SD Nazgul vs. BK Painkiller

[RedB4Black]

Can anyone who's played both these pickups (preferably in the same guitar) give a comparison of how these pick-ups sound in relation to one another.

I just got a new guitar with a Nazgul in it. Not sure if it's my thing or not. I have a painkiller, but it looks like I'd have to drill out the holes for direct mounting if I want to install it in my guitar (mayones duvell) - and I'm not sure I want to do that.

 

[SavageRiffer]

Can anyone who's played both these pickups (preferably in the same guitar) give a comparison of how these pick-ups sound in relation to one another.

I just got a new guitar with a Nazgul in it. Not sure if it's my thing or not. I have a painkiller, but it looks like I'd have to drill out the holes for direct mounting if I want to install it in my guitar (mayones duvell) - and I'm not sure I want to do that.

Rather than drilling on the pickup, cut out a couple of little square metal plates with a wire cutter or maybe a thin block of wood, screw them into the direct mounting holes, then screw the pickup in. If your pickup has long legs, it may only work with something thin like a metal sheet. I've done this with an Ibanez before that had some WCR pickups that I didn't want to modify.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I had a 7string Nazgul. Very clear & tight, but seemed to have too much djent-quack in the mids. To be fair, it sounded way better on playback recordings, but in real time I didn't dig it. I never had a Painkiller, but I had Aftermath, Jugg, BHawk, Mmans- all way better IMO.
Also note that I hear 6 string Nazgul is way better somehow (?)
Fair well on the pickup search!

 

[mchn13]

I had a painkiller in my charvel at one time, and later a black winter. Those two were pretty similar imo, with the PK being more high mids, and the bw more mid centric, and not as much sizzle, but close. I ended up keeping a Pegasus in the charvel, as it was already such a mids-prominent guitar. I have a nazgul 6 coming in today to try in my dinky. Maybe I can test it by Monday.

 

[Ventura]

I use the PKs (cailbrated set) on my ESP Horizon NT-II

They flat out SLAY. Mega crunchy and thick and big. Aggressive and not compressed. I really love this pups for when things need to get PISSED! sounding. No problems there. They will deliver

 

[MetalHeadMike]

^^^
What he said x1000

Never played the Nazgul, but after pup swapping for an extended period it all stopped with the Painkiller. Black Winters rock though too!

 

[maddnotez]

I had a 7string Nazgul. Very clear & tight, but seemed to have too much djent-quack in the mids. To be fair, it sounded way better on playback recordings, but in real time I didn't dig it. I never had a Painkiller, but I had Aftermath, Jugg, BHawk, Mmans- all way better IMO.
Also note that I hear 6 string Nazgul is way better somehow (?)
Fair well on the pickup search!

This is also my opinion/Experience with the Nazgul. TBH I couldn’t stand it.

I’ve never played a PK but I have the MM. I’d pick the MM but they were in different guitars.i know that isn’t any help but I’d never mod any decent guitar again for a pickup. Been there and never again.

 

[cecilbag]

I’ve had the painkiller and nazgul in the same guitar. I couldn’t stand the painkiller at all. In fairness, I don’t know which set I had but it was a calibrated set (alnico vs ceramic). I liked the neck but couldn’t stand the bridge. I much preferred the othe bkp’s ive tried. Holy diver, miracle man and aftermath over the painkiller. The nazgul has this strange mid I don’t care for (longtime distortion user) so I will swap that for a mcp solution and see if that is an improvement.

 

[the4thlast1]

The Painkiller is ok, the Nazgul is ok...They both have there weakness .... Personally I would go with a BK Impulse in that guitar ..I tried several pickups in a Mayones Duvell and the Impulse was so crushing and balanced in it. The Nazgul is a bit dark in that guitar and has weird mids , out of the two I would probably like the PK more but its been a while since I have owned a Painkiller there are several BK models I like more. The bridge Painkiller has an oldschool crunchiness in the mids and kind of a dry tone, boring lead sound and although it can be very tight it also can be a little bloated on the lows depending what guitar.

 

[RedB4Black]

I changed strings on the Duvell to a narrower gauge (10s) and I'm liking the Nazgul more. I generally don't play below drop C so I don't like to get too heavy on the strings as I like the tone I get from real heavy strings. Kind of deadens things.

I still may give the painkiller a try, but now I'm thinking something with an Alnico magnet might be better with the mids. I wonder how an Aldrich or Alnico Nailbomb would do in this guitar.

 

[the4thlast1]

I changed strings on the Duvell to a narrower gauge (10s) and I'm liking the Nazgul more. I generally don't play below drop C so I don't like to get too heavy on the strings as I like the tone I get from real heavy strings. Kind of deadens things.

I still may give the painkiller a try, but now I'm thinking something with an Alnico magnet might be better with the mids. I wonder how an Aldrich or Alnico Nailbomb would do in this guitar.

