SD Custom Custom

dilbert

I have 3 Strat style guitars with 'buckers in the bridge but they are all fairly standard PAF style and output is best described as warm. I'd like to put something a bit warmer in one (currently has a generic ceramic job in it), and a quick look shows the SD Custom Custom looks a reasonable bet as it seems to stays in PAF territory without going over totally the top. 

Has anyone tried one of these or something similar in output?. I'm open to ideas so, gentlemen, your' thoughts, please?.

Ta.

ICBM

It's a very thick-sounding, middy pickup - the relatively weak alnico II magnet offsets the higher winding quite a lot compared to most other high-output pickups which usually have alnico V or ceramic. It's good in brighter-sounding guitars like Superstrats.

Funkfingers

The SD Custom, Custom 5 and Custom Custom are the same coils, sitting atop different magnet materials. These are, respectively, ceramic A5 and A2. The latter two were arrived at by experimentation by members of the Seymour Duncan User Group forum.

Do not accept my word for this. Compare the published specifications. Read the story on the SDUGF or on the SD website blog pages.

In a Fender-derived guitar design, I prefer the Custom 5. For your stated purpose, I reckon that it would be worth trying an A4 or un-oriented A5 bar magnet.

steamabacus

The Screamin' Demon is excellent in a Strat bridge position. Not as fire-breathing as the name implies but juicy, articulate and sustaining.

This is a pretty good demo with some heavy rock tones ...

Funkfingers

Screamin' Demon is a good call. 

How about the UK makers? e.g. Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog Plus.

dilbert

Many thanks for your suggestions chaps, much appreciated. 

One thing I forgot to mention is that my amp is a HRDIII in case that is a factor, so @ICBM if the CC is a middy pup, it may work well. 

Thanks again.

dilbert   

mudslide73

I'm a Custom Custom fanboy and have a couple in maple fretboard guitars currently. I've had good experiences with Ash's A2 Nightfighter as well. DiMarzio's Air Zone is in the same neck of the woods imo too.

TTBZ

I had one in my strat copy. It’s really thick and warm sounding, borderline muddy. I think I prefer the Custom 5 - a bit more scooped sounding but still more “classic” than metal.

Funkfingers

TTBZ said:

[Custom Custom] thick and warm sounding, borderline muddy. ...
Custom 5 - a bit more scooped sounding but still more “classic” than metal.

Split the difference. Sand cast UOA5.

TTBZ

Funkfingers said:

TTBZ said:

[Custom Custom] thick and warm sounding, borderline muddy. ...
Custom 5 - a bit more scooped sounding but still more “classic” than metal.

Split the difference. Sand cast UOA5.

That might do it the great thing about these pickups is you can try any of the Custom range with a £5 and 5 minute magnet swap. I did like the Custom 8 in my SG as recommended by most of the SD forum. Quite tempted to go for one again if I can find a cheap Custom.

skullfunkerry

TTBZ said:

I had one in my strat copy. It’s really thick and warm sounding, borderline muddy. I think I prefer the Custom 5 - a bit more scooped sounding but still more “classic” than metal.

I had a Custom 5 in a Modern Player Tele. It was a huge improvement on the stock Fender pickup, and as @TTBZ says, quite scooped sounding but not stupidly hot output. I liked it a lot, but I swapped the guitar for my Performance fairly quickly after it was installed, so I didn't really get a chance to get to know it properly

Willie

Would you recommend Custom Custom in an airy Les Paul for bridge position?

normula1

The CC is quite fat. I swapped the magnet ti an A5 fairly quickly as I'm not a massive fan of totally different sounding neck and bridge pickups.