup (warm full bass, crisp articulate highs, and a scooped mid) with high output. This pickup drives my rig very well and gives it a very rich vintage tone but with enough output to make pinch harmonics. It sits in my mahogony body with maple cap guitar and turned my PRS from a heavy metal machine into a vintage hard rock monster.
The only downside that I could say I have found in this pup is its top-end. My rig tends to run a bit bright, and balancing it with the tone of the 59n in the guitar, I have to keep it set so. When I use the C5, I often turn down the tone knob on my guitar to 8 or so. If you have a really bright rig, you might consider a different pup - perhaps one with an AII magnet like a CC.
WITH FULL DISTORTION
F. Hails Railsologist
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Hails all and Hails Zerberus..... i want to KNOW..... WHAT ABOUT THE CUSTOM MIDDS? i liked the bass and the highs reviews, but you forgot to mention the mids.
HAILS.
i´ll post as soon as i read all the reviews... my review of teh CC.
J.P
Hails all and Hails Zerberus..... i want to KNOW..... WHAT ABOUT THE CUSTOM MIDDS? i liked the bass and the highs reviews, but you forgot to mention the mids.
HAILS.
i´ll post as soon as i read all the reviews... my review of teh CC.
J.P
Zerberus said:Duncan Custom: Probably the most aggressive PAF-style Tone out there. Cutting highs, good harmonics, and a fat, defined bass make this the ultimate all-around pickup for heavier styles IMO, not necessarily limited to rock.
It splits relatively well, though a bit stale compared to the JB. Not the best pickup for clean tones, but the amp settings can be tweaked a bit so they´re more usable. But there are definitely humbuckers that sound "worse" clean
Seems to work well with almost any amp, likely due to the PAF-ish character. Quite dynamic for a high output pickup, cleans up nicely when you roll the volume off. Sounds best to me with very few effects and "saturated but not compressed" High-gain tone, where the dynamics of the pickup become more apparent as well. Works well in Les Pauls, but some find it almost too powerful on the low end. Strats on the other hand seem to benefit more from the custom, particularly alder ones.
WITH FULL DISTORTION
F. Hails Railsologist
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
My review of the Duncan Custom Custom.
i have it in my Charvel Fusion Deluxe(1990) poplar body, maple neck, rosewood 24 frets fingerboard. tuned in D
i had an amp, a crate GX80 watts, but i sold it, and the tests where made in that amp and a marshall valvestate 80 watts 1x12.
Well, the CC haso very agressive and cutting/crunchy Mids and Highs. a lot god for single note solos, high speed solos and Tremelo MADNESS(slayer, vader, decapitated, morbid angel, etc).
it is good for metal and i have not tested it with another music styles but its CLEANs are great. very good definition pickups .
The only things that should be A LITTLE IMPROVED here is the bass. the bass are a litlle bit lack, but you can rely it on the amp/pedal settings.
so i´m not worry with its bass. on teh tone chart it says 3BASS, 7/7 MIDDS/HIGHS. but it seens that it has a vulcanic Bass force, ahahaha even with the bass eq on 3, you can feel and hear that it lookls like it has more bass than 3, but with PALM mute deathmetal riffs it lacks a bit of bass.
My review of the Duncan Custom Custom.
i have it in my Charvel Fusion Deluxe(1990) poplar body, maple neck, rosewood 24 frets fingerboard. tuned in D
i had an amp, a crate GX80 watts, but i sold it, and the tests where made in that amp and a marshall valvestate 80 watts 1x12.
Well, the CC haso very agressive and cutting/crunchy Mids and Highs. a lot god for single note solos, high speed solos and Tremelo MADNESS(slayer, vader, decapitated, morbid angel, etc).
it is good for metal and i have not tested it with another music styles but its CLEANs are great. very good definition pickups .
