Tell me about the Duncan Custom Custom

[troublehead]

I'm thinking about one for my SG Standard. I don't like the Duncan tone chart 3/7/7 (B/M/T). But I keep hearing that it is actually a dark, warm pup..............which is what I want.

 

[MrDan666]

I'm thinking about one for my SG Standard. I don't like the Duncan tone chart 3/7/7 (B/M/T). But I keep hearing that it is actually a dark, warm pup..............which is what I want.

Its very warm, and it will warm up a bright guitar! I had it in a Charvel Soloist thru neck, which was a maple neck and a Poplar body. Sounded bright but when i swapped in the Custom Custom it smoothed it out and gave it a deeper sound. Not artificial depth either (the Tonezone is my example of artificial depth..), but just a great sounding pickup allround!

Doesnt lack bass either, it gave my Charvel some beefy low end!

 

[ratkent]

I have used Custom Customs in many of my guitars. They are alot more balanced than the Duncan tone chart would seem to indicate. They have a great, smooth, lower-mid bump that lends itself well to a kind of "brown sound". I used one in my LP Custom for years until I just switched to a Suhr Doug Aldrich set. The Suhrs are more aggressive but I still would not hesitate to use a Custom Custom in any guitar.

I had one in my SG Standard and it worked fairly well but I need some more low end and swapped it out for the new Duncan Alternate 8. I have to say I like the Alt 8 better. It's more articulate but still has a nice punchy low mid.

If you are looking for something that is dark and warm, the Custom Custom could certainly work. I'm not a big Dimarzio fan but the Tone Zone may also work.

 

[troublehead]

I have used Custom Customs in many of my guitars. They are alot more balanced than the Duncan tone chart would seem to indicate. They have a great, smooth, lower-mid bump that lends itself well to a kind of "brown sound". I used one in my LP Custom for years until I just switched to a Suhr Doug Aldrich set. The Suhrs are more aggressive but I still would not hesitate to use a Custom Custom in any guitar.

I had one in my SG Standard and it worked fairly well but I need some more low end and swapped it out for the new Duncan Alternate 8. I have to say I like the Alt 8 better. It's more articulate but still has a nice punchy low mid.

If you are looking for something that is dark and warm, the Custom Custom could certainly work. I'm not a big Dimarzio fan but the Tone Zone may also work.

Could you compare the Custom Custom to the 498T that was in your SG (I'm assuming that was stock). The 498T seems a bit mushy and kind of nasal sounding to me.

 

[Tnjpekar]

have one in my strat the past 4 years. great sounding pup, nice note clarity while still giving a great od sound. adds a nice bottom and lower mid sound while not compromising on the upper register too much.
sounds great in an ash or alder guitar, didnt like it in a lester, too dark

 

[ratkent]

I have used Custom Customs in many of my guitars. They are alot more balanced than the Duncan tone chart would seem to indicate. They have a great, smooth, lower-mid bump that lends itself well to a kind of "brown sound". I used one in my LP Custom for years until I just switched to a Suhr Doug Aldrich set. The Suhrs are more aggressive but I still would not hesitate to use a Custom Custom in any guitar.

I had one in my SG Standard and it worked fairly well but I need some more low end and swapped it out for the new Duncan Alternate 8. I have to say I like the Alt 8 better. It's more articulate but still has a nice punchy low mid.

If you are looking for something that is dark and warm, the Custom Custom could certainly work. I'm not a big Dimarzio fan but the Tone Zone may also work.

Could you compare the Custom Custom to the 498T that was in your SG (I'm assuming that was stock). The 498T seems a bit mushy and kind of nasal sounding to me.

"Mushy and kind of nasal" is exactly how the 498T came across in my SG. The only guitar I've had that worked with that pickup was an all mahogany LP and it still was kind of loose. The reason I like some Duncans over the Gibson 400 series is precisely because they are not as mushy and have much more focus in the midrange. For me and my amp rig, I can usually dial-in the lows and highs I need which may be weak in a particular pickup. The mid frequency responses are really where I'm trying to have a pickup help me out. I like the mid voicing of the Custom Custom. The JB has an upper mid peak that I can't deal with at times. It is that kind of frozen wah, Bostonish tone that can be great in some guitars but horrible in others. The Custom Custom seems overall more balanced to me or perhaps any frequency boosts it may possess are more of what I am looking for.

Here's another idea that worked for me in my old SG Deluxe years ago. I had a Duncan Custom in that guitar and it sounded great when I rolled back the tone a bit. My guitar guy ended up putting a 300k volume pot and that did the trick. It was a crunchy aggressive tone, but it never got harsh or trashy like SGs can do. I would still consider getting rid of the 498T, but you may also need to look at changing some of the values on your pots if you still have issues.

Here's another SG thing. If your Standard is like most and has the large pickguard, you may need to bend the metal ears of the pickup mounts to get the pickup to line up parallel with the strings. I was told by many people that this made no difference but my own experience and ears tell me there is a difference. It tightens up the tone a bit and also lets you adjust the pole pieces on the pickups as well as the pickup height with more accuracy. I don't think it will change your opinion on the stock pickups but it's something to consider when installing anything new.

 

[guitarslinger]

IMO, it's warm, but it also drives MY preamp channels too easily.

I mean the mid-range-focused warmth distorts REALLY EASILY.

It doesn't sound very good clean either.

I mean, a normal JB in series in the bridge position is a nicer clean tone IMO.


I would not buy the CC again. YMMV.

 

[MrDan666]

IMO, it's warm, but it also drives MY preamp channels too easily.

I mean the mid-range-focused warmth distorts REALLY EASILY.

It doesn't sound very good clean either.

I mean, a normal JB in series in the bridge position is a nicer clean tone IMO.


I would not buy the CC again. YMMV.

I can see what you mean about that midrange focus, which drives the front end. If a hot rodded Marshall tone is what you like, the the CC works great for that. I used it in a Charvel Soloist into a Cameron Aldrich mod for years and it sounded great in that setup!!