SD Black Winter Worship thread

[Metropolis]

Sounds that I would like BW really much even if thrash and oldschool death metal tones aren't what I'm going for. More melodic death metal and folk metal style of tones. Of course it's extreme and hi-gain tone usually, but these sound quite versatile for everything.

 

[KailM]

When I was rocking the BW set the thing that sticks in my memory was the lows. I don't recall ever playing a bridge pup that seemed to accentuate such subsonic bass frequencies. It was awesome! DEEP lows but tight as all get out. Gonna have to get another set.

I agree with KailM in regards to the balance in terms of mids/highs, but for some reason I distinctly remember the low end was monstrous but in a really good way. Maybe it was just with my setup or maybe I had a set with something wrong?

I don't think it's just you -- I also notice the low-end that these provide. It's a low-end that kind of "blooms" slightly after a palm-mute. I don't get that with my Blackouts. Anyway, they sound massive and angry. Course, that could also just be my setup as well. But they are noticeably preferable to my Blackouts, and pretty much any other pickup I've ever tried as far as aggressive metal tones go.

 

[MetalHead40]

^^^
If your experiencing similar low end response, I'm thinking my perceptions were accurate then.

Bloom is a good way of putting it. The bass seemed to erupt from deep in the subsonic frequency range. I couldn't believe what I was hearing at the time I owned them. Might have to try a set in the Kiesel Aries I have coming if the Lithiums prove too thin in the lows. Was gonna try a Bare knuckle HD but after all this BW talk well.....

 

[nistley]

So I really liked the Black Winters, but found them too harsh for lead stuff, they are not my favorite pickup, Juggernaut is. But, a few weeks ago I put my Black Winters into a LP copy, 10.5 strings, and wow, it is a perfect sonic fit with the mids and lows filled in. It can do funky stuff or growl. I think I understand the Worship now, but they need a right guitar.

 

[Blytheryn]

So I really liked the Black Winters, but found them too harsh for lead stuff, they are not my favorite pickup, Juggetnaut is. But, a few weeks ago I put my Black Winters into a LP copy, 10.5 strings, and wow, it is a perfect sonic fit with the mids and lows filled in. It can do funky stuff or growl, I think I understand the Worship now, but they need a right guitar.

What was the LP's body wood? BW's are amazing in mahogany.

 

[nistley]

What was the LP's body wood? BW's are amazing in mahogany.

Hard to tell through red coat, but yes, has to be something dark sounding and very heavy, so probably mahogany

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

Holy Sh!t how did I miss this thread?! Well, better late than never. I have a few Black Winters, including one in my BC Rich Chuck Tribute Stealth, an AV Black Winter/Sentient pair in a Daemoness Cimmerian VII, and of course I'm particularly proud of this little piece of press:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/product-news/the-daemoness-valkenbyrd-viii

Technically, it's a Black Winter/Nazgul hybrid bridge. It's super unique and thick, full tonally. I don't quite dig it 100%, but it was experimental. It really nails what the guitar commands to play: old school Morbid Angel. It excels at dirty ass old school death metal and for sounds like Sulphur Aeon, Dead Congregation, etc. And yes, it is clear as a bell. I want a little more harmonic responsiveness, because you really gotta dig into the lower strings for pinches, or I just suck unless I'm using BKPs. I'm going to opt to try a Black Winter A8, like someone else mentioned on here (fantastic idea dude, hails!). An A8 Nazgul is in the works to see how it tames the highs.

The neck is a standard SD Distortion neck, which does the job, but I may swap that too. And yes, I will probably mail the pickups back to retain the covers to go with the Lovecraft Yog-Sothoth theme.

I seriously owe clips, but I've been deployed and in flux and haven't been able to set up anything decent to record with. Things are settling in as of late so hopefully soon. The AV Black Winter is a gem, and I'm sure the A8 version will be even better for different reasons. SD really struck gold, or frosty snow, with these pickups.

On the Daemoness Facebook page there is a clip of Dylan ripping pinch squeals out of the Valkenbyrd. It was played through a Roland Micro Cube!

 

[Blytheryn]

Welcome to the church of the 'Winter Maj!

JD27 came up with the idea for the Alnico 8 swap... It just so happens to be exactly what I want my eventual custom BW to be. Grindier, less compressed, and with punchier mids. Something that would thrive with the gain not at insanely high levels. I'm really going for a Follow the Reaper/Hatebreeder type of old school tone.

Here's a little something from SD about Alnico 8's:

"It’s way more powerful than the Alnico 5 but not as overly so as ceramics. Seymour Duncan launched the Alternative 8 a couple of years ago as their first production pickup featuring the Alnico 8 magnet and that pickup is a true testament of the power of the Alnico 8. If you were to swap a magnet for the Alnico 8, expect a huge boost in power. The mids gain articulation and crunch, and the highs become more pronounced but aren’t harsh and the lows are huge and tight."

 

[Bear R.]

Black Winters are nice..I installed a set in my ESP..Great pups..!!!.



the alnico 8 mag swap sounds like a Good thing though...

 

[xwestonx]

I'm not dissatisfied with my nazgul... but I am constantly wondering if the BW would be better... I guess I need to order a set up and find out!

 

[Backsnack]

Finally got my Brawley back with the BWs installed, set up, and a fresh set of strings. This guitar has bawls of steel now.

I cranked up my Demonizer pedal and the sound just put a huge grin on my face. Insane amounts of punch and mids, but somehow remain to be articulate and not fizzy. Initial impressions are that I'm impressed and that these are going to be so much fun!

The output is quite high. Volume knob at 100, the neck pickup will most certainly break up a clean channel, it's no joke. But, back the volume knob off just a little and it's super smooth and jazzy.

I should put up some sound clips playing a couple Opeth riffs.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Just ordered some custom shop black winters for my next custom guitar

 

[rexbinary]

Man I think I have been seduced enough to start ordering as well. I've watched every Black Winter clip I can find on YouTube. I'm going to for sure replace the Dactovators in my ESP AW-7. (The Dactovators are really muddy in that guitar as others have reported.) Also I'm thinking about putting them in my Jackson Pro Rhoads RR3....

 

[Smoked Porter]

^ Putting Black Winters in an AW-7 is one of the best decisions you can make in life.

 

[Blytheryn]

https://soundcloud.com/chris-bollyn/close-air-support-thrash

Here's a song I'm working on, bridge BW's in full afterburner with TSE X50. That's it.

 

[J_Mac]

Really want some of these, hard to find used in the EU though

 

[KailM]

^^That sounds awesome, Blythern. Can't wait to hear that with drums!

 

[lewis]

Really want some of these, hard to find used in the EU though

GAK, stringsdirect,gig gear, merchant city music, are just a few uk companies selling sets. Thomann also sell them from germany

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I've got an old ibanez neck sitting around that I'm strapping a destroyer body to. got a pair of these to go in it

 

[Shask]

Got a Trembucker bridge and neck today. Not sure when I will have time to install them, but at least they are sitting there in the box, lol. Nice looking box in the sea of Duncan pink boxes of my other pickups.

Got them for a maple/alder Kiesel. I am hoping they aren't too bright, and can bring in some chunk/chug.