What humbucker style pickups do you use and why?

[jwojtysiak]

I'm ready to switch my pickups again. Right now I'm using a set of SD Phat Cat p90s. Tell me what you love and why. Please and thank you.

[conky]

I've got a Duncan Distortion in the bridge of every guitar I have. Its nice and chunky but has lots of clarity. Can get a little dirty if I really dig in with my picking hand. I got one cause Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till use them. Good enough for them, good enough for me. Wouldn't mind trying more pickups but I'm happy with these.

[misterstomach]

^^same. And for the same reasons. I've just known and seen so many people over the years who had a great ear and great tone that used them that I was inspired to try it and I'm really happy with them. I'd love to try some of those fancier boutique pickups, but for half the price or less these suit me just fine. Like Conky said, the dynamics are great and I love that mid range bite.

[Barracuda]

I'm liking the newish Seymour Duncan Nazgul / Sentient I just installed. Serious bass output on both pickups, which makes them feel a little loose, unlike a duncan distortion or black winter, but really really good for doomy stuff. I haven't really played around much with adjustments on them to suit my taste, so they can probably be tightened up a bit. Overall pick though would be Black Winter in bridge, Sentient in the neck.

[Ancient Astronaught]

One Seven has an SD distortion for well the exact reasons that Conky / MS provided, and the other seven has the Nazgul / Sentient now like Barracuda has. They both have very very different tones, the Distortion is actually thicker and looser in the low end but with a decided crunch while the Nazgul has just enough low end but it excels in its mids, it cuts through a mix while having the crunch I like. Then the Monson has a Black Winter set, which has even more low end than a distortion but with more present and well EQ'd mids, its absolutely the thickest and sickest pickup I've tried. To recommend one I'd have to know your style and setup plus desired tonal outcome, but as far as picking one of the three I'd have to say Black Winter for more doom / stoner sounds.

[Barracuda]

One Seven has an SD distortion for well the exact reasons that Conky / MS provided, and the other seven has the Nazgul / Sentient now like Barracuda has. They both have very very different tones, the Distortion is actually thicker and looser in the low end but with a decided crunch while the Nazgul has just enough low end but it excels in its mids, it cuts through a mix while having the crunch I like. Then the Monson has a Black Winter set, which has even more low end than a distortion but with more present and well EQ'd mids, its absolutely the thickest and sickest pickup I've tried. To recommend one I'd have to know your style and setup plus desired tonal outcome, but as far as picking one of the three I'd have to say Black Winter for more doom / stoner sounds.

That's funny, I found the Nazgul to be really bassy. I haven't made a side by side comparison of the Nazgul vs distortion though, so you're probably right. At the moment I can only compare it to EMG's, so, uhh, it is better at everything...

[Ancient Astronaught]

Oh it's bassy for sure, much more so than any EMG. But you'd need to experience a Distortion to understand the difference between them. What's funny is the Black Winter has more low end and low mids than either of them... and its in a six string that's a whole step higher in tuning than my 7's!

[jwojtysiak]

I play mostly on the neck pickup for extra low end. Check the link below for samples. My set up varies. Verellen Model V and a Electric Amp MV 120 are what I'm using now.

[Ancient Astronaught]

II have sigs turned off so there's no link to click on.... If you want extra low end almost neck like tones, and judging by your amps I'd suggest the Black Winter. It's DEFINITELY not just a "black metal" pickup. It's a distortion on roids.

[conky]

How does the cleans sound with a Black Winter?

[whiskey_face]

1 les paul is 2 super distortions case im dumb

the other one has a dimebucker (fuck ya to be 16 again) and a phatcat.

blended they actually crush. soooo

[Ancient Astronaught]

How does the cleans sound with a Black Winter?

Same slight breakup if you dig in like the distortion but fuller and meatier. The distortion has this nice high end chime to it, while the black winter is warmer and rounder.

[conky]

How does the cleans sound with a Black Winter?

Same slight breakup if you dig in like the distortion but fuller and meatier. The distortion has this nice high end chime to it, while the black winter is warmer and rounder.

Sounds like one of these might be next on the list. I've been wanting a Parallel Axis for the longest time though, but never see any around. I don't know why with certain things that If I can't find it locally i'll never order them online. I know its so much easier but sometimes I'm just ermhagerdsoo retehrdehrd.

[misterstomach]

You definitely make the black winter sound intriguing. I talked to a dude about them and saw a set when I was at the Seymour Duncan factory last year, but they weren't really released yet. I made a joke about the old school demo tape black metal aesthetic asking if they were specially designed to sound like shit, which wasn't well received. But since then, everything I've heard is that they actually sound really good. I know they're based on the distortion. I still think it's kind of corny and maybe misdirected marketing. But the pickups sound cool. Supposedly I can get good prices on sd stuff cause my bandmate worked there for years and might be able to swing a bit of a deal. If so, it's worth trying. Probably won't take the distortion out of my current guitar, but hopefully soon I'll be picking up another guitar and may try one out.

[Ancient Astronaught]

How does the cleans sound with a Black Winter?

Same slight breakup if you dig in like the distortion but fuller and meatier. The distortion has this nice high end chime to it, while the black winter is warmer and rounder.

Sounds like one of these might be next on the list. I've been wanting a Parallel Axis for the longest time though, but never see any around. I don't know why with certain things that If I can't find it locally i'll never order them online. I know its so much easier but sometimes I'm just ermhagerdsoo retehrdehrd.

What's the parallel axis? haven't heard / of that one before?

You definitely make the black winter sound intriguing. I talked to a dude about them and saw a set when I was at the Seymour Duncan factory last year, but they weren't really released yet. I made a joke about the old school demo tape black metal aesthetic asking if they were specially designed to sound like shit, which wasn't well received. But since then, everything I've heard is that they actually sound really good. I know they're based on the distortion. I still think it's kind of corny and maybe misdirected marketing. But the pickups sound cool. Supposedly I can get good prices on sd stuff cause my bandmate worked there for years and might be able to swing a bit of a deal. If so, it's worth trying. Probably won't take the distortion out of my current guitar, but hopefully soon I'll be picking up another guitar and may try one out.

They're alot better than the description SD gives would lead you to believe. I actually find these to not be very well suited for black metal at all (unless your playing through a really really wimpy sounding amp), as I said before they are the thickest and gnarliest sounding pickups I've tried. IMO they are much better suited for doom and slower styles that still use palm muting and some alternate picking.

I've been thinking of the best way to describe them and I'd have to say its like a distortion without the perceived mid scoop. A distortion isn't really mid scooped but the highs and lows are boosted making you perceive it that way but the Black winter seems like they took the same ideaology and boosted the mids along with it. I wouldn't take a distortion out to replace it with but if you get another guitar I'd definitely recommend it over the Distortion if you have the choice.