Duncan opinions!

[Ethan]

Have you guys messed with either of these at all? I had a Custom in a few guitars-an old Jackson Rhoads Custom, a Heritage LP style guitar, and a PRS Santana-and I dug it but it had that ceramic harshness...I want to replace the pickup in my SG, and I think the Custom 5 might be the way to go. For the SPB1, I'm still trying to find the perfect sound for my old 73 P Bass-any opinions? Thanks guys!

[bubs_42]

If you like the PAF/59 sound but want more muscle under the hood the Custom5 is the way to go. The Custom was just too brash for me, the Brobucker, the 78 just wasn't what I was looking for in my Standard. So I ordered a Custom5 and it was perfect fit, and it also plays really well with a 59 in the neck. Plenty of love on the HFC for the Custom Custom as well.

[davesultra]

Custom Custom & Custom 5 are great pickups. I still prefer the '59 though. I had '97 Standard and replaced the SH-4 with the Custom 5. Was a nice switch.

[BadgerDave]

I had a Custom 5 in my parts drawer - absolutely no idea where it came from! I likely pulled it from a guiitar assuming I would hate it as much as every other Duncan pickup I've ever tried (except the '59).

I went to the Seymour Duncan website to identify it from the model number and the description sounded promising. I put it in the bridge position of the Zebra '80 Special in my avatar, replacing a DiMarzio Virtual PAF. It sounds good! Not overly harsh and mid-rangy like I expected.

Not in the same league for basement wankery as a Lollar Imperial, WolfeTone Dr Vintage, Fralin, etc., but not far off either. Probably just as good in a loud, live band setting.

[Bobby Marshall]

I had a set of 59s put in my old SG back in the mid 80s. That SG can rock. They were a perfect match.

I like the pickups bringing clear signal to the amp/effects. Too much gain from the pickup limits what you can do with it. YMMV.

[Bobby Marshall]

You may want to start a separate thread about the bass pickups so that question doesn't get lost.

[atquinn]

As far as the Customs, go, I think Seymour got it right the first time out. I prefer the Custom to the CC the C5 and the C8 (not an official model). I like the "ceramic harshness". The other variations sound too polite by comparison (except for the C8; that's just a bit too much in the same way that the PATB2 is).

-

Austin

[Ethan]

Atquinn-noted. I think at the time the amp I was using didn't work well with the Custom, that might be part of the problem. Thanks so much for all the insight so far!

Anyone used that bass pickup??

[Disturber]

Try an A8 in the Custom if you don't like the ceramic. I prefer the Custom, at least the really old one I had, to the Custom 5.

The Custom Custom can sound killer in the right guitar. The Custom 5 is kinda mid scooped and even if it might sound good on it's own, it kinda tends to stay in the speaker in a band enviroment, (just my opinion).

[Ralph]

I have a Custom Custom in the bridge of my Special. It rocks.

[Ethan]

So I finally bought a pickup and put it in- the 59/Custom Hybrid. Total impulse purchase for me which is very rare. I saw it on Chicago Music Exchange, watched a demo of a guy playing straight melodic death metal with it, then another guy playing country with one, and it worked great for both. It's awesome! Nice chunky mids, present but not crushing lows, and smooth highs, and balances really well with the 59 in the neck position. Recommended!!