i'm really trying to emulate wes' playing style. he's the definition of efficiency. he moves like half as much as keith when playing the same stuff, and keith is already one of the tightest players i know.
he was in the marines they show you how to work smarter not harder and in this case its how to make things easier with your finger placement and not having to move your hand in unnecessary places across the fret board
Hank Hill That can be TONE and amp setting MOSTLY too BTW...every seen the difference in attack and response on amp settings, plays a big role... what puzzles me is my 9 string agile has NO chug, i cant get how these doods can stand chug on 8, 9 strings, its practically a fucking bass....ow well at least Agile is there for NO chug, i fucking guitar with 9 strings...that does not chug...who would have thought....
+Hank Hill takes a few years to get your fingers so strong that a miserable movement will press the string on the fret ;) that's why I do workouts for my hands - I train my grip and my fingers so they get bulky and it gets a lot easier to play.
Three things: 1. Thank you for finally making an 8 string demo for all these pickups, 2. I love those Seymour Duncan shirts, 3. I've decided on a Nazgul/Sentient combo due to the clarity and absolute awesome tone.
Brian J. Musick I have the 7 String Version of the Pegasus, i love its versatility, you even can get away with very very light picking without messing with the volume knobs,
Best comparison video I've seen on YT. That NAZGUL is out of control. I'm glad to see the blackouts really held their own against these newer pups. Thanks Keith and Wes. Speaking of which, can't wait to hear some new Glass Casket with Wes Hauch!!!
This video is part of what encouraged me to get the Nazgül/Sentient set in my RG8. Sounds even better in person. Sentient is by far the best sounding and most versatile neck pickup I have ever heard. Nazgül has a nice sound and cleans up very well, though if you want only high gain metal, other pickups might suit you better.
This is such an awesome video, gnarliest riffing!! For me it's a toss up between the Distortion or Blackouts, love that raspy tone on the opens and how fucking heavy those mutes are!!
So I'm sold, getting that Jackson SLATFXQMG 3-8 and loading it with the Pegasus and Sentient pickups! I have the Nazgul and Sentient in my Jackson JS327Q Dinky and it made that guitar all the much better!! Love my Jacksons and Seymour Duncans! Great video show off.
Notice a lot of the real chugging is going on with the 7th string... the 8th is used much more wisely than most others playing on 8's these days. Haters beware, you should know what you are talking about before opening your mouth, Merrow ftw! Yet another awesome video man!
I think my favorite set was the Pegasus-bridge/Sentient-neck set for everything but the lowest 8-string notes. In that case, it would be the Nazgul instead of the Pegasus.
@snakymen13 its a gruvgear fret wrap. It mutes the strings softly for cleaner tapping runs and such and makes the strings sustain less. They're nice to have for recording
to me, the Pegasus sounds the fullest and most rounded, providing enough bite and chunk, but not too clanky like the Nazgul, and not too bassy and fizzy as some others. I think I've decided what to get for my 7.
William Schaffer Love them. At first I didnt, but it happened to be the guitar I had them in. the bridge pickup was too close to the bridge and has this awful honk to it, but I swapped them to another and they're perfectly fine.
Keith, this is an awesome format for demoing tone. I've gone back and forth between the in-mix and guitar-only parts a bunch of times, comparing all, and it has worked wonders towards me selecting my next pickup set that will sit perfectly in a mix. Please keep it up. Also, goddamn good playing. Please keep that up too.
Holy crap! The Nazguls sound so damn tight! Great playing of you both! Wes Hauch needs to show himself more often imo! Keep up the good work! You are both a real inspiration!
How cool would it be to just call up WES HAUCH and say "Hey man, wanna stop by and shoot a vid and rip it up on some 8 string guitars?" Your a lucky man Keith Merrow!!! Keep up the cool collab vids!
Great video as always, Keith...it's always a treat to have someone like Wes be a guest star as well. The only thing I'd have to say about this demo is that I wish you'd have used more of the 8th string, so we can really hear that thunderous rumble of the lower register. Other than that, great video, and these pickup shootouts are always appreciated.
+1 JakeyBaby6, and this song was supposed to be part of Wes (Hauch) and Ryan Glisan (of ...Allegaeon) side project, you can hear it on their channel. Allegaeon ftw !
i liked the blackouts. i thought the distortion pickups sounded really good in the mid range but got muddy on the low end. pegasus pick ups were also crispy and clear but i liked the sound of the blackouts a little more.
