ESP Eclipse, Seymour Duncan Custom 5 & 59 pickups, N tune guitar tuner

[wpmtpm]

Not a big fan of les paul style guitars but that is a gem mate love the tuner,tell us what you think of the custom 5 thanks mate.

[flowerdrop1]

will standard Gibson knobs fit on ESP Eclipse? I want to swap the knobs but not sure what size/type to order. thanks

[sndgarden]

Best review on these pickups on youtube. Congrats dude, keep on rockin'! Is the Custom 5 pinch harmonics friendly with the right amount of distortion?

[dimezakkrandykirk]

hey, i'm sure you've been asked this question before but would the custom 5 sound heavy enough for a metal pickup? i like alot of bite in the bridge and most pickups i've played don't really deliver what i want.

[JessieBolt]

I just put the same PUs in my Hamer Artist. I also installed Duncan Triple Shots.

Sounds KILLER thru my Marshall JCM800.

[MAnderson110]

And yes, it could have been wired in a more convenient manner haha

[MAnderson110]

I sold that guitar to him. I had a JB/59 set in it. The n-tune was wired up as a bridge volume, the second knob is a neck coil tap, and the master tone is the bridge tap. Buying another eclipse ii this week. To whoever said he bets $20 his les paul sounds better, i bet you my les paul sounds better than yours. ;)

[jfig1000]

20 bucks my les paul sounds better

[wbesack]

Great guitar. Glad to hear that someone else appreciates the ESP Eclipse. I have an Eclipse II AHB that is phenomenal. Same 1 tone, 2 volume configuration. I've had it coil tapped as well, but the push/pull taps are on the volume pots. Tone pot is stock. Is your bridge coil tap actually controlled on the tone knob to the rear or the guitar? With the tuner in the front position, I'm a little confused by your control configuration. Please clarify each knob position / function. Thanks!!!

[sndgarden]

Nice review of a sweet guitar. But how about the harmonics using the SH5?

[royalknight2]

For the record there are versions of the ESP Eclipse Standard that DO come with Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz Pickups.

[puckpuckis]

I suppose it's the SH-14 and not the SH-5 in the bridge?

What kind of amp are you using in this vid?

I dont know what to choose between the SH-14 and SH-5, for all kind of music.

Take care

[kane916]

omg you have the fucking eclipse ive been trying to get with duncans and stbc

[Harrysound]

You have given me a great idea with duel coil tap. Thanks

[Ion89gr]

hey dude, is your fretboard ebony or rosewood?

and what string do u use? i also have an eclipsea nd thinking of swapping the emgs for the JB/59 combi

[carsguitars009]

Awesome guitar man, we seem to have the same taste in pickups and locking tuners ;) but i was wonder how your coil tapping is wired when you have the n-tune on one of the volume knobs? thanks :)

[wbesack]

@carsguitars009 - I share your confusion. If the original owner had it tapped, they usually would have tapped either the 2 volume pots or just on the master tone.  I'm surprised they didn't coil tap the 2 volumes and put the tuner on the master tone at the rear of the guitar. I have an Eclipse II AHB with SD JB/59 combo that I had tapped on the 2 volumes but don't like them popping out into my strum path so I'm moving to a single coil tap on the master tone. Not usually much use for dual taps.

[adamles5]

When guitar is thinner, then guitar is less heavy... I know that, look at Gibsons with really strong pickups - DiMarzio for example - that's great heavy voice !

[deltadave59]

I just bought a used prs tremonti se and am considering changing pickups,looks like the ones you use would work nicely.

[figger48]

ESP is the best

[lenningora]

i bet you could do bether than that...

[Nirvana44brad]

god u fuckin suck

[goldeneagle701]

Cool demo. Did you have the chance to compare the Custom 5 with the JB? Thx.

[monkycheez]

Loooooooser!!!

[FeedThemCake]

Im thinking of going for a custom 5 in the bridge and a custom custom in the neck position.. what do you reckon?

[richedie]

Are you boosting the VHT at all to get more gain?

[Melishunt]

How much did the SD Custom 5 and 59's cost you? Was it standard with the EMG 81 and 60's? Are the Seymour Duncan's put in as good as the AHB-1 Blackouts?

[richedie]

Nice amp bro! I think this is the same amp as my head - VHT ST/50. :)

[sLevnZelevn]

Do you find that the nickel covers improve the sound of your pickups?

[Arktik83]

From my own personal experience is the nickel covers will make them sound a little bit warmer but less defined, I prefer open coil but it's not necessarily a tone breaker :)

[motabaco]

hey on that vht can you have the bright and all those buttons pushed in??