Alnico Nailbomb isnt very tight on the lows, I love the ceramic version in the right guitar. Alnico version I tried in several guitars and only sounded great in one. What Bare Knuckles have you owned so far ? If you tried the Duvell I had put the Impulse in you def would have liked it. When I fist got the Duvel it had the Nazgul in it and I thought it sounded good but the clarity BK pickups have is a step above any Duncan I have tried. Some people prefer the wet type of vibe Duncans can have a more saturated and forgiving thing going on. I like the clarity and openness of BKs. The Duvell I had was naturally a great sounding guitar so it didnt sound bad with any picup I tried its just that certain ones were a better match.

 

[RedB4Black]

I changed strings on the Duvell to a narrower gauge (10s) and I'm liking the Nazgul more. I generally don't play below drop C so I don't like to get too heavy on the strings as I like the tone I get from real heavy strings. Kind of deadens things.

I still may give the painkiller a try, but now I'm thinking something with an Alnico magnet might be better with the mids. I wonder how an Aldrich or Alnico Nailbomb would do in this guitar.

Alnico Nailbomb isnt very tight on the lows, I love the ceramic version in the right guitar. Alnico version I tried in several guitars and only sounded great in one. What Bare Knuckles have you owned so far ? If you tried the Duvell I had put the Impulse in you def would have liked it. When I fist got the Duvel it had the Nazgul in it and I thought it sounded good but the clarity BK pickups have is a step above any Duncan I have tried. Some people prefer the wet type of vibe Duncans can have a more saturated and forgiving thing going on. I like the clarity and openness of BKs. The Duvell I had was naturally a great sounding guitar so it didnt sound bad with any picup I tried its just that certain ones were a better match.

I had the Alnico Nailbomb in a LP. Also had cold sweats and the painkiller in a LP but I just swapped it for a Blackdog. I think the only other BK I've tried (that I know of) is an Aftermath. It looks like my Painkiller is long legs so now I'm not sure it will even fit in the Duvell. If that's the case, then I'm starting from scratch and open to other pickups. I'll look into that Impulse - don't know much about it. As far as the A-bomb not being tight enough, I think it'll get there with a boost, plus my amps are pretty tight as it is. My R8 with PAFs can get nice tight metal tones out of my amps...even without the boost.

 

[the4thlast1]

I changed strings on the Duvell to a narrower gauge (10s) and I'm liking the Nazgul more. I generally don't play below drop C so I don't like to get too heavy on the strings as I like the tone I get from real heavy strings. Kind of deadens things.

I still may give the painkiller a try, but now I'm thinking something with an Alnico magnet might be better with the mids. I wonder how an Aldrich or Alnico Nailbomb would do in this guitar.

Alnico Nailbomb isnt very tight on the lows, I love the ceramic version in the right guitar. Alnico version I tried in several guitars and only sounded great in one. What Bare Knuckles have you owned so far ? If you tried the Duvell I had put the Impulse in you def would have liked it. When I fist got the Duvel it had the Nazgul in it and I thought it sounded good but the clarity BK pickups have is a step above any Duncan I have tried. Some people prefer the wet type of vibe Duncans can have a more saturated and forgiving thing going on. I like the clarity and openness of BKs. The Duvell I had was naturally a great sounding guitar so it didnt sound bad with any picup I tried its just that certain ones were a better match.

I had the Alnico Nailbomb in a LP. Also had cold sweats and the painkiller in a LP but I just swapped it for a Blackdog. I think the only other BK I've tried (that I know of) is an Aftermath. It looks like my Painkiller is long legs so now I'm not sure it will even fit in the Duvell. If that's the case, then I'm starting from scratch and open to other pickups. I'll look into that Impulse - don't know much about it. As far as the A-bomb not being tight enough, I think it'll get there with a boost, plus my amps are pretty tight as it is. My R8 with PAFs can get nice tight metal tones out of my amps...even without the boost.

Cool , yeah check out the Impulse it's a beast . I like the alnico nailbomb too , just prefer the ceramic version more , its a little clearer, tighter and smoother . So yeah kinda depends on how the guitar naturally sounds what the best match would be . The new ragnarok pickup is good also, I just got one in and I'm impressed so far.

 

[mchn13]

I got the nazgul in my dinky yesterday, and really digging it. Has a mean mid grind, and the lows are tight, even in drop a sharp. I really like the modern Duncan's. Just depends on what coloration sounds good with that guitar.

 

[stratjacket]

I love the PK in a mahogany or otherwise darker sounding guitar, one of my favorite pickups. I also have a set in a Blackat 7 string with Swamp Ash body, but I think the words “drill” and “mayones” does not mix at all. I wouldn’t make the change if there was no way to do it without putting holes in it.

 

[Vede]

I haven’t tried a Painkiller, but do have two Duvells with Nazguls. I play hard rock and old-school metal, typically in standard tuning, occasionally in drop D.

I personally like that pickup in those two guitars. I do EQ my amps a little differently when I play them vs. some of my other guitars, but I like that they’re different.

When I was younger I had a sound in mind that I tried to get all of my guitars to sound like. Now that I’m older, and I have a lot of guitars, I tend to appreciate their differences, and only swap pickups if I really dislike the sound or feel of what’s already in there.

Just my $0.02 as someone with the same guitar.