STLMTLHD79
New member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
The ALT8 and Custom are NOT the same wind. Custom is around 14k and Alt8 is 17k+
The ALT8 and Custom are NOT the same wind. Custom is around 14k and Alt8 is 17k+
Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
- Thread starter B00B-screamer
- Start date
GreatGreen
New member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
The Custom and Custom 5 are different pickups. They use the same wind but the Custom uses a ceramic magnet and the Custom 5 uses an Alnico 5 magnet. The regular Custom is said to have more output and a bit more mids than the Custom 5. The entire Custom series (Custom, Custom 5, and Custom Custom) is also said to have good dynamics though. Disclaimer: I haven't used these pickups personally yet so I can't personally validate that for sure, but that seems to match everything I've read about them.
Also, the low:mid:high charts for the pickups are not totally accurate on the site. They're a loose interpretation that marketing came up with based on sound clips, so they're *sort of* accurate but not totally.
Finally... maybe your tone problems with expression and dynamics could have to do more with your amp and amp settings than the pickups? Just saying it's a possibility. Here's a video of Rick Graham using Black Winters and they seem to sound pretty good. Admittedly they don't seem to be all that dynamic though, if that's specifically what you're looking for.
edit: Resin fingerboards are great. A lot of players, even conservative ones who hate change, seem to like them. That's not the problem. If your pickups are squealing, that has more to do with amp feedback and how microphonic your pickups are.
The Custom and Custom 5 are different pickups. They use the same wind but the Custom uses a ceramic magnet and the Custom 5 uses an Alnico 5 magnet. The regular Custom is said to have more output and a bit more mids than the Custom 5. The entire Custom series (Custom, Custom 5, and Custom Custom) is also said to have good dynamics though. Disclaimer: I haven't used these pickups personally yet so I can't personally validate that for sure, but that seems to match everything I've read about them.
Also, the low:mid:high charts for the pickups are not totally accurate on the site. They're a loose interpretation that marketing came up with based on sound clips, so they're *sort of* accurate but not totally.
Finally... maybe your tone problems with expression and dynamics could have to do more with your amp and amp settings than the pickups? Just saying it's a possibility. Here's a video of Rick Graham using Black Winters and they seem to sound pretty good. Admittedly they don't seem to be all that dynamic though, if that's specifically what you're looking for.
edit: Resin fingerboards are great. A lot of players, even conservative ones who hate change, seem to like them. That's not the problem. If your pickups are squealing, that has more to do with amp feedback and how microphonic your pickups are.
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Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
I think anything over 14k would be able to give you the gain you need from the guitar end. The Custom, Sentient, Alt 8, etc...pick the EQ you need or what will help the natural eq of the guitar. I still love the Custom in the bridge, as I think anything higher than that tends to lose the versatility as the notes get more compressed.
I think anything over 14k would be able to give you the gain you need from the guitar end. The Custom, Sentient, Alt 8, etc...pick the EQ you need or what will help the natural eq of the guitar. I still love the Custom in the bridge, as I think anything higher than that tends to lose the versatility as the notes get more compressed.
B00B-screamer
New member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
Well I’ve tried it thru three amps, Hughes and kettner grandmeister 36, orange micro dark, Yamaha THR100HD. With my lack of great setup I can’t add much in the way of eq (only have three pedals and no eq) I’ve tried using the eq on the amps and it only seems to make a difference at extreme settings. He sounds ok but he is using a totally different guitar.
I appreciate you pointing out these things as well as others, as far as the Seymour Duncan site not being accurate, this is my major problem all I can go by are the few lonely sound clips that leave a lot to be desired so I really won’t know until I install them, as far as the eq curve goes I’m pretty ignorant about it as all I know is that I don’t like my current one and my guitar is mahogany
If all I need is 14k then I’ll stick with the low end of the spectrum so I can get definition and depth. So likely it will be a sentient/custom.
