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Hello, this is my 1st post !

I kinda figured that here would be the best place to ask my question :P

So, what i am wondering is:

I am building a neck-through guitar, and i'm wondering what pickups to buy.
The neck-through is maple with mahogany wings so sound should be pretty bright... (think a capped guitar with a maple neck)

I plan on getting the SH-2 Jazz for the neck, but what could i get for the bridge that would do a great job for rythm (think like the clean part in Unforgiven II) AND for metal/lead stuff?

I don't really want a JB or a 59' (I wanna be different ) So i think my choices are either Custom,Custom custom or Custom 5? Right now i'd go for a C5 but i heard they are overly bright, wich i kinda like, but would probably be way too much with all the maple.anyways, please help!

thanks!!

If you're going with the alnico 5 Jazz neck I'd go with the ceramic Custom or Alnico 5 Custom 5 or the JB. The Jazz has alot of strong deep bass and has clear highs with more upper harmonics than most neck humbuckers. The alnico 2 Custom Custom is a favorite of mine but it might seem lacking in both highs and bass compared to the Jazz N, but maybe not: I haven't tried that combo. I would definately recommend the Custom Custom if you were going to go with an alnico 2 neck pickup such as the Alnico 2 Pro or Seth Lover though. In fact, that's one of my favorite combos and I use the Seth and CC in my Hamer Monoco. Lew

welcome to the board

what kind of fingerboard are you going to have?

i think you might want to be able to tame all that brightness a little ... maybe with a custom custom

and remember the 21 day return policy .. if it isnt right the first time, send it back to try another until you find 'the one'

let us know what you decide and how it comes out

good luck
t4d

I've got a Jazz/Custom set in my Schecter and I love it, but it's easily the darkest sounding guitar I've ever played (super thick basswood body tends to do that). The brightness of the Jazz and Custom cut through the mud to where it sounds very LPish. If you're worried about it being too bright, the CC might be the way to go.

whazza? return policy? Thats cool, that way i'm sure i'll get the right thing! (that thing works in canada?)

so the duncan custom is ceramic? well, i think i'll forget it then! I just kinda hate those...BTW, i don't care about the difference between pickups, except for volume... I almost don't plan on using them togheter... lolWhat i'm trying to do is a VERY versatile axe. I have a piezo TOM and the jazz should make for very clean runs, but i know it won't work for metal or other rythm... I want something that would be basically the opposite of the jazz, while still keeping the same volume (no Invader then )So the custom custom would cut the highs a bit? hmmm... It's interesting because i really like mids, but would that work for metal?anyways, thanks, you're really helpful!(EDIT: ehm sorry, my fretboard is Ebony, no inlays :P )

the Custom is a sweet pup, but i prefer the JB.

I have a custom 5 in the bridge of my carvin neck thru DC127. maple thru alder wings and ebony fret board. I love it. I didn't try custom or custom custom. but from my experience with those two custom5 is excatly what I want.
first of all, I don't like ceramic pickups. they can sound good but not like guitars to my ears.
so that's is for custom. cc doesn't have the open feel of custom5.
as for the brightness, it is bright on the high strings. but because of the scooped mids and huge lows, low e and a sound deep and bouncy while d and g are open and smooth.
my 2 cent

I've used the Jazz/Custom Custom combo for a long time until I decided to put the JB with the Jazz cause they're matched zebra and the CC is all black. I love how the Jazz and CC sound together. Got lots of compliments on how well the guitar sounded. Mind you it wasn't neck through but bolt-on maple neck, maple fingerboard to an alder body with vintage hardware. The pickups were mounted straight to the body. They're now in a pickguard.

I went through most of the popular humbuckers, including C-3 and C-4's that were magnet swapped pickups. My ears always go for Custom 5's and Seth Lovers, and the CC on guitars with a lot of highend punch. The C-5 has a clear top end like a 59, but a very tight and focused bass. I probably usually have 300K Gibson pots, and 250K for strats.

maybe i could try to hook the custom 5 to a 250k pot to tone down the brightness a little?

Anyways, guess i'll try a custom custom... Seems like it would do me well!

Is the volume about the same as a Jazz? I know its much more powerful, but since its in the bridge...anyways thanks for all your help!! That all helped me a LOT!

Good Idea!!! i love my CC.


Originally Posted by Pr3Va1Lmaybe i could try to hook the custom 5 to a 250k pot to tone down the brightness a little?

Anyways, guess i'll try a custom custom... Seems like it would do me well!

Is the volume about the same as a Jazz? I know its much more powerful, but since its in the bridge...anyways thanks for all your help!! That all helped me a LOT!

Volume will be fine. There's some difference but nothing too drastic IMO. I kinda like how there is that difference. Makes for some great tones and versitality.


Originally Posted by Pr3Va1Lmaybe i could try to hook the custom 5 to a 250k pot to tone down the brightness a little?

Anyways, guess i'll try a custom custom... Seems like it would do me well!

Is the volume about the same as a Jazz? I know its much more powerful, but since its in the bridge...

All the Customs will be louder than a Jazz. A 250k pot will help on the brightness but you can also solder a very low value cap -- .0005uf (500pf) or less from hot to ground.

Another option is to slap an Alnico 4 in place of the Alnico 5. A little less output but it will give you a smoother, flatter EQ response (Alnico 5 has a fairly deep midrange scoop) and thus make it a C4...

actually, i just realised i was dumb to ask about volume... since i really don't find uses to tone pots, i'm having *3* volumes to blend stuff (the 2 pickups and the piezo)I think i really will like the CC... the mid will probably be to my taste...

hmmm...

I've finally opted for a mahogany neckthrough (with mahogany wings, too...)

So now i'm deciding between a CC, a C5 or a Distortion... I might even go with a screaming demon...I want a bridge pup that can do metallica but still sound good clean......Thanks everyone, btw.

I am going to get a C5 but thats in a les paul. like u i want it to be able to do metallica except i am more of a vintage rock/pop person (the beatles up to metallica mainly and all points between)

The C-5 is a versatile pickup. It's like a vintage A5 on steroids, with a natural stereo EQ curve. The tight bouncy lows are the most attractive thing about it. The neutral mids allow it to sound good on clean channels, and the highs are natural and present like a 59.
I'm able to get everything from gutsy twang all the way to crushing palm muted chunk out a C-5. From there, just move to a Custom for more metal, or the CC for more thickness and buttery high end like a fusion player would want. The C-5 is more AC/DC, Van Halen, Rush type pickup for a mid/high gain player. That's how I look at it.

With all maghogany I'd steer away from the CC . Mahogany w/out a maple cap can be dark. Your ebony board will help some though.

Also what kind of bridge? Floyd? TOM? That can make a HUGE diff. On a Floyd guitar you'll lose some fullness, and may want a more middy pup than a C5, like a SH5/6

Not to shift this thread topic a little bit, but..

Out of those three (Custom, CC, C5), which cuts through the best?

I too am looking at these three pickups, but I'm an instrumental player so I'm riding on leads about 85 % of the time. I've heard many recommendations for the JB, because it's more of a lead oriented pickup, but I also want the rhythm beef of the Custom.

I'll be playing through a PRS CE 22 (Mahogany back, Maple top. Maple neck/Rosewood FB)

What about the distortion?? I heard it was really nice with the Jazz...

Bridge is a Schaller (piezo) Tom with string through.Personally, i think i'll steer away from the custom... I just don't like ceramic magnets.