Describe the Duncan Custom, compared to usual Gibson PAFS....

[britishgeetah]

I want upgrade my LP with SD's and I'm thinking the Duncan Custom, as it seems to be a "Ceramic" version of a PAF....Descrube the tone of it, and how different it'd be from usual PAFS....

[Stevo]

More powerful, in-your-face lower midrange focus, edgy, more compressed, more agressive. Not very open sounding, but it has a decent clean tone. It's a great pickup for hard rock.

[Lewguitar]

A real 50's Gibson PAF measures about 8.1K or 8.2K usually. The Custom is a 14.4K pickup wound with thinner copper wire than a real 50's Gibson paf.

The Custom has more output...more mids than an alnico 5 paf and more treble and bass than an alnico 2 paf.

It and the Custom Custom are my two favorite 14K and over bridge humbuckers.

[britishgeetah]

And I also have the "Hot Alinco" PAF's in my Les Paul...
i'm thinking higher output would make the guitar sound much less like a les paul....
What do you think of a Pearly Gates in the bridge instead?

[ModestCargo]

If you want it to sound "like a les paul"..

I reccomend a 59 in the bridge and an Alnico II Pro in the neck.

[revolution]

The Duncan Custom sounds...I swear...like SDuncan says it does "A P.A.F. on steroids". It's a really great Hard Rock p'up for the LP and it doesn't get muddy. An awesome neck pickup to compliment that would be the DiMarzio AiR Norton. Excellent combination for the LPaul.

[revolution]

"What do you think of a Pearly Gates in the bridge instead?"

You're kinda almost there with what you've got. I'd put the Duncan Customs in. They're not compressed...they're open.

[JWR]

I'd go with the '59 inthe bridge too. I replaced my Clasic Plus with the '59. I tried the PG but it was not my cup 'o tea. I do have the PG in the neck, I think I'm looking for a bit more low end though.

[GregN.]

This is, of course, just my opinion, but I really dislike the Custom. I've tried it in two of my guitars now and I just don't like it. I'm favoring the more vintage output type PU's these days and it may have something to do w/ alnico over ceramic. I just put a '59B and a Seth neck in an Epi LP and I'm really liking that combo. And even though I'm not liking hot PU's, it's funny that I still like the JB I put in a Fender Contemporary Strat back in the '80's. It's even hotter than the Custom but I really like it. Go figure...
IMO, I'd go w/ a '59 or a Pearly Gates in the bridge.

Greg