Well I’ve tried it thru three amps, Hughes and kettner grandmeister 36, orange micro dark, Yamaha THR100HD. With my lack of great setup I can’t add much in the way of eq (only have three pedals and no eq) I’ve tried using the eq on the amps and it only seems to make a difference at extreme settings. He sounds ok but he is using a totally different guitar.
I appreciate you pointing out these things as well as others, as far as the Seymour Duncan site not being accurate, this is my major problem all I can go by are the few lonely sound clips that leave a lot to be desired so I really won’t know until I install them, as far as the eq curve goes I’m pretty ignorant about it as all I know is that I don’t like my current one and my guitar is mahogany
If all I need is 14k then I’ll stick with the low end of the spectrum so I can get definition and depth. So likely it will be a sentient/custom.
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GreatGreen
New member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
Well, I can tell you that Seymour Duncan has... I believe a two week (or 20 day, can't remember) exchange policy so if you buy a pickup and hate it, you can exchange it for another one and that way you can try out several if you really need. It's probably the best thing to do in your case. Buy a $5 soldering iron from Walmart and go to town!
If I were you, I'd start out with the Custom as it has good output, good highs and strong mids for tight gain, then maybe a Distortion if you don't like that, then heck maybe even a JB if you don't like that, etc.
I'll report back as soon as my Custom 5 comes in and let you know how that sounds. It should get here today actually... but the pots and other stuff might take longer so who knows. Either way I'll report back with what I find. I'm installing it in a 2018 Les Paul Tribute (no weight relief) so while my guitar might not be 100% the same as yours, it shouldn't sound too far off.
Another thing to keep in mind about my setup is that I'm using an Axe-Fx III so I'll be able to boost the signal into the virtual "amp" as much as I need, which might be necessary because I love big full high gain tones and the Custom 5 isn't quite as high output as other pickups. What this means for you is that I'll be able to describe the general tonality and eq curve of the pickup in a Les Paul, but I probably won't take the pickup's output into too much consideration because I can adjust it at will while your setup might be a bit more constrained in that department.
Well, I can tell you that Seymour Duncan has... I believe a two week (or 20 day, can't remember) exchange policy so if you buy a pickup and hate it, you can exchange it for another one and that way you can try out several if you really need. It's probably the best thing to do in your case. Buy a $5 soldering iron from Walmart and go to town!
If I were you, I'd start out with the Custom as it has good output, good highs and strong mids for tight gain, then maybe a Distortion if you don't like that, then heck maybe even a JB if you don't like that, etc.
I'll report back as soon as my Custom 5 comes in and let you know how that sounds. It should get here today actually... but the pots and other stuff might take longer so who knows. Either way I'll report back with what I find. I'm installing it in a 2018 Les Paul Tribute (no weight relief) so while my guitar might not be 100% the same as yours, it shouldn't sound too far off.
Another thing to keep in mind about my setup is that I'm using an Axe-Fx III so I'll be able to boost the signal into the virtual "amp" as much as I need, which might be necessary because I love big full high gain tones and the Custom 5 isn't quite as high output as other pickups. What this means for you is that I'll be able to describe the general tonality and eq curve of the pickup in a Les Paul, but I probably won't take the pickup's output into too much consideration because I can adjust it at will while your setup might be a bit more constrained in that department.
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Ascension
Well-known member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
Have a 59 Custom in my modern player Tele then the Al with the Sentient in the Carvin. Both are really cool pickups and both will work well with a Sentient neck. The Alt is hotter and more overall aggressive but still has a sweet side if set up right. The Hybrid is hotter than the specs show has crazy overtones and is more open and cleaner. Trick to the alt 8 is to not get it to close to the strings with that Alnico 8 magnet. If you do it really sounds like poo looses sustain and falls apart. If you set it up right though it sounds like a bigger fatter meaner more tonally balanced and smoother JB.