[DavePlaysAJackson]

I really want an ESP Eclipse. Yours' is wicked, I love that tuner thing :D

[aneyekay1]

NICE !!

may i ask?

1:21 do u wrap over ur strings at the stopbar?

it does looks like it

n is it recommended to do that

[VinniesReviewPage]

I do wrap my strings around the stopbar, but its a personal preference thing. I find it increases the tension a little and gives the heavier strings a "spongier" attack.

The main reason people do it is to get a good break angle of the strings from the tailpiece to the bridge, allowing the tailpiece to be screwed all the way down the the body, thus theoretically increasing the guitars resonance. Some people don't really see the difference or the point, but I like it that way on my guitars.

[aneyekay1]

so,

is wrapping around the tailpiece make bends easier?

[Beniamin992]

@VinniesReviewPage i've heard that Custom 5 has no mids . how do you refer to this? caouse i have same guitar and bought Custom five and Alinico II pro for neck . do you have Ceramic magnet or Alnico V in your custom 5 ? does custom 5 sounds good on distrotion is it juicy?

[brookskis131]

great vid mate

i am thinking of buying some new pickups very soon, but i cant decide on a custom 5 on bridge and 59 on neck like you, or some alnico pro 2s on bridge and neck. any reccommedations?

thanks

[scaryfried]

nice demo, good to see that you know what you're talking about as well. im think of picking up a custom 5 bridge trembucker and 59 neck for my ltd mh-250nt, recommended? i play a mix of modern hardcore (lion of judah, fucked up), new crossover (iron age) and post rock (single state of man). recommened set? i'll be getting the 4 con pups for coil splitting.

[VinniesReviewPage]

I definitely reccommend the Custom 5/59 set! However thats because its my own personal preference, and I believe that with the right amp, it can handle any style of music.

Some prefer the JB bridge pickup for the higher output - I had to replace the Custom 5 in my Baritone guitar with a JB for this very reason! But the clarity and open sound the Custom 5 delivers is just beautiful for aggressive playing.

[scaryfried]

thanks for the reply, i actually went ahead and bought the pickups a few days ago, cant wait to receive them. (USA ebay, aus is a rip off for music gear)

[bojanmessieat]

hey i'm living in australia but do i get my stuff form the us one?? is it cheaper even with the shipping cost?

[scaryfried]

yeah go through the US. there's a guy called banjomikez who i got mine from, it's cheaper even including shipping.

[bojanmessieat]

sweet thxx

[Winterhe4rt]

@VinniesReviewPage i have the same pups in my ibanez rg. really love them. but i would also say that the custom5 is more likely to play heavy and classic rock stuff. or tuned down metal stuff as well. the general sound is pretty cold of the 5 so its really nice to tune down the guitar to C and it still sounds awesomely clear.

if one likes a more warm sound that is slightly more balanced i would recommend the JB. anyway the costom 5 is awesome.

and the 59 is above all doubts.

[clondan1]

would you recomend a gibson les paul traditional but with 59' JB's loaded in them instead of 57' classics or the Eclipse with all stock equipment and 59' JB's

[Juaniguitarra86]

I like your playing, but not the sound. Maybe try a different amp, dude.

[ellhow]

Why not get a real les paul?

[guitarmaniacgino]

So it's like an ESP Robot Eclipse?

[razormusik]

Not quite... It won't tune for you, all it does is basically take an external tuner and put it inside the guitar.

[caboose1289]

I just got my vintage white ESP Eclipse a few days ago, absolutely phenomenal guitar! Best guitar I've ever played better than any Gibson. Its just really comfortable to play, you just can't beat it.

[sLevnZelevn]

I heard that the Custom Custom is supposed to be used with ebony or maple fingerboards. Do you think it would matter if I used it with a rosewood fingerboard instead?

[Promit]

It'll probably be a very mellow sound.

[Daemonfury1]

what sd pickup should i get for metal or down tuned. im looking for a lot of power but i want the sound to be clear. i was looking at the sh-6 distortion, and custom custom, what do u think and do u have other recommendations?

