This video will never die. The riff selected is absolute perfection: catchy, not too long so easier to compare, yet utilizes the WHOLE spectrum of the fretboard; palm mutes, power chords, single note lines. *Chef’s kiss* 👨🍳 👌
@@turaly0n That made me think.. There's no Emg comparison here. For a comparison this big, you really need the most standard pickup that exists in order to have any benchmark. Without a benchmark, I really can't decide at all.
I'm glad there are people like Keith. Such an awesome guy.I instantly felt like I have a lot in common with him: guy is amazing guitarist, writes guitar-focused music and is gear freak. :D
The Nazgul and black winter really sounded the best to me. I already have a custom shop nazgul, but I'd really like to try a black winter. Edit: wrote this years ago and have since owned several black winters. Fantastic pickup.
If Nazgul sounds too clarity in you guitar, use black winter. One man's clarity is another's ice pick and vice-versa. Both sound great here, but different frequencies are emphasized. The thing is.. I've gotten almost as much variation from the Same pickup. I had a guitar with a JB... And I switched it out with a different JB, just because I wanted the Zebra look... And... The guitar didn't sound the same anymore. Sadness ensued.
It's probably super boring to non-guitarists, but the Nazgul gave me a little bit of chills when it was riffing hard, so it wins the competition for me. I heard good things, but never bothered to really look up videos of it in action and now want one in my drop tuning guitar.
The Nazgul sounds great. I also really dig the alternative 8 it's somethign rather unique. But something about the Nazgul just makes me wanna take the hobits to isengard man.
I already have the Nazgul /Sentient set in my 7 string, but came to this video to shop for pickups for a new guitar kit that I’m putting together. I still like the Nazgul best out of all of them.
I used to have a different opinion about this video and the Nazgul, but after listening again today, I have to agree that it does have a clarity that the others didn't have. I don't think it sounds nearly as full as some of the others, but I think it sits in the mix better than most or all of the others.
this video is 7 years old at this point. STILL my go-to Duncan comparison video the amount of Duncans this has made me put in my guitars, without any regrets whatsoever, is borderline comical great job my dude
Based on this video, I opted for the SH-5 Custom / SH-1n '59 combo. It sounded okay, but I eventually replaced them with a set of Oripure pups, and the Oripures outshined the SD's IMHO. The Oripures are hot as fire, especially when tuned down.
This has to be one of the best demos out there. Great tone and playing. Awesome film. The 2 customs sounded good to my ears and the Dave Mustaine Live Wire and Pegasus are a full blast.
Man, the way this video is set up with the table o contents is tight. I just clicked thru so many pick ups and could actually hear the difference. I'm in buy mode so this is perfect timing. Thanks bruh
Fantastic, fantastic video! For djent / dark metal enthusiasts, I like these in this order: 1. SH-5 Custom 2. SH-6 Distortion 3. Black Winter 4. Omega 5. Dave Mustaine Livewire These will allow cutting mids and still getting brightest, cleanest notes, ssns tuning down without the mud.
I'm looking to get a '30 baritone and switch out the SH-4 in my ESP Tele. And all I can say is that the SH-5 is looking better and better with each and every video I find. It's got that punch and clarity in the mid range that really works for chords and distortion, while also retaining some bottom end that's essentially missing from most these pickups, either due to pre/post EQ.
IMO Nazgul suited best for this particular setup. It's clear, articulate and doesn't have any of the muddiness or overwhelming treble which other pickups do share with this guitar.
EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION! Especially the last couple of minutes to surmise what you had done. Pickup companies should employ you for demonstrations that don't compare 2 pickups only! Job well done! Only suggestion I'd add is to add some "shred leads" for those of us that are "stuck behind the times." Otherwise...kickass job!
wow this was a lot of hard work! I appreciate the effort and sound quality. Thank you! I can clearly hear these pickups. I like the sound of the SH15, nazgul, pegasus, mustaine, and surprisingly the black winters sounded pretty good.
