SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

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I have a Greg Bennett Series Samick Avion-7 Les Paul style guitar. Originally, I bought it because of its reasonable price tag (I wish I could afford a real Les Paul) and because it honestly played unbelievably great. It has a Nato neck and body. I removed the Duncan Designed pickups and put in a Pearly Gates neck and SH5 Custom in the bridge with coil taps and 50s style wiring.

The guitar sounds and plays amazing and is really versatile. It is my favorite guitar to play. I really think the Pearly Gates neck is my favorite for a LP style guitar.

The Custom has been my go to bridge pickup for years. I have it in several guitars and think it sounds great in my Samick, as well. I have, however, been curious about the SH18 WLH and I bought one on a whim.

Now, here I am with this new pickup and my favorite guitar. Do I want to go through with this? Sure, I could always swap it back if I didn't like it, but then I cannot return it for full price. The lower output of the SH18 has me worried, as I have always used high output bridge pickups. I don't always play high gain stuff, but when I do, I want it to scream. The Custom handles my metal muff nicely.

Please help! I need some experienced opinions here. Would the lower output be a bad idea in terms of versatility here? Could I get away with metal? What other affects would the lowered output have? The Custom has a DC resistance of 14.1k and the SH 18 WLH is a lot lower at 8.78k.

Thanks in advance!
 
Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

To my ears, the Whole Lotta Bridge would match the Pearly Gates neck better than the Custom. The Whole Lotta may look like it is way lower in output, but it is not a low output pickup like the 59 or Seth. It would mesh well with the mids of the PGn, where the Custom feels much harder to me and is too brash to match the PGn well. I've never heard a humbucker I like better in a Les Paul than the Whole Lotta.
 
Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

If its not broke, don't fix it. you love the custom, why change?

Lower output pickups tend to have better articulation under heavy gain though.
 
Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

I would say cure the itch of your curiosity. I am also a huge fan of hot bridge pickups. It's a tough situation, but you might find a new sound that you wouldn't have found.
 
Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

Hi,
Some years ago I used to use a JB which is 14-16K IIRC, but I put on some old Michael Bloomfield reords I learned on as a kid and found that the " high gain" pickups could never clean up enough to get that sweet tone. I had a nice Princeton at the time. So I beefed up PAF Duncan pup to about 8.2K and if I need that high gain sound, that's what a good versatile OD stomp pedal is for.
You can get loud and saturated with a 8K pup and also clean. But it is very hard IMHO to get a decent clean sound on a high output pup. For me, 9K is the limit in the bridge. Whatever brand, or style. I expect flak for stating this, but it has been my personl experience. As Pepe would say: HTH!
SJB
 
Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

Do you have any similar guitars (say, another Avion) that you could try the Sh-18 in?
 
Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

One pickup is 43AWG and the other is 42AWG. The magnet in the WLH is roughcast A5 and the Custom is ceramic... there is differences.

The Custom is going to be hotter and have more of an edge to it.

The Custom is also going to have deeper lows than the WLH.

The WLH will be more mid focused, warmer and cleans up real nice with the volume knob. It's a retro sound with a vintage feel... totally useable for modern music though.

Single notes will have a bit more midrange presence with the WLH but chords will have more power with the Custom.
 
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Re: SH-18 Whole Lotta Humbucker or SH-5 Custom

Honestly, you'll never know till you try. Since you already have the pup, try it. However, Ill say this. If you are completely satisfied with the Custom, leave it. I am a HUGE lover of the Custom 8 tho. (Custom with an alnico 8 magnet.) I will say tho, the WLH set does sound fantastic. If you mostly play high gain metal, leave the Custom. (or try a Custom8) But if you want a very sweet, versatile and great classic Les Paul tone, the WLH is great!
 
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