Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

p4vl

p4vl

New member
I like my TB-6 in my Basswood Ibanez Prestige (Maple neck w/Edge Pro tremolo tuned to B standard). I keep it almost as low as it will go so that it sounds more open, and the natural aggression of the Distortion still comes through.

I'm getting the urge to change things around (the Distortion will go back into it's box and then into a drawer, I'm not selling it). Here's what I'd consider my options to be:

Black Winter Trembucker bridge - they've gotten positive press but I don't know if 'more highs than a Distortion' is something that would help me.

PATB-2 - is it actually as stupidly hot as the specs say?

Dimarzio Dominion Bridge - a medium output ceramic option because I already keep my TB6 low. Demos sounded quite chunky but could get messy in a basswood superstrat due to mid overkill. I don't use V30's anymore, so I won't have icepick/middy speakers working against me.

Anyone had any experience w/these pickups and basswood/maple?
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

Not in Basswood, but I've used the PATB-2 and now a Black Winter in my Jackson which is the Mahogany version. (SL2H-MAH). I've also used a Distortion in various guitars. This may help you a bit anyway though as I have used both.

First, I don't think the BW has more high end than the Distortion. It is a similar pick up, but smoother, a bit less high end (still has good bite, lots of cut and is VERY articulate), a bit more bass and probably a bit less mids. The EQ says 6/6/6 and I actually think that is about right. I feel like I get more "thunk" out of the BW when I palm mute and it doesn't have the mid spike that the Distortion has.

The PATB-2 is kind of like the Custom/JB/Distortion somehow had a baby. It has the low end thunk of the Custom, the singing leads of the JB and can scream like the Distortion. It is a very smooth pick up. I think the DC resistance is very mis-leading. While it is hot and compressed, it doesn't break up a clean channel at all. (Unless you wail on the strings....) This probably due the resonant peak and the magnetic field from the magnets, but I'll be damned if I could really explain that =). If anything, I'd say the BW will break up my clean channel quicker than the PATB-2 could.

Both are very cool high output pick ups, it just depends what you're looking for.
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

I got a PATB2 in an ibanez s series. I think it's a very overlooked pickup in the SD catalogue. Enough low end thump but also quite toppy too.

Harmonics just jump out of it and it's quite unforgiving!
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

Dayeeeve said:
Harmonics just jump out of it and it's quite unforgiving!
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Define unforgiving in a humbucker. Do I have to stick to a strict practice regime of scales and legato and picking excercises and inviting Michael Angelo back into my life in order to have good tone?
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

I miss pick attack with any of the PATB pickups, but that's the only area where the PATB-2 doesn't meet my expectations. It's a great pickup.

I still need to get a BW at some point.
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

p4vl said:
Define unforgiving in a humbucker. Do I have to stick to a strict practice regime of scales and legato and picking excercises and inviting Michael Angelo back into my life in order to have good tone?
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Oh absolutely.

I mean in that I find that it definitely seems to highlight any mistakes/sloppy technique more so than other duncans I have tried. Most people seem to agree when using that guitar too ;)
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

I've played both the Dominions and the Black Winters in the same basswood Ibanez. Both are quite awesome. The Dominion bridge is razor sharp, with and extremely tight low end and fast attack. The mids can make soloing higher up the fretboard a little sharp when using the bridge pickup depending on how you dial the amp, but the neck pickup is brilliant to switch over when doing that.

The Black Winters are much higher output and have a similarly sharp attack and low end. There's this cool extra sort of fizz on the high end, like you're running an od or boost of some sort that just takes the aggression even further. The amazing thing with the Black Winters is how versatile they are. Roll the volume back on both, split, etc and you get some amazing tones that work for other less extreme styles of music.

Both pickups can be pretty unforgiving for bad technique (I know from days when my carpal tunnel is flared up), the Black Winter being more unforgiving.
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

It's not so much bad technique (I don't mean to come off like Sid Vicious); like you, I've got physical stuff working against me. I bought the Ibanez because I broke my shoulder in multiple places years ago and I needed a lightweight, contoured guitar.

I don't really do the soloing thing but I don't mind practicing the same etudes and techniques that lead guys do, because it comes in handy for rhythm. I learned that when I got a Slayer tab book and realized that I couldn't even play the opening riff to War Ensemble.

I'm looking for a riff machine, not a half 'good solo tone' and half 'good rhythm tone' pickup.
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

Out of these I would say the PATB-2 is more of a lead pickup than the others.
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

I switched from the PATB-2 to the BW. I think both are great for leads. The BW is a bit less smooth, although not as fizzy as a Distortion. The PATB-2 still has good top end and bite, but not as much as the BW. I'd say the PATB-2 is rounder and the BW is a bit sharper. For reference, neither has as much treble as a JB or a Distortion.

I'm really impressed with the BW so far. I feel like I can get any tone I want. From blues rock to classic rock to all out balls to the wall metal. It sounds great for everything. (At least everything I want to play) I don't know how that pick up does it, but it does. It's really cool.
 
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Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

The Dominion bridge is a killer rhythm pickup. So is the Black Winter. Toss a coin I say!
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

LatsMcGee said:
Try a bareknuckle nailbomb!
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I'm also buying a new(used) amp. Probably a Randall RM100 and a modified module (or 12). Probably. Any pickup changing will take place afterwards, as the Distortion might prove awesome with the Randall. I'm just seeing what's out there; sounds like either the Dominion or the Black Vinter would be more my speed.

Tim from bkp and the guy from axepalace (us dealer for bkp) both recommended the Black Hawk ceramic for my guitar. My bank account recommends something cheaper.
 
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Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

Jeff5 said:
I'm really impressed with the BW so far. I feel like I can get any tone I want. From blues rock to classic rock to all out balls to the wall metal. It sounds great for everything. (At least everything I want to play) I don't know how that pick up does it, but it does. It's really cool.
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As someone who owns 3 black winters, that pickup does it all. I know pickups cannot distinguish what I want to play, but the black winter seems intuitive. If I want it to be aggressive, there is no pickup more aggressive. If I want it to be calm it is. For me, it is the best pickup I have ever heard for conveying what I want to play how I want it to be.
 
Re: Black Winter Trembucker vs. PATB-2 vs. Dominion for basswood Ibanez

Man, the hype is large with the BW. I need one.
 
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