Anybody using the Duncan Nazgul?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rex Rocker
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Rex Rocker

Rex Rocker

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I've got Black Winters in two of my guitars, but I always wondered what the Nazgul was like. Anybody had a chance to compare them? Do you recommend the Nazgul for melodeath?
 
6 string is fine, 7 string is nasally trash, I couldn’t get rid of that pickup fast enough.

It’s a different enough sound to warrant having both, but I like the BWs better for almost every case.
 
Steinmetzify said:
6 string is fine, 7 string is nasally trash, I couldn’t get rid of that pickup fast enough.

It’s a different enough sound to warrant having both, but I like the BWs better for almost every case.
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Interesting. I did have the Nazgul/Sentient in Merrow 7 string. Wasn't a fan of it compared to the blackened winters....Which I have in two of my 6 string guitars.
 
So how do they compare to the Winters? I love the Winters.
 
I have a nazgul in my Yamaha that’s in drop C and a BW in a Ibanez rg that’s in drop B, maybe tomorrow I can tune them the same and do a quick comparison clip
 
Rex Rocker said:
So how do they compare to the Winters? I love the Winters.
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Think of the BWs as a midrange pickup, and the Nazgul as more treble….to me it’s more suited to a lead or rock tone, not necessarily what I’d use for metal.

The BWs are a lot more of a rhythm pup to me, nice percussive attack on the lows.

Nazguls just aren’t really that, although to reiterate, the 6 is a lot better pickup to my ears than the 7, which was a raspy nasally mess.

End of the day I can make almost anything work, it’s more about feel for me and I just don’t like the way the Nazgul felt.
 
The Nazgul is good for Pantera / Fear Factory style playing. Lots of upper mid aggressive pick attack and a good chunky low end. Less lower mids.

The BW is more mid-mids with less bass and less upper treble. Almost like an Invader that has been hi/lo passed.
 
I have a Nazgul in my baritone. It's not as hot as the BWs. I find that it works well with lower tunings and keeping things tight.
 
Interesting. Thank you, guys.

How hot do you guys find the Nazgul is compared to other hot pickups? I'm assuming less hot than the Duncan Distortion? Perhaps JB levels?
 
had one for a bit, didn't care for it. EQ wise it was on the scooped side and i didn't cut through the mix live.
 
I hated the Nazgul so much. The trick for me to make it useable was to barely have the tone pot on. Maybe at 20% max. It just had waaaaay too much high end and not enough midrange bite. For science I put it in my '07 Gibson LPC (darkest sounding guitar I own) and the highs were still overly piercing. Absolute shit pickup to my ears. My apologies to those who adore it.
 
Rex Rocker said:
Interesting. Thank you, guys.

How hot do you guys find the Nazgul is compared to other hot pickups? I'm assuming less hot than the Duncan Distortion? Perhaps JB levels?
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Yeah, I would say a little less hot than a Distortion, and not as compressed feeling.
 
Rex Rocker said:
Kinda like a Dimebucker?
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I never thought the Nazgul was that bright. It does have a lot of upper mids, but not really that scratchy fizzy treble like some pickups have. I hate that sound. Mine is even in an Alder, Bolt-On, Ebony Fretboard guitar.

I think the Duncan Custom is probably brighter.
 
Shask said:
The Nazgul is good for Pantera / Fear Factory style playing. Lots of upper mid aggressive pick attack and a good chunky low end. Less lower mids.

The BW is more mid-mids with less bass and less upper treble. Almost like an Invader that has been hi/lo passed.
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I like Nazgûl fit this reason!
 
Blows my mind seeing guys say what they have about the Nazgul. It’s an upper mid heavy pickup but man I absolutely love it in my Mayones Duvell Gothic. Like more so than any other guitar I own.
Tight punchy low end, upper mid honk but not in a bad way and a present top end but not shrilly or really over the top. It cuts so well in a mix for my hardcore band and seems like I can run it with any amp I have.
 
Not sure if you’ve got experience with any of the other pickups in this vid, but @Guitarjon made a pretty slick comparison video that made me want to grab a Nazgûl for my Solar. I’m already familiar with the Fishmans, so it made it easy to hear how they compare to the Nazgûl.

 
Love the Nazgul 6. Have it in a Thorn with a Floyd. Not as hot sounding as I may think!
 
I really like the BW and the Nazgul but to me the Nazgul is not good for E standard. Had a nasally sound that I didn't experience with BW. I think it's a great pickup but it's application dependent
 
RaceU4her said:
I have a nazgul in my Yamaha that’s in drop C and a BW in a Ibanez rg that’s in drop B, maybe tomorrow I can tune them the same and do a quick comparison clip
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any chance you or others have compared the BW with the Omega from the alpha/omega set?
 
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