SH-11 Custom Custom

[jccarmichael]

I'm considering a Custom Custom SH-11 in the bridge of an H-S-S strat along with some high output single coils in the neck and middle. My consideration of the SH-11 comes from a few things; High output, high mid-range frequencies (according to tone chart), and A2 magnet. I've never played one. What kind of experience do the fine folks here have with the SD Custom Custom?

 

[Aceman]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Hey JC - haven't noticed you before. Welcome!

I am a huge fan of the CC for a lot of reasons:
#1 Fat artery clogging highs. Smooth like a baby's bottom covered in butter!
#2 Monster mids. I wouldn't say high mids - I say mid mids. High peak and medium Q if that helps...it will cut through the mix and can get nice and crunchy.
#3 Pretty good output - but not super hot. Doesn't handle/feel like a high output pup, but it drives enough. Mid boost may be a big part of that.

Some say the it has the following downsides:
#1 Not enough highs - disagree. They are there, they just are not shrieky/piercy in any way. And - a simple turn up of the pole pieces will bring them right out.
#2 Bass is flabby/loose. True. It is not a tight thumper in the booty department. However - adding shorter poles, such as from a full shred, or cutting the ones in there (careful!) will tighten up the bass.

* The amount of treble/bass is a bit of a mis-perception I think. The pup totally has enough of these. However, it has sooooo much mids the treble/bass may seem weak relative to the mids.

Remember, this is a pup originally designed for a floyd loaded strat of basswood perhaps. In that guitar, it will have a much more even response and tonally do it up right.

I like to play a lot of classic rock on mine: Clapton, Zepp, Allmans, etc...It's my go to guitar for that (Epi LP). It will also cop quite a bit of Van Halen very well too.

Definitely a love/hate pup. Very distinctive, and not for everyone. Of course, you are only a mag swap away from a regulalr Custom or a C5 if you don't dig it.

 

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I have one in a sg style guitar and love it.

If I didnt already have a dimarzio A2 VHPaf in the bridge of my strat I would have one there too.

 

[donnievaz]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

One of my favorites! Smooth and creamy but not wimpy.

 

[Rowan]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Aceman covered all the bases there I think. The custom custom in a strat is always a good idea. Enough output to get hard, clean enough for vintage stuff.

 

[Kam]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Aceman pretty much nailed it. I will say that I had one in an alder bodied Strat style guitar and I loved it for a while but got pretty sick of it. It was a little too creamy and it couldn't give me the amount of cut and crunch that I really wanted due to my changing tastes. I put an A8 magnet in it and it's the perfect pup for that guitar; perfectly balanced and really versatile.

That was in an already warm and balanced sounding guitar. I put another CC into a very bright sounding mahogony and maple guitar and it's unbeatable. Perfect amount of crunch, beautiful, fat, chewy high end and roaring low end. As with all pups, it's about balancing it with what you already have to get to where you need to go.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I am a huge fan too. I replaced the bridge of my American deluxe hss with one. It goes great with the Dimarzio heavey blues 2 in the neck and middle. Those have a2 magnets too. With those pickups and the rosewood fretboard I have the brightness of a strat with the warmth of a2 pickup. Warm but cuts perfectly.

 

[ACH91332]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I've found out I'd rather take some presence off the amp instead of the pickup. When you want to get aggressive even if you crank the amps treble and presence it just doesnt sound the same imo. Plus if you do that and you have singles prepare for harsh city but if you are trying to get something smooth from the bridge then yeah CC all the way. Just wasn't my thing in time. I liked the vibe but didn't like the lack of presence which took away some rudeness so I got an A8 one day and slapped it in and it was like the CC but with some rudeness. The added lows gave it some more balls too. A8's are like an A2 magnet but with the lows and presence of a ceramic but without being harsh like the ceramic can be sometimes. The bottom end is huge and tight but just has an ever so slight amount of sag. The mids are warm and crunchy just like the A2. The upper mids are nice and present like a Ceramic, but the highs are nice and smooth like an A2 which keep the ice pick away. It's like if the A2 mag was an A2P and the PG was an A8.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I've found out I'd rather take some presence off the amp instead of the pickup. When you want to get aggressive even if you crank the amps treble and presence it just doesnt sound the same imo. Plus if you do that and you have singles prepare for harsh city but if you are trying to get something smooth from the bridge then yeah CC all the way. Just wasn't my thing in time. I liked the vibe but didn't like the lack of presence which took away some rudeness so I got an A8 one day and slapped it in and it was like the CC but with some rudeness. The added lows gave it some more balls too. A8's are like an A2 magnet but with the lows and presence of a ceramic but without being harsh like the ceramic can be sometimes. The bottom end is huge and tight but just has an ever so slight amount of sag. The mids are warm and crunchy just like the A2. The upper mids are nice and present like a Ceramic, but the highs are nice and smooth like an A2 which keep the ice pick away. It's like if the A2 mag was an A2P and the PG was an A8.

You make a8 sound so good. Is it a strong magnet or will the output be higher if you swap a mag with a8?

 

[jccarmichael]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Hey JC - haven't noticed you before. Welcome!

I am a huge fan of the CC for a lot of reasons:
#1 Fat artery clogging highs. Smooth like a baby's bottom covered in butter!
#2 Monster mids. I wouldn't say high mids - I say mid mids. High peak and medium Q if that helps...it will cut through the mix and can get nice and crunchy.
#3 Pretty good output - but not super hot. Doesn't handle/feel like a high output pup, but it drives enough. Mid boost may be a big part of that.

Some say the it has the following downsides:
#1 Not enough highs - disagree. They are there, they just are not shrieky/piercy in any way. And - a simple turn up of the pole pieces will bring them right out.
#2 Bass is flabby/loose. True. It is not a tight thumper in the booty department. However - adding shorter poles, such as from a full shred, or cutting the ones in there (careful!) will tighten up the bass.

