Sentient Slug Color?

[MikeS]

There are photos on the Duncan website where the Sentient slug poles appear black, and others where they appear in the typical nickel-coated steel. The pickup's page doesn't give any indication (nor is there even an option to order it one way or the other). I've seen the same on seller websites. I'm looking to pair a Sentient with a Custom in my 7 string Strandberg Boden Prog NX7 and might order the Custom as a shop floor custom to get it to match (both the black text on the bobbin and the slugs, if they are in fact black). I ultimately don't care what color they are, but it would bother me if they didn't match.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I haven't had the Sentient, but I've had the Black Winter set and the Nazgul.

The slugs are not silver-y chrome-y nickel colored like most of the Duncan range. If you've had an Ibanez with the "Cosmo Black" smokey hardware or an LTD with the "Black Nickel" hardware, or the Schaller Ruthenium finish, it's more or less that. It's not plain black either like the DiMarzio stuff or the Full Shred.

That being said, I find that finish is a bit less wear-resistant than the standard stuff. The finish on the BW/Nazgul/Sentient/Pegasus discolors into just standard silver-y Nickel somewhat easily. I've even had pickups with that finish look slightly "worn in" even when buying new.