The only things that should be A LITTLE IMPROVED here is the bass. the bass are a litlle bit lack, but you can rely it on the amp/pedal settings.
so i´m not worry with its bass. on teh tone chart it says 3BASS, 7/7 MIDDS/HIGHS. but it seens that it has a vulcanic Bass force, ahahaha even with the bass eq on 3, you can feel and hear that it lookls like it has more bass than 3, but with PALM mute deathmetal riffs it lacks a bit of bass.
midnite_man
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
I use a Custom in my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, and my Epi G400 (SG model), and have nothing but positive things to say about the pickup. Both guitars are mahogany with same-wood necks.
In the LP it's very full-sounding with good bass but better mids and just enough highs to shake the cobwebs around nicely. Works good with the Pearly Gate in the neck for both rhythm and lead work. But for solo only, I can't go wrong with the Custom alone.
In my G400, the Custom does an excellent job of recreating Angus Young-AC/DC type tones, and also EVH tones as well. Since that guitar body is not as thick as the LP it really cranks out the highs.
In both guitars played clean, the Custom has excellent definition and works fine for articulate finger-work. I'd really like to try one in the bridge of my Strat one day, but that's another thread....
I use a Custom in my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, and my Epi G400 (SG model), and have nothing but positive things to say about the pickup. Both guitars are mahogany with same-wood necks.
In the LP it's very full-sounding with good bass but better mids and just enough highs to shake the cobwebs around nicely. Works good with the Pearly Gate in the neck for both rhythm and lead work. But for solo only, I can't go wrong with the Custom alone.
In my G400, the Custom does an excellent job of recreating Angus Young-AC/DC type tones, and also EVH tones as well. Since that guitar body is not as thick as the LP it really cranks out the highs.
In both guitars played clean, the Custom has excellent definition and works fine for articulate finger-work. I'd really like to try one in the bridge of my Strat one day, but that's another thread....
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msplines
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Tried the C5 everywhere in all my guitars (LP Studio, Redding, Arias) and I still didn't like it. It was grabby, muddy, clanky, inarticulate and nasty and, like my hair, I couldn't do a thing with it until, in total desperation and under an overdose of Mother's Ruin, I detuned my alder bodied Aria Legend to B with giant guage strings and stuck it in the bridge and it shouts, growls and clanks like a demented steam engine. Seems OK if you like that sort of thing and is finally articulate enough to receive hymns of praise from the rest of the band.
Consume in moderation and at your own risk. :argh: :argh: :arg:
Tried the C5 everywhere in all my guitars (LP Studio, Redding, Arias) and I still didn't like it. It was grabby, muddy, clanky, inarticulate and nasty and, like my hair, I couldn't do a thing with it until, in total desperation and under an overdose of Mother's Ruin, I detuned my alder bodied Aria Legend to B with giant guage strings and stuck it in the bridge and it shouts, growls and clanks like a demented steam engine. Seems OK if you like that sort of thing and is finally articulate enough to receive hymns of praise from the rest of the band.
Consume in moderation and at your own risk. :argh: :argh: :arg:
fenderiarhs
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Duncan Custom Custom(overall 8/10)
Nice pickup.Medium-high output.I liked very much the sweet treble(i never liked the fact that most pickups use more treble than i prefer).The mids are very very prominent.This is the reason that maybe i didn't like so much the sound of the CC when i was practising alone in home but when i used it for rehearsals or the occasional gig......it cuts through the mix like no other pickup.....It's the perfect pickup if you want your guitar to be heard under the most busy mix.The part of this pickup i didn't like is the bass responce.....Not enough bass.....the E and A strings never sounded the way i wanted them to....and that was the reason i changed it for the custom5.
Bass:4.5
Mids:8
treble:5.5
Duncan Custom 5(overall 6.5/10)
Not many things to say about this pickup.I was certainly expecting something more from this one.While i enjoyed the bass responce(which was the main reason i didn't like the CC)and while i could cope with the more prominent treble i hated the fact that there were no mids to make my guitar be heard in the mix.During rehearsals i always raised the mid controll of the amp to 7-8 and still i found my guitar was lost between the bass and drums.I must say that this is maybe not a bad pickup but not for a strat...i am sure in a les paul will be perfect.
