Black Winter/SH5

[Semetery]

Hi there,

I didn't know whether to post in the BW thread or start a new one, but I'm curious about something. Yesterday I kept, in my search, seeing the SH5 come up time and again as a suggestion. I play metal, almost exclusively, though good cleans are a huge bonus (of course). I really like a heavy, deep, crisp chug. A mean, aggressive, ballsy chug. I play through 5150's, I have the original, II and III and a Kemper, for reference.

I have a set of BW's in a Jackson but always wondered what they'd sound like in a LP. So, I ordered a SH5 bridge and a BW neck. Now I'm wondering, did I jump prematurely in thinking those would be a good combo? I'm relatively new to trying new pickups to be honest, I used to just buy guitars with what I wanted and I realized how much more expensive that can be. It's literally the first ones I've bought that weren't in a set together, I almost got the Mayhem set and the hot rodded set or even just another set of BW's.

Any experience with this combination or ideas of how it might sound at all, especially in a LP? Would a different direction have been smarter here?

Thanks!

 

[Demanic]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

If you already have ordered them, why not just try them out?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

It sounds like a great combo to me. I say don't second guess yourself, and enjoy the pickups that are on the way.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

That does sound like a killer combo. I bet a JB and BW neck would sound good as well

 

[Semetery]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

Thanks! I just wanted to double check I didn't grab two that were too much alike. I love the BW's but was looking to try something different to try to get some experience and find what I like. Not the end of the world either way! Next I'm looking at the Dime set and/or the distortions I think. I played stock pickups for so long, which were fine at times, but I'm loving the variety of the SD's.

If you already have ordered them, why not just try them out?

Definitely the plan so long as I found they weren't too similar. And the reason I ask instead of just try them is because I could return them if I don't install them, the place I bought them has that policy. Being new to mixing pickups instead of buying a set or a guitar already fitted, I figured it smart to ask around and make sure it isn't just a terrible combination. I should have before I ordered them but I was giddy.

 

[Toejam]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

Actually, Duncan has a 21 return policy, I believe, if you do install them, so you're good either way.

 

[Der Oberherr]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

I have no experience with black winters, but the SH-5 is pretty good at the ballsy chugging thing. It's powerful, but also not too over the top, so should work well for you.

 

[Iron1]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

I bet that combo sounds great. Post some sound clips when you have 'em installed.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

The Duncan custom is, along with DiMarzio SD, the best bridge pickup IMO. Or at least it's the pickup I prefer the most. And it's the most receptive pickup for magnet swapping. At least one of my guitars has a custom in (A2, A5, RCA5, UOA5 or A8 it doesn't matter). I have the black winter set in my KM-6 and love them, love their crushing distortion, their full midrange and the string sensitivity. I am ready to suggest them but only as a calibrated set. I would pair the custom with a different neck pickup in paf range of sound. I think it gives you the best performance in this situation. But who knows? Maybe in your guitar that, let me say, strange combo will be absolutely perfect

 

[Adieu]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

Hi there,

I didn't know whether to post in the BW thread or start a new one, but I'm curious about something. Yesterday I kept, in my search, seeing the SH5 come up time and again as a suggestion. I play metal, almost exclusively, though good cleans are a huge bonus (of course). I really like a heavy, deep, crisp chug. A mean, aggressive, ballsy chug. I play through 5150's, I have the original, II and III and a Kemper, for reference.

I have a set of BW's in a Jackson but always wondered what they'd sound like in a LP. So, I ordered a SH5 bridge and a BW neck. Now I'm wondering, did I jump prematurely in thinking those would be a good combo? I'm relatively new to trying new pickups to be honest, I used to just buy guitars with what I wanted and I realized how much more expensive that can be. It's literally the first ones I've bought that weren't in a set together, I almost got the Mayhem set and the hot rodded set or even just another set of BW's.

Any experience with this combination or ideas of how it might sound at all, especially in a LP? Would a different direction have been smarter here?

Thanks!

YMMV, but to me it feels like the neck pup in most Seymour sets is a bit of an afterthought, and a lot of em are quite similar. They don't even properly list its specs and tonecharts for necks from sets on the website. So the real question to ask yourself or others is whether you get the BW-ness you wanted from a BW neck, or it just ends up a Custom flavor set



Btw, heads up, measure string spread on tuneamatics and stringthrus too before ordering pickups. Nowadays, even Seymour and DiMarzio plainly state that some of em will need Fspaced bridge pickups anyway....

SH is for 50mm string spread, for the newer ~52mm tuneamatics you use Fspaced/TB bridge pups just like for tremolo bridges. That's apparently a thing both with imports for the last 20+ years and newer Gibsons too.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

YMMV, but to me it feels like the neck pup in most Seymour sets is a bit of an afterthought, and a lot of em are quite similar. They don't even properly list its specs and tonecharts for necks from sets on the website. So the real question to ask yourself or others is whether you get the BW-ness you wanted from a BW neck, or it just ends up a Custom flavor set



Btw, heads up, measure string spread on tuneamatics and stringthrus too before ordering pickups. Nowadays, even Seymour and DiMarzio plainly state that some of em will need Fspaced bridge pickups anyway....

SH is for 50mm string spread, for the newer ~52mm tuneamatics you use Fspaced/TB bridge pups just like for tremolo bridges. That's apparently a thing both with imports for the last 20+ years and newer Gibsons too.

An afterthought? I think the Duncans necks do all have 1 thing in common, they all sound good. I have yet to hear a Duncan neck pickup that sounded "bad". In fact, I think the Sentient just may be the best Duncan of all, neck or bridge. I guess you can find fault with how its marketed, but it sounds frickin awesome

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

I think it would work well. You may have to back the neck BW a little because it's pretty hot, but I still think it's manageable, and it would balance with the Custom.

 

[Toejam]

Re: Black Winter/SH5

Btw, heads up, measure string spread on tuneamatics and stringthrus too before ordering pickups. Nowadays, even Seymour and DiMarzio plainly state that some of em will need Fspaced bridge pickups anyway....

SH is for 50mm string spread, for the newer ~52mm tuneamatics you use Fspaced/TB bridge pups just like for tremolo bridges. That's apparently a thing both with imports for the last 20+ years and newer Gibsons too.

Yes, newer TOM bridges seem to be F-spaced. I had a couple USA RR1 Jacksons with JB trembuckers. I pulled one out and actually installed a PATB2 which perfectly aligned the strings.

Not that there's really a sound difference anyway between regular and F-spaced, but some people just like the strings and poles to line up.