Pickup upgrade for Epiphone Les Paul (hard rock/metal)

[weepingminotaur]

No, the BW specs don't suggest versatility. But that is why you can't just go by specs. As Rex says, I think the versatility was a happy accident, not intentional, but it's a great result.

The BW manages to be both better at chugging (more attack, focus, and bite) *and* more versatile than just about any other metal pickup at tackling other genres. I don't know why that is but it is so.

 

[AdrianSD]

My comment there is how much more power, attack, and aggression do you need?

I question your description of those also. What I hear people say is that it is a more flexible, progressive pickup. And I don;t think power, attack, and aggression would do that.

I don't think the Black Winter can do classic hard rock and heavy metal very well. Compared to the Distortion, it lacks that sizzle in the treble and the bass needs to be at least a teeny tiny bit loose, it lacks both. After playing the JB and the Dimarzio Super Distortion, both rather classic sounding, switching to the BW sounds and feels vastly different. Where I find it versatile is that it cleans up with the volume pot very well and sounds excellent split. And if I was to play high gain stuff in a dense mix with another guitar player, I can guarantee that the BW into a JCM800 or 5150 will bury completely, absolutely destroy the other guitar player at the same volume, unless he used a similar rig

 

[weepingminotaur]

I don't think the Black Winter can do classic hard rock and heavy metal very well. Compared to the Distortion, it lacks that sizzle in the treble and the bass needs to be at least a teeny tiny bit loose, it lacks both. After playing the JB and the Dimarzio Super Distortion, both rather classic sounding, switching to the BW sounds and feels vastly different. Where I find it versatile is that it cleans up with the volume pot very well and sounds excellent split. And if I was to play high gain stuff in a dense mix with another guitar player, I can guarantee that the BW into a JCM800 or 5150 will bury completely, absolutely destroy the other guitar player at the same volume, unless he used a similar rig

Yeah, it depends on what genres we're discussing. I'd disagree that it can't do heavy metal well. For hard rock, the Distortion may have an edge. But yes, the BW is a modern-sounding pickup, so in that sense, it will sound very different from a JB or a Super D.