OK, this has got to be the absolute standard of how to do pickup comparisons... I'd always avoided this vid because of the 'metal' in the name, but I'm glad I finally got to it. The JB and Customs hold their own, but how about those Livewires! I'm glad I went with a Dimebucker in an Ibanez RBM1, crisp on the high gain but still does a smooth overdrive. Brilliant video! Done some for cleans and low gain settings yet? Will check...
I Loathe inconsistent pickup comparison videos. There's no need to try and be flashy. Just do one riff that last longer than 2 seconds and play it over and over with no talking. Let the pickups do the talking.
I put the Black Winters in my Hagstrom Ultra Swede last year and am nothing but impressed! They also sound great clean and with coils split too. I was surprised at the warmth au natural, but the definition and articulation with high gain is stupendous!
My first guitar was a B. C. Rich Mockingbird with an Invader in the bridge, and it's still one of my favorite sounding pickups today, the loud low-end beefiness, I find, is perfect for those low palm mute tones
I love how over the years my favorite pick ups are now hella into my favorite metal genres I've always loved Seymour duncans tone and how it sounds in technical death metal and black metal genres its so unique sounding
Thanks for that. Alternative 8 and the Dave Mustaine Livewire absolutely rock. I NEED to try both. The other ones are pretty good to. I have to note that the JB and Custom still are some of the best...
Nazgul really stand out, the king of these kind riff for sure, then Black winter and Mustaine are very close. All awesome PU and good mix, but I also pick 3 that not cup of my tea which is Invader/JB/Blackout. Love this kind of comparison, very impressive.
Black Winters for me. I took Seymour Duncan's advice and boy were they right !! I have them in my Les Paul and they made a world of difference. I really like how even they are EQd.
andermarg Yeah!! Black Winters!! Best pickups ever made. Especially for metal, but they are also very clean and perfect EQ 666, just what you said. Amazing.
hands down one of the best pick up comparison vids every! keep it the same consistency of rhythm throughout , you can actually really hear the differences recorded well if your in the market for some seymour dunc pick ups this is your vid
Thanks to this video I bought Black Winter over Invader which I wanted in a first place. I regret nothing. Thank you for this video its been really helpful, especially the part with only the guitar.
The EMTY Blackout I did not even know exist is surprisingly dark and defined; damn it they are all really good pickups... I got the Livewire last year and don't regret it, they are so versatile, the best compromise between active and passive if you don't want to get stuck in a particular genre or era. If you want to play modern metal, drop C tuning will deliver just that. Great comparison.
I'm banging my brains out over the "Nazgul" and/or the "Black Winter". This may sound like an oxymoron, but talk about "clean distortion" and beautiful articulate note separation. These two PUPS got my name on them. Beautiful video! - Mozez
When i compare now after long time repeat each other Nazgul is more open clear yet still massive, black winter is more misty but with more low end, thats what i hear in this compare.
In this comparison, my top 3 are The Distortion, the Nazgul, and The Black Winter. Distortion (which I use anyway) is a good balance between Nazgul, and Black Winter. I like a bright top end pickup. The Nazgul is almost TOO bright, with that Djent twang. The Black Winter is nice and balanced as well, but is a little mid-forward for my taste.
@will Roland Weakness? Muddy basses and not very clear tone. I love its character but it is not really a metal pick up (unless it is modified), for speed metal it is quite useless.
@@kkarx Tell that to Dave Mustaine who used the JB throughout much of his career and was a pioneer of early speed metal, lol. It will sound different from guitar to guitar. Respect your opinion though.
@@vicrattlehead8858 That is possible. As I wrote above modified JBs can be used for speed metal so I bet he used modifed JB. It is basically a custom made pickup based on JB, far from the stock JB. All these JBs used for metal are modified to have clearer tone. Then they are great even for speed metal.
@@kkarx Yeah he probably did considering this is directly through SD, Dave actually has his special thrash factor JB which is based off his modded JB at the time. I imagine he also dialed in the EQ on the amp as well. Still a good pickup but yeah I have heard the stock JB and its nowhere near the same sound. I was just saying that if used properly, they do make good metal pickups.
