Nazgul for classic rock, medium gain tones?
- Thread starter WDeeGee
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weepingminotaur
Well-known member
It certainly wouldn't be my first choice for those tones, but hey, if you control the gain and make liberal use of the tone knob and you've got the right amp, anything's possible.
eclecticsynergy
New member
Pegasus might be a better choice out of the newer designs I think.
I haven't owned one myself so I can't give a useful opinion.
If you want crunchy and tight, consider the Distortion neck, originally sold as a bridge pickup, the SH-7.
It cleans up quite nicely and doesn't lack for mids.
Very good medium output option, especially for a warm guitar.
If you need brightness without the rich mids, Full Shred might suit you.
Not just for shredders. Good choice for a midrange-heavy mahogany guitar.
Speaking of which, what guitar are you looking to match with?
Details would help for recommendations.
JB is a true classic, the definitive 1980s lead tone.
Occasionally it can be picky about which individual guitar it likes, though.
Of course, there's also DiMarzio's iconic Super Distortion. Not high output by today's standards.
Works well in just about anything. And an awful lot of good classic rock was made with them.
I haven't owned one myself so I can't give a useful opinion.
If you want crunchy and tight, consider the Distortion neck, originally sold as a bridge pickup, the SH-7.
It cleans up quite nicely and doesn't lack for mids.
Very good medium output option, especially for a warm guitar.
If you need brightness without the rich mids, Full Shred might suit you.
Not just for shredders. Good choice for a midrange-heavy mahogany guitar.
Speaking of which, what guitar are you looking to match with?
Details would help for recommendations.
JB is a true classic, the definitive 1980s lead tone.
Occasionally it can be picky about which individual guitar it likes, though.
Of course, there's also DiMarzio's iconic Super Distortion. Not high output by today's standards.
Works well in just about anything. And an awful lot of good classic rock was made with them.
weepingminotaur
Well-known member
Yeah, I would suggest JB or Super Distortion. Both have a lot more versatility than the Nazgul, which is made for pretty much one thing alone (high-gain metal).
Edit: You might also consider the Black Winter bridge. Unlike the Naz, it can do a lot more than just crushing metal, and it splits really well.
Edit: You might also consider the Black Winter bridge. Unlike the Naz, it can do a lot more than just crushing metal, and it splits really well.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Have you considered a Demon?
nexion218
New member
Though as said above, the Naz might not be ideal candidate, but if you really want to try it for rock, I'd play around with an EQ before worrying about them gainz. It is actually not THAT hot, it's EQ makes it seem so. Some guys can make an EMG81 work in non-metal music, so... But really, if you have the option try something else.
Hey, thanks for the heads up! I bought an Ibanez Premium RG721, basswood body. The stock pups are okay but very bassy. I found a video online comparing the SH-6 with the stock pups in the same guitar, but both sounded equally bloated in the low end.
I would like for this guitar to sound a little different from my others (mostly mahogany with custom 5's or CC's, and '59's), definetely not woolly in the bass.
Maybe DiMarzio is the way to go, seems to work in the basswood axes? I'm open to suggestions.
Jupiter or Dimebucker would both be good fits in that guitar. I have a Dimebucker in my RG1570 (same woods) and have no thoughts of swapping it.
In my other prestige I have an X2N at the bridge (2005 RG2570), but in the late 2000s Ibanez starting using a shallower routing for the pickups so in that case you would have to deepen the routes for an X2N for sure.
The Dimebucker is a very thin pickup physically, so it will fit in about anything without modding.
I've never used a Jupiter myself yet, but I believe it was designed to be tight and bright in the typical Ibanez maple/basswood/rosewood combination.
Classic Rock with medium gain might be better had elsewhere though.
Satcher8 might be something to check-out too.
In my other prestige I have an X2N at the bridge (2005 RG2570), but in the late 2000s Ibanez starting using a shallower routing for the pickups so in that case you would have to deepen the routes for an X2N for sure.
The Dimebucker is a very thin pickup physically, so it will fit in about anything without modding.
I've never used a Jupiter myself yet, but I believe it was designed to be tight and bright in the typical Ibanez maple/basswood/rosewood combination.
Classic Rock with medium gain might be better had elsewhere though.
Satcher8 might be something to check-out too.
eclecticsynergy
New member
I wasn't recommending the hot SH-6b Distortion bridge, but rather the SH-6n Distortion neck model.
It's quite a bit tighter than the bridge version: full yet not overly fat. Firm and fairly bright.
A bit lower in output, still significantly stronger than vintage.
Originally intended for bridge position, this used to be called the Seymourizer II.
Turned out it made a great neck companion for the Distortion bridge, so it was renamed the SH-6n.
IMO it's underappreciated for use as a very good medium-output bridge pickup.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
IMO, it's as good as any. The thing that it has going for it is that it's hot, but not stupid hot. It's more about amp settings.
That being said, it wouldn't be my first choice, no. Then again, I don't think the Nazgul is any less versatile than the Black Winter, which some folk here mention does everything.
That being said, it wouldn't be my first choice, no. Then again, I don't think the Nazgul is any less versatile than the Black Winter, which some folk here mention does everything.
The Nazgul, more than any other pickup I've tried, is really a one trick pony. If you like that trick, it is the best pickup for it.
Artie
Peaveyologist
I agree 100%.
weepingminotaur
Well-known member
The Nazgul is amazing for metal, subpar for anything else. If you've got the tone knob dimed, it gives you an ice-picky, unbearably bright clean tone. I can't think of any song or instance where I'd personally need it -- maybe if I'm playing the clean intro to Mercyful Fate's "Into The Unknown"? Pretty niche. If you roll off the tone, some of the brightness disappears, but then it sounds lifeless. Could you dial up a usable clean tone with it? Sure, with enough fiddling. But it will be a process and IMO those clean tones will never really get beyond "just barely usable."
The Black Winter bridge isn't like that at all. I love the clean tones I can get out of it, both full hum and split.
The Black Winter bridge isn't like that at all. I love the clean tones I can get out of it, both full hum and split.
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