JB Vs Custom for my needs

[Neil27]

Hi There,

I'm looking to upgrade the schecter superrock II's on my all mahogany, neck through Schecter C1 Exotic, although decent pickups they tend to sound a bit undefined and loose at high gain.

I am looking for a big sounding yet tight and defined metal tone (think Gojira) with a good clean tone, and perhaps a bit more output then the schecter pups.
I am also going to be coil spliting them, do all SD humbuckers allow this?

Oh, and i play through a Mesa rect-o-verb.

I am considering the JB and Custom. what would you recommend and why?

Cheers for any help!

[aneyekay1]

The custom has that beefed up PAF tone,its sounds good in mahogany
The JB is a modern classic ,sounds great for hard rock and 80's metal. but its a hit or miss in mahogany IMO

i think the custom would be good for u

[misterwhizzy]

For what you describe, I'd recommend the Distortion. If you don't like that (and I think you will), you can put in an Alnico 8 for a JB8, or an Alnico 5 for a JB. But I don't think you'll have to do that. The Distortion should work just as it comes.

[Neil27]

Thanks for the input. How is the clean tone on the Distortion?

And how do seymour duncans (in general) compare to Dimarzio, do any have any sort of signature 'house' sound? and Bareknuckle also for that matter.

Cheers. Neil

[Neil27]

Also would the 59 go well with the Custom or would somehting like the Jazz be better?

[LatsMcGee]

If your exotic has the ebony fret board the JB actually does pretty well with it, I would go with Invaders in that guitar though.

[Ed Hunter]

For what you describe, I'd recommend the Distortion. If you don't like that (and I think you will), you can put in an Alnico 8 for a JB8, or an Alnico 5 for a JB. But I don't think you'll have to do that. The Distortion should work just as it comes.

oh yeah! the DD is what you want tight,aggressive and has a suprisingly good clean tone especially when split, better than the JB or custom but YMMV?

[Gplayerzzz]

I would do the Distortion or Dimarzio D activator.

[inhuman]

Custom 5 has tight bass and has the best clean tone between JB, regular custom, and a distortion. You can get some serious chug or get some real sparkle when you play clean. Most versatile overwound pickup SD offers. thats what i think atleast

[IcedEarth112]

all SD pickups are coil tappable. JB does not have a tight end but the magnet can be replaced to acheive that, as it can be in most SD pickups. but if you arent wanting to tinker i've heard the custom has a very tight low end, as does the distortion.

[Neil27]

I have been reading and listening about the distortion, and it does not seem to be what i am looking for, seems a little more toward a active PU kind of tone, I have a guitar with EMG's in it so I am looking for something more 'organic' if that makes sense.

The custom seems great, I may go with it the only thing I am wondering now is if it has enough output for (death) metal.

I have a hotrails in a squire strat and the output is pretty insane, would the custom be anything like that?

[SteveAlysis]

Custom works great for death metal... it can pull of that Gojira tone no prob...

[Ed Hunter]

I have been reading and listening about the distortion, and it does not seem to be what i am looking for, seems a little more toward a active PU kind of tone, I have a guitar with EMG's in it so I am looking for something more 'organic' if that makes sense.

The custom seems great, I may go with it the only thing I am wondering now is if it has enough output for (death) metal.

I have a hotrails in a squire strat and the output is pretty insane, would the custom be anything like that?

where did you get that it is toward a active PU tone? george lynch from dokken used one for years and his tone was not active like at all? it is very organic and should not be compared to any active

[Franknfilms]

Neil27, we have very similar taste, and I also have a schecter c1. I say you want the custom without a doubt. And you can always change it up with an A8 magnet too, they are both great options. Here are some of my clips, and I even play some gojira!
Custom
Custom 8 (gojira at end):
Custom (dethklok riff)
Custom 8 (gojira riff)

[Neil27]

where did you get that it is toward a active PU tone? george lynch from dokken used one for years and his tone was not active like at all? it is very organic and should not be compared to any active

I know it isn't like an active at all, just sounds a little more in that general direction (pushes the amp very hard, biting treble) than say, the custom. Only from what I have heard on the net ofcourse.

Neil27, we have very similar taste, and I also have a schecter c1. I say you want the custom without a doubt. And you can always change it up with an A8 magnet too, they are both great options. Here are some of my clips, and I even play some gojira!
Custom
Custom 8 (gojira at end):
Custom (dethklok riff)
Custom 8 (gojira riff)

And thanks for those clips Franknfilms, is appreciated and plus I was looking for that site for about a year now after forgeting the URL and title of the site. haha.

Cheers. I think i'm set on the custom, now the question is do i go for a '59 in the neck?

[dominus]

I know it isn't like an active at all, just sounds a little more in that general direction (pushes the amp very hard, biting treble) than say, the custom. Only from what I have heard on the net ofcourse.



And thanks for those clips Franknfilms, is appreciated and plus I was looking for that site for about a year now after forgeting the URL and title of the site. haha.

Cheers. I think i'm set on the custom, now the question is do i go for a '59 in the neck?

Yes, you definitely want a Custom in the bridge of that guitar. Measure the string spacing, you probably want the TB-5, not SH-5.

For the neck, is there something lacking from the stock pickup? The '59 in the neck is a good match for the Custom in the bridge, but sometimes there's no need to switch out the neck pickup if it rarely gets used.

[Neil27]

Hi Dominus,

Do the tb-5 and sh-5 only differ in size? what exactly would i need to messure?

and i do use my neck PU quite alot, again, the stock is not bad,, does a better job then the stock in bridge, but i feel it could do with more clarity.

I think the '59 sounds perfect for my needs.

[Ed Hunter]

Hi Dominus,

Do the tb-5 and sh-5 only differ in size? what exactly would i need to messure?

and i do use my neck PU quite alot, again, the stock is not bad,, does a better job then the stock in bridge, but i feel it could do with more clarity.

I think the '59 sounds perfect for my needs.

for whatever reason the TB's have a slightly higher resistance,for example i have quite a few JB's both regular and trem spaced the trem ones all have 17K and up and the regular spaced JB's are all under 17K( they average mid 16K)

[bagouser]

I have a few Schecters and IMO, if you want metal output and you drop tune, the best sounding bridge HB in these is the Custom 5, followed by the Custom. I think the C5 has better cleans, and is more warm sounding, but thats just my ears and my amp.

[blueman335]

The custom has that beefed up PAF tone,its sounds good in mahogany
The JB is a modern classic ,sounds great for hard rock and 80's metal. but its a hit or miss in mahogany IMO

+1.