Once you go black...

[Rex_Rocker]

I was thinking D-Activators as well. The D-Activator bridge is a really great, HOT, but tonally balanced pickup. Chugs well. Nice tone. Nothing jumps out at you egregiously, and it's very articulate.

I mean, you're describing the opposite of the 'Winter there. To me, it's the opposite of balanced, and that's why I like it. It's a huge punch in the mids, but it's not nasal or vocals as some DiMarzios. It has a low-end rolloff that keeps it tight, and it's got a very emphatic attack and high-mid rasp.

[Mincer]

Now, that would be cool if they put the gothic logo on the gold covers. Class, and attitude.

Especially if the logos could be etched on, rather than paint.

[Aceman]

It isn't surprising that Black WInters sound better for heavy music. But the cool thing is...they sound good for other things, too.

I hear this from everybody, and I believe it. That said, If I'm putting pickups like BW's, Distortions, etc....in a guitar all I'm playing on it is metal.

[Sun King]

I was listening to the playback from practice today. I love the WLH set in my Les Paul. However now that I am playing heavier music the Black WInters just fit for the music. They just have so much "thud" and are thick, and articulate. I am thinking about having MJ wind me a gold-covered set of Black WInters for the Les Paul lite. This would be my 3rd BW loaded guitar

You don't have to go to quite that extent, as to have MJ wind you a special one.

I lucked onto a single Sentient neck pickup, in white, that had been part of a Pegasus/Sentient combo.
My plan was to match that with a Black Winter bridge, also in white.

I don't recall the name offhand, but there is a seller on Reverb who can order pickups as "Shop Floor Customs," rather than from the Custom Shop. You can specify bobbin color, logo font and color, as well as standard spacing vs F-spaced. It took about 6 weeks to arrive after ordering, and if I recall it was about $120. If I can get back into my order history, I'll let you know who that seller was.

EDIT: It was Squid Music, and the actual cost was $132.50.

[Mincer]

I hear this from everybody, and I believe it. That said, If I'm putting pickups like BW's, Distortions, etc....in a guitar all I'm playing on it is metal.

Yeah, but you can do that jazz gig, too.

[Hsb]

Any SD dealer can order you a pickup with a cover on it.

The BW neck I have I ordered with a black nickel cover to go along with the black nickel on my Iceman, that was ordered by my neighborhood SD dealer, wanna say it was in the $130 range.

[Securb]

Any SD dealer can order you a pickup with a cover on it.
.

As I said in an earlier post I can put on the gold covers. I am wondering what I should use to change the poles to gold. Just order them on Stew Mac?

[JOLLY]

Quick question is there anything special about the SD poles to consider or can I just order gold ones on Stew Mac?

I've wondered this before as well

[Securb]

I've wondered this before as well

I would think ArtieToo might know the answer to this

[Mikelamury]

I was listening to the playback from practice today. I love the WLH set in my Les Paul. However now that I am playing heavier music the Black WInters just fit for the music. They just have so much "thud" and are thick, and articulate. I am thinking about having MJ wind me a gold-covered set of Black WInters for the Les Paul lite. This would be my 3rd BW loaded guitar

I've never tried the black winter set... how does it compare to the custom (my favorite SD pickup)?

[Mincer]

I've never tried the black winter set... how does it compare to the custom (my favorite SD pickup)?

Completely different EQ: BW has more mids but very tight lows. Not as bright.

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah. The BW is tight, mid-focused, and raspy. I wouldn't call it "warm" or "dark", though.

People often compare it to the Distortion, but IMO, it's more of a JB that really hit the gym (and listened to Swedish Death Metal while doing so).

I find it odd that people have such high regards on it on the versatility when they think of the JB as a one trick pony. To me, they cover similar ground with the BW being the HOT modern equivalent without the stuffiness in the low mids.

[ArtieToo]

I would think ArtieToo might know the answer to this

I can show you how to wire 'em up. A metallurgist, I'm not.