Thanks

[VinniesReviewPage]

Hmm...I don't have personal experience with the specific pickups you mentioned, but I have heard great things about the custom custom. In my baritone guitar (tuned to Bb standard!) I have the JB and it sounds great! Usually I find it sounds a bit fuzzy and muddled in mahogany body guitars, but as my baritone is all maple it sounds quite good. EMGs aren't too bad for downtuned metal, I find that doing the 18v mod adds some clarity and headroom, check out some of the DiMarzio range too ;)

[bigpeteswackshack]

another pickup that works really well that i just discovered are the emg hz series. they are passive and have a classic rock sound but with more gain, bottom end and plenty head room. i dont like emg's but these pickups are awsome. 500t's are good by gibson but there limited to style. JB,s usuall sound better in 24.75 or 25.5 with mahogany. i have esp ltd H-1000 and they sound awsome. i like that guitar better than my esp eclipse II. by the way your guitar sound really good and u have good style

[razormusik]

You don't want the sh-6. Trust me.

[bigpeteswackshack]

the JB model work really well for metal and rock. thats what will adler uses and what i use. blackouts work really well for down tuned metal and real agressive distortion, but they are dirty sounding. thats just my opinion though. if you want it to be really clear i recommend a Seymour Duncan JB on the bridge position. hope that helps.

[Daemonfury1]

Alright thanks a lot. I've heard some good things about the JB and Alder from LoG uses it as you said, so i will definetly look into this.

Thanks again.

[MTuck21]

I might put this exact pickup set on my Epiphone Les Paul. I play a lot of Hard Rock and Metal, BUT i also play alot of clean songs as well as blues. I was going to put Seymour Alnico 2 Pros on it. What is your opinion on that?

[VinniesReviewPage]

Hi, sorry for the late reply!

Alnico Pro 2's are very warm and vintage sounding - they can do the Hard Rock and Metal as long as your amp is pretty powerful, and perhaps you might have a boost OD pedal. Slash uses the AP2's!

If you're after more power in the bridge pickup, consider the Custom 5 or Custom Custom for a powerful sound, or the JB if you want all-out ballsy high gain.

Cheers ;)

[ilovelespauls27]

nice guitar man...i had the ec1000 which is the same but LTD...and it still amazing only the craftmanship was a little crappier...meh

i sold it because i wanted a PRS but ya...amazin guitar

i wouldnt be surprized if i bought the ESP version later down the road

happy jamming!

[GiGaMoG]

I am struggling between a JB and Custom 5. Which of these would be a better match to the Jazz, you think?

[VinniesReviewPage]

Depends what you are after, really! The JB is a very high output humbucker with plenty of sustain, whereas the Custom 5 has less power behind it but with that comes more clarity and top-end detail.

If you want to play heavier styles of rock and metal, the JB may be your preference. However if you want a clearer, crunchier sound with more detail at the expense of power, the Custom 5 will not disappoint. You CAN use the Custom 5 for high gain metal, btw, depending on your amp.

[kempobrad]

JB is the best all round bridge pickup IMO...the JB and Jazz is Seymour Duncan's personal favorite combo, and I'm pretty sure he's not a metal/high gain kind of guy. its very versatile and sounds great on the clean channel as well

[MrManson94]

nice =O

coil tap and built-in tuners =P

nice!

can you like... get that somehow? xD

[eclipseman8160]

yeah thats true ESP's do stay in tune awesomely. I have the esp eclipse ii in vintage black with the sperzels and that things bitching. I was just kidding up the tuner looking ay its just my humor :). i actually think thatd be super super useful for gigs! like just playin backstage and putting your guitar in tune for a set.

[VinniesReviewPage]

Damn right! I recently gigged this guitar for the first time and the convenience was just awesome. Even in between songs, just to quickly check - can't be beaten!

[eclipseman8160]

lol that n-2 guitar tuner looks pretty gay haha. but it seems very useful. must have to chane batterys a shitload

[VinniesReviewPage]

I've had the guitar for around six months, still on the same battery that it was shipped to me with! I suppose the fact that th guitar holds tune so well means I don't have to tune it that much, which probably assists in battery life.

I don't think it looks that homosexual. If it were pink, then maybe. Everyone I've shown it to thinks its pretty cool, actually =P

[KirkJimmy]

Hello hello! This is the first time I have been able to see my old guitar in action since I shipped it off to you! I'm glad you like it, I find it interestign that you put chrome covers on the pups, as Khali and I were considering putting those on originally. Looks stellar though.

That guitar has been in America, Canada and now to you in the UK. Amazing.

*Misses the N-tune and coil taps*

-Moxley

[TheGamingGuitarist]

I do NOT like active pickups at all. Passive pickups are better for me. Whenever I play an ESP, it sounds better with passive pickups to my ears.

[Inzane7218]

does every eclipse II have this built in tuner? ive never heard about it before I watched you vid.

[VinniesReviewPage]

Sadly its not a standard feature. Its called the N-tune I believe, and can be installed into almost any Strat or Les Paul style guitar.

