Thinking of switching out my C5.

[Artie]

When I first got my 59/C5 combo, I loved it, but mainly because it was my first experience with after-market p'ups. Now that I'm getting a little better feel for the sound I'm looking for, I'm thinking of switching out the C5 for something a bit more mellow.

This will be in a laminate-body Peavey, Kahler Flyer bridge, with a locking nut. I almost never use effects anymore, and generally select between 2 or 3 of the clean settings on my J-Station. I've been focusing on jazzy/bluesy kinda stuff lately, and I tend to play at fairly low volumes.

I'm thinking along the lines of a 59b just because a 59 matched set seems like it would make a nice pair. But the CC, Alnico II Pro, and even the Jazz all seem like possible contenders also.

So, any and all advice and recommendations would be appreciated.

Artie

Edit: From what I gather from another thread, the CC would not be a good choice. Apparently, its even hotter output than the C5!

Now, I'm not so sure any of my choices are correct. (Except for the 59b perhaps.)

 

[tone4days]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

hard to beat a matched set ... i love my aIIp in the neck, but cant comment on how it would sound in the bridge .. i have a suspicion it might not have a mellow enough bottom and low mids for ya' .. seth or antiquity come to mind, but i bet for the price it might not make a difference

good luck
cheers,
t4d

 

[speed monkey]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hey Artie -

First off thanks so much for your help with my wiring quandry....everything has worked out!

Second - If your'e up for a trade, I've got a Screamin Demon bridge (4 conductor) that was in for about two hours and I took it out because it wasn't hot enough...the Custom I've got in my Strat now is awesome and I would love to load another one in another guitar....The SH-12 is just a shade hotter than the 59 and would compliment the 59 neck very well.

Let me know if thats something you're interested in - I've got a few Duncans for sale over on the classified section.

Thanks again,
Steve E

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hey Artie -

First off thanks so much for your help with my wiring quandry....everything has worked out!

Second - If your'e up for a trade, I've got a Screamin Demon bridge (4 conductor) that was in for about two hours and I took it out because it wasn't hot enough...the Custom I've got in my Strat now is awesome and I would love to load another one in another guitar....The SH-12 is just a shade hotter than the 59 and would compliment the 59 neck very well.

Let me know if thats something you're interested in - I've got a few Duncans for sale over on the classified section.

Thanks again,
Steve E

Glad to be of help on the wiring thang.

I just might be interested in a trade. Let me sleep on it, and I'll let you know soon. The Screamin' Deamon wasn't initialy what I was looking for, but the specs look good, and it would give me the chance to hear something new without laying out cash.

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

maybe you should check out another guitar?

pickups dont usually sound very good through laminated body guitars

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

maybe you should check out another guitar?

pickups dont usually sound very good through laminated body guitars

Heh - maybe I need laminated pickups. :laugh2:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hi Artie! Do you like the guitar? When you're just hanging out and picking and strumming it does it have a nice resonance? I've got to say that Kahler's and locking nuts have always struck me as being real tone sucking sponges...

But if you like the ax, then my two favorite Duncan bridge humbuckers are the 59B at one end of the spectrum (vintage output & deep bass, bright highs and moderate mids) and the Custom Custom (high output & soft bass, soft highs and lots of quacky mids).

The CC is not a higher output pickup than the C5, BTW...they're about the same.

I used a C5 for about one year in my Hamer Studio...and a CC in my other Hamer Studio. And I have a 59B in one of my Strats.

I think guitars with vibratos like yours tend to lack deep solid bass sometimes...so I'd think the 59B would be a good logical choice as it might help compensate for that tone sucking Kahler.

Good luck!
Lew

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hi Artie! Do you like the guitar? When you're just hanging out and picking and strumming it does it have a nice resonance? I've got to say that Kahler's and locking nuts have always struck me as being real tone sucking sponges...

Good luck!
Lew

This is where my lack of experience with a range of, (good quality), guitars comes into play. It also goes to show how good Duncan p'ups are. With Kahler bridge, locking nut, and laminate body, this C5b/59n combo sounds great!

But, I would love to hear what the 59 combo sounds like.

What might make an interesting experiment is, the Patriot and Predator are the exact same guitar except that the Patriot is a hardtail, without the locking nut. The pickguards are interchangeable. I might load up one, then swap them, and see if I can tell the difference.

 

[OUTLAW1969]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

ArtieToo, I wish I had seen this post before today!!!! I just ordered one off of Ebay. Oh well, If you are in Jacksonville, I could have met up with you and worked out a deal for it. I do not have a '59 Bridge, but I have a few others that you might have liked. They are all pretty high output though, so maybe not. Live and learn.......