@@vicrattlehead8858 Yes, modified they are the best pickups ever made. Unfortunately EQ alone can't really make the sound clearer, it can make it only sharper so if you have a muddy pick-up EQ won't really help in this. It was confusing to me to understand all the differences for a long time. You know how everything works together. You've got guitar, pick-ups, amp, eq..... just to know what does what and how it affects the sound.
Thanks to this video and to much dismay of my wife, i am now a proud player of the nagul/sentient, pegasus/sentient, & alpha/omega set. Love all these pups.
This is one of the best if not the best pickup comparison. The SH-10 pickups were the first Seymour Duncan pickups I ever played. They are amazing. The Nazgul and Pegasus sound awesome here.
I have heard that the nazgul lacks clarity from a lot of people, but I think it’s one of the clearest sounding pick ups in this demo. It and the Pegasus sound the best here.
The Blackout and Nazgul sound amazing. I've got a set of Blackouts in my Agile 727. I'm definitely going to have to get the Nazgul and Sentient set for my Ibanez RG8. Thanks for the comparison. \m/
Wish I had of seen this yesterday before buying a new set of pickups that way I could be even more confident picking the Black Winters was the right choice :D
This is so much to sit through and audibly compare. It's a Little intimidating.. With that being said, this is by far the best pick up comparison video I've seen. This really helped a lot.
Awesome Playing and Awesome Comparison. I have the Distortion,Nazgul and Pegasus. They are also my favorite in that Order as well. In all honesty couldn’t go wrong with any of them as long as there Seymour Duncan!
SUCH a well made video. It gives you the best comparison. I cant be doing with videos where the guitarist is just fucking shredding for hours on end! You don't hear an accurate side-by-side difference that way. Great job guys, well done! 😃👍
forgot to update this, it sounds RIDICULOUSLY GOOD, it's unreal. something about the twang it has with lower notes when hit with high attack. i loved all 3 years of playing it and i can't see myself playing any other pickup anytime soon
Still the best SD compare vid on the net! Thanks for your meticulous work here. The Dimebuckers - articulate and sizzling. Pegasus - Chunk without the BOOM.
Palm Muting sections :
Full Shred 0:35
Distortion 1:32
Alternative 8 2:29
Nazgul 3:26
Invader 4:22
Omega 5:19
Pegasus 6:16
JB 7:12
Custom 8:09
Custom 5 9:06
EMTY 10:03
Blackout 11:00
Mustaine 11:56
DImebucker 12:53
Black Winter 13:49
Thank you for this. The palm muting section is what I kept forwarding to so that I could break this tie.
Bruh I was about to do this for personal reasons! Thanks a ton.
@@mohitrahaman could be useful ;)
Nazgul 🥇 Black Winter 🥈 Blackout 🥉
That Dimebucker has some quality to the bass frequencies that the others don't. It sounds crushing in an almost fuzzy way, but without being muddy!
27 years later and this is still the best pickup comparison video we’ve ever seen.
I'm here from 2224, and can tell you 200 years in the future its still the best pickup comparison video we've ever seen.
5 years later and this is still one of the best pickup demos ive ever seen
If they would only make one for clean aswell and the neck pu's 😕
Yup. I think Keith put this video up on his channel even earlier 👍🏻
I still come back to these videos haha still didn't buy any, broke ass nigga :/
I watch it from time to time
Make it 7 years later... 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
This video will never die. The riff selected is absolute perfection: catchy, not too long so easier to compare, yet utilizes the WHOLE spectrum of the fretboard; palm mutes, power chords, single note lines. *Chef’s kiss* 👨🍳 👌
i cant even imagine how long it took to make this video, but i greatly appreciate it
Thanks for noticing!
You can't upgrade from EMG. You can only change tone.
@@turaly0n That made me think.. There's no Emg comparison here. For a comparison this big, you really need the most standard pickup that exists in order to have any benchmark. Without a benchmark, I really can't decide at all.
