I just got a new Les Paul and I wondering which pickups to get. I play a lot of metal, but I also want a bridge pickup that sounds good clean?
I've narrowed it down to these two, thoughts?
I've narrowed it down to these two, thoughts?
Which Pickup? Seymour Duncan Custom or Custom Custom?
- Thread starter theroan
- Start date
Jaymz
Stymphalian Productions
I know the Custom custom sounds great clean and overdriven so id shoot at that one. Thats all the info I can give atm im afraid haha 
Nebulous
Daniel
Depends what sort of tone you're going for. Neither of those would really strike me as being a choice for a defined tone when you play it overdriven, especially in a heavy Mahogany guitar. Those have a fair amount of Low mids, so while they would sound nice clean, IMO you'd be sacrificing your heavy rhythms.
Thought about putting one of them or a 59 in the neck for your cleans?
Thought about putting one of them or a 59 in the neck for your cleans?
jrt12
Member
FWIW, my guitarist and i have tried about half a dozen diff pup's in our diff guitars (actives and passives). but at the end of the day, the SD Custom Custom seems to be the "go to" sound we dig most. Of course, we lean more to hard rock than metal. but one of the things that stand out regardless of style is the way all the strings ring so true with it. you can hear each note of the chord voiced well. right balance of bark and burn for us. btw, its in a mahogany body (schecter omen).
but i'm also waiting for one axe to get back from the guitar tech. he's installing the SD Alternative 8 in the bridge of another schecter. Lasse's thread about it really got me interested. so we're itching to compare it to the Custom Custom.
but i'm also waiting for one axe to get back from the guitar tech. he's installing the SD Alternative 8 in the bridge of another schecter. Lasse's thread about it really got me interested. so we're itching to compare it to the Custom Custom.
dude id say go with the custom custom, has a really nice clean sound and heavy riffing is also possible with it, so go for it imo
JB doesn't stand for Jeff Beck 
(Jazz-Blues, apparently) And I can't stand that pickup personally, I find it ridiculously flubby in the lows! The two Duncans I've heard the most praise for for metal are the SH-5 Duncan Custom and the SH-15 Alternative VIII! (really haven't heard much about the SH-11 Custom Custom, that has an Alnico II magnet right?)
Oh, and I'm not a big fan of the SH-14 Custom 5, it's one of those low-output pickups that I find just constantly sounds undergained no matter how high you have the amp gain (kinda like how my EMG81 DI's sounded when the pickup was too low
)
(Jazz-Blues, apparently) And I can't stand that pickup personally, I find it ridiculously flubby in the lows! The two Duncans I've heard the most praise for for metal are the SH-5 Duncan Custom and the SH-15 Alternative VIII! (really haven't heard much about the SH-11 Custom Custom, that has an Alnico II magnet right?)Oh, and I'm not a big fan of the SH-14 Custom 5, it's one of those low-output pickups that I find just constantly sounds undergained no matter how high you have the amp gain (kinda like how my EMG81 DI's sounded when the pickup was too low
)
Line666
Fendurr
- Sep 2, 2006
- 3,342
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JB doesn't stand for Jeff Beck
Yah. It was never an official signature model, but it was made for him.
jrt12
Member
if anyone's still interested, i'll see if i can get my guitarist to help me do a shootout of the 2 pups. We have an Omen with the Custom Custom and I just got an Avenger with the Alternative VIII. So if there's interest, i'll try
Exocaster
Nozzle
- Aug 29, 2005
- 709
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The Custom, Custom Custom, and Custom 5 all sound nice dirty and clean. (And I'm not even partial to bridge 'buckers clean.) It's really dependent on whether you prefer the ceramic or Alnico II magnets, in your case.
Re: jrt12's Alternative 8, that's supposed to be a very hot pickup, much more so than the Custom series, IIRC.
Re: jrt12's Alternative 8, that's supposed to be a very hot pickup, much more so than the Custom series, IIRC.
John_C
formerly Skeksis268
what do you reckon to the alternative VIII
i've been interested in that for a while, listening to the seymour duncan clips i decided i like that and the full shred best out of them all
EDIT: or not as the case may be, i've been imagining things....there is no seymour duncan sample of the alternative 8 :s
Custom just sounds right to my ears. I love my 81/blackouts/x2n, but the custom just fits. I run mine with a full shred neck, and it's the best sounding guitar I have.
jrt12
Member
well, i dont have the Schecter with the Custom Custom here... thats my guitarists. so i cant compare side by side right now, but just from memory... comparing the two I'd say the Alternative VIII has more "burn" to it. a bit more growl. and i def was happy with the cleans too. not thin like I feel the Distortions are clean. but i havent played with it enough yet. just got it this weekend and like i said, that comparisons from memory right now.
i'll try and do a shootout this weekend if we have time. i havent done one before. should i get a DI track from each to upload? two of each?