Bass:7.5
low mids:5.5
hi mids:5.5
treble:7.5
Duncan Custom Custom(overall 8/10)
Nice pickup.Medium-high output.I liked very much the sweet treble(i never liked the fact that most pickups use more treble than i prefer).The mids are very very prominent.This is the reason that maybe i didn't like so much the sound of the CC when i was practising alone in home but when i used it for rehearsals or the occasional gig......it cuts through the mix like no other pickup.....It's the perfect pickup if you want your guitar to be heard under the most busy mix.The part of this pickup i didn't like is the bass responce.....Not enough bass.....the E and A strings never sounded the way i wanted them to....and that was the reason i changed it for the custom5.
Bass:4.5
Mids:8
treble:5.5
Duncan Custom 5(overall 6.5/10)
Not many things to say about this pickup.I was certainly expecting something more from this one.While i enjoyed the bass responce(which was the main reason i didn't like the CC)and while i could cope with the more prominent treble i hated the fact that there were no mids to make my guitar be heard in the mix.During rehearsals i always raised the mid controll of the amp to 7-8 and still i found my guitar was lost between the bass and drums.I must say that this is maybe not a bad pickup but not for a strat...i am sure in a les paul will be perfect.
Bass:7.5
low mids:5.5
hi mids:5.5
treble:7.5
\m/(00)\m/
HeadBanginologist
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Duncan Custom:
Have it in my mahogany san daimas III charvel. as WLL said, "it's the PAF that's pissed off!". i always liked the tone of PAF's but they were always too low of output, but i dont like them with too much out put, which is why i love this one. not too hot, and not so hot that you sacrifice good tone. good balance of bass/mids/treble so nothing sticks out more than it should. not too bright, not too much mids, not too much bass, just perfect!!
overall i'd give it a 9.5, im sure there is something better for me out there but i just dont knwo what it is. but if it's not out there, then i give it a 10!!!
Duncan Custom:
Have it in my mahogany san daimas III charvel. as WLL said, "it's the PAF that's pissed off!". i always liked the tone of PAF's but they were always too low of output, but i dont like them with too much out put, which is why i love this one. not too hot, and not so hot that you sacrifice good tone. good balance of bass/mids/treble so nothing sticks out more than it should. not too bright, not too much mids, not too much bass, just perfect!!
overall i'd give it a 9.5, im sure there is something better for me out there but i just dont knwo what it is. but if it's not out there, then i give it a 10!!!
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Duncan Custom has a tight, clear, articulate sound, with output aplenty. It has a searing lead tone that can cut like a knife. Great all around sounds. It doesnt have an extreme amount of bass but what it has is very tight. Clean you can really tell its a ceramic magnet pup but thats not neccessarily a bad thing, it just sounds very slightly 'sterile', but for some styles that could be good. I love this pickup!
Duncan Custom has a tight, clear, articulate sound, with output aplenty. It has a searing lead tone that can cut like a knife. Great all around sounds. It doesnt have an extreme amount of bass but what it has is very tight. Clean you can really tell its a ceramic magnet pup but thats not neccessarily a bad thing, it just sounds very slightly 'sterile', but for some styles that could be good. I love this pickup!
garublador
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
For the Custom 5 I've found the SD description to be very accurate. I'd also like to add that I've found it to be very sensitive to it's height relative to the strings. I've had it in a plywood Jackson ripoff and a PRS 24 and it's sounded great in both...after some tweaking. The bass can be a little too prominant and even boomy with the wrong height and amp settings, but it's very "tameable." I like that I have to back off on the bass on the amp because that's what I like to do with the neck pickup anyway.