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Artietoo,
I have the C5/59b combo in 2 axes and find that for my personal tastes, its an awesome setup. But, individual tastes vary. I thought I could add a couple of things. First, the CC and C5 are about the same power wise. Just a ton different tonally. Very lo mid focused. Think the tone from the song Panama.
So, if you like the Eq curve and sound of the C5, but just want to reduce power, The 59 would prob be the way to go.. They have similar EQ curve

 

[rspst14]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Check out the Blues Trembucker...I recommend this pickup quite a bit, even though very few people on the board have ever tried it. It's a medium output pickup, with a little more output than the PAF style pickups, but less than the Custom series. It'll sound great in that guitar, as it was designed specifically for guitars with locking trems. Of all the pickups I've tried, I've found it to be my absolute favorite bridge pickup. It's warmer than the C5, Demon, or '59, due to the increased midrange. It has just the right amount of bass, and slightly less treble than the other pickups I mentioned. Still, it has enough brightness to cut through the mix, without ever sounding shrill or harsh. Basically, it's the holy grail of bridge pickups for me. At some point, I'm going to have the custom shop make me a standard-spaced, standard polepiece version with a nickel cover so that I can use it in another guitar but keep the stock look. Give it a try, I think you'll really like it.

Ryan

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

ArtieToo, I wish I had seen this post before today!!!! I just ordered one off of Ebay. Oh well, If you are in Jacksonville, I could have met up with you and worked out a deal for it. I do not have a '59 Bridge, but I have a few others that you might have liked. They are all pretty high output though, so maybe not. Live and learn.......

Hey outlaw; That makes at least three of us from Jax. (You, me, and Bloodrose.) We should get together and jam sometime. :13:

Ryan; It was a tough decision. I've been intrigued by that Blues trembucker, (btw - thats a Blues Saraceno, right?) I'll probably get one and try it eventually, but I went ahead and ordered the 59b from Lew on Saturday. I'm just really wanting to hear what the 59 pair sounds like.

(Would that make it a 118?) :laugh2:

Anyway, I'll report back how it goes.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hi Artie -

Have you thought about experimenting with different magnets before switching out the pickup entirely? It's a lot cheaper, and more fun too

Seriously, an A2 magnet (Custom Custom) or an A3 magnet (Custom Cubed?) might be just the ticket. I tried an A3 in my alder strat in place of a Custom 5. For me, it knocked off too much of the strong, clean bottom and the chimey highs, but it may do exactly what you need in that guitar.

I've fooled around with SSL (A5) and APS (A2) single coils in two different strats - one alder and one poplar - and found that the A5 magnets sounded better in the alder guitar but the A2 magnets are perfect in the multi-piece poplar MIM strat.

Anyway, it's a cheaper way to experiment.

Have fun with it!

Chip

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hi Artie -

Have you thought about experimenting with different magnets before switching out the pickup entirely? It's a lot cheaper, and more fun too

Chip

Hey Chip; yeah . . . I've thought about it. And I may try it in the future. For right now, I can't quite get past the idea that I'ld be second-guessing "the man". (Seymour)

Sorta like, touching up the lips on the Mona Lisa.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hey Chip; yeah . . . I've thought about it. And I may try it in the future. For right now, I can't quite get past the idea that I'ld be second-guessing "the man". (Seymour)

Sorta like, touching up the lips on the Mona Lisa.

Hey Artie -

The Custom 5 was "touching up the Mona Lisa" itself Robert S. may have been the first person to put an alnico 5 in the "Custom" pickup line, but then again Seymour himself probably tried it in some custom pups earlier... S-D does offer three flavors of virtually the same pickup already. Seriously, Doc Barlo, John the PedalTweaker, Lew and other guys here have done a lot of magnet swapping.

That reminds me, I "need" to find an alnico 4 magnet to try in my Custom 5 some day... and Doc swears that alnico 3 in an Antiquity is the bomb for the neck position... (IIRC)

Have fun, no matter which direction your ears lead you in!

Chip

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Hey Artie -

The Custom 5 was "touching up the Mona Lisa" itself Robert S. may have been the first person to put an alnico 5 in the "Custom" pickup line, but then again Seymour himself probably tried it in some custom pups earlier... Chip

You know . . . you're right, and I keep forgetting about that. :smack:

I already ordered the 59b, and I really would like to hear what the 59 pair sounds like. But that also means, I'll have a "spare" C5 laying around - and two other guitars to "experiment" with. Maybe I'll order a couple mag's, and play around with it.

If the C5 uses an Alnico V, I should probably get an Alnico II, and a ceramic - is that correct? Or is it a Alnico III?

 

[Lightning]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

A3 lowest out put all note stay tight spike at 1.2k tilts toward Fendery

A2 more output than A3 below 400 gets real buttery sweetest mids of all mags (400 to over 2k wide spike) highs are sweet but may lack the output to bring a 14k pickup's top out of the merk

A4 Simular to A5 (tamer) lower output maybe what you need will have more spike than A5 in the mid 3000s like a 59b

I'm talking bout real freqs not resopeak figures

 

[KLINKDETROIT]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Where can I buy an A4 magnet for a C5 trembucker?

 

[Lightning]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

I don't know if the stock trem mags are are longer than Gib space but the a4s Lew has are longer than all of the mags in my Gib spaced pickups.

 

[KLINKDETROIT]

Re: Thinking of switching out my C5.

Who is Lew?? and where is he??LOL