Keith should get paid 💯 every time he changes out sets.
@@AD1978leo they don’t come back to read further comments. He hasn’t got much time left on planet earth.
Now 8 years later and still the best pickup demo ever made. Let's keep it going 🤘
Time Traveler from the future here, and I'd just like to confirm that it's 3024 and this is still the best pickup comparison video we've ever seen.
who wins in the 2024 election
@@evanl.3689collectivism.
@@evanl.3689Trump
@@evanl.3689 trump 😢
7 years and this is one of the best pickups demo ever!
Good ol' Keith Merrow. I really appreciate that he does these things. Dude is such an awesome resource for gear-heads.
Well he does get paid for this
***** And? I know he works for SD, but that doesn't change my sentiment any. I still appreciate the fact that we get these videos.
+flips220 Absolutely dude, there are plenty of great endorsed artists out there, that don't take the time to educate us, paid or not.
I'm glad there are people like Keith. Such an awesome guy.I instantly felt like I have a lot in common with him: guy is amazing guitarist, writes guitar-focused music and is gear freak. :D
@@XxHarounXx so people better not get paid for what he did?
I assume and hope you have no job dude
Best part about this video, after the brilliant showcase of pickup tones... is listening to these SICK riffs on repeat for 17 minutes
Wow the Sh-5 is so clear! Love that one!
Sooooo basically if you can play it won't matter which Seymour Duncan metal pickup you use. You will sound bad ass.
Seriously...you nailed that.
Yeah, they all sound good and couldn't decide...I went with invaders in my 7 string and WOW!
I got Duncan solars from ebay for £60 , they play nice I like them . They are basically SSH-14 , custom 5
@@akaalgaming9537 Duncan solars are essentially Duncan designed. Came in my solar and really didn't like them at all.
As long as you can play as good as Keith merrow, which is unlikely for 99% of us lol
The Nazgul and black winter really sounded the best to me. I already have a custom shop nazgul, but I'd really like to try a black winter.
Edit: wrote this years ago and have since owned several black winters. Fantastic pickup.
More defined Bass string less muddy?? Those were my pick too
That Black Winter sounds gooooood!
If Nazgul sounds too clarity in you guitar, use black winter. One man's clarity is another's ice pick and vice-versa. Both sound great here, but different frequencies are emphasized.
The thing is.. I've gotten almost as much variation from the Same pickup.
I had a guitar with a JB... And I switched it out with a different JB, just because I wanted the Zebra look... And... The guitar didn't sound the same anymore.
Sadness ensued.
Nazgul and Custom sounded almost identical to me. Anyone else? M pick too.
It's probably super boring to non-guitarists, but the Nazgul gave me a little bit of chills when it was riffing hard, so it wins the competition for me. I heard good things, but never bothered to really look up videos of it in action and now want one in my drop tuning guitar.
The Nazgul sounded so clear. i like that the most.
The Nazgul sounds great. I also really dig the alternative 8 it's somethign rather unique. But something about the Nazgul just makes me wanna take the hobits to isengard man.
was thinking this too! so transparent and clear but still bites like a cobra!
I already have the Nazgul /Sentient set in my 7 string, but came to this video to shop for pickups for a new guitar kit that I’m putting together. I still like the Nazgul best out of all of them.
@@Rouwiinator haha yes!
I used to have a different opinion about this video and the Nazgul, but after listening again today, I have to agree that it does have a clarity that the others didn't have. I don't think it sounds nearly as full as some of the others, but I think it sits in the mix better than most or all of the others.
this video is 7 years old at this point. STILL my go-to Duncan comparison video
the amount of Duncans this has made me put in my guitars, without any regrets whatsoever, is borderline comical
great job my dude
Are we just going to ignore how talented this man is? Not only play this once, but many times with relative consistency. I tip my hat to you!
YEEaaahh made me realize I have a long way to go despite playing for over 20 years.
Damn! That Black Winter absolutely slays!!!
I cant get over how perfect that Nazgul is. The perfect pickup, the way a guitar is supposed to sound.
