Anyone have the Nagzul/Sentient set?

[swoopnt]

Anyone here with the Nagzul/Sentient set (or just one or the other) wanna share their experiences with them? I'm looking to get my first set of Duncans some time soon, and these look like they might be the ones to get (I play mostly prog metal).

[Bogner]

Welcome to the forum!

Great set of pickups. You may also want to consider the Pegasus/Sentient set as well. A lot of it depends on what specifically you want out of the pickups in addition to the guitar (woods) and amp/speaker set up you use. All the links in the chain matter. Both are wonderful sets. Very articulate and tight (crisp, fast, quick) on the pick attack and respond well. I would say The Nazgul is probably less versatile as it is more of a chug machine type pickup that excels at one thing really and that is the chug.

If you have specific questions, i will do my best to answer them.

[swoopnt]

Welcome to the forum!

Great set of pickups. You may also want to consider the Pegasus/Sentient set as well. A lot of it depends on what specifically you want out of the pickups in addition to the guitar (woods) and amp/speaker set up you use. All the links in the chain matter. Both are wonderful sets. Very articulate and tight (crisp, fast, quick) on the pick attack and respond well. I would say The Nazgul is probably less versatile as it is more of a chug machine type pickup that excels at one thing really and that is the chug.

If you have specific questions, i will do my best to answer them.

Thanks for the reply.
Having looked at the two, the higher output and that chug you mentioned have drawn me towards the Nagzul, but the Pegasus certainly isn't out of the question. Where specifically do you think the Nagzul would fall short where the Pegasus would be a better fit? How does the chord clarity compare between the two when under high gain? I should mention I plan to buy Mark Holcomb signature some time in the future, which comes stock with the Alpha/Omega set, hence why I'm not considering putting them in this guitar. Which of the between the Nagzul and Pegasus differs most from the Omega would you say? And lastly, which of the two do you think interacts best with the Sentient?
Sorry for the bombardment of questions, but I appreciate the help nonetheless.

[Bogner]

I would say the Nazgul is less versatile than the Pegasus and doesn't volume roll off as well as the Pegasus. The Pegasus in some situations comes across as more articulate. None of what i say is to slag the Nazgul. It is great at what it does, it simply isn't a versatile pickup like other sets. Single string note separation I would tip hat to the Pegasus. Both pickups play nice with the Sentient. The Sentient is a wonderful neck pickup IMO and works with a lot of pickups.

The Holcomb set is a wonderful set. Very articulate and versatile. Tight and clear and articulate. Each of the three pickups you mention have similarities yet are all different and unique. It is hard to say which one is the most different. In my mind, when I start thinking like that I revert back to versatility. Between the Nazgul and Pegasus, the more versatile (IMO) is the Pegasus. If you are looking for a really versatile set, the Holcomb set and the Black Winter set are both great. Again, a lot of it comes down to the guitar and the woods of that guitar along with the rest of the rig. If you are going to get a guitar with the Holcombs already in it then you may want to go for the Nazgul as I believe that will bring the most versatility in possible sounds between the two guitars...all things being the same.

[swoopnt]

I've spent a bit more time listening to demos and comparisons of the two, and I think I'm gonna go with the Nagzul, though the Pegasus is definitely in my sights for the future. Thanks again for the help.

[AdrianSD]

swoopnt welcome to the forum For the purpose you can also have a look at the Custom and Black Winter, both chug and clean up very well. BW is pretty high output. Custom is very versatile in that by changing the magnet you get quite a different sound altogether. I'm a big fan on Custom and JB with Alnico 8 magnet

[weepingminotaur]

No wrong choice between the Nazgul, Pegasus, or Black Winter. They're all great. The Naz is the Chug King. The Pegasus has a bit more versatility and handles chord clarity better. The Black WInter does everything really, really well, and handles volume/tone adjustment the best of the three IMO.

The Sentient is a superb neck pickup. Vintage output but modern sound. Articulate without being shrill.

[nexion218]

All of the opinions are spot on. I would say that the Nazgul falls short with cleans and leads. But that's what the Sentient is for. Both the Pegasus and the Nazgul should pair well with the Sentient, as they are designed to be in a set. As it has already been said: it'll all depend in the rest of your rig and music. To me, the Nazgul rivals the cut and bottom end tightness of an EMG81. That is a feature that is hard to pass on.

[UnderTheFlame83]

The Nazgul & Sentient are amazing pickups if you like down tuned metal. They don't lose their clarity or become muddy no matter how low you tune. As much as I love them on a six string, I like them even more on a 7.

[Hsb]

I have the set in a Jackson 7 string they are not bad, the Naz has a lot of that nasally upper mid that, to me, doesnt set well in my ear. Some of that could be the guitar, some of it could just be my amp. It definitely has its place if you are all in for the chugging. The Sentinet isnt bad, it can have a nice smooth, almost creamy tone to it.

[Iron1]

I had a Nazgul in my 7 string Jackson for a while and loved it. Then decided I didn't love it, sold it for a Pegasus, didn't love that and sold it. Turned out I'd screwed up an amp setting and didn't realize it, and now I regret selling the Naz. I'd say get it, worst case you can resell for basically what you paid for it, if current Reverb listings are any indicator...

[Mincer]

The Nazgul is pretty much a 'distortion only' pickup. Stay aray if you want a usable clean tone or like dynamics. But that's why it is so good at what it does.

[ArtieToo]

The Nazgul is pretty much a 'distortion only' pickup. Stay away if you want a usable clean tone or like dynamics. But that's why it is so good at what it does.

Yup. The Nazgul may be the only Duncan pup that I didn't like. Dirt is cool when you want it, but the Nazgul has no "off" button.

[Iron1]

Anyone know the differences in the 6 & 7 string Nazguls? Does the Naz do well in 6-string E Standard? Or does it lose some of those #TEHBROOTZ when it's not "fathom(ing) the deepest of metal tunings"?

[nexion218]

Anyone know the differences in the 6 & 7 string Nazguls? Does the Naz do well in 6-string E Standard? Or does it lose some of those #TEHBROOTZ when it's not "fathom(ing) the deepest of metal tunings"?

I have it in a 6string in E standard. So everything I wrote about it above is based on that. A niche pickup, but it is the undisputed king of that niche. Like I said: the cut and focus of an EMG81 and the girth of something like a JB, but with the precision and tightness of an active circuitry.