I've found this with most Duncan pickups, but I do find the C5 to be warm and open sounding. The "openness" of the C5 is what really draws me to it. I had PRS Dragon II pickups in my CU24 and they were alright, but not open enough. I feel like I have more control over my tone that way.
I think it was Gearjonser that made a comment about the mids of the C5 and that the fact that they are less prominent allows the mids of the amplifier to really shine through. I didn't realize that was something I liked about it until he said it. I've found that to be very true as well. I think using the C5 in an amp and guitar where the mids are the strong points of their tones is where this pickup works the best.
For the Custom 5 I've found the SD description to be very accurate. I'd also like to add that I've found it to be very sensitive to it's height relative to the strings. I've had it in a plywood Jackson ripoff and a PRS 24 and it's sounded great in both...after some tweaking. The bass can be a little too prominant and even boomy with the wrong height and amp settings, but it's very "tameable." I like that I have to back off on the bass on the amp because that's what I like to do with the neck pickup anyway.
I've found this with most Duncan pickups, but I do find the C5 to be warm and open sounding. The "openness" of the C5 is what really draws me to it. I had PRS Dragon II pickups in my CU24 and they were alright, but not open enough. I feel like I have more control over my tone that way.
I think it was Gearjonser that made a comment about the mids of the C5 and that the fact that they are less prominent allows the mids of the amplifier to really shine through. I didn't realize that was something I liked about it until he said it. I've found that to be very true as well. I think using the C5 in an amp and guitar where the mids are the strong points of their tones is where this pickup works the best.
papersoul
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
The weird thing is that the Dragon I is more considered the metal pickup in that it is hotter and more modern in its voicing. The PRS tone chart shows the Dragon II more on the vintage side and not as hot as the D I. I also find the C-5 does vintage well, but I notice many guys pull off modern metal with it.
Garublador,
I had the C-5 in my LP with new 500k pots and .022 caps. Before that I had the stock Gibson BB Pros. I find the C-5 to be similar to the BB Pros in that they are heavy in the bass, natural mids, and airy highs. I did however find the C-5 a little thicker and had better harmonics. I still struggled with the higher strings sounding a little thin at times. A good friend of mine swears by the Dragon IIs in his PRS because he finds them a nice mix of vintage and modern and sometimes I find the C-5 to be the same.
It really puzzles me how some saythe C-5 doesn't cut through the mix of a band while others swear by this pickup and gig regularly. That always threw me off.
kaknight said:
The weird thing is that the Dragon I is more considered the metal pickup in that it is hotter and more modern in its voicing. The PRS tone chart shows the Dragon II more on the vintage side and not as hot as the D I. I also find the C-5 does vintage well, but I notice many guys pull off modern metal with it.
Garublador,
I had the C-5 in my LP with new 500k pots and .022 caps. Before that I had the stock Gibson BB Pros. I find the C-5 to be similar to the BB Pros in that they are heavy in the bass, natural mids, and airy highs. I did however find the C-5 a little thicker and had better harmonics. I still struggled with the higher strings sounding a little thin at times. A good friend of mine swears by the Dragon IIs in his PRS because he finds them a nice mix of vintage and modern and sometimes I find the C-5 to be the same.
It really puzzles me how some saythe C-5 doesn't cut through the mix of a band while others swear by this pickup and gig regularly. That always threw me off.
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KLINKDETROIT
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Anyone try a C5 or ab TB3 in a Schecter, Mohagony body?
Anyone try a C5 or ab TB3 in a Schecter, Mohagony body?
MattPete
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Custom (9.5/10): Very nice pickup, and more articulate than the JB or Custom Custom. Nice mids that aren't overbearing. Likewise, nice highs, but not remotely icepicky. Has plenty of harmonics, yet the high strings don't sound thin at all. Bass is fine, too. Overall, it's a nicely balanced pickup with just a hunt of honk to it. A very versatile pickup that can go from a classic hard rock type sound (AC/DC, Son Volt) to metal. Somewhat brownish at times. Sounds OK clean, but that's not it's natural domain. Really, there is very little I would change about this pickup. I use this in a chambered Warmoth mahogany strat (maple/rosewood neck) with a Floyd Rose.