This is the best pickup comparison video I've ever seen. Of course, when you can play like Keith, you can make just about anything sound great...
I vote for sh-5 custom
@Marius he's just saying HE thinks the SH5 sounds the best to him. I agree with him too. Don't be a dickhead.
Russians have interfered with voting! Stop the votes!
Sounds a little bit hollow?
Based on this video, I opted for the SH-5 Custom / SH-1n '59 combo. It sounded okay, but I eventually replaced them with a set of Oripure pups, and the Oripures outshined the SD's IMHO. The Oripures are hot as fire, especially when tuned down.
I agree with ya bout the SH 5 aswell, just bought one for my Jackson 7 string!
Fantastic consistency and picking accuracy. Inspiring stuff. The Nazgul sounds fantastic!
This has to be one of the best demos out there. Great tone and playing. Awesome film. The 2 customs sounded good to my ears and the Dave Mustaine Live Wire and Pegasus are a full blast.
Now this is how you demonstrate the difference between Seymour Duncan pickups. Thank You.
That Nazgul and Omega sound really similar! Which both sound fantastic!
I feel the same and the Distortion and Pegasus seem similar too me also.
My 2 favs also
Nazgul omega and the EMTY Blackout are my favs
Omega sounds more organic to me
Full Shred 14:23
Distortion 14:34
Alternative 8 14:44
Nazgul 14:55
Invader 15:06
Omega 15:17
Pegasus 15:28
JB 15:39
Custom 15:50
Custom 5 16:01
EMTY- 16:12
Blackout 16:23
Dave Mustaine Livewire 16:33
Dimebucker 16:44
Black Winter 16:55
Man, the way this video is set up with the table o contents is tight. I just clicked thru so many pick ups and could actually hear the difference. I'm in buy mode so this is perfect timing. Thanks bruh
Fantastic, fantastic video! For djent / dark metal enthusiasts, I like these in this order:
1. SH-5 Custom
2. SH-6 Distortion
3. Black Winter
4. Omega
5. Dave Mustaine Livewire
These will allow cutting mids and still getting brightest, cleanest notes, ssns tuning down without the mud.
I'm looking to get a '30 baritone and switch out the SH-4 in my ESP Tele. And all I can say is that the SH-5 is looking better and better with each and every video I find.
It's got that punch and clarity in the mid range that really works for chords and distortion, while also retaining some bottom end that's essentially missing from most these pickups, either due to pre/post EQ.
IMO Nazgul suited best for this particular setup. It's clear, articulate and doesn't have any of the muddiness or overwhelming treble which other pickups do share with this guitar.
Damn the Nazgul is amazing. Love that jangly high gain sound. Lots of personality there.
EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION! Especially the last couple of minutes to surmise what you had done. Pickup companies should employ you for demonstrations that don't compare 2 pickups only! Job well done! Only suggestion I'd add is to add some "shred leads" for those of us that are "stuck behind the times." Otherwise...kickass job!
wow this was a lot of hard work! I appreciate the effort and sound quality. Thank you! I can clearly hear these pickups. I like the sound of the SH15, nazgul, pegasus, mustaine, and surprisingly the black winters sounded pretty good.
I love the Pegasus
same here, it's got that melodic death metal sound
@@pizzasaurolophus with that comment you hit me into heart just to buy them \m/ MDM
It is a fuzzfest :P
OK, this has got to be the absolute standard of how to do pickup comparisons... I'd always avoided this vid because of the 'metal' in the name, but I'm glad I finally got to it.
The JB and Customs hold their own, but how about those Livewires! I'm glad I went with a Dimebucker in an Ibanez RBM1, crisp on the high gain but still does a smooth overdrive.
Brilliant video! Done some for cleans and low gain settings yet? Will check...
I Loathe inconsistent pickup comparison videos. There's no need to try and be flashy. Just do one riff that last longer than 2 seconds and play it over and over with no talking. Let the pickups do the talking.
