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

[Lucy Diamond]

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

I'm actually thinking of putting a set of Black Winters in a strat.

Can anybody suggest a middle pickup for the "super strat" thing?

I was thinking Antiquity surf Reverse wound.

 

[Mincer]

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

I'm actually thinking of putting a set of Black Winters in a strat.

Can anybody suggest a middle pickup for the "super strat" thing?

I was thinking Antiquity surf Reverse wound.

This depends on what you want from a middle pickup. Do you want a similar EQ? Is hum-cancelling important? Do you want the volume to be the same across pickups?

 

[Lucy Diamond]

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

I'm thinking Duckbucker.

 

[Mincer]

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

The Duckbucker will be quieter than the BW. That is OK, as long as you expect it. For something that balances more, volume-wise, look at the Classic Stack Plus.

 

[Kreator]

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

Question for fellow Winter aficionados: in millimeters, what's your pickup height, neck and bridge, and bass vs. treble? Just did a very rough measurement today.

Bridge bass: just under 2 mm
Bridge treble: ~ 2 mm

Neck bass: ~ 4 mm
Neck treble: under 4 mm

A couple things. I'm noticing that there's a bit too much bass when I'm on the BW bridge, and so I wonder if I shouldn't get the height reduced on the bass side to about 3 mm (I think the treble is fine, though maybe I should go even closer to the strings?). Neck side, I'd like things to be a bit warmer and hotter, so I'm thinking 2.4 mm for the bass and 3 mm for the treble.

So tell me your pickup heights! I'm really curious to see the spread.

Greetings, it sounds like your bridge pickup may be too close to the strings.

My guitars are all equipped with the Black Winter in the bridge position and strictly set up for D# Standard strung with D'Addario EXL 115 strings.

Bridge Bass: 3.5 mm (Unfretted) 3.25 mm (Fretted at the 22/24)
Bridge Treble: 2.75 mm (Unfretted) 2.5 mm (Fretted at the 22/24)

 

[Lucy Diamond]

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

The Duckbucker will be quieter than the BW. That is OK, as long as you expect it. For something that balances more, volume-wise, look at the Classic Stack Plus.

I'll consider that. Thanks Mince.

 

[bldrst]

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

Having my BW's in my RR1 for awhile now, I'm wondering if the Sentient/Nazgul set would be a bit more to my liking. Anybody gone through that already? I'm loving the exceedingly swift attack but find I can't back that aspect off, as the bridge is a bit like starting at 6000rpms all the time, if that makes sense. Overall I wouldn't like these in my GLPC but I'm close to happy with them in my RR1.

 

[bldrst]

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

Have you tried Sentient in the neck? I am continually amazed by how effortlessly it keeps up with the Nazgul bridge.

WeepingMinotaur, my new post addresses the Nazgul/Sentient question, as related to the BW in a RR1 V.

 

[Masta' C]

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

Have you tried wiring them for coil split?

 

[Mincer]

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

It might be worth switching to the Nazgul if all you ever do is play very distorted. The BW tends to be better at more things, while the Nazgul seems to be very specialized for over-the-top distortion.

 

[Masta' C]

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

From what I understood by his post, he wants more control over the sound...the BW bridge is a little too "on" all the time, even as you back the volume off...correct?

I don't see the Nazgul being much different in that regard.

If you don't want to wire the bridge for a coil split (which sounds awesome, especially clean) you could try putting the BW Neck in the bridge spot and mating it with a Sentient or something similar in the neck!

 

[weepingminotaur]

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

Having my BW's in my RR1 for awhile now, I'm wondering if the Sentient/Nazgul set would be a bit more to my liking. Anybody gone through that already? I'm loving the exceedingly swift attack but find I can't back that aspect off, as the bridge is a bit like starting at 6000rpms all the time, if that makes sense. Overall I wouldn't like these in my GLPC but I'm close to happy with them in my RR1.