[DanGerving]

im just throwing this out cuz i see alot of ppl complain about les pauls bieng heavy. well try finding one with a chambered body, believe it or not it sounds the same and actually has better sustain, my chamberd lp is actually lighter than my sg

[VinniesReviewPage]

Thats fair enough, and everyone's entitled to their opinion.

I have played many chambered Les Pauls, and the feel and the vibe is just not the same. The body is still full thickness and uncomfortable, but they just cut cheese holes in it. IMO it makes much more sense to make the body thinner and still keep the density!

The older heavy LPCs I've played sound better to my mind, Gibson just don't make em like they used to these days. I do really want a late 80s LPC! Has to be heavy though ;)

[DanGerving]

Well thats one of the great things about the guitar. EVERYTHING is a matter of opinion. it always matters on what fits your style. Cuz i actually like thick body les pauls, but its just my preference. every guitar style has its ups and downs.

[oilpit]

I really like these guitars, hate the EMGs, love the guitar.

I played one with a JB/Jazz combo and it blew me away through a Marshal JCM800, great heavy rock tone. The looks are decieving, it doesn't really sound like a Les Paul, more like an SG, a little better IMO

I like what you've done with it.

[THEZAKINATOR101495]

whoa dude! Did you customize that yourself with the coil tap/tuner or did it come like that? And how much did it cost to do all that?

[VinniesReviewPage]

Hey man! Almost everything is customised on it, stock and brand new all you get are a pair of EMG humbuckers!

I bought the guitar second hand from somebody who had already performed all the modifications, but I'm guessing for all the upgrades, including pickups and everything, will probably cost around £200ish?

[THEZAKINATOR101495]

Cool, thanks!

[smy0003]

Standard series are mostly CnC'd, only custom/original series are handmade.

Great review though, I've got a BMF "Custom" Standard series Horizon on the way!

[VinniesReviewPage]

Thanks, I'm aware that SS is CNC'd, there is still a large factor of hand assembly involved, and care and attention to detail etc...

And congrats! You lucky person...those BMF guitars are always lovely, this horizon sounds equally interesting...I hope they post pics up at the ESP forum!

[smy0003]

Ah sorry mate, I must've miss understood :)

And thanks! I'll post pics in the "show me your horizons" thread in a few days. After I'm done playing and looking at it :)

[VinniesReviewPage]

I'm afraid its quite the opposite...its comparable to the Gibson Les Paul "Lite" that they did years and years ago, its quite a thin but very comfortable body.

ESP do make full-thickness Eclipses which are very much the same dimensions as Les Pauls - these are usually noted with an "FT" in the model name for ESPs, and the LTD EC-400AT and EC-401VF are also full thickness ;)

[alvarobunkers]

good review ;) hey...i reaeaaaaally like that guitar but its mostly used for metal and hard music...and i like more the alternative stuff like pearl jam or radiohead, etc...what do u think about the versatility of it? u think it covers a wide range of tones??? or a les paul studio would be better??? it would be a drag to buy the esp to have to change the pickups..cause i really dont have the money to start experimenting looking for a certain sound....

[lolomgwtf0]

Great review.

How does that SH-5 Custom sound, assuming that's a mahogany-body/neck guitar?

I'm thinking of dropping an SH-5/Alnico II Pro combo in my Epi SG, and I'm wondering if the SH-5 is versatile enough for metal/hard rock, and coil-tapping, maybe with some decent cleans or thick jazz/bluesy sounds.

[VinniesReviewPage]

The Custom 5 (SH-14 I believe) is great for the all-mahogany Les Paul style guitar as its medium output and fairly bright. With an Alnico Pro II you should get some great warm bluesy tones, I've never tried an APII though so I can't say for sure. I use the 59 in the neck which has a lot of the same characteristics of the Custom 5 so the guitar has a very consistent sound.

Personally I don't find the coil taps particularly convincing as a single coil sound, but thats just me.

[KeenAnthony]

You'd likely enjoy the APII. It's a very good pickup. Seeing as you are a '59 fan (I am too), maybe look at what Akira Takasaki did during the early Loudness years. He played a '59 in the bridge with an APII in the neck. Of course, he played on a very bright guitar (ash + maple + maple). Have you ever thought about trying a Screamin Demon in the bridge (a suped up '59)? And does your ESP have a maple cap as well then?

[niaisage123]

more playing less talking plz

[VinniesReviewPage]

I'm afraid that its difficult to review an item and express an opinion on it through the medium of music, people understand spoken english better!

Thankyou for watching ;)