I put the Black Winters in my Hagstrom Ultra Swede last year and am nothing but impressed! They also sound great clean and with coils split too. I was surprised at the warmth au natural, but the definition and articulation with high gain is stupendous!
These riffs never get old
whats the name of the song? is it original?
@@georgeluminari2511 Keith Merrow - Pillars of Re-creation
@@nickolaynaydenov3292 merci pour la reference ,je desesperais de trouvé
My first guitar was a B. C. Rich Mockingbird with an Invader in the bridge, and it's still one of my favorite sounding pickups today, the loud low-end beefiness, I find, is perfect for those low palm mute tones
I love how over the years my favorite pick ups are now hella into my favorite metal genres I've always loved Seymour duncans tone and how it sounds in technical death metal and black metal genres its so unique sounding
That's consistent playing
Very consistent, yet I felt playing technique differed slightly as he adjusted to emphasize the best attributes of each pickup.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. I ordered the dimebucker.
Ty for putting a video on there with all the different metal pickups
7 years in... still the demo i needed to select the best pickup for me. outstanding demo~!
Every single pickup video I've seen confirms that the black winter is the best pickup ever made
Thanks for that.
Alternative 8 and the Dave Mustaine Livewire absolutely rock.
I NEED to try both.
The other ones are pretty good to.
I have to note that the JB and Custom still are some of the best...
Nazgul really stand out, the king of these kind riff for sure, then Black winter and Mustaine are very close.
All awesome PU and good mix, but I also pick 3 that not cup of my tea which is Invader/JB/Blackout.
Love this kind of comparison, very impressive.
great demo...the nazgul, custom and the blackouts jumped out at me in the mix and soloed.
Custom SH-5
I love the riff in this I want to learn it! :D
Keith Merrow - Pillars of Creation
Black Winter, Distortion, JB, Customer... thats my top 4....
hell of a video
This is the ULTIMATE pickup comparison EVER done!
Black Winters for me. I took Seymour Duncan's advice and boy were they right !! I have them in my Les Paul and they made a world of difference. I really like how even they are EQd.
andermarg Yeah!! Black Winters!! Best pickups ever made. Especially for metal, but they are also very clean and perfect EQ 666, just what you said. Amazing.
This is best pickup demo I've ever seen.
hands down one of the best pick up comparison vids every! keep it the same consistency of rhythm throughout , you can actually really hear the differences recorded well if your in the market for some seymour dunc pick ups this is your vid
Thanks to this video I bought Black Winter over Invader which I wanted in a first place. I regret nothing. Thank you for this video its been really helpful, especially the part with only the guitar.
Those EMTY Blackouts are hands down my favorite active pickups
The nazgul is sick!!
Same! For a high output pickup, it isn't muddy, has detailed high end, and has a tight bass response. Definitely on my wishlist.
2 best are Nazgul 14:56 and Custom SH-5 15:50
SH-5 is a bit more compressed
DamageIncM Bass junkie
DamageIncM go grab a bass guitar.
one of the best pickups test, i love to see & hear the tone again and again
I love how tight the Full Shred sounds but the floppy low end on the Omega is pretty awesome too
The EMTY Blackout I did not even know exist is surprisingly dark and defined; damn it they are all really good pickups... I got the Livewire last year and don't regret it, they are so versatile, the best compromise between active and passive if you don't want to get stuck in a particular genre or era. If you want to play modern metal, drop C tuning will deliver just that. Great comparison.
I'm banging my brains out over the "Nazgul" and/or the "Black Winter". This may sound like an oxymoron, but talk about "clean distortion" and beautiful articulate note separation. These two PUPS got my name on them.
Beautiful video!
- Mozez
Amazing how the JB stands out among it's brothers. What a fantastic and versatile pickup it is. I identified just by hear.
gotta be the best pickup comparison vid i've ever seen. Thank you!
SH-6 and Omega win for me in this video. As others say, you can never go wrong with good ol’ JBs. Great video!
Nazgul vs Black Winter 14:55 vs 16:55
Nazgul sound better to me whats your opinion?
