Custom 8 paradise!

[jhale667]

I touched on this topic in another board for my Les Paul 100.

Anyways I don't have a Custom 5. But I'm liking more of what I'm hearing about the Custom 8. From what I'm seeing though most are swapping magnets. But I don't see an actually "Custom 8" on the website. I see an Alternative 8 so I'm assuming that's the pickup everyone is talking about.

Custom 8's are IIRC, a floor shop custom order, or you can make one by magnet swapping. The Alt 8 is a different pickup altogether.

[smashed39]

So what you're basically saying is I'd have to go to a store and get them to order the parts and make up a C8. I don't really want to put one together myself.

[BloodRose]

I did the C8 from a C5. I have one general question though. It seems I am more prone to squealing feedback. Do I need to re-pot the pickup? Or is that the magnet?

Ive done about 10 of these and never had any problems with feedback.. Make sure the screws at the bottom are evenly tightened and that you didnt damage anything. The A8 magnet is alil hotter, so make sure you adjust the pup to the proper height.

[BloodRose]

So what you're basically saying is I'd have to go to a store and get them to order the parts and make up a C8. I don't really want to put one together myself.

As stated above, the Alt8 is a very different pickup.. Im sure you could order a Custom 8 from SD. But it is easy to make them.

[smashed39]

As stated above, the Alt8 is a very different pickup.. Im sure you could order a Custom 8 from SD. But it is easy to make them.

kk. Thanks for the info!

[St-Jimmy]

just did the mag swap, and wow! I'm officially on the Custom 8 bandwagon!!!!

[LtKojak]

just did the mag swap, and wow! I'm officially on the Custom 8 bandwagon!!!!

Welcome to the club!

And don't forget to change ALL your bridge p'ups to A8... you'll thank me later!

In my case, I own the following A8 p'ups:

'59
Jazz
Custom
JB
Gibson '57 Classic Plus
Gibson P-94 A5/A8

HTH,

[blueman335]

just did the mag swap, and wow! I'm officially on the Custom 8 bandwagon!!!!

It's a very good PU. I also like a 498T with an A8. To my ears, an LP usually sounds best with a C5, an SG with a C8. What magnet you use depends on the PU, the wood, the guitar, and your style of music. There's no one 'magic bullet' with magnets. Between all my guitars I have six kinds of alnicos, plus ceramic. Everything has a use somewhere.

[BloodRose]

just did the mag swap, and wow! I'm officially on the Custom 8 bandwagon!!!!

VEry Cool!! Its amazing isnt it? what cha got it in?

[orpheo]

You guys here made me design a whole LINE of alnico 8 pickups! they all sound HUGE and terribly good.

they're actually hybrids of the custom and the JB, custom/59, jb/59, with or without hex polepieces and always with screw polepieces. the ones which dont have hex pieces use alnico slugs. Boy oh boy, these tones are major...

[St-Jimmy]

VEry Cool!! Its amazing isnt it? what cha got it in?

I got it in an Epi Metallic Aqua color SG. I had the custom 5 in it and I liked the sound, but like everyone says, it lacks distortion. I didn't want too much, so I didn't want to go the DD route and I didn't like the JB in it. I wanted more flavorful tone and useable distortion, and that's completely what I got with the Custom 8. It's so versatile; it cleans up nicely, has vintage crunch, harmonics and leads sound beautful, it can handle as much gain you throw at it while never muddying up, and it sound wonderful on the clean channel. Definitely fills out the sound of a thinbody.

[80's_Metal]

2 questions . . .

#1. What would an SH-6 Duncan Distortion sound like with an A8 in it?

#2. Anyone tried an A8 with a Duncan Designed? . . . I've got two detonators in my explorer and might go that route for fun.

Wymore is out of stock on A8 right now, but ebay has a couple for more money . . .

[GoDrex]

2 questions . . .

#1. What would an SH-6 Duncan Distortion sound like with an A8 in it?

well I'm not sure it would fit right because of the oversize magnet in the DD...

BUT - a DD is basically a JB with a big ceramic magnet instead of the A5

I've tried a JB with an A8 and it's killer. It's a huge sounding and tight pickup. I wish i had known about the A8 magnet and swapping, 20 years ago when I was trying to play metal.

[cmd130]

I bought an alnico 8 mag and it was the same size as the magnet in my Duncan Distortion. Love the DD with the alnico 8. The highs aren't harsh or brittle, the upper mids sound very "open", the low mids are beefy and warm, and the bass is tight and focused. The sound is very aggressive but at the same time it is sweet and smooth. It's very hard to explain....I guess it's like a DD with alnico warmth and sweetness but with the power of a ceramic magnet and enhanced lower mids. Just my opinion, tho.

[BloodRose]

I have a guitar that I want to make alil more aggressive and was thinking about going with a Distortion.. Now, Ill try the dist 8!!

[misterwhizzy]

2 questions . . .

#1. What would an SH-6 Duncan Distortion sound like with an A8 in it?

#2. Anyone tried an A8 with a Duncan Designed? . . . I've got two detonators in my explorer and might go that route for fun.

Wymore is out of stock on A8 right now, but ebay has a couple for more money . . .

I have a guitar that I want to make alil more aggressive and was thinking about going with a Distortion.. Now, Ill try the dist 8!!

DO IT! If you want high output, thick, chewy, organic distortion, this is the pickup for you. It retains its tightness, but it tames the harsh highs a little bit. It's huge and powerful.

You may need two of these. I couldn't get along with the ceramic for some reason. I needed to tame it just a bit, and the A8, from what I can tell, nailed it. It's a little more difficult than a regular magnet swap, but in my opinion, it's totally worth it.

I've been told that the Distortion is not exactly the same wind as the JB, and I've heard that the JB and the Distortion have the same wind. I don't know which is true, but I went the Distortion 8 route, and it's wonderful.

Also, you may be able to e-mail Wymore guitars about those magnets. The last time he was out of A8's, he wasn't really out of them, but the website wasn't up to date. It's worth an e-mail anyway.

[BloodRose]

so, Ill need to shim it???

[misterwhizzy]

so, Ill need to shim it???

You'll either need a shim underneath the new magnet or smaller spacers. I think the latter is probably more useful, because you can then try the huge ceramic with other winds.

[CesarM13]

im thinking about getting this one.
does anybody have sound clips or video demos?
thanks

[rammer69]

on the mag x , when going from ceramic to alnico you do not need a diff spacer, just turn the spacer so it is the same height as the new mag, this is straight from MJ @ SD , i did it & it is the correct height..