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Ascension
Well-known member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
Yep and also has a different gauge wire. Have run Alnico 8 in a custom wind it's a totally different sounding pickup from the Alt8.
Yep and also has a different gauge wire. Have run Alnico 8 in a custom wind it's a totally different sounding pickup from the Alt8.
B00B-screamer
New member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
That would be awesome. I am trying to save for an ax8 cause I knowvaxe fx 2 even I can’t save that much without burning a hole in my pocket first.
That would be awesome. I am trying to save for an ax8 cause I knowvaxe fx 2 even I can’t save that much without burning a hole in my pocket first.
GreatGreen
New member
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
Trip report:
I've been playing around with the Custom 5 for a week or two now and I have to say... I'm used to dialing in really good sounding high gain with my other guitars, but the Custom 5 is different enough that I'm going to have to re-learn how to choose and tweak high gain amps a bit.
The Custom 5 is a medium (getting into low-medium territory) output pickup. Its treble signature extends way up there. Not quite single-coil-high, but quite a bit higher than I'm used to and if I approach dialing amps my normal way with this pickup, things can get just a bit shrill and twangy. This is not necessarily a bad thing on its own, but if you want a traditionally thick but expressive humbucker sound, you might need to approach amp tweaking just a bit differently than you're used to. The upside is that the pickup is extremely clear and expressive basically all the time.
I find that dark sounding amps I used to dislike, like Rectos (yes I know they can have razory, fizzy presence if you want but they're still known for being a bit dark and big, anything but touch sensitive) are suddenly expressive and transparent, and perfectly matched with this pickup. Just add a boost pedal and you're good to go. Actually this pickup really does cut through high gain with clarity in a very cool way.
Also, it's worth noting that one weird thing I've noticed about the Duncan Custom 5 is that because it's relatively scooped sounding... it actually can, surprisingly, start to sound a bit neck-pickup-y under some settings, which weirds me out and makes me think the wiring is messed up... but that's just what the pickup sounds like.
Overall I like it, but it's not exactly what I expected and it will take some getting used to.
Trip report:
I've been playing around with the Custom 5 for a week or two now and I have to say... I'm used to dialing in really good sounding high gain with my other guitars, but the Custom 5 is different enough that I'm going to have to re-learn how to choose and tweak high gain amps a bit.
The Custom 5 is a medium (getting into low-medium territory) output pickup. Its treble signature extends way up there. Not quite single-coil-high, but quite a bit higher than I'm used to and if I approach dialing amps my normal way with this pickup, things can get just a bit shrill and twangy. This is not necessarily a bad thing on its own, but if you want a traditionally thick but expressive humbucker sound, you might need to approach amp tweaking just a bit differently than you're used to. The upside is that the pickup is extremely clear and expressive basically all the time.
I find that dark sounding amps I used to dislike, like Rectos (yes I know they can have razory, fizzy presence if you want but they're still known for being a bit dark and big, anything but touch sensitive) are suddenly expressive and transparent, and perfectly matched with this pickup. Just add a boost pedal and you're good to go. Actually this pickup really does cut through high gain with clarity in a very cool way.
Also, it's worth noting that one weird thing I've noticed about the Duncan Custom 5 is that because it's relatively scooped sounding... it actually can, surprisingly, start to sound a bit neck-pickup-y under some settings, which weirds me out and makes me think the wiring is messed up... but that's just what the pickup sounds like.
Overall I like it, but it's not exactly what I expected and it will take some getting used to.
B
Ben1962
Guest
Re: Sentient and Pegasus/nazgul for LP custom
Curious, am I the only person to find the entire Custom, Custom 5, Custom Custom thing confusing? I still think the Op has the 5 and the regular Custom confused. Then add in the Gibson Custom Les Paul, Christ my head hurts
Curious, am I the only person to find the entire Custom, Custom 5, Custom Custom thing confusing? I still think the Op has the 5 and the regular Custom confused. Then add in the Gibson Custom Les Paul, Christ my head hurts
