SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

[Rshafer]

First post, I've been lurking around here for a while trying to learn about SD pickups.

Based on the forum post for good pickups for basswood I went with a sh-5, but for my rig and playing style there is
too much low end. It sounds good, very punchy, but just does not work for what I am doing. Even with my bass
down to one or two on my amp, I still hear the low end thump.
Would a magnet swap increase the mid range and lower the bass?

My guitar is a G&L tribute invader, basswood, but it is very dark and even sounding.
I play through a Splawn competition, high gain punk and hard rock. My bassist has a type
of Lemmy tone, as in very gritty and not too much low end. With the sh-5, I am getting a little lost
in his frequency range.

Maybe try a full shred? Site says Phillip Campbell uses one.
I do not want any twang, just nice crunchy midrange and bite to cut through.

Opinions appreciated.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

A mag swap could lower bass but its going to effect other factors too. Like you could go to an A2 mag and it will drop the bass and punch up the midrange and back off the output a bit, and that sounds all well and good and might be exactly what your after but it might not as the highs are also pulled back. They will lose their crispness the attack will be less staccato and more mushy.

A mag swap is cheap to try A2 or A4 might do it for you. But ive never been crazy about A4 in the bridge.

Something else you can try that is even cheaper is just play with the height. you can angle the pickup and run the pole pieces up and down and see if that does what you need it to.

 

[chadd]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

I second the notion of a height and screw adjustment and then a magnet swap if needed before moving on to something different. At a minimum, it will give you an even better idea of what you are looking for.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Get some Allen head poles and swap out the screws. Then put an A5 mag in there. Then you have a C5/FS hybrid.

 

[Rshafer]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Thanks. I have messed with the overall height and found the general optimum place. But if I start messing with the individual pole pieces, what is the general idea,
lower the overall pickup but raise, which ones, just the high G, B, E string poles?

As far as an A2 mag, I think I could afford to lose a little bit of the top end. I could compensate with a little more presence on the amp.

 

[JHN]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

In my opinion if the rest of the frequency spectrum is ok with your taste,try the demud mod,a search will give you all the information you need,plus it costs next to nothing.
Here is a link but look for others too https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...!-(a-review)&p=1542731&viewfull=1#post1542731
There are variations to this https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...oo-demud-mod&p=3013950&viewfull=1#post3013950
Since it is essentialy a high pass filter it might be exactly what you need.Changing the magnet to A2 you will get a different pickup.For some reason the custom is responding quite a lot to that.Highs will be less and if your instruments sounds a bit dark it might be too much,the difference is quite drastic.Also the pick response will change.From fast controlled and punchy it will become softer,more singing in single notes but not as cutting.Many people consider the A2 custom a solution for bright sounding instruments.

 

[dominus]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Try disconnecting the tone pot first.

 

[chadd]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Thanks. I have messed with the overall height and found the general optimum place. But if I start messing with the individual pole pieces, what is the general idea,
lower the overall pickup but raise, which ones, just the high G, B, E string poles?

As far as an A2 mag, I think I could afford to lose a little bit of the top end. I could compensate with a little more presence on the amp.

If you like where the poles are now, drop the pickup to where the bass response is where you want it and then raise the poles as needed to reach a better overall balance.

 

[Heaven&Hell]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Try an alnico 8 magnet that should get you that punk tone.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Try an alnico 8 magnet that should get you that punk tone.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

What punk tone ever created used a A8? He says hes getting lost against the bassist.... A8 probably isnt going to help where he needs it he needs upper mids not the massive low mids of an a8

 

[Mr. B]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Based on what you describe, I would guess that an A2 magnet might solve your problem.

 

[sedawkgrep]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

I'd recommend trying an A3 mag.

 

[superpete]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

id try a jb

 

[Rshafer]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

thanks for all the input. Many things to consider.
I do think I am satisfied with the pickup overall except for the highly percussive bottom end. It that was less, I think I would hear the appearance of more mids.
I like the punch and cut. That dumud mod seems interesting, as well as I am first going to mess with lowering the pickup and raising the individual pole pieces.

Regarding changing magnets now, I am leaning towards that it might not work for my sound. Many of our rhythms are quite fast and I need a lot of articulation.
Tight and punchy over smooth. I cannot afford smooth at all, not even for solos, over our din of noise.

I'll check back with my findings after I get a chance to work on it.

 

[Randy M]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Rshafer,

How about asking all of the Sh 5 Custom users to post their pickup heights. And along with it, what they do with the screw polls, that is, if they have any of them raised or simply even with the slug side. I have seen it done here with other pickups. I think it would be helpful.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Try an SH-6 Distortion.

 

[Rshafer]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

In my opinion if the rest of the frequency spectrum is ok with your taste,try the demud mod,a search will give you all the information you need,plus it costs next to nothing.
Here is a link but look for others too https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...!-(a-review)&p=1542731&viewfull=1#post1542731
There are variations to this https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...oo-demud-mod&p=3013950&viewfull=1#post3013950
Since it is essentialy a high pass filter it might be exactly what you need.Changing the magnet to A2 you will get a different pickup.For some reason the custom is responding quite a lot to that.Highs will be less and if your instruments sounds a bit dark it might be too much,the difference is quite drastic.Also the pick response will change.From fast controlled and punchy it will become softer,more singing in single notes but not as cutting.Many people consider the A2 custom a solution for bright sounding instruments.

Thanks to JHN for this tip. This mod really made the difference. When I first tried just a height and pole adjustment, I had to made a ski slope with the low E side all the way level with the pickup frame and the top 3 poles sticking out nearly a 1/4 of an inch to get rid of enough low end but retain any clarity.

I then added the .047 cap and could then adjust the height and poles to a more reasonable placement. I still had to lower the low E side of the pickup below the top E side, and raised the top 3 poles to where just the heads are above the bobbin. I still have my amp Bass setting on 2, but it seems that I have room to fine tune now with the band next week.

So I think this will fly for now. The tone is still punchy as hell, the bottom is there and the mids and highs can tear heads off if I want.

 

[devastone]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

Glad that worked for you, you might also check to make sure you are using a 500K volume pot, not a 250K.

For basswood, I would think the FS would be a good choice, or as some have said, change out the slotted screws in the Custom for hex heads, I do that in a lot of my pickups, partly to tighten them up, partly 'cause I like the look. The screws are 5-40s, the original slotted screws are 3/4" long but a 5/8" long screw would work and the shorter screw might help with tightening up the lows some too, I seem to have heard that, but YMMV, I can't confirm it to be true.

I personally love the CC and magnets are cheap to try.

 

[spn_phoenix_92]

Re: SH-5 custom - too much low end, magnet swap or try a Full Shred

I had your same issue so I swapped an Alnico 8 & it did the job perfectly