Black winter with Invader hex caps?

[BleedingFingertips]

Hi guys,

after months of playing, I now realize that I'm not very happy with Black Winters. They have too much high end which is hard to dial out (even with pedals). That makes palm mutes on the 6 string sound too "crispy" lacking growl and depth. I'm pretty sure that Alternative 8 would be a better fit. However, I learned here on the forum that there might be cheaper fixes worth trying before one buys another pickup (such as magnet swap or another type of screws).

So, would the big Invader screws beef up the tone a bit without noticeable sacrifices in tightness and clarity? And what specs do they have (width / length)?

I found a dealer on ebay but there are too many options
https://www.ebay.com/itm/M2-M2-5-Bl...cket-BUTTON-HEAD-Screws-ISO7380-/172096290829

Thanks!

 

[Adieu]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

I have a sneaking suspicion the very flavour you dislike IS "tightness and clarity"


You might consider trying to swzp the ceramic for A8... or add brass somewhere, like bridge (TOM), saddles (hardtail), or trem block (floyd)

 

[Demanic]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

Or just sell the Black Winter to cover the cost of a new pickup like the Alt8.
You should still be able to get close to what you paid for it, because plenty of other people like it for the exact reasons that you don't.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

Don't blame the pickup, blame the guitar/pickup combo. Your guitar likely has some bright inerrancy that is exacerbated by the BW.
In the proper guitar, the BW is perfect...

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

I have a sneaking suspicion the very flavour you dislike IS "tightness and clarity"

Not really. I like both but apparently not the way Black Winter delivers it. Just too much bite. Alt 8 was described as tight and clear yet YUUUUGE and fat at the same time. Seems to be my cup of tea.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

Those poles won't fit the Black Winter, AFAIK. The filisters on the BW are narrower..

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

Don't blame the pickup, blame the guitar/pickup combo. Your guitar likely has some bright inerrancy that is exacerbated by the BW.
In the proper guitar, the BW is perfect...

I don't know. Mahogany/rosewood is kinda very black-winter-y, the pickup selector here on the website as well as many forumites recommended me them for my guitar. I prefer to think that it's the amp who's to blame. I played BW through two tube amps: bandmate's and mine. Slays in the former but not in mine, whence my conclusion that it's not the guitar/wood. That said, the amp is more expensive than a pickup so the latter needs to go

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

I recommend lowering the BW bridge a lot lower than you would normally set a bridge humbucker. It will not lose depth, crunch or sustain but will get warmer and smoother.

 

[gearhead63]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

The problem you'll run into in trying to swap to the Invader style cap screws is that the stock screws actually screw into a bracket/spacer that is under the coil and extends into the coil holes. You would have to remove it and insert a suitable spacer under the coil. The coil with slugs isnt an issue. They will come out. But you need to be sure you are NOT using stainless screws as they are non-magnetic.
I have recently removed the cap screws from a set of detonators (they were still too dark, wouldn't cut through the mix for solos) and now they sound great! Comparable to my Gibson 498T. I installed 12 solid slugs in place of the screws. I'm using this guitar for downtuned material, tuned to D. Works beautifully now.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

The Duncan Detonator is essentially a Distortion w/ Invader caps/poles. So pretty close to a Black Winter or what the results might be if you could do it.

Yes - that might work, but don't know if it will work enough. I say adjust the pickup to death as suggested, and if that doesn't work, swap time. In fact, you might like an Invader period. That "tight/clear" mute thing sounds awesome to me...


What amp and what settings are you using?

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

The problem you'll run into in trying to swap to the Invader style cap screws is that the stock screws actually screw into a bracket/spacer that is under the coil and extends into the coil holes. You would have to remove it and insert a suitable spacer under the coil. The coil with slugs isnt an issue. They will come out. But you need to be sure you are NOT using stainless screws as they are non-magnetic.
I have recently removed the cap screws from a set of detonators (they were still too dark, wouldn't cut through the mix for solos) and now they sound great! Comparable to my Gibson 498T. I installed 12 solid slugs in place of the screws. I'm using this guitar for downtuned material, tuned to D. Works beautifully now.

That's worth knowing. I'm glad I wrote here first.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

The Duncan Detonator is essentially a Distortion w/ Invader caps/poles. So pretty close to a Black Winter or what the results might be if you could do it.

Yes - that might work, but don't know if it will work enough. I say adjust the pickup to death as suggested, and if that doesn't work, swap time. In fact, you might like an Invader period. That "tight/clear" mute thing sounds awesome to me...


What amp and what settings are you using?

I have a Randall Diavlo 40w. Pretty open sounding by itself, so I use a 805 OD pedal to cut highs (-12dB) and bass (-5dB) and boost mids (+11dB). Amp settings let's say bass (60%), mids (60%), higs (40%), presence (20%).

Yesterday, I put the pickup closer to strings and to my surprise it got better, i.e. closer to what I want to hear. Maybe, I wouldn't even swap in the end. But this seems really to be the ONLY setting it worked so far, so I'm still torn.

Though about Invader, too. But I never buy one until I play one. Seems to be hit or miss for many folks here.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

I recommend lowering the BW bridge a lot lower than you would normally set a bridge humbucker. It will not lose depth, crunch or sustain but will get warmer and smoother.

In my case, it was the opposite. It retained bite which sounded awkward with less distortion. So I went up again.

 

[gearhead63]

Re: Black winter with Invader hex caps?

I have a Randall Diavlo 40w. Pretty open sounding by itself, so I use a 805 OD pedal to cut highs (-12dB) and bass (-5dB) and boost mids (+11dB). Amp settings let's say bass (60%), mids (60%), higs (40%), presence (20%).

Yesterday, I put the pickup closer to strings and to my surprise it got better, i.e. closer to what I want to hear. Maybe, I wouldn't even swap in the end. But this seems really to be the ONLY setting it worked so far, so I'm still torn.

Though about Invader, too. But I never buy one until I play one. Seems to be hit or miss for many folks here.

I have an invader in a LP style double cut, mahogany body, maple cap, mahogany neck, 500K pots. It's a little darker than I like, especially since I'm playing all the solos. Haven't tried swapping any pole pieces in it, YET! But I may do that very soon just to see how much difference it makes. It works pretty well though but could be a bit brighter, I think that with 3 ceramic magnets in the Invader, it offsets the large cap screws some. The screws definitely darkened my detonator, but it only has one double thick ceramic magnet, and essentially the same wind as the Distortion.
Here is a quote from one of the forum members that has knowledge of the SD pu builds:
"A stronger magnetic field is gonna put the frequencies into the upper mids and create a stronger attack.
A larger magnetic field creates more harmonics in the low end and midrange."
Just a little extra info to consider.