Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

LesPaulRules

LesPaulRules

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Ok, I'm preaching to the choir on this one, but what the heck.

While I typically like the Custom Custom in bright Strat type guitars, I never really cared for it in most Les Pauls.

Les Pauls usually have a big, thick midrange to them. Something the CC doesn't need. Well, enter a 1995 Les Paul Studio. The Studio's typically have a little thinner body then their Std/Custom counterparts. Now add that many from the the 90's have Ebony fingerboards. What you end up with is the perfect Les Paul for a CC.

No sound clips, but I can tell you that running this guitar through an early 80's JCM 800 sounds great. Plenty of definition on the bottom, with pleasant mids and a nice top end that has great definition, but isn't harsh.

Also plugged the same guitar in to a Peavey JSX head running into a Marshall 4-12 with Eminence GB clones.... still sounded great. The only thing was the high end had to be knocked down a little, which I attribute to the JSX being a bright amp. Once again, while the bottom end isn't the tightest, it was fine for any type of rock/hard rock.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

I dunno. It depends on the player, really. Some folks want the pickup to merely amplify the acoustic properties of the guitar, not to counteract them.

So, while it works great for you, it may not work great for someone else.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

Yup. Droped to C# for old Sabbath stuff. The CC and C5 work great in all-mahogany guitars through my ADA MP-1/Digitech TSR-12 combo using massive amounts of tone-shaping EQ to get every tone from Paranoid to Puppets.


:D
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

I definitely concur on this one. I just posted last week something somewhat similar. I have a Carvin CS6C (Floyd) that I was having trouble getting what I wanted out of it. I figured because it was alot of mahogany, the CC would be muddy. Not so. When strummed acoustically, this guitar has a lot of top and lower-mids. but for some reason, the CC was it. Maybe where the roll-off on the bass occurs happens to be right for this guitar.
The Custom was harsh, and oddly, too much bottom. C4 had wierd harmonics, though the tonal spectrum was in a good place. CC was great. I did not try the C5, because generally A5 pickups don't seem to work for me. Too much mid-scoop or something.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

i agree, i really liked it in my LP and it's a studio lite with an ebony board
your guitar may be lightened as well, that's definitely a factor on mine

the CC is my favorite of the custom family as IMO it's the most dynamic and versatile.
as far as low end definition and focus goes, it's the JB's nemesis - this goes double when tuning down. of all the customs i liked it's lead voice best too
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

To me the CC doesn't react like the other Custom pups. It has more of a PAFish vibe to me and doesn't sound like a 14k+ pup. I have it in an old Yamaha double fat strat copy that is heavy as all getout and bright, bright. The CC/APH works for me very well. I also had the same setup for a while in a Dean Hardtail (USA) with the ebony board. It sounded great in there too.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

Funny that I log on to the Forum this morning to find a post that I started over a year ago.... I did a gig last night with the same Les Paul Studio having the same CC in the bridge.

The CC is still a great bridge pickup in a bright Les Paul. :)
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

I think my next guitar will be an Agile neck-through with the 3/4" maple top. Definitely brighter than a typical Les Paul and I'll be putting the CC/PG combo in there. I love the CC in my Strat and I'm certain I'll still get that "onky" mid and spongy bass in the Agile too!
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

LesPaulRules said:
The CC is still a great bridge pickup in a bright Les Paul. :)
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Of course in the average LP, CC's are kind of dark and muddy, and an A5, A8, or UOA5 usually work better. You've shown it's all about matching wood/PU/magnet to get them working in harmony. That's what it's all about.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

blueman335 said:
You've shown it's all about matching wood/PU/magnet to get them working in harmony. That's what it's all about.
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+1 on the above. Good tone is always about the right combination of things.

As much as I love the CC in this particular Les Paul Studio, I don't typically care for them in most Les Paul type guitars.... a CC in a dark Les Paul is pure misery.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

DrNewcenstein said:
I dunno. It depends on the player, really. Some folks want the pickup to merely amplify the acoustic properties of the guitar, not to counteract them.

So, while it works great for you, it may not work great for someone else.
Click to expand...

+1

Although I like the CC in my Studio with Ebony fretboard. I still prefer the sound of the JB.

It all really comes down to what your ears like to hear.
 
Re: Tone Report: CC Sounds Great in a Bright Les Paul

cradlefish said:
+1

Although I like the CC in my Studio with Ebony fretboard. I still prefer the sound of the JB.

It all really comes down to what your ears like to hear.
Click to expand...

do you use a lot of gain and/or tune down much?

sounds fantastic for lead-type playing, would you agree?
 
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