Hi all, I've been a lurker around the forums for a while and I finally decided to post in hopes that you fine folk can help me decide on a pickup. So I'm upgrading a fairly cheap guitar and am looking to change the pickups as the Duncan designed ones installed in are not really what I'm looking for. I've narrowed it down to these three: a Nazgul, a Black Winter or an El Diablo. I'm looking for something that can handle distortion with clarity and cleans up nicely. I've read that the Black Winter somewhat fits the criteria but I'd like to get a few more educated experiences with it. I've also read great things on the Nazgul. Has anyone tried an El Diablo and what was your impression? Should I just wait for the Duncan custom shop to release the Alpha/Omega for order? I (try to) play some Periphery, Killswitch Engage, Rammstein among others and this guitar will remain in Drop C for the foreseeable future. All advice/comments (positive or negative) welcome. Thanks in advance!
I have the black winter set in my Ibanez and I think they play a great variety of music along with what you just listed. With distortion they can be clean, tight, and heavy, yet at the same time they clean up quite nicely in my opinion! For reference, my Ibanez is the usual basswood body maple neck RG.
If you like that honky, mid-y Periphery tone, the Nazgul will work for you. The Black Winter has a bit of a flatter frequency from what I've heard, that would be my choice of the three. I can't say I've heard much of the El Diablo, though.
The guitar is an alder body with a mahogany neck. I guess it really comes down to the Nazgul and Black Winter, though I am interested on some feedback on the el diablo.
The Black Winter is an awesome bridge pickup. It sounds particularly good split for cleans. Very woody sounding. And of course it's excellent with gain. It'll do what you want.
Welp, me thinks of goin' with the Nazgul. I'll be paring it up with a 59' in the neck, unless someone would like to make a case of getting a Sentient. Anywho thanks all for suggesting, please feel free to suggest some more pickup choices.