software

well guys i have found out that after trying many duncans(CC,C5,custom,DD,JB,demon,etc)
and quite a few dimarzio's(tone zone,norton,V paf's,fred, paf pro,etc)
and EMG's(81,85 60,SA's)
that of ALL these the duncan custom is just my favorite all around pup
it just has all the things i like about those others all in one pup
ringing harmonics,screaming bends that are not ice pick,thick and chunky rhythm tones, PAF vibe,can be sweet clean,older EVH type tone, ballsy oomping tone when pushed.
I really have to take my hat off to seymour with this pup for keeping in production
especially since he almost had EVH sue him over it

I don't have a ton of experience with all the various models of duncans... but I've spent quite a bit of time with the quot;originalsquot; or quot;classicsquot; if you will (i.e. JB, Jazz,Custom, 59, Distortion)

and IMO, the Custom is his best for doing alot of things REALLY well in various guitar models/styles..(bridge position) ,and *very* underrated. The only place it suffers I feel is clean tones (but most ceramics do, IMO).

a 59 in the neck holds the same title as far as I'm concerned.

The EMG's I've used as well as the DiMarzio's seem to do one sound very well but tend to cover up the natural tones of the instrument...(which the JB can be guilty of too). A Custom and a 59 will hold their own in nearly any music style, and your Gibson will sound like a beefed up Gibson with that combo, and a Strat will sound like a beefed up Strat with the same (EDIT: meaning not a single-coil sound, but the custom/59 is not so overbearing on tone, you wouldn't not know it was a bolt on, strat type guitar)

I tend to prefer lower output pups these days, but the Custom (and 59) is always in consideration when I'm looking for new pups.

EVH was going to sue SD for the Custom!? How's that? If anything he would sue for the Evenly Voiced Humbucker I suppose.

Are you talking about in your LP? That's one of the pups I really thought I'd like if I ever got an LP-style guitar, and probably the first one I'd try. I'm glad to hear you like it. I know you've gone through a ton of work to try to find YOUR pickup.


Originally Posted by LSPEVH was going to sue SD for the Custom!? How's that? If anything he would sue for the Evenly Voiced Humbucker I suppose.

Kind of took me by surprise as well.... Please elaborate, Wicked


Originally Posted by JacksonMIAAre you talking about in your LP? That's one of the pups I really thought I'd like if I ever got an LP-style guitar, and probably the first one I'd try. I'm glad to hear you like it. I know you've gone through a ton of work to try to find YOUR pickup.

no my strat actually but it KILLS in my LP as well!
so all my guitars then!


Originally Posted by ZerberusKind of took me by surprise as well.... Please elaborate, Wicked

back in 1979 seymour had a ad in GP magazine for a
quot; special eddie vanhalen custom pickupquot;
this was the now called sh-5 custom not the EVENLY VOICED one
trust me this is a fact, it was a pup that duped eddies fired up variac marshall tone
if i can get my bud to scan the old ad i will post it


Originally Posted by LSPEVH was going to sue SD for the Custom!? How's that? If anything he would sue for the Evenly Voiced Humbucker I suppose.

the EVH is the REWIND version eddie actually used back thenhe had seymour do a repair on a 1961 paf that he messed up trying to get the cover off off!the custom was a model seymour was going to call
quot; the special eddie vanhalen modelquot;
and eddie got pissed at him for trying to use his name for a pup
my bud who lives in california is a real good friend of eddies from back when they went to high school together until now and he has all the real facts not the myths
like for instance eddies marshall was not really all that modded it just had different power tubes and bigger transformers
eddies real secret to his tone was a old mxr EQ he used to boost the front end
along with the MXR micro amp

I see, thanks.

I wonder if other sites have as much inside info as this one, sometimes I wish I had the patience to visit other forums and see but I somehow doubt it, Thanks a lot for the tip Wicked.

I used the tone wizard for my ibanez roadstar which has a basswwod/birch( a lot like maple tonally) body and a maple neck/fingerboard
and went with the custom tb-5
i love it and it is everything you say it is!
you would think it would have been too bright for my guitar but it actually sounds fat as a les paul and is not harsh at all?
cool info on eddie van halen btw!

Wicked, thanks for the info. I ordered a Custom Shop ESP guitar and chose the SH-5 Duncan Custom for the bridge pickup. I chose it blindly. Now you gave me confidence I made a good choice. I'm shocked to hear that it sounds like EVH's sound since it is a ceramic magnet and EVH used an alnico...hmm..


Originally Posted by jackieTHEjokemanWicked, thanks for the info. I ordered a Custom Shop ESP guitar and chose the SH-5 Duncan Custom for the bridge pickup. I chose it blindly. Now you gave me confidence I made a good choice. I'm shocked to hear that it sounds like EVH's sound since it is a ceramic magnet and EVH used an alnico...hmm..

eddies tone is not about the magnet so dont be worried about getting it with a ceramic
actually IF you listen to his first record it is quite attacky and bright so cermaic fits that bill anyways!'
seymour has a incredible ear and choose the ceramic for this reason
the custom really is the quot;special eddie vanhalen pupquot;
getting his older tone is a breeze with it when using a jcm 800 or plexi amp

Wicked, I see in your gear that you have an EVH Phase 90. How is it? I usually don't like pedals, but I might consider it in the future. Thanks.


Originally Posted by jackieTHEjokemanWicked, I see in your gear that you have an EVH Phase 90. How is it? I usually don't like pedals, but I might consider it in the future. Thanks.well it is great but it is not quite as warm as a original script but still it is killer for a re-issue
I like it for the EVH solo's it really adds a cool quot;cutquot; to the tone just like ole eddie said it does
i only use it for slow phasing on clean stuff and push the script button for eddies lead tones

...............damn i've got to try the custom (tb5). I have tried both the CC and the C5 and i didn't like them...........i'm very curious to find out how's the custom.......................the only reason why i still haven't decided to buy one is the output. I prefer pickups with an output between the JB and the emg85 and i am afraid the custom has the same output as the CC and the C5 which didn't do it for me..........

The numbers don't show the Custom (SH5) as hot as the JB, but to my *ears* it's fairly similar in output..not quite as hot as the JB or a Distortion, but approaching that level.

Hmmm, I may have to try a Custom myself. There's a few others I want to try as well, the Screamin' Demon, C5 and the Distortion. Been a long time since I used Distortion.


Originally Posted by WICKED LESTERwell guys i have found out that after trying many duncans(CC,C5,custom,DD,JB,demon,etc)
and quite a few dimarzio's(tone zone,norton,V paf's,fred, paf pro,etc)
and EMG's(81,85 60,SA's)
that of ALL these the duncan custom is just my favorite all around pup
it just has all the things i like about those others all in one pup
ringing harmonics,screaming bends that are not ice pick,thick and chunky rhythm tones, PAF vibe,can be sweet clean,older EVH type tone, ballsy oomping tone when pushed.
I really have to take my hat off to seymour with this pup for keeping in production
especially since he almost had EVH sue him over it

I've been thinking about using the Custom again. I used it for a while and found it very flexible and responsive. I remember the mids weren't fat enough for me though and the highs were kind of thin. The fact that I put it in an RG with a floyd bridge could have added to that problem though. Maybe I'll try it again, but this time put it in the Epi LP Custom I just bought off ebay.

Your (Lester) Custom still sounds great in my Paul...

Hell yeah, the Custom rocks. And to the person that thought the cleans were poor, I can understand...but if you coil-split it and blend it with a full, warm neck pickup, you can get great results. I do that with a 59n' in my Lester, and it keeps me coming for more.