To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

[Time Stood Still]

It's been a while since I've been on the SD boards and feels go to read up for the past day or so.

I've been using DiMarzio's Tone Zone and Air Norton for a while now and miss my previous pickups I've used for years(JB & Jazz). I switched months ago for no other reason than changing my sound. Well, I miss the SD sound & feeling you get when picking/bending the note at the 12+ fret and it just soars. So, I'm coming back. My first though was right back to the JB & Jazz combo but after looking at the tone chart, the Custom Custom came to mind. The pu's are going back into various Ibanez RGs & B.C. Riches ranging from Mahogany, Maple & Basswood. I was wondering if the Custom Custom would be too harsh compared to the JB. I play prog & thrash styles. Any help?

 

[ErikH]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

Welcome back.

Harsh and the Custom Custom is like oil and water, they don't mix. The CC is anything but harsh. It's a smooth pickup with heavy emphasis on the mids, buttery highs, and just the right amount of lows without being sloppy. I've used it in practically all of my guitars with pleasing results.

You can try it, but if you don't like the mids, you can always swap the magnet for an Alnico 5 to make a Custom 5 out of it. And if you don't like that, swap it again for a ceramic and you have a Custom. Three pickups just by swapping the magnet, gotta love it.

 

[Mike_D.]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

I would agree with that. I put a Custom Custom in my PRS Singlecut because it was a bright guitar and it tamed it down perfectly. Nice and open sounding but still chunky. The Alnico II Pro I stuck in the neck was the perfect compliment. Just a great set of pickups.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

The CC is fab.

I've had it in super strats, neck thru's, LP's, and hollowbodies with great results in all (for rock and blues).

Like Mike said, the APH is the perfect compliment to the CC.

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

The CC is my favorite production humbucker. Mainly because it's exactly like Erik described it. It'll handle almost any kind of music very well, and when it's split it can sound a lot like a real single coil - the closest I've heard from a normal humbucker. I think it would suit you well.

 

[MikeS]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

I tried a CC in a bright sounding Mockingbird. The CC was kind of like how Erik described - smooth and buttery, and it really tamed the high end - it was anything but harsh. My biggest contention with it was that the lows lacked the tightness and focus I felt were needed for quick palm muted riffing. To my ears the bottom end didn't have enough girth and what it did have was a bit flubby - which was a shame because the rest of the pickup's EQ curve worked very well in that guitar.

Apples and oranges to your guitars, but I also had the CC in my LP, which I use for all the same styles (and more) that I used my Mockingbird for. In a guitar that wasn't in need of a tamed high end or any more emphasis on the mids, the pickup had a short stay in the LP. Eventually I fell in love with the ceramic Custom. It has a stronger attack than the CC with more pronounced and punchier lows. The Duncan tone chart lists it with slightly less output than the CC, but the Custom is a more aggressive sounding pickup.

Like Erik said, you can always try a CC and if it doesn't work for you, you can swap the magnet and have either a C5 or a Custom.

 

[Time Stood Still]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

Thanks, I'm going to pull the trigger on a Custom Custom. Hopefully it'll be here before the week is out. I'll take care of the neck pick up once I check this one out.

 

[Time Stood Still]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

The Custom Custom came it today and I have a question since I've never had to do this before. Is there and easy or best way to remove the additional screw holes that hold the pu in the guitar? I'm installing this pick-up in an Ibanez and I need to cut/file down this part to a triangle.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

You need to modify the mounting tabs to get it to fit in the guitar?
A hacksaw comes to mind. Sheet metal shears might bend the baseplate.

You may wish to wrap the pickup up in cloth so metal filings don't stick all over it. I've known of people who got metal filings in neck pickups when they were cleaning the frets with steel wool and it caused problems with the pickup cutting out.

 

[Aceman]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

ErikH nailed it. And I have never had any "crunch" problems with a CC considering the influence of the monster mids...

Get that sucker in there any way you can!

 

[Stratcat]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

You will love the Custom Custom, I guarantee it.:smoker:

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

CC or C5 depending on your tastes ... well OK, for my tastes!

 

[Time Stood Still]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

Thanks! I'm hoping to mod the pick up tomorrow otherwise, it would've been in already. One of my favorites regarding playing and sound is Andy LaRoque. His sound has changed a bit here and there but in my opinion has never lacked and always acheived the mood of the song.

 

[BachToRock]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

The Custom Custom came it today and I have a question since I've never had to do this before. Is there and easy or best way to remove the additional screw holes that hold the pu in the guitar? I'm installing this pick-up in an Ibanez and I need to cut/file down this part to a triangle.

A DREMEL tool is a great investment... many applications for guitar like you have described as well as around the house...

In addition... the Custom Custom would be my first choice in a production Bridge pickup if the 59/Custom Hybrid were not a reality...

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

It's been a while since I've been on the SD boards and feels go to read up for the past day or so.

I've been using DiMarzio's Tone Zone and Air Norton for a while now and miss my previous pickups I've used for years(JB & Jazz). I switched months ago for no other reason than changing my sound. Well, I miss the SD sound & feeling you get when picking/bending the note at the 12+ fret and it just soars. So, I'm coming back. My first though was right back to the JB & Jazz combo but after looking at the tone chart, the Custom Custom came to mind. The pu's are going back into various Ibanez RGs & B.C. Riches ranging from Mahogany, Maple & Basswood. I was wondering if the Custom Custom would be too harsh compared to the JB. I play prog & thrash styles. Any help?

My experience with the CC is that it works mainly for bright guitars (hence the recommendation on this website). It seems great in my maple bodied guitar, but maple is very bright. It does not have the JB tightness in the bass, so if you're thinking about playing metal on it, I would not recommend it for metal.

I have a soundclick recording of me messing with effects while trying to record it directly into the computer. I don't know if it will be what you want, but you can listen and see.

 

[Mike_D.]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

My experience with the CC is that it works mainly for bright guitars (hence the recommendation on this website). It seems great in my maple bodied guitar, but maple is very bright. It does not have the JB tightness in the bass, so if you're thinking about playing metal on it, I would not recommend it for metal.

I guess it depends on what kind of metal you'd want to use it for. For tight palm muted metal, you're probably right. Maybe a little too loose. But for things like Alice In Chains type stuff (their heavier material), it's awesome.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

I guess it depends on what kind of metal you'd want to use it for. For tight palm muted metal, you're probably right. Maybe a little too loose. But for things like Alice In Chains type stuff (their heavier material), it's awesome.

Alice in Chains is more hard rock than metal, I think.

 

[jimijames]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

BachToRock, About the '59/Custom Hybrid - Would an Alnico 8 Magnet work well in it? I'm planning on making one soon for my les paul and have heard great things about both the hybrid and the alnico 8 magnets

 

[Time Stood Still]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

Thanks everyone.

I ended up installing the CC in one of my main guitars(Maple neck-thru, Floyd - previously equipped w/EMGs, previous to that JB/JAZZ). The CC sounds great! What a breath of fresh air.

I'm thinking about putting a sh-2n in the bridge. I like some high's popping through in the neck without much bottom end. I've never tried a shpg-1n but from the chart is has more bottom end. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Have I overlooked any other options?

Thanks

 

[ErikH]

Re: To Custom Custom or Not Custom Custom?

The SH-2n is a good match, one of my favorites with the CC actually. The Alnico II Pro is another good match, and popular with many forum members. You can't go wrong with those 3 choices really. The Jazz, PGn or Alnico II Pro will be great.