@@Storm-cu4vo Nazgul does sound good; but I'm a little more impressed with the Black Winter.
Hard to tell. They're both different yet impressive.
When i compare now after long time repeat each other Nazgul is more open clear yet still massive, black winter is more misty but with more low end, thats what i hear in this compare.
In this comparison, my top 3 are The Distortion, the Nazgul, and The Black Winter. Distortion (which I use anyway) is a good balance between Nazgul, and Black Winter. I like a bright top end pickup. The Nazgul is almost TOO bright, with that Djent twang. The Black Winter is nice and balanced as well, but is a little mid-forward for my taste.
This is the best comparison so I watched so far. I bought my Nazgul because of this video!
We hope you love it!
The SH-15 alternative 8 had a really cool sound to it. Not my favorite but definitely stood out.
Came for the pickup comparison. Stayed for the brutal riffing. Amazing playing and comparison.
my favorite will always be the trusty ol Seymour Duncan JB...can't go wrong with a JB
@will Roland Weakness? Muddy basses and not very clear tone. I love its character but it is not really a metal pick up (unless it is modified), for speed metal it is quite useless.
@@kkarx Tell that to Dave Mustaine who used the JB throughout much of his career and was a pioneer of early speed metal, lol. It will sound different from guitar to guitar. Respect your opinion though.
@@vicrattlehead8858 That is possible. As I wrote above modified JBs can be used for speed metal so I bet he used modifed JB. It is basically a custom made pickup based on JB, far from the stock JB. All these JBs used for metal are modified to have clearer tone. Then they are great even for speed metal.
@@kkarx Yeah he probably did considering this is directly through SD, Dave actually has his special thrash factor JB which is based off his modded JB at the time. I imagine he also dialed in the EQ on the amp as well. Still a good pickup but yeah I have heard the stock JB and its nowhere near the same sound. I was just saying that if used properly, they do make good metal pickups.
@@vicrattlehead8858 Yes, modified they are the best pickups ever made. Unfortunately EQ alone can't really make the sound clearer, it can make it only sharper so if you have a muddy pick-up EQ won't really help in this. It was confusing to me to understand all the differences for a long time. You know how everything works together. You've got guitar, pick-ups, amp, eq..... just to know what does what and how it affects the sound.
Thanks to this video and to much dismay of my wife, i am now a proud player of the nagul/sentient, pegasus/sentient, & alpha/omega set. Love all these pups.
This is one of the best if not the best pickup comparison.
The SH-10 pickups were the first Seymour Duncan pickups I ever played. They are amazing.
The Nazgul and Pegasus sound awesome here.
I have heard that the nazgul lacks clarity from a lot of people, but I think it’s one of the clearest sounding pick ups in this demo. It and the Pegasus sound the best here.
Tight playing
Very tight,
Full shred SH10 sounds fantastic
Agree with commenters, most immaculate pickup comparison on UA-cam
In addition to finding the one ring, the nazgul really finds that tone omg so good
The Blackout and Nazgul sound amazing. I've got a set of Blackouts in my Agile 727.
I'm definitely going to have to get the Nazgul and Sentient set for my Ibanez RG8.
Thanks for the comparison. \m/
I want a Bareknuckle, DiMarzio, and Fluence/EMG version of this SOOOO bad. By far the best pickup shootout on the internet.
2024 and still the most amazing video 👌
[Long Demos]
0:10 SH-10 Full Shred
1:08 SH-6 Distortion
2:04 SH-15 Alternative 8
3:01 Nazgûl
3:58 SH-8 Invader
4:54 Omega
5:51 Pegasus
6:48 SH-4 JB
7:45 SH-5 Custom
8:41 SH-14 Custom 5
9:38 EMTY Blackout
10:35 AHB-1 Blackout
11:31 Dave Mustaine Livewire
12:28 SH-13 Dimebucker
13:25 Black Winter
[Short Demos]
14:22 SH-10 Full Shred
14:33 SH-6 Distortion
14:44 SH-15 Alternative 8
14:55 Nazgûl
15:06 SH-8 Invader
15:17 Omega
15:28 Pegasus
15:39 SH-4 JB
15:50 SH-5 Custom
16:00 SH-14 Custom 5
16:11 EMTY Blackout
16:22 AHB-1 Blackout
16:33 Dave Mustaine Livewire
16:44 SH-13 Dimebucker
16:55 Black Winter
Thanks so much for doing this. Should be pinned.