Interestingly, the Pegasus definitly sounds the best out of those (even considering they are recorded with the same Amp-Settings). Seems like you did an awesome job designing it.
I current have EMG909s as they are angled on my 8 string but I'm really going to look into these 5 options. The 909s don't really have that warm tone I'm looking for.
Trying to have a completely unbiased opinion, I think the Distortion sounds the meatiest. The Nazgul probably has more clarity but I think I'de choose the SH-6 still.
The Distorsion is my favourite too ;) To my ears it sounds the more "mid-ranged" and, correct me if I'm wrong, because of this has more presence in the solo part. The Invader is definitely "beefier" with such "liquid" lows, but the best is still the SH-6... \m/ :) P.S.: sorry but... Thumbs down for the Blackouts :P
***** it takes a lot of work to dial in a guitar with invaders. It takes more boosting and tone manipulation, but I've found that I do like it in the end. I do see where people don't like it though. I'm an EMG man myself but I still love my Duncans
Gotta love the 8 string schecters. I got the Damien Elite 8 mainly because I did not like the looks of Ibanez and other 8 strings of that price. I didnt even research it much. It had good ratings and I took it on that alone. Looks killer, sounds killer, and now I will only play Schecter!
i think in the part of the nazgul they should've demo the pegasus in the neck instead of the sentient. even though the pegasus and the sentient is the best combination
They don't make a neck version of the pegasus. It was designed as a bridge pickup so it would be illogical to demo it in the neck. The suggested sets are either the Nazgul and Sentient or the Pegasus and Sentient.
>pegasus and the sentient is the best combination i can vouch for that, had the combo in my RG7421 that i unfortunately had to sell last september i fucking miss that axe
This video put the Nazgul over the Distortion. The only other contender missing that I like is the 59/Custom, though not sure if available for 8 strings. Those two are my favorite for 7 strings.
Just got a Pegasus/Sentient set. I was going to go for the Nazgul at first but then I heard the Pegasus. I love how it sounds really metallic and chunky but sounds more open, like it sounds more clear. They're both amazing pickups, but it's just a personal preference.
I've never liked the Invader, and this video just further reinforces that in my head. It's just too dark/muddy/muffled for me. Plus it's kind of ugly, but that's neither here nor there, since it's the sound of it that I'm mostly put off by.
I tend to say that by the logo on top of the pickup it's the standard Blackout...the EMTY has the big "S" logo in the middle instead of the text "seymour duncan"
This is strangely one of my favorite metal songs…
I love it, too... just found it again right now
One of the best 8 string songs. Plus with 2 of my favorite guitarists and guitar companies.
I listen to this all the time.
6 years later i'm still listening to this.
8 years later so am I
@@malettastudios9416 and play in repeat hours
Same 🤘🏼🔥🔥🔥🔥
9 years later I'm here. 😁🤘 KEEP IT GOING!
@@terrinpeterson9899 You damn right I'm still here!
It always amazes me how Wes can play the most complicated riffs and solos and still make it look like his fingers aren't moving at all.
He's god the technique of a god.
Economy of motion
Call me crazy but I don't like how Wes looks at me at 0:38 Its like "Hey I'm gonna get nasty right now."
I feel that exact same way bro haha
like take it in the bummey bitches...look!
Thats what im here for 😂
i'm really trying to emulate wes' playing style. he's the definition of efficiency. he moves like half as much as keith when playing the same stuff, and keith is already one of the tightest players i know.
he was in the marines they show you how to work smarter not harder and in this case its how to make things easier with your finger placement and not having to move your hand in unnecessary places across the fret board
Noxify, I believe he was in the navy. Not the marines. But I get the point you are making anyway.
@@tromboneman4517
I didn't think Wes could possibly get any cooler. Guess I was wrong. What a beast!
He's moving his thumb less because he's playing a jackson and Keith is playing a shecter on an 8 string the neck difference is crazy!
Damn Wes's technique is fucking so efficient. He hardly moves.
Hank Hill That can be TONE and amp setting MOSTLY too BTW...every seen the difference in attack and response on amp settings, plays a big role... what puzzles me is my 9 string agile has NO chug, i cant get how these doods can stand chug on 8, 9 strings, its practically a fucking bass....ow well at least Agile is there for NO chug, i fucking guitar with 9 strings...that does not chug...who would have thought....
ashtweth Yep.
