Poll: Next gen Duncans

Hey, everyone. Thanks for taking part in the recent Seymour Duncan poll. Well, the results aren't surprising. The Black Winter & Nazgul received a fair bit of fanfare because these two are the most featured pickups (by the manufacturer) in the mean time. Thanks to Keith Merrow, the Nazgul is a proven performer, every bit competent when distortion comes to play. It's a very versatile pickup in this aspect. The Black Winter is a surprise package to say the least. Despite being touted to be mean, this humbucker is giving the Nazgul a run for its worth in terms of versatility- every bit competent in terms of distortion & a little extremity in the mix. In fact, Seymour Duncan is currently pushing it for its versatility & not the dark & doom vibe it was conceived under. In terms of control, the Black Winter can be overbearing if one isn't careful with one's overall tone so that's the 'danger' right there- the possibility of losing control. From personal experience, this is true at higher amp volume.

The Pegasus & Sentient are not to be overlooked in this aspect. The former is the geek member in this bunch; it's not averse to drive but if one needs to draw blood, the Black Winter & Nazgul do it better so it takes a back seat. For prog applications, the Pegasus is ace. Also, if one isn't interested in extras in terms of punch, the Pegasus is recommended. That leaves us with the Sentient. This one, ladies & gentlemen, is the spectre of the '59 & Jazz but moving on in a driven direction. I absolutely love this pickup in the neck, it might just be my next fav humbucker in there. It gives that saturation & transparency of a clean performer but once drive/distortion kicks in, the Sentient holds its own.

There you have it, the next gen Duncans in a nutshell. I'm thankful that these are made available in the 6-string version as they started out as 7-string models (less the Black Winter).

It's the end of August, a turn of the season awaits. The final lap of the year is here. That's how time flies.