* The amount of treble/bass is a bit of a mis-perception I think. The pup totally has enough of these. However, it has sooooo much mids the treble/bass may seem weak relative to the mids.

Remember, this is a pup originally designed for a floyd loaded strat of basswood perhaps. In that guitar, it will have a much more even response and tonally do it up right.

I like to play a lot of classic rock on mine: Clapton, Zepp, Allmans, etc...It's my go to guitar for that (Epi LP). It will also cop quite a bit of Van Halen very well too.

Definitely a love/hate pup. Very distinctive, and not for everyone. Of course, you are only a mag swap away from a regulalr Custom or a C5 if you don't dig it.

Thanks Aceman! I've been relatively quiet around here, but I chime in every now and then when I feel I have something to contribute. I appreciate your detailed description of the CC. You've described it exactly as I would expect it to be. ... and that's a good thing.

Thanks to everyone who responded to my request! It sure does take a lot of the guess work out of my decision.

I'm probably going to go ahead on the CC. If I find it too smooth and middy it sounds like I might want to try an A8. I do like smooth and middy though, so the standard A2 Custom Custom might be perfect for my tastes. I'm a big fan of the PG. Would it be way off base to estimate that the CC is sort of like a PG on steroids? :scratchch

 

[Kam]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I've never actually tried a PG so you might want to wait for someone with more experiance to answer this but I've heard the PG described as being quite bright with a nice sizle on the top end. I really wouldn't describe the CC as that. The highs on the CC are really the opposite of sizzly, in my opinion. Just warm, smooth and really, really fat.

 

[Kam]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

You make a8 sound so good. Is it a strong magnet or will the output be higher if you swap a mag with a8?

In my experiance the A8 increased the output and volume of the pickup I put it in.

I've tried it in a Custom and a '59 and I ended up lowering the pickup height on both of those after the swap. I remember Bloodrose saying something about not being able to lower it enough in his guitar because it was screwed directly into the wood, whereas his previous pickup had no problems with being too close to the strings.

I'm not sure if it's actually a more powerful magnet or if it's simply because almost all the frequencies are boosted, so it's simply perceived as being louder. There's definitely no shortage of lows, mids or highs in it.

 

[ACH91332]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I think its around what a ceramic is in terms of adding output. It does have more string pull unlike an A2 but I havent had any problems with it killing sustain or adding so much output I had to back it off so much I didnt have room to back it off more.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I think its around what a ceramic is in terms of adding output. It does have more string pull unlike an A2 but I havent had any problems with it killing sustain or adding so much output I had to back it off so much I didnt have room to back it off more.

So it will distort my cleans then. How good does it clean up with the guitar vol?

 

[Diocletian]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

I love the CC too, I have one in a Squier strat and it really does get that EVH type tone.

 

[ACH91332]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Going from A2 or A5 to A8 wont mean it will distort your cleans. Do you think a Ceramic is too distorted in a Custom?

I mean maybe if its an oversized A8 but it's just the standard size. Magnet strength isnt the only factor. Usually when you have a pickup high output with lots of mids the mids will compress and give you what you are talking about. I think the wind is more of a factor with that. I have a Steve's Special which is "high output" and its awesome with cleans IMO. Lots of Country guys use X2Ns from Dimarzio actually. And its ridiculous in terms of output.

 

[YHWH]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Plus sides = CC is great for soloing - single notes are Heavenly. Pinched harmonic squeals and natural harmonics soar... chording works best using triads on the middle/higher strings a la EVH, rather than root+fifths on the low strings... which can get muddy/over-bearing if using tons of gain on the amp...

Downside = CC is not a real versatile pickup... the extra mids can get you pidgeon-holed into having one or two useable tones for rhythm & lead... either of which won't stray far from the Classic Rock or Hard Rock genre - Pop Punk, Alt Rock or "new" Country not going to happen w/ a CC... Fusion perhaps... but who plays Fusion nowadays anyway... :friday:


... Just *IMO*...

 

[jccarmichael]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Plus sides = CC is great for soloing - single notes are Heavenly. Pinched harmonic squeals and natural harmonics soar... chording works best using triads on the middle/higher strings a la EVH, rather than root+fifths on the low strings... which can get muddy/over-bearing if using tons of gain on the amp...

Downside = CC is not a real versatile pickup... the extra mids can get you pidgeon-holed into having one or two useable tones for rhythm & lead... either of which won't stray far from the Classic Rock or Hard Rock genre - Pop Punk, Alt Rock or "new" Country not going to happen w/ a CC... Fusion perhaps... but who plays Fusion nowadays anyway... :friday:


... Just *IMO*...

Thanks YHWH! That's info I can use. Much appreciated. ... and this further cements my decision to get a CC. :cool2:

 

[YHWH]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Thanks YHWH! That's info I can use. Much appreciated. ... and this further cements my decision to get a CC. :cool2:

... you're very welcome, J.C.... glad I could help...

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: SH-11 Custom Custom

Plus sides = CC is great for soloing - single notes are Heavenly. Pinched harmonic squeals and natural harmonics soar... chording works best using triads on the middle/higher strings a la EVH, rather than root+fifths on the low strings... which can get muddy/over-bearing if using tons of gain on the amp...

Downside = CC is not a real versatile pickup... the extra mids can get you pidgeon-holed into having one or two useable tones for rhythm & lead... either of which won't stray far from the Classic Rock or Hard Rock genre - Pop Punk, Alt Rock or "new" Country not going to happen w/ a CC... Fusion perhaps... but who plays Fusion nowadays anyway... :friday:


... Just *IMO*...

I think that's HIGHLY guitar dependent. Too much so to say in absolute terms IMO.