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2019 Custombuckers volume difference

Dax

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Dec 10, 2019
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24
Anyone else can please share what is their pickup height with unpotted custombuckers.
Thanks
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Anyone else can please share what is their pickup height with unpotted custombuckers.
Thanks

That is a tough question to answer because this varies in regards to how high or low the Stop Tail piece and the ABR-1 Bridge are set , which of course there is no uniform spec conformity . I get where you are coming from as you want to get the best tone out of the Custombuckers without the dreaded squealing and buzzing if the pickups are to close to the strings . The best advice I can give you is that is a perfect example of trial and error . Try raising or lowering the pickups one at a time in increments of maybe a half turn or even a full turn and try the guitar then and listen and try to get to the sweet spot without the squealing or buzzing ,which is the worst headache to me where you want maximum tone/output and at the same time maintaining intonation as best as possible . No easy feat , but it can be done ! Also are you playing thru a high gain amp ? If so the nature of the un potted Custombuckers will drive you nuts from the dreaded squealing . So that is something to consider if you reach a point and the Custombuckers are not working for you ,with either the squealing or not enough output . Only you can decide or determine this , as no one in a forum can tell you what to do on that matter ,only your ears and personal preference can tell you that . I know that can sound harsh and or not helpful but it is the gospel truth , only your ears can tell you . I hope I have been helpful and don't bum as this is the most fun in trying to challenge your self to make music of which there is nothing better !
 

andy k

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Dec 6, 2006
Messages
359
something is off here,
I have a few Lp style guitars, Gibson, replica, and other 2 humbucker styles, with many different types of pickups.
When I set them up, there are certain things that are constant, ie- with strings fretted at 21-22 fret, I set my bridge pickup to be around 2-3mm, 1-16--1-8 inch from bottom of string.
This is due to physics of hitting string, and any closer will mean string HITS pickup---not good.
With a vintage style PAF, which are usually low output-similar output per set, this usually means neck pickup has to be a lot lower to avoid BOOM from the increased string movement, and at worse case scenario-last fret.
You say your tech set your neck pickup to sound good at around 1.75 mm from string?, I do not get that at all?
I may be wrong, it all depends on your sound, your style, your setup--but it sounds weird to me.
This is supposed to be a new Gibson guitar-with a warranty, so if I was serious about this, I wouldn't be spending money on a tech to 'fix' the problem, I would be returning it and finding something that works for me.
I may be wrong -again, but this seems to be a thread that is trying to say that there is something bad about these pickups, the first port of call should be the supplier, or if the owner cant live without this guitar-he should void his warranty and get a set of Slash, or Bonamassa pickups that 'will' get him what he wants.

I am really sorry, but this thread has bugged me, we all have given advice, and tips, and if it is a genuine problem-the OP should get his guitar replaced, under warranty. Which is now voided if he has had things done by non warranty techs.

Check out the 'Throbak' video for HOW TO ADJUST PAF pickups' to see what we have to go through to get these things to work.
Too many variables to give an answer--but we have all tried.
 

Mark Kane

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Yeah, with the long scale length on strats and teles, you generally get "larger" string vibration, right? I think that's part of why they're more susceptible to odd sonic artifacts (e.g., "strat-itis")...backing the pickups off really helps with that. I definitely have much larger distances from pickup pole to bottom of string on my Strats and Tele! Way further! And definitely bigger distances on guitars with higher output humbuckers (e.g., my ES-137C). But I have a '61 ES-335 with PAFs and I keep them quite close to the strings too.

I've totally acclimated to this, FWIW, and absolutely love the clarity of the neck pickup and snappy funkiness of the bridge pickup on my two Custombucker-equipped LPs. Like I said, these are two of the best sounding LPs I've ever played. For reference, some of my favorite LP tones are Billy Gibbons on first 3 or so ZZ Top records, Peter Green (and Danny Kirwood's) tones on FM's Then Play On and Boston Tea Party records, Page's tones on Zepp II, II and IV, Bloomfield on Super Sessions, Dickey and Duane on Live at the Filmore...i.e., not high gain stuff.

Hey Leon!!! I just recently stumbled into a CC#14. My first historic in over 10 yrs. and the first one I actually like the pickups in. Both 7.2k and really do sound pretty great, both of them. Had to take that bigsby off though! Hope all is well out west!
 

LeonC

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Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
Hey Leon!!! I just recently stumbled into a CC#14. My first historic in over 10 yrs. and the first one I actually like the pickups in. Both 7.2k and really do sound pretty great, both of them. Had to take that bigsby off though! Hope all is well out west!

Hey Mark, congratulations! I played mine w/o the Bigsby until I ran into CC#28. After getting the second one--which doesn't come with a Bigsby--I decided to put the Bigsby back on my #14, because I do like having one with and one without. In both guitars, the custombuckers sound fantastic, AFAIC and I have no interest in swapping or trying anything else.

How do you think your #14 compares with other LPs you've owned?
 

Mark Kane

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Hey Mark, congratulations! I played mine w/o the Bigsby until I ran into CC#28. After getting the second one--which doesn't come with a Bigsby--I decided to put the Bigsby back on my #14, because I do like having one with and one without. In both guitars, the custombuckers sound fantastic, AFAIC and I have no interest in swapping or trying anything else.

How do you think your #14 compares with other LPs you've owned?