I support the motion to add coil split if you can. Coil-splitting brings a whole new dimension to the Winters that might help take the edge off the attack. Having said that, if that's what's giving you trouble with the Winters, I can't see that the Naz would be an improvement. Perhaps a Pegasus-Sentient combo instead?

 

[bldrst]

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

Have you tried wiring them for coil split?

Nope. How would that change it up? Less growl? I would likely have to add push/pull pots to try that, but if I wanted to keep that as an option I could add mini switches to the pickguard. Thanks for the input, btw.

 

[bldrst]

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

It might be worth switching to the Nazgul if all you ever do is play very distorted. The BW tends to be better at more things, while the Nazgul seems to be very specialized for over-the-top distortion.

I should probably try the Nazgul to find out. This specific guitar is not for playing pretty. I just need a little more (or a lot) range from the bridge, like revving the engine up to 6k versus starting at a 6000rpm ceiling. My first Rhoads, I've found that the body - which I love - is a bit thin sounding, the missing mass along with it having the Floyd cavity exacerbates the issue; however, I want to use this beautiful instrument for serious shred so it'll be fine, LoL

 

[bldrst]

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

From what I understood by his post, he wants more control over the sound...the BW bridge is a little too "on" all the time, even as you back the volume off...correct?

I don't see the Nazgul being much different in that regard.

If you don't want to wire the bridge for a coil split (which sounds awesome, especially clean) you could try putting the BW Neck in the bridge spot and mating it with a Sentient or something similar in the neck!

You got it, yep. Why the BW neck though, what would that change by putting it in the bridge? Thanks.

 

[bldrst]

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

I support the motion to add coil split if you can. Coil-splitting brings a whole new dimension to the Winters that might help take the edge off the attack. Having said that, if that's what's giving you trouble with the Winters, I can't see that the Naz would be an improvement. Perhaps a Pegasus-Sentient combo instead?

Wow, another vote for the Coil split! I have to try that. What's your thinking re using the Pegasus in its place? Thanks.

 

[weepingminotaur]

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

Wow, another vote for the Coil split! I have to try that. What's your thinking re using the Pegasus in its place? Thanks.

Well, you mentioned that you don't need the guitar for playing pretty, but you do find the Winter a little too much -- too hot, too "on" at all times. So I was thinking the Pegasus, which is lower output but plenty hot enough to play unpretty, might be a good choice. It's got great note definition even under high gain.

 

[bldrst]

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

Well, after living with a set of Black Winters in my RR1 for months now, I'm actually digging the attack and overall ferocity of them. One thing I've done that I think improved the response I get is raising the pole pieces on the bridge pickup, however, the neck is still overpowering. To accommodate this I'm going to try raising the pickup and using the vol pot to back of the volume. Or something close to that, don't want to lose the presence.

 

[Masta' C]

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

I just came back around to the Black Winter bridge in my #1 Rhoads, as well. Not sure why it ever left!

The pickup is so dang clear and punchy, with a great midrange aggression, nice bite and incredible harmonics everywhere, yet it's surprisingly controllable for being such a hot pickup. It has all the versatility of the Distortion (I have one in another guitar) with something "more" overall. For all styles progressive to thrash to '80s rock, I just love it!

My next move is to wire it for coil splitting, because that really adds to the versatility of it in my experience.

 

[EmiAba]

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

I just came back around to the Black Winter bridge in my #1 Rhoads, as well. Not sure why it ever left!

The pickup is so dang clear and punchy, with a great midrange aggression, nice bite and incredible harmonics everywhere, yet it's surprisingly controllable for being such a hot pickup. It has all the versatility of the Distortion (I have one in another guitar) with something "more" overall. For all styles progressive to thrash to '80s rock, I just love it!

My next move is to wire it for coil splitting, because that really adds to the versatility of it in my experience.

That is exactly what I think about BW. They split nicely and the neck is really versatile (even if it is really hot)