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Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

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  • Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

    Greetings pickup folk. Long time SD fan and I've gleaned much from these forums over the years but figured it was time to finally join.

    So to get straight to it:

    I recently installed a set of 7 string Black Winters into my Swamp Ash Kiesel Ares and in a lot of ways I love them so far. They're unbelievably tight down low and cut really nicely. Definitely gave me the mids I was lacking. I did have to bring the gain down about a full mark through my rig just to get them in line with the Nazgul/Sentient and Fishman Moderns I mostly play. That said, I've noticed that my sustain is all but gone, mostly noticeable on the top strings of course. I must have raised and lowered these more cumulatively more than all other pickups in my life combined. As of now I've got the neck as low as possible and the bridge around 6mm from the strings (further than usual for me). If I go much lower on the bridge I feel like I really start losing some good stuff. I feel like I'm having more tuning instability now as well. It's my understanding that BWs have abnormally large magnets that could possibly be the culprits but it doesn't seem like others have faced these issues. Do all BW fans play rhythm exclusively maybe? :P It is hard to stop chugging with them.

    I tried searching through SD's search function but kept getting this: connection to localhost:9312 failed (errno=111, msg=Connection refused)

    Any thoughts or recommendations? The SD pickups I've tried have never been so picky.

  • #2
    Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

    They each have 3 double thick ceramics like the invader. So yeah they're gonna be gnarly. Going to alnico or maybe just 1 regular thickness ceramic will for sure reduce string pull and could possibly improve the sustain problem. I think alnico sounds better tho.
    The things that you wanted
    I bought them for you

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    • #3
      Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

      I've never had any issues with string pull from Black Winters. Are you sure the upper mids aren't just responding in a way you aren't used too?

      Usually excessive string pull leads to a warbly sound more so than simple dampened sustain.
      You will never understand How it feels to live your life With no meaning or control And with nowhere left to go You are amazed that they exist And they burn so bright
      Whilst you can only wonder why

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      • #4
        Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

        I’ve never had the above problems with my Black Winters. However, IME, they are the most sterile sounding and lacking in notable character compared to other Duncan’s and Humbuckers I own; they are the one pickup I have to significantly change my amp settings to get some life and character out of. To me, they sound plain, like active pickups, except they are passive.

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        • #5
          Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

          Magnets in humbuckers are never strong enough to pull on your strings. The reason is they are under the coils and connected to the poles. At the top of the pickup the field arcs over to the other pole.

          I use ridiculously strong neodymium magnets in some of my humbuckers. The magnet itself might measure about 1,400 Gauss. At the poles it’s only about 300 G. A Strat pickup can measure 800 G at the poles. And you have three of them on the guitar. But even then you have to crank them very close to the strings to get that warbling tone from the magnet pull.

          The fact that you aren’t getting the notes warbling shows it’s not the magnets.

          If it is the pickups, maybe they aren’t as loud in certain frequencies?

          I’m inclined to think it’s something else. Are the strings new? Does the truss rod need adjusting?


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

            I've had warble from 1 hum with 1 double thick A8 and 1 hum with 1 regular A8. The Black Winters have 3 double thick ceramics each. It could absolutely be the mags causing problems.
            The things that you wanted
            I bought them for you

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            • #7
              Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

              Thank you everyone for your input!

              Strings are new D'Addario nickel wound 10-59 and the guitar is set up well.

              I've never actually done a mag swap before but it seems pretty easy. I assume that there may be extra space in there needing to be filled what with the stock magnets being extra big and numerous.

              I've never heard of anyone else having this issue with the BW either. Perhaps most users have theirs lower than mine? These are direct mounted and the lowest they can really get is about 8mm.

              I may certainly just not be used to the way they are responding as many have suggested but the notes are dying off awfully quick. While amplified through my rig and with no vibrato on the top strings dies completely in about 3 seconds exactly but you hear it start dropping off almost right away. My other 7 string Duncans under the same conditions are all 4-5 and start audibly falling off way more gradually. I didn't test the Lithiums before they came out as it just wasn't an issue.

              If I didn't have to bastardize the pickup tabs to make them fit into the Kiesel, I would have already tried a few more into here for comparison. Unless I can get fatter versions of the normal SD screws (so I can still use my dremeled pups on other, normal guitars) I may have to throw in a different brand. I don't want to dremel more pups that will only be usable on Kiesels.

              A side note that I've found the BW to sound really similar to the regular ceramic Custom, which I love and hasn't had this issue.

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              • #8
                Re: Black Winters - Magnets too strong?

                If the problems are less, with the pickups lowered, I guess it's the magnets

                -Erl
                If somethings important- send a PM. I might be offline for long periods. Rock on!!!

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