My issues with the bigsby are mainly that it kinda gets in the way of working the knobs, the downward pressure on the bridge is a lot using .011's, and I really don't have much use for it. I will say for the few days I left it on I no tuning issues whatsoever.
I'm surprised how great the pickups sound. It's been so long since played an Historic that was setup the way I like I really can't compare. My buddies use super light strings and super low action. I'm a Neanderthal and can't do the light action. On an another note I have been able to compare it to several vintage Gibsons and this guitar has really surprised me with them. I love the neck, the feel and the range of tones. It's at least as good and maybe better than the dozens of old historics I've burned through.
 

LeonC

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Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
My issues with the bigsby are mainly that it kinda gets in the way of working the knobs, the downward pressure on the bridge is a lot using .011's, and I really don't have much use for it. I will say for the few days I left it on I no tuning issues whatsoever.
I'm surprised how great the pickups sound. It's been so long since played an Historic that was setup the way I like I really can't compare. My buddies use super light strings and super low action. I'm a Neanderthal and can't do the light action. On an another note I have been able to compare it to several vintage Gibsons and this guitar has really surprised me with them. I love the neck, the feel and the range of tones. It's at least as good and maybe better than the dozens of old historics I've burned through.

Gotcha. Yeah, that big hulking spring contraption is a bit of a nuisance w/rt getting at the knobs quickly...but I've managed to acclimate to it. I "grew up" playing strats so using a vibrato bar is kinda ingrained in my style to some degree. Bigsbys are different...but I still like being able to giggle chords a bit here and there. Having the option of removing it + the 60s neck carve were two of the CC#14 features that really appealed to me when I first started considering getting a CC. I got to compare this one to my '61 335 and was surprised at how well the CC#14 compared. Really, I like the neck pickup even better in the CC.

Same with my CC#28; both pickups sound fantastic when compared to actual old Gibson HBers. I've played perhaps 5 or 6 Historics and I prefer these two CCs because they sound as good or better; they play great...but I dig the way they feel and look. Plus, I'm not as concerned about every little ding or scuff that these may pick up.
 

Mark Kane

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Jul 18, 2001
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Gotcha. Yeah, that big hulking spring contraption is a bit of a nuisance w/rt getting at the knobs quickly...but I've managed to acclimate to it. I "grew up" playing strats so using a vibrato bar is kinda ingrained in my style to some degree. Bigsbys are different...but I still like being able to giggle chords a bit here and there. Having the option of removing it + the 60s neck carve were two of the CC#14 features that really appealed to me when I first started considering getting a CC. I got to compare this one to my '61 335 and was surprised at how well the CC#14 compared. Really, I like the neck pickup even better in the CC.

Same with my CC#28; both pickups sound fantastic when compared to actual old Gibson HBers. I've played perhaps 5 or 6 Historics and I prefer these two CCs because they sound as good or better; they play great...but I dig the way they feel and look. Plus, I'm not as concerned about every little ding or scuff that these may pick up.

Both pickups in this LP are 7.2k. The neck carve is very cool and it's really easy to play. And, like you mentioned, who's gonna notice another tiny ding!
 

LeonC

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Both pickups in this LP are 7.2k. The neck carve is very cool and it's really easy to play. And, like you mentioned, who's gonna notice another tiny ding!

Hey Mark, FWIW, when I was researching CCs, I became interested in the degree to which Gibson appeared to consistently build the pickups for each model. I wanted to see if there appeared to be some consistency within a given model. I.e., if they were presumably modeling each guitar after a specific old guitar and were attempting to capture the sound, you'd expect there to be some degree of consistency.

So I made a spreadsheet to track some basic attributes and I've shared it as a google document here.

If you have a chance have a look. It'll take a few secs to load. The first page just lists all the models and includes some basic specs where Gibson published them...they were pretty inconsistent about the info they provided from one model to the next.

There are tabs on the bottom for each model that I've collected info on. So far mine is the only CC#14 -- #36; and my pickups read 7.2k and 7.21k. :salude

I'd like to add yours too. If you feel like it, please send me your SN and I'll add it into the spreadsheet too.
 

Mark Kane

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Hey Mark, FWIW, when I was researching CCs, I became interested in the degree to which Gibson appeared to consistently build the pickups for each model. I wanted to see if there appeared to be some consistency within a given model. I.e., if they were presumably modeling each guitar after a specific old guitar and were attempting to capture the sound, you'd expect there to be some degree of consistency.

So I made a spreadsheet to track some basic attributes and I've shared it as a google document here.

If you have a chance have a look. It'll take a few secs to load. The first page just lists all the models and includes some basic specs where Gibson published them...they were pretty inconsistent about the info they provided from one model to the next.

There are tabs on the bottom for each model that I've collected info on. So far mine is the only CC#14 -- #36; and my pickups read 7.2k and 7.21k. :salude

I'd like to add yours too. If you feel like it, please send me your SN and I'll add it into the spreadsheet too.

Mine is #77, just measured the pickups again, both 7.2k. I think I've seen that spread sheet of yours, feel free to ad my guitar to it.
 

djcmusician

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Apr 29, 2015
Messages
263
Bump. What I want to know is what percentage of original 57-60 LPs had AIII magnets?
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
Adjust the amp for neck pup and use the guitars controls to balance.
 
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