Tell me about the Duncan Custom 5 SH-14

[Dannyz]

I'm looking to try out a SD Custom 5 after sticking to my Gibson Super 57 in my 13' Trad Pro Les Paul for the past few years.

I've tried a JB several times but that pickup sounded too poke-y and had too much output when used clean.

Ive heard that the best Custom is the ceramic one, followed by the Custom Custom (had one in the past, very middy and dark sounding) then the Custom 5 which some describe it like a double output 59.

Is it that scooped sounding? can it work well in round neck/thick Les Paul? I tune my LP in Eb and drop the low E to C#. For strings i use a .010/.052 set.

 

[Speeddemon]

Never had a '59 bridge model in a Les Paul, but I did have the Custom Custom, JB and the Custom 5 in the same Les Paul Custom (Burny Randy Rhoads model from '83), tuned to E flat with 0.10-0.48 Ernie Balls.
CC = too mild and squishy for me. Not enough cut or heft. Mostly mids.
JB = lot of output, harmonics, but can border on screechy and low end is kinda loose for heavy riffing.
Custom 5 = big, but tight low end. Not as scooped as some folks make it out to be, but definitely less mids than the JB and CC. Plenty of Alnico V flavor and medium to medium/high output. Nice top-end, not too aggressive or bitey. It worked really well in that LPC, but since I could use it in me ESP Horizon, that's where it went.

The JB would be more of a lead playing pickup and the Custom 5 more rhythm/allrounder if you're painting in broad generalizations.

So, you may be wondering what I ended up with in that LPC's bridge?
The SH-16; Custom/59 Hybrid.
More kerrangy and open sounding than the others. Good output, not too hot, plenty of character and zing, but not bitey either. Great hard rock/metal option.

 

[SLOgriff]

Custom 5 is pretty lackluster. Might consider the Pearly Gates, perfect bridge pickup for a Les Paul but it is a tad bright (which I prefer)..cuts really well and very balanced.

If you’re wanting a tad darker but still articulate, you might try the Suhr Aldrich.

 

[fusedbrain]

.....Custom 5 = big, but tight low end. Not as scooped as some folks make it out to be, but definitely less mids than the JB and CC. Plenty of Alnico V flavor and medium to medium/high output. Nice top-end, not too aggressive or bitey. It worked really well in that LPC, but since I could use it in me ESP Horizon, that's where it went.

The JB would be more of a lead playing pickup and the Custom 5 more rhythm/allrounder if you're painting in broad generalizations.

So, you may be wondering what I ended up with in that LPC's bridge?
The SH-16; Custom/59 Hybrid.
More kerrangy and open sounding than the others. Good output, not too hot, plenty of character and zing, but not bitey either. Great hard rock/metal option.

Agree 100%
Custom 5 is a great pickup, and this description is bang on.
Biggest factor here is going to be the natural frequency response of your guitar.
It may be to thick on the low end, depending on the amount of natural low end in your Les Paul. High end should be fine, as the C5 is brighter due to the A5 mag, but not harsh with the 14k wind.
I also agree that you should consider the 59/Custom hybrid for a les paul, as it has a more balanced response profile.
The C5 is the ultimate SG pickup, due to the frequency response of the thin, all mahogany body of the SG, but is really guitar dependent in a les paul.
Having said that, I have a C5 in a brighter sounding, weight relieved LP, and it kills.
Hope that helps!

 

[stratjacket]

I thought the Custom 5 had a full, well rounded sound. Not too sharp, not too bass heavy. It’s a good rocking pickup. I never tried in an LP, I don’t own a LP, but it works well in every guitar I’ve ever used it. There was a period of about a year where I put in in many guitars because there was no guesswork, it was an all arounder. I eventually gravitated away because I wanted pickups with more bite or mids or something more exaggerated.

 

[DanTravis62]

the custom 5 is the best pickup duncan makes, full stop

I would be comfortable using it in any hb guitar, and im probably the biggest pickup nazi on the entire forum

 

[Bloodrock]

Very scooped and the output is meh...

 

[Solarflares]

I thought I liked the Custom Custom, but the Custom edition of the Custom Custom was a game changer.
Until they brought out the limited Custom edition of the Custom edition of the Custom Custom. That one was fantastic.
Fingers crossed for a revised Custom edition Custom of the Custom edition of the Custom Custom. I’d be very tempted.