Custom Custom (8/10). Very mid dominant. Think Fair Warning or "Money for Nothing" for extreme examples. Having said that, the amount of mid dominance depends on the amp settings, and those were extreme examples. Nice smooth top - you'll never, ever, accuse this pickup of being ice-picky. I tried this in the Floyd equiped Mahogany strat mentioned above, and it did not work in that setup. The lack of bass from a Floyd guitar when paired with the lack of bass in the CC gave it an AM radio type of sound. Having said that, it sounds great in my Warmoth PRS clone (mahogany neck, mahogany body with maple cap). I think the reason the CC works so well in that guitar is that the guitar adds what the CC lacks: lows and low mids (mahogany body and neck) and highs (maple cap). Not as versatile as the Custom, but what it does, it does very well.
C5 (6.5). I really wanted to like this pickup. Robert's sounds clips with the C5 sound amazing. I first tried it in the chambered Warmoth strat mentioned in the review of the Custom. In this guitar, the high strings just sounded too thin and weak. Mahogany guitars like Les Paul's are supposed to have a lot of mids, so I saved the C5 for my next project guitar, my Warmoth PRS clone (mentioned in the review of the Custom Custom). Oooh, did the middle strings sound sweet! Then I started playing a solo on the high-E. Yikes! thin and nasty! I think the highs of the C5 interacted with the maple cap to produce icepick highs. But those middle strings sound pretty cool. Let's move down to the low-E. Blam! Mondo-bass...books fall off the shelf, cracks appear in the wall. WTF? Did I accidentally hit the volume on the amp? The A strings sounds nice, so let's try chugging on the E. Boom! It's like the low-E has it's own separate amp!. The moral to this story is that the C5 somehow combines too much bass with icepick highs and weak mids. Maybe this would work well in a mid-dominant guitar like an SG? On a side note, I also tried out a 59b, and I found it to have more mids, less bass, and smoother highs than the C5.
Custom (9.5/10): Very nice pickup, and more articulate than the JB or Custom Custom. Nice mids that aren't overbearing. Likewise, nice highs, but not remotely icepicky. Has plenty of harmonics, yet the high strings don't sound thin at all. Bass is fine, too. Overall, it's a nicely balanced pickup with just a hunt of honk to it. A very versatile pickup that can go from a classic hard rock type sound (AC/DC, Son Volt) to metal. Somewhat brownish at times. Sounds OK clean, but that's not it's natural domain. Really, there is very little I would change about this pickup. I use this in a chambered Warmoth mahogany strat (maple/rosewood neck) with a Floyd Rose.
Custom Custom (8/10). Very mid dominant. Think Fair Warning or "Money for Nothing" for extreme examples. Having said that, the amount of mid dominance depends on the amp settings, and those were extreme examples. Nice smooth top - you'll never, ever, accuse this pickup of being ice-picky. I tried this in the Floyd equiped Mahogany strat mentioned above, and it did not work in that setup. The lack of bass from a Floyd guitar when paired with the lack of bass in the CC gave it an AM radio type of sound. Having said that, it sounds great in my Warmoth PRS clone (mahogany neck, mahogany body with maple cap). I think the reason the CC works so well in that guitar is that the guitar adds what the CC lacks: lows and low mids (mahogany body and neck) and highs (maple cap). Not as versatile as the Custom, but what it does, it does very well.
