Black Winter Compatibility

T

TJH

New member
I like playing music along the lines of hard rock, metal, and things like that (Stone Sour, Trivium, and Godsmack to name a few). I like having fairly treble-like clarity with each note, but also like to play cleans from time to time. I'm currently using a Schechter Omen-6 Extreme (not the Floyd rose system), finished in black cherry, with a mahogany body, quilted maple top, and rosewood fretboard. And a string through body, which doesn't seem entirely relevant, but I figured id throw it out there.

I'm in the market to replace my stock pickups, and came down to a few choices, for the bridge, I came down to a Dimebucker, Alternative 8, sh6 Distortion, or a Black Winter. I originally wanted the Dimebucker, but I hear a lotttt of mixed reviews by so many different people, so im kind of on the fence. Youtube videos and audio samples can only go so far, so im kind of stuck on the fence. I like the Black Winters (from what ive heard). But would they be compatible in my guitar? I'd take it to a guitar center nearby to put it in, but I just want to be sure that it would it and, mostly, that it would sound good with my guitar.

Then for the neck pickup, ive received a general consensus of either the 1959 or the Jazz. Ive been debating between the 2, but I also want something thatll help me to make it easier in making my tone more unique. I know that depends on my and what amp I have to play from (Peavey Vypyr VIP 2), but at the same time, id like a unique combination that would mesh well, if that makes any sense.

Thoughts/suggestions?

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I also have, I think, a coil split or tap, its a knob that I can push in or pull
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

As long as you have the rev 4.2 API for the serial bus it should be compatible.

I think your choices would be DD and Jazz, or the BW set.

The DD is a bit more rounded and as a high-pitched scream which I think you will like. The BW set should be better functioning as a set. As a neck pickup for the DD I don't think you can go '59 in that guitar because the hardtail in the long scale will make it come out way too bommy. In fact that might be a problem with other pickups, too.
 
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Re: Black Winter Compatibility

I would try the Sentient for the neck and the Duncan Distortion in the bridge. The Sentient is a hybrid of the best features of the Jazz and '59 (so you wouldn't really have to choose lol) and the Duncan Distortion will give you the tone you want with a little more versatility than the Black Winter has.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

Sorry im not too farmiliar with the technical and abbreviated stuff. I'm not very tech savvy as far as guitars go, and what is DD? I assume Duncan distortion or dimebucker
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

DD = Duncan Distortion.

I would go Black Winter myself as I think it is a major improvement on the Distortion. Much better clarity.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

I'm going to chime in and say Black Winter bridge + '59 neck is a great combination. The Black Winter is an amazing pickup, and it's much much much more versatile than Duncan initially gave it credit for.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

If you go with the Black Winter bridge, you may as well go with the Black Winter neck. They come in a set for a reason.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

Would it hurt the tone if I didn't get the set, or are there any better combinations than the black winter and 69? I was eying up the sentient, since it claims to be the best of both worlds of a 59 and jazz..but not sure how it would sound/go along in the neck with the black winter on bridge

EDIT maybe nevermind on the sentient..says on the site to use with any neck pickup, so its recommended to bridge? Maybe im misunderstood. I think im set on the black winter for the bridge, but not sure on what I want to put in the neck, I like playing cleans on occasion, and for them to have a somewhat dark yet clear tone, if that makes any sense?
 
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Re: Black Winter Compatibility

Demanic said:
If you go with the Black Winter bridge, you may as well go with the Black Winter neck. They come in a set for a reason.
Click to expand...

+1

I've had a Black Winter set for over a year now, and the Black Winter is a fair shade brighter than alot of pickups out there, so I don't know if I could recommend pairing a Black Winter bridge with anything other than a Black Winter neck. Like others have said, they are very versatile.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

Then I guess ill get the set.. I was planning on taking it to the nearest guitar center (if im allowed to say that) to have them installed..if I were to order them from their website:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Seymour...-Electric-Guitar-Pickup-109857987-i3359249.gc

If I do that, and since they only have the one pickup, should I buy 2 of them, like if the set is 2 of the same pickup? Or is the black winter set 2 pickups matched together, if this is making any sense? kinda confused myself, as far as what to do..It sounds stupid but I want to be sure, cause this guitar is my baby, and I don't have the resources to dish out 160-200 dollars on a whim
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

TJH said:
Then I guess ill get the set.. I was planning on taking it to the nearest guitar center (if im allowed to say that) to have them installed..if I were to order them from their website:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Seymour...-Electric-Guitar-Pickup-109857987-i3359249.gc

If I do that, and since they only have the one pickup, should I buy 2 of them, like if the set is 2 of the same pickup? Or is the black winter set 2 pickups matched together, if this is making any sense? kinda confused myself, as far as what to do..It sounds stupid but I want to be sure, cause this guitar is my baby, and I don't have the resources to dish out 160-200 dollars on a whim
Click to expand...

I just looked on Guitar Center's site and they have the set as the first option in the drop down menu for $179.95, which is both the bridge and neck pickups together in one box.

http://m.guitarcenter.com/Item/Default.aspx?itemno=3359241&urx=1
 
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Re: Black Winter Compatibility

I like the Dimebucker in a mahogany body; the fatness and warmth of mahogany takes some of the shrillness out of it. Amazingly, the Dimebucker works great with a spin-a-split wiring scheme.

The Duncan Distortion is my go-to pickup in combination with maple necks, alder/basswood/poplar bodies and rosewood fingerboards. It can sound throaty without mud. It is also defined without being too shrill.

I use both in guitars with an Alnico II Pro in the neck for a warmer sound that still has midrange (unlike many A5 based neck pups). Personally, I hate the Jazz and '59 neck; they both sound bland and lacking to me.

The Black Winter set is a great compromise between the Dimebucker and Distortion, and comes with a neck pickup that seems to clean up really well.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

I run a Black Winter in the bridge of an ESP Michael Amott sig with a '59 bridge in the neck ala Dimebag. It's a killer combo and super versatile.
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

I have a Black Winter in the bridge on a 7 string Schecter with a Jazz in the neck. The combo works like a wonder: from heavy doom to jazzy ambient!
 
Re: Black Winter Compatibility

I almost never use a matched set of pickups, but I have the black winters in my kv-1 and I love them. I use them for almost everything. Versatile, sound good tapped, etc.
 
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