 

[Beyond Black]

I thought I liked the Custom Custom, but the Custom edition of the Custom Custom was a game changer.
Until they brought out the limited Custom edition of the Custom edition of the Custom Custom. That one was fantastic.
Fingers crossed for a revised Custom edition Custom of the Custom edition of the Custom Custom. I’d be very tempted.

This 100%

 

[Frehley12]

Custom 5 is a '59 with more balls. I have a Custom 5 in a PS Ibanez Iceman. Great rock pick-up. A '59 is scooped in the mids but in a good way. So the Custom 5 is similar. In another PS Iceman, I have a JB(J) from the mid 1990s. That JB is a flamethrower.

 

[Dannyz]

What about the output on the C5? Is it lower than a JB?

 

[JackBootedThug]

My favorite Duncan. I really think these things are so guitar specific. I have an Mij Jackson dk2. Alder body, maple neck, rosewood board. Hss. Bolt on with Floyd. It brought that guitar to life. It was like my amp had a blanket on it until I installed that pup in that guitar. It’s scooped which I like with good output. I love it. In a Les Paul or other guitar..who knows?

 

[Greazygeo]

In my SG started with a JB which is my go to…did not like it in there, too dark.

Custom 5 was recommended by my Duncan rep. Very scooped and not enough top end.

Next recommendation was the Hybrid 59. Perfect pickup for the SG. Finally some top end. Nice balanced tone.

 

[Rottweiler]

Great thread! lot's of great info here. I was looking at the Custom 5 and the hybrid to replace the BB pro in one of my LPs. Those Seymours are on hold as I scored a good deal on a Gibson 80s trib. Ima try that first.

You might want to look at the Gibson 70s trib also as it is the same ballpark as the Custom 5 and JB. I really like my 70s trib. I hear it is similar to the Peavey spec Wolfgang. Link below. Video should start right at 6:15 as the 70s and 80s tribs are discussed

 

[chumbucket]

I wonder what the Custom 5 would sound like with an A4 magnet swap? It might smooth out the frequency response with a slight loss of power.

 

[Speeddemon]

I wonder what the Custom 5 would sound like with an A4 magnet swap? It might smooth out the frequency response with a slight loss of power.

Probably will make it more 'rawk' than hardrock/metal too. I have an A4 lying around that I've considered throwing in the '59n that came out of my ESP... But so far the SH-12 in the neck position there works plenty fine.

 

[johnny q]

I had a Custom 5 in my Les Paul Custom for about a year. I liked, but didn't love it. Too mid scooped for me. I replaced it with a JB and it has been there for almost 20 years. Of the Customs, I prefer the Ceramic and the Custom Custom better. The latter in my Floyd Rose guitars.

 

[Scot]

Great thread! lot's of great info here. I was looking at the Custom 5 and the hybrid to replace the BB pro in one of my LPs. Those Seymours are on hold as I scored a good deal on a Gibson 80s trib. Ima try that first.

You might want to look at the Gibson 70s trib also as it is the same ballpark as the Custom 5 and JB. I really like my 70s trib. I hear it is similar to the Peavey spec Wolfgang. Link below. Video should start right at 6:15 as the 70s and 80s tribs are discussed

That70's pickup's been on my radar, along with several others. I've not gone down the pickup rabbit hole but am quickly learning, in large part thanks to this forum, I dig higher output Gibson p/us'. I had myself convinced on the Custom 5, but if the mids aren't present, that gives me pause. The best pu I landed-on 'back in the day', was a SD '78 in a les paul after finding '57 classics/BB's (et al) too harsh or too fizzy in the high end. I appreciate this discussion.

 

[Dannyz]

What about the output on the C5? Is it lower than a JB?

Bumpy.

 

[Speeddemon]

Bumpy.

Yes, as I mentioned in my first post.
Suppose, in the range of passive pickups, a vintage style humbucker is 1, and a X2N is 10, then a JB would be a 7 or 7.5, and a Custom 5 more like a 6~6.5 in terms of output. and a Duncan Distortion a solid 8.5.
I recon the Dimarzio Norton is slightly hotter than the C5, and I would qualify both of them as medium/high-ish output.

Good comparison video; especially clean the JB is too hot and dark...only with gain, the gnarly character comes out: