What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

[Rex_Rocker]

The site shows the same DCR and both have a ceramic mag.

Obviously the looks are different, but is the wind different? Is the magnet configuration different? Does the Distortion have the oversized ceramic magnet? Does the BW have the triple magnet configuration?

Which of the two is the most high-mid focused with the least bass?

Thanks.

 

[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I had a Distortion neck that I did a mag swap on and the original magnet was a thick ceramic. I think that the Black Winters come with triple ceramics but someone else would have to confirm that.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

Ah, thanks! So the Distortion is thick ceramic, then.

I wonder if the BW has triple ceramic.

I'm looking for a neck pickup to pair with my BW-B that sorta resembles my favorite neck pickup for leads, the EMG 81, without having to mix passives and actives.

 

[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

People might scoff at them but you could try an EMG HZ-H3. It's supposed to be the same coil design as the 81, but in a passive pickup.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I used to have those in an old Jackson DXMG. I thought they were based on the 60 rather than the 81, though. Either way, I suspect they wouldn't have the output to keep up with the Black Winter, don't you think? That's just off memory. I remember them not being very hot.

 

[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

Funny, that's where I first got to try them. I bet that it would keep up, especially if you cranked the height up, given that it's the neck position.
On an aside, do you still have the DXMG?

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

Nah, I sold it. It played great, loved the neck and the compound radius, and the fretwork was very good. I tried a bunch of pickups in it, but I could never get it to sound how I wanted.

 

[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I put a JB in the bridge of mine, with an Asian pickup that came out of the bridge of a Jay Turser LP, that measures about 8.5k, into which I swapped an A5, in the neck. Nails 80's hard rock and thrash metal.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

Mine sounded REALLY dark and did not sustain particularly well. Shame, because the playability was killer. I had the EMG 81, 81X, GFS RedActive, and Duncan Distortion in it, and it was still too bassy/dark.

 

[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I must have gotten a good one.

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[Ironbird666]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

Mine sounded REALLY dark and did not sustain particularly well. Shame, because the playability was killer. I had the EMG 81, 81X, GFS RedActive, and Duncan Distortion in it, and it was still too bassy/dark.

That's pretty wild if the DD didn't solve the issue! I have a 92 Dinky Reverse that's pretty dark and I had to drop a DD into it to make it nice and balanced. I wanted a DXMG at one point but never pulled the trigger.

I personally like the DD neck more than the BW neck. I found the BW neck to be a bit too bassy for my tastes. It may have been the guitar, I had it in a Les Paul, so my experience may not be the norm. I have a Sentient paired with my DD in the Jackson DR currently and it works nicely. I wouldn't be real concerned about pairing one with a BW unless you want a more scorching neck tone.

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[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I took a DD neck in a mahogany bodied Ibby, paired with an Alt 8 bridge, and put an A4 in it because I thought it was too bassy.
This was four years ago, and it's still in there.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I'm sure I got a dud. That DXMG was abnormally heavy. It's been the heaviest guitar I've owned. Heavier even than my thick-bodied PRS LP-style, which is pretty strange for a basswood guitar.

I'm not a fan of how Jackson like to put the bridge pickup further away from the bridge than other brands too, but I've heard some killer-sounding Jacksons, so I guess it was just a lot of things adding up on mine.

So is the DD-N less bassy than the BW-N, then?

 

[Demanic]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I don't know, but I think that the DDn may have more bass. That's why I put an A4 magnet in mine. But I don't know the BWn so I can't say for sure.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I will be picking up either today, but I still don't know which I should go with! Help!

 

[Ironbird666]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

If you can take advantage of the return policy try out the DD neck, see if you like it. If not, maybe go back and swap it for the BW? I really feel like the DDn is more high mid focused compared to the BW, which as a set I find to be more balanced in the midrange. The DD set as a whole seems to be more "screaming".

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

AFAIK the exchange policy only applies to the US.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

It does- it is US only. You can check with your local retailer to see what exchange policy they offer, however.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

I don't think there's any. I'm probably stuck with what I get.

I'm leaning towards the BW neck for the looks alone. I hope it's bright, tight, and cutting enough.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What's the difference between the Distortion Neck and the Black Winter Neck?

Yeah, I ended up with the BW-N. My guitar is at the tech's. I'll post a review once I get it back. My original plan was to put them in one of my Ibbies, but I was liking the clips so much, and I dug the concept of them being inspired by Scandinavian metal that I ended up taking my chances and having them installed in my favorite guitar. We'll see if they don't disappoint.