Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

[Iron1]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

I may give it another try. Thanks for the feedback.

Any experience with the Nazgul?

I've listened to the Keith Merrow Seymour vid like a hundred times (that riff is catchy ) but he's so downtuned that what he demoes doesn't always translate (although it helped me decide on trying the Custom 5).

I had a Nazgul for quite a while and liked it way more than the BW. The Winter had an ice-pick frequency in it I couldn't get rid of either, without losing all the high end. If push came to shove, I'd take the Naz over the BW, but replaced the NAZ with a Custom that I love and the BW with an Elysian Trident II that I love even more.

The Naz was more stark/desolate sounding than the Winter, if that makes sense. I know there's a lot of Naz-haters out there, but for my tastes at least, it didn't have any of that harsh high end the BW has - but like you said, it could be the BW was designed for lower tunings and I stay in B, D or E standard.

 

[bigcupholder]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

The Naz was more stark/desolate sounding than the Winter, if that makes sense.

Woah, we've hit a whole new level of abstract descriptions of pickup tones here. I have no idea what this means.

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[Demanic]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

I think that "stark/desolate" is synonymous with "sterile".
I also think that people who complain about "ice pick" tend to be younger and play alone more often than with other instruments in a live setting.

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[Clint 55]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

In the roar of an engine, he lost everything, and became a shell of a man. A burnt-out, desolate man.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

In the roar of an engine, he lost everything, and became a shell of a man. A burnt-out, desolate man.

I just watched that movie.

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[Clint 55]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Nice

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

The Black Winter is something I like, as I don't always use distortion. The Nazgul is pretty much only for distortion, and I don't think the clean tone is great, but that isn't what it is designed for. I pretty much play in standard tuning all the time and Plexi-amount of distortion is about the most I'd use. I realize neither is targeted to me, but the Black Winter will still work for me.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

In the roar of an engine, he lost everything, and became a shell of a man. A burnt-out, desolate man.

:clap:

OK - credit where credit was do. Perfectly dropped quote.

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Success!!! Got something swapped in that I really like!!

I had a Full Shred lying around and had ordered fillister screws from Philadelphia Luthier to try out based on some suggestions I read either in another thread here or on the FB SD group. That is a screw swap. Hex screws are shorter, which apparently cuts and tightens the lows, and adds brightness. The longer filisters do the opposite. Figured worth a try, before doing magnet swaps or dropping yet more coin on more pickups.

In any case, I had nothing to lose as I had all the parts needed, and just happened to get the new Weller soldering iron I ordered from Amazon received a couple days early. (my 25W Radio Shack iron just was not cutting it).

Swapped both rows of hex screws for the fillisters. Then removed the Distortion back out and wired the Full Shred with fillisters in.

Went and played it for a good 45 minutes. Tone was definitely there. Lost that dry brittleness from the ceramic ones (Distortion and Black Winter both)... Also was much beefier in the low end and lost that shrill treble that the Full Shred initially had. BUT... there was just a bit of flubbiness and a tiny bit of sparkle missing from the highs.

So... took the upper row of fillisters back out and put the hex screws back in - figured top row is a little darker (further from bridge between the two coils). Screws swaps are easy as I didn't even have to loosen the strings back (something you think twice about on a Floyd equipped guitar lol).

Drum rollllllll.......

BOOM!!!! There it was!! Just the right amount of high end bite, and flubbiness was gone, yet still some nice tight lows, and great chuggs. Nice and scooped still as that is what I determined that I like (and also distaste in the BW). I must have played for like an hour and half... couldn't stop hahah.

So with that said... if you have a Full Shred that you hate, don't sell or throw it out just yet. Try a screw swap!

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Nice goin! Now swap in a double thick A5.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Looks similar to the Screaming Demon.

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[Aceman]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Excellent!

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Nice goin! Now swap in a double thick A5.

What would that do? Increase output? Would it change the EQ of the pickup?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Increases output and makes it sound fuller without changing eq too much. The character from the mag type remains the same but there is a small change in tone - less clanky and more deep.

 

[RevDoom73]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

It's interesting when I see so many people commenting about harsh high end or ice-pick tendencies with the Black Winter, I've used them in both downtuned guitars as well as standard tuning and I've never experienced that. However I tend to set my pickup height fairly low, so I wonder if that's part of why I haven't experienced this? Or maybe too many years of playing loud has given me high end hearing loss :dunno: But yeah if you're a fan of pickups like the Custom 5 I can see how Nazgul or BW will not be to your liking.
Really interested now in trying that screw swap on the Full Shred, I like that pickup but I'm very curious to see what kind of difference is made with that swap done!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

It's interesting when I see so many people commenting about harsh high end or ice-pick tendencies with the Black Winter, I've used them in both downtuned guitars as well as standard tuning and I've never experienced that. However I tend to set my pickup height fairly low, so I wonder if that's part of why I haven't experienced this? Or maybe too many years of playing loud has given me high end hearing loss :dunno: But yeah if you're a fan of pickups like the Custom 5 I can see how Nazgul or BW will not be to your liking.
Really interested now in trying that screw swap on the Full Shred, I like that pickup but I'm very curious to see what kind of difference is made with that swap done!

I hear that in the Nazgul, but not the BW.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

I hear the Black Winter as more of a mid-focused pickup rather than a sizzly pickup like the Distortion. Then again, the Distortion might have a bit more low-end to counter that.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

I hear the Black Winter as more of a mid-focused pickup rather than a sizzly pickup like the Distortion. Then again, the Distortion might have a bit more low-end to counter that.

The BW is indeed more middy.

 

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...

Swap the magnet.

 

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Tried a Black Winter - to replace a Distortion...



Did a Rutan with the SH-13