C5 (6.5). I really wanted to like this pickup. Robert's sounds clips with the C5 sound amazing. I first tried it in the chambered Warmoth strat mentioned in the review of the Custom. In this guitar, the high strings just sounded too thin and weak. Mahogany guitars like Les Paul's are supposed to have a lot of mids, so I saved the C5 for my next project guitar, my Warmoth PRS clone (mentioned in the review of the Custom Custom). Oooh, did the middle strings sound sweet! Then I started playing a solo on the high-E. Yikes! thin and nasty! I think the highs of the C5 interacted with the maple cap to produce icepick highs. But those middle strings sound pretty cool. Let's move down to the low-E. Blam! Mondo-bass...books fall off the shelf, cracks appear in the wall. WTF? Did I accidentally hit the volume on the amp? The A strings sounds nice, so let's try chugging on the E. Boom! It's like the low-E has it's own separate amp!. The moral to this story is that the C5 somehow combines too much bass with icepick highs and weak mids. Maybe this would work well in a mid-dominant guitar like an SG? On a side note, I also tried out a 59b, and I found it to have more mids, less bass, and smoother highs than the C5.
motorhead
New member
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
I gave the C5 an honest try in a Strat and did NOT like it at all.
The cleans were very musical (loved it) but distorted it was all mud and bassy. The height played a huge factor on the tone ... more than any other Duncan I've tried. Around mid-height it was actually good for my distorted tone but not good enough.
I gave the C5 an honest try in a Strat and did NOT like it at all.
The cleans were very musical (loved it) but distorted it was all mud and bassy. The height played a huge factor on the tone ... more than any other Duncan I've tried. Around mid-height it was actually good for my distorted tone but not good enough.
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Custom Custom (8.5-10)
Guitar is an '87 Kramer American Stagemaster Deluxe. Maple neck through with Alder wings and OFR trem.
This guitar originally had a JB in it and I never liked it. The CC fits it perfectly. The guitar is naturally brite so the CC curbs the highs just enough...
The pickup is slanted so I think that helps to warm up the bass. I never thought this guitar lacked low end with the CC in it.
The CC is the most open sounding pickup I own. Every note of a chord can be heard easily and clearly.
I installed this pickup in '92 or '93. Cant remember exactly, but I still use it today and still love it.
Over the years I used this pickup in this guitar with these amps:
JCM800 Jubilee, ADA preamp, JCM900, and currently a 5150 combo.
Custom Custom (8.5-10)
Guitar is an '87 Kramer American Stagemaster Deluxe. Maple neck through with Alder wings and OFR trem.
This guitar originally had a JB in it and I never liked it. The CC fits it perfectly. The guitar is naturally brite so the CC curbs the highs just enough...
The pickup is slanted so I think that helps to warm up the bass. I never thought this guitar lacked low end with the CC in it.
The CC is the most open sounding pickup I own. Every note of a chord can be heard easily and clearly.
I installed this pickup in '92 or '93. Cant remember exactly, but I still use it today and still love it.
Over the years I used this pickup in this guitar with these amps:
JCM800 Jubilee, ADA preamp, JCM900, and currently a 5150 combo.
Guitarist
Mesa-ologist
Re: Reviews of the Custom Series Pickups
Duncan Custom SH-5:
Perfectly tight and thick bass attack with crystal clear articulation. The mids are beautifully present without making the sound nasal, and the highs are smoothly rounding off to make for a top notch pickup. It's the most versatile pickup I've had experience playing on for any rock situation. Beautiful pup. I love it to death.
I know that the high score I'm about to give this pickup will seem a little awkward to you (and hell it does for me too! I never rate things this high!), but in this case - I can't dock any points from any spectrum of its tone.
SH-5 Rating = 10/10
Duncan Custom SH-5:
Perfectly tight and thick bass attack with crystal clear articulation. The mids are beautifully present without making the sound nasal, and the highs are smoothly rounding off to make for a top notch pickup. It's the most versatile pickup I've had experience playing on for any rock situation. Beautiful pup. I love it to death.
I know that the high score I'm about to give this pickup will seem a little awkward to you (and hell it does for me too! I never rate things this high!), but in this case - I can't dock any points from any spectrum of its tone.
SH-5 Rating = 10/10
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