Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

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RedHarlow

New member
Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Hi everyone,

I got a Blackstar HT5R Amp and a Pisdiyauwot Distortion Pedal.
My Ibanez RG 870 RDT sounds too empty with his sh14 custom 5,
like if the guitar was lacking of volume. So i was wondering which pickup
i will put in bridge to replace the custom 5, the Nazgûl or the Black Winter, of course the neck pickup
would follow (sentient or black winter) to pair well with it.

I would like to get this kind of tone https://youtu.be/6V2JZSKv6fQ?t=18s

Thanks.
 
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Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Welcome to the forum!

You might try replacing the magnet with either a ceramic magnet (makes it a Custom) or an Alnico II magnet (makes it a Custom Custom). If you are not familiar with magnet swapping, there are tons of threads and videos about hot wit do it. However, what you are probably hearing is a lack of mids, not overall volume. Of the 2, the Black Winter would be my choice to restore the missing sounds.
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

I've played both and I'd say a Black Winter set will probably do everything you want it to...tight with a balanced, but punchy midrange, good articulation under gain and plenty of cut where it counts.

Or, try as Mincer suggested and do a simple, inexpensive mag-swap on your current pickup and see what you think :)
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Hi ! Thanks you for being friendly with me.

Well i think too it's about a lack of mids, for the clean sound i prefer the black winter over the nazgûl but when it comes to distorted sound,
i don't know which one i prefer.. Both are good.. that's why i am wondering which one to choose..

i have listen to a lot of Nazgûl vs Black Winter comparison and i still can't make my choice..
Depending of the gear, sometimes the Nagûl feels too bright, sometimes it is the Black Winter that feels not bright enough..

Thanks for your entry :)
 
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Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

yeah. the Custom 5 has that scooped mid thing going on. that one didn't really last long when I tried it out.

for what you're describing, I'd suggest the Black Winter set. there's no reason to have any concerns about it being "not bright enough".

considering things not on your suggested menu, look at the DiMarzio D-Activator or Dominion sets. or get a Marc Holcomb DiMarzio set, which essentially was a Dominion bridge and a D-Activator neck.
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

If you like clean sounds, the Black Winter is way more versatile. The Nazgul is very good at what it does, which is very specialized high gain. It isn't my choice for anything requiring any clean sounds.
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

thanks darthphineas for suggesting me some more pickups. i will look for them and tell you what i feel about them.

about clean sounds and my taste, i usually use 90 percent of times a distorted sound or overdrived, so clean sounds aren't that important but having nice cleans are always a good thing in case i need it.

the fact is, my ibanez got a basswood body, i was wondering if you guys would still recommend me the black winter with a basswood body
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

The Nazgul has a big bottom end and a strong bump in the upper-midrange.

The Black Winters are more refined and better balanced.

Both are bright enough for basswood, but the Black Winters are tighter overall, which I think you would like based on the styles you've shown us.
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Well masta i've listen again the sound sample of both pickup with my beyerdynamic DT 770 and it seems that i like just a bit more the nazgul,
my ears may be bad but to me the nazgul sounds more like the link i gaved to you

I love the powerful tight aspect of the black Winter but his less trebly chug chug chug annoy me sometimes..
in " metal pickup shootout " by Keith Merrow i found that the black winter sounds less good i mean,
he sounds powerful which is good but i find his twang annoying sometimes, maybe because of the output level and his degree of tightness..
the black winter may be too intense for me..

I feel really lost currently, i want to listen to what you guys say and choose the black winter but currently i would more like choose the nazgul..

i feel so lost please help lol :burnout:
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

So one for the Nazgul... It sounds AMAZING and really sticks out as the "best" in the Duncan tone comparisons posted to Youtube, of 'metal' / pickups on higher gain settings. No clue how it is clean, but I want to pick one up myself. If you are serious about cleans, use a single coil (for the most part.)
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

The Nazgul is a cool pickup. At least three of us suggested the Black Winter to you, but if you think you'll like the sound of the Nazgul better, then try it and see!

We can't possibly tell which you will like best with absolute certainty. You just need to pick one and try it in your guitar, through your rig. Let us know what you think!
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

masta' c said:
The Nazgul is a cool pickup. At least three of us suggested the Black Winter to you, but if you think you'll like the sound of the Nazgul better, then try it and see!

We can't possibly tell which you will like best with absolute certainty. You just need to pick one and try it in your guitar, through your rig. Let us know what you think!
Click to expand...

I see, thanks you guys for your help.
Anyway i have the feel that i can t go wrong
with one or another. To me they are the two bridge
pickup that the two guitarist in a band should install.

So i will try with the nazgul first. i will leave my thought to you the soonest possible.

Thanks everyone for your help !
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

masta' c said:
We can't possibly tell which you will like best with absolute certainty. You just need to pick one and try it in your guitar, through your rig. Let us know what you think!
Click to expand...

people can ask questions and listen to online videos all day long. it comes down to this. it's what we all had to do before the internet.... we survived. lol!



incidentally, getting caught up in listening to online sample is the quite route down the rabbit hole.
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

darthphineas said:
people can ask questions and listen to online videos all day long. it comes down to this. it's what we all had to do before the internet.... we survived. lol!



incidentally, getting caught up in listening to online sample is the quite route down the rabbit hole.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you just got caught like me in some heavy doubts.. So you feel the need to ask for help.

i am still lost and worried about the fact that you guys were talking about the black winter for the link i gaved to you. i am asking myself if i dont go in a wrong way by choosing the nazgul for playing some Dir En Grey stuff..

i know for sure that they use the JB and the distortion bridge pickup a lot tho
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Exchange policy
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Exchange policy ? What do you mean ?
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

It means that, at least in the States, Seymour Duncan offers a 21 day exchange program. If you try and don't like one pickup, you can exchange it for another of the same value.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

Re: Hesitating between the SD Nazgûl and the Black Winter

I see, well i am living in France so i guess i am totally f*cked :lmao:

Ahh i really don't know which pickup choose between the nazgul and the black.. I was thinking about the Nazgul but now i got doubts.
 
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