***** ive played with him in person, the power is all there.
prunefeatures
You are a wise man.
+Hank Hill takes a few years to get your fingers so strong that a miserable movement will press the string on the fret ;) that's why I do workouts for my hands - I train my grip and my fingers so they get bulky and it gets a lot easier to play.
Nazgul for Bridge and Distortions for Neck = Perfect combination.
so heavey awesome video as always Keith
Three things: 1. Thank you for finally making an 8 string demo for all these pickups, 2. I love those Seymour Duncan shirts, 3. I've decided on a Nazgul/Sentient combo due to the clarity and absolute awesome tone.
I never thought I would prefer active pickups... But the blackouts are sounding great here.
Every time I hear the Pegasus it grows on me more and more. I'm starting to really love that pickup
Good call I was torn between the Naz and Peg, also leaning Pegawards
Brian J. Musick I have the 7 String Version of the Pegasus, i love its versatility, you even can get away with very very light picking without messing with the volume knobs,
+KiMBo Scott BUT DOES IT DJENT?!?!?!?!
fairly djenty, LOL not bright enough djenty, more mid bassy djenty
Nazgul and Blackouts were my favorites. Sick riffing O_o
Best comparison video I've seen on YT. That NAZGUL is out of control. I'm glad to see the blackouts really held their own against these newer pups. Thanks Keith and Wes. Speaking of which, can't wait to hear some new Glass Casket with Wes Hauch!!!
The Nazgul to me seemed to be the clearest of them all in the lower range of the 8-string. Even more than the Blackouts, which surprises me. Awesome!
This video is part of what encouraged me to get the Nazgül/Sentient set in my RG8. Sounds even better in person. Sentient is by far the best sounding and most versatile neck pickup I have ever heard. Nazgül has a nice sound and cleans up very well, though if you want only high gain metal, other pickups might suit you better.
Keith. You deserve so much more subscribers. This is just insane...
This is such an awesome video, gnarliest riffing!! For me it's a toss up between the Distortion or Blackouts, love that raspy tone on the opens and how fucking heavy those mutes are!!
I like the Nazgul sound, very cool tone!
Pegasus seems to be the best sounding mixture.
I completely agree
Wes' picking technique for lead is flawless, so smooth and effortless, that riff is totally killer too.
I am absolutely in love with the pegasus tone. So glad I bought one for my 7 string.
This is how a true demo/comparison should be done! Excellent work gentlemen!
I never realized how fucking sick the blackouts were!!!!
So I'm sold, getting that Jackson SLATFXQMG 3-8 and loading it with the Pegasus and Sentient pickups! I have the Nazgul and Sentient in my Jackson JS327Q Dinky and it made that guitar all the much better!! Love my Jacksons and Seymour Duncans! Great video show off.
Duncan Distortion. Old faithful still sounds freakishly awesome to me.
Well...gotta say after searching 8 string guitar videos and demonstrations...this is the way it's done.
Keep going guys you rule.
Getting my Nazgul 7 and Sentient 7 installed right now by my old teacher. Can't wait to rip it up on my Jr-V 7!
Спасибо! Как всегда - чётко и чисто! Мне нравятся Pegasus - bridge / Invader - neck.
Notice a lot of the real chugging is going on with the 7th string... the 8th is used much more wisely than most others playing on 8's these days. Haters beware, you should know what you are talking about before opening your mouth, Merrow ftw! Yet another awesome video man!
Came to see pups compared.. Keep coming back cause that riff fucking crushes!!
Man so effortless and smooth. Mr.Merrow you are in my top 10 favorite guitar players. Epic man!!!!
Hey Keith! Tell SD we need a demo of the 8 string black winters! Thanks dude \m/
+Ian Urbaitis I didn't even know you could get a Black Winter 8
The tightness of this riffage is just pure awesome!
Such an efficient comparison and a riff that I actually enjoyed sitting though 8 minutes of. This should be the standard to meet for demo videos.
They sound GORGEOUS.
That 8-string Jackson looks and sounds killer!
Sick Af..Nazgul and invader ftw
Two of my favorite players right here. These guys on an album together would be killer.
are you serious?
@@Cbuzz1399 Alluvial lol
I think my favorite set was the Pegasus-bridge/Sentient-neck set for everything but the lowest 8-string notes. In that case, it would be the Nazgul