Thanks for doing the time stamp you are the best. Thanks again
Here in 2022 and I still home back to this. It would be cool to get an updated version along with a neck pickup shoot out.
Wish I had of seen this yesterday before buying a new set of pickups
that way I could be even more confident picking the Black Winters was the right choice :D
I forgot I was watching pickups demo. Just enjoying your playing :0
This reaffirms what i guessed: i need to save for a nazgul and omega. Massive sounding.
87 years later and this is still the best pickup comparison video ever made
The distortion sounds more open to me, i love that
That Custom five has the best growl of all!
This is so much to sit through and audibly compare. It's a Little intimidating..
With that being said, this is by far the best pick up comparison video I've seen. This really helped a lot.
Awesome Playing and Awesome Comparison. I have the Distortion,Nazgul and Pegasus. They are also my favorite in that Order as well.
In all honesty couldn’t go wrong with any of them as long as there Seymour Duncan!
SUCH a well made video. It gives you the best comparison. I cant be doing with videos where the guitarist is just fucking shredding for hours on end! You don't hear an accurate side-by-side difference that way.
Great job guys, well done! 😃👍
Because of this video i just bought a Nazgul. it's so pretty, can't wait to pop it into my guitar
forgot to update this, it sounds RIDICULOUSLY GOOD, it's unreal. something about the twang it has with lower notes when hit with high attack.
i loved all 3 years of playing it and i can't see myself playing any other pickup anytime soon
I'd forgotten how amazing these riffs were!!
This sounds like an options menu music loop for an old video game lmao
black winter!
Those Black Winters.......
This is Excellent. I think the Pegasus sounds amazing with the Nazgûl Very close behind.
I strangely find myself torn between the Invader and the Nazgul. I've always loved the Invader, but the Nazgul has a really nice character to it.
They all sound good the dimebucker was the most cut, and the empty blackout was the most punchy
Hammer-on Pull-off Section:
Full Shred 0:47
Distortion 1:44
Alternative 8 2:41
Nazgul 3:38
Invader 4:34
Omega 5:31
Pegasus 6:28
JB 7:25
Custom 8:21
Custom 5 9:18
EMTY 10:15
Blackout 11:11
Mustaine 12:08
DImebucker 13:05
Black Winter 14:02
Still the best SD compare vid on the net! Thanks for your meticulous work here. The Dimebuckers - articulate and sizzling. Pegasus - Chunk without the BOOM.
I have to say SH-14 Custom 5 is sounding best and i will buy that on my Les Paul. Huge sound and still clear sounding.
Be careful it depends on your les Paul I have one in now and it’s super way scooped. Depends on if your Les Paul is a natural mid range guitar.
@@totc6196 I don't have that guitar anymore. I love EMG 81 at the moment. I wanna try Custom SH-5 tho!
@@totc6196 Or even Pegasus. I think that got all the styles.
@@JohnnyRaven69 go with the Pegasus
@@JohnnyRaven69 what guitar do you have now ?
Now the world begs for this on a single cut type guitar and a T type guitar :P Amazing work, man.
If I had to pick one, I would go for the Black Winter.
Great comparison! 👍
0:45 reminds me selkies the endless obsession by between the buried and me
wheww the nazgul sounds filthy, in a good way
It would be nice if You did similar comparison for all vintage, bridge pickups :)
piotrtom1 In progress :)
piotrtom1 i agree. ***** and maybe the RTM since there are Zero good samples online
+Seymour Duncan Pickups Is there or are you doing the same for neck pickups? They seem to be neglected on the internet.