Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Hi guys.

I want to keep this thread alive as a resource for all Black Winter Owners and potential Black Winter Users.

Post your experiences here.

~LD

[BloodRose]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Im much happier with the pickups in my red charvel now, Jazz UOA5 and Custom 8, but when I get the $$ Im still gonna get a set of red BWs...

LUCYD, I never noticed the bit in your sig about the PAF Pros! Awesome idea! I need to snip the legs off a couple Dims of mine and make some paperweights too!! What you running in the Jem?

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Im much happier with the pickups in my red charvel now, Jazz UOA5 and Custom 8, but when I get the $$ Im still gonna get a set of red BWs...

LUCYD, I never noticed the bit in your sig about the PAF Pros! Awesome idea! I need to snip the legs off a couple Dims of mine and make some paperweights too!! What you running in the Jem?

91 Blu Floral = L500XL Bridge - Quarter Pound Middle - Pearly Gates Neck
88 Floral = Distortion Bridge - SSL1 Middle - Pearly Gates Neck

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

I'm torn. I like how BW sounds on my records when using my amp modeler. Through Randall Diavlo RD40C, it sounds too fizzy and harsh without additional boost. I don't think it is the matter of high output. The lower output Nazgul has the same problem, whereas PATB-2 (distortion) which is appr. as loud as black winter sounds awesome regardless of amp settings.

I need more tube amps for tests to tell for sure

[Clint 55]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Swapping the ceramic magnet for your choice of Alnico reduces fizzyness.

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Swapping the ceramic magnet for your choice of Alnico reduces fizzyness.

Well... hmmm... In one thread it was said the BW had 3 large ceramics. So the choice is basically between A(2-8) and ceramic spacers, isn't it?

[Clint 55]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Yeah that works really well actually. I have a Custom with an A8 and ceramic spacers and it still sounds organic. But with a little fizz and bite from the ceramic spacers.

[Dahla]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

I'm torn. I like how BW sounds on my records when using my amp modeler. Through Randall Diavlo RD40C, it sounds too fizzy and harsh without additional boost. I don't think it is the matter of high output. The lower output Nazgul has the same problem, whereas PATB-2 (distortion) which is appr. as loud as black winter sounds awesome regardless of amp settings.

I need more tube amps for tests to tell for sure

Probably not the pickups fault then. Microphone(s), microphone placement, speakers, cabinets, room and know-how greatly dictates the outcome. More so than a simple mag swap!

Start with the basics when recording, I say!


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[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Probably not the pickups fault then. Microphone(s), microphone placement, speakers, cabinets, room and know-how greatly dictates the outcome. More so than a simple mag swap!

Start with the basics when recording, I say!


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Yeah, I have yet to find the setup.

[Pilatvs]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

I might have to put a set of Black Winters in my Charvel with triple shot rings.

Did this to my charvel 88. Really like it. Lots of variety in tones for sure. Usable tones in all triple shot settings.

[Dahla]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Yeah, I have yet to find the setup.

And don’t be afraid to use eq. [emoji4]

As far as the BW go though, I would try it with 250-300k pot first before mag swap if you wanna try *something* to tame pickup harshness. I use a guitarworks 280k pot, and I vastly prefer it as opposed to the 550k pot I had in there before.


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[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

And don’t be afraid to use eq. [emoji4]

I'm not afraid of anything not involving soldering or violating the product warranty in general

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Just adding my two cents of experience to this long-running thread. Had the BW set installed in my Epi Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro, plugged into a Marshall 30-watt practice amp, with an MRX distortion pedal. My LP has been reborn! I read tons of BW reviews before making the purchase, and they do everything advertised and more. The bridge is crisp and cutting, really brightens up my all-mahogany LP, with great definition when distorted and usable lead tones.

The neck ... man. I've never encountered a neck pickup like this one. It's crazy good / versatile / playable. Rock leads, blues leads, cleans, jazz tones, funk even ... it's all there. Splits very well too. Sensitive to rolling back the volume in a good way. I haven't even gotten into experimenting with the mid position yet. All in all, two thumbs up! I want to thank everyone here for all the insightful commentary on the Winters. It gave me a really clear picture of what they could do and they haven't disappointed me at all.

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

Just adding my two cents of experience to this long-running thread. Had the BW set installed in my Epi Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro, plugged into a Marshall 30-watt practice amp, with an MRX distortion pedal. My LP has been reborn! I read tons of BW reviews before making the purchase, and they do everything advertised and more. The bridge is crisp and cutting, really brightens up my all-mahogany LP, with great definition when distorted and usable lead tones.

The neck ... man. I've never encountered a neck pickup like this one. It's crazy good / versatile / playable. Rock leads, blues leads, cleans, jazz tones, funk even ... it's all there. Splits very well too. Sensitive to rolling back the volume in a good way. I haven't even gotten into experimenting with the mid position yet. All in all, two thumbs up! I want to thank everyone here for all the insightful commentary on the Winters. It gave me a really clear picture of what they could do and they haven't disappointed me at all.

I LOVE that you love them and I'm so happy this thread is still going strong.

I'm like...five years into my Winters and they still blow me away. That neck pickup is like a lead pickup but with all the neck tastiness you could ask for.

I'm still in love.


EDIT: I went back into the depths of this thread and I can't believe it has been FIVE YEARS!!! It seems like yesterday.

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Black Winter owner.... Feedback so far????

I LOVE that you love them and I'm so happy this thread is still going strong.

I'm like...five years into my Winters and they still blow me away. That neck pickup is like a lead pickup but with all the neck tastiness you could ask for.

I'm still in love.


EDIT: I went back into the depths of this thread and I can't believe it has been FIVE YEARS!!! It seems like yesterday.

So glad to hear this relationship is holding steady after five years -- no flash-in-the-pan romance!

Lucy, your posts were a huge reason I went BW. All that A/B testing, the description of tones, particularly for the neck -- you were not overselling its awesomeness. It's going to be super-hard for me to look at any future guitar purchases and not want to throw a BW neck in there right away. I have a Sentient in my other guitar (a Schecter), and I love it for the vintage output quality, but the BW neck ... truly special.