Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

jmc5799

New member
Hello,
I wanted to get your guys thoughts and opinions.

I have a schecter c-1 plus that I put a SD sh-6 in the bridge and a SD sh-1 in the neck. I love the distortion I get from the sh-6, it is phenomenal. The cleans sound a little bright to me though.

Recently I played my dad's les paul, which had a pair of burst bucker pickups in it I think, and comparing the two guitars sound I noticed that the SD sh-6 sounds almost compressed a little. So I was looking at other pickups and was wondering what the SD sh-5 sounds like compared to the sh-6. I am not a fan of the sh-1 at all.

I already know I am getting the sh-2n to replace the sh-1n.

Thanks
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

The SH-5 Custom is a more open (less compressed) pickup, very popular for anything from blues-rock to metal in a Les Paul. Surprisingly PAFlike for a ceramic. SH-5 has been pretty heavily used by Schecter, too.

It's definitely better for cleans than the Distortion. Custom's distortion tone is a bit more classic rock, but if you turn the mids up a bit on your amp, you should still be able to get the screaming tones when you want them.
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

IMHO the DC needs a big piece of wood.

If you want less compressed and more dynamics maybe try the c5?
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

When you say DC are you talking about the duncan custom?
So the DC would probably not sound that good then in my guitar.

I will give the custom 5 a look.
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

The Custom should work well in your guitar. The Custom isn't limited to only working well in a Les Paul. It wont sound quite the same as it would in an LP, but it's not likely to sound bad.

The "worst" I've heard it sound was in a maple neck-through, it was amazingly bright, but still musical. Not harsh, but a bit tiring to listen to after a few songs.
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

I stared with the DD in my schecter c1+, didn't love it for the same reasons as you, then I went Custom 5. Custom 5 is a good start for the schecter but super bright and lacking in mids, if I was seriously down tuning I would have kept the Custom 5. I put in the A8 manget and now I've got the best bridge pickup I could imagine for this guitar, the Custom 8. I think you could also try a SH-5 Custom. The schecter c1+ is over 9 lbs mahogany guitar so it is not that far off from a les paul. Bottom line is that you should go with a Custom and get some magnets and find your voice. So many of us have, there is probably a perfect custom for everybody if you find the right magnet.

Edit: you're probably utilizing push/pull coil split, Custom 8 my favorite split custom, high enough output, not ear piercingly bright
 
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Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

I stared with the DD in my schecter c1+, didn't love it for the same reasons as you, then I went Custom 5. Custom 5 is a good start for the schecter but super bright and lacking in mids, if I was seriously down tuning I would have kept the Custom 5. I put in the A8 manget and now I've got the best bridge pickup I could imagine for this guitar, the Custom 8. I think you could also try a SH-5 Custom. The schecter c1+ is over 9 lbs mahogany guitar so it is not that far off from a les paul. Bottom line is that you should go with a Custom and get some magnets and find your voice. So many of us have, there is probably a perfect custom for everybody if you find the right magnet.

Have you ever been curious to find out how your Agile would sound with a Custom 8
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

Have you ever been curious to find out how your Agile would sound with a Custom 8

Good question, as it stands the Custom is pretty ideal, I know that an 8 in my agile would shave off the highs and add some mids but if it ain't broke don't fix it. It will also be nice to have a least one pickup that I haven't clumsily tampered with.
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

Awesome! Thankyou for the reply.
I do not downtune so I will look at the others.
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

When you say DC are you talking about the duncan custom?
So the DC would probably not sound that good then in my guitar.

I will give the custom 5 a look.

I'm telling you what I liked, not what "sounds good". The DC in e.g. a SG doesn't have the required drive and a DD or PG or so is better - to my ears. That's why I'm saying the DC is more for a LP or a Flying V or somesuch.

The C5 reacts to playing more than other pickups and has substantial bass. It might be better given your first post.
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

I have almost the same guitar (schecter c1 classic) I love the sh-5 in the bridge. (The sh6 has more gain and more high end). For cleans I use the neck pickup, Alnico II Pro™ APH-1. It has beautiful cleans. I had the jazz sh-2 in the neck and did not like it.

These schecter guitars tend to be bright, so the Alnico II Pro™ APH-1 neck matches well with it--at least in my experience. And the sh5 in the bridge also matches well with it. The sh5 is great pickup, very versatile.

I cannot recommend the sh5 bridge and aph-1 neck combo more highly! (I formerly had the sh4 bridge and sh2 neck in that guitar).
 
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Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

I have the exact same combo as bubahotep in my guitar and it's a great. I will be trying the Pearly Gates neck soon though. I don't love the cleans on the Custom, but for better cleans I just go with the middle position or neck position and the AII pro sounds fantastic. The Custom is a very versitile pick up. It can do anything from blues to classic rock, to every form of metal out there. Of course depending on amp, etc.
 
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Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

I had a C-1+ and went through many pickups trying to find great tone. 59's neck and bridge, wasn't crazy about either in that guitar. PG neck was awesome. PG bridge was too bright. Custom was excellent, one of my favorites. C-5 was too scooped for my liking. Phat Cat bridge (in the neck position) was excellent, fat and smooth leads. Custom/59 hybrid was my favorite bridge pickup and was the final bridge pup in that guitar. A2Pro neck was very nice as well, smooth and buttery. Also had EMG 81/85 in it at one point but they don't sound organic enough to me. I think those were all of the pups that I had in that axe haha.

Conclusion: You would probably like the Custom bridge (it has some compression but not as much as the Distortion and the cleans are decent) and for the neck the PG is really nice as is the A2Pro and Phat Cat
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

Yeah, we like talking about customs so much lets just revive a thread even though the op is probably long gone :smack:
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

werent they supposed to make a new bubba hotep last year but bruce wasnt going to be in it?

lets keep this op nightmare going forever! this is the junk thread now
 
Re: Thoughts on sh-6 and sh-5

does any body know what the Duncan Designed p/u bridge in the similar Schecters compare to? alot of times in a store when i test something, i'll use Schecters w Duncan Designd cuz its the best pu in the store, .. i think its close to the Custom family, very 70s vintage rock friendly... i think, anyways so u cd try obe of those since they seem common...but what magnet are they? id luv to know. since so many stores have platoons of chinese pkups, they shd just put these schecters on a stand when u come in (or at least when U come in!) cuz frankly i dont understand how to buy amps or whatever unless using a quality pkup. ideally i bring in my axes, my rig, otherwise ive come to be quite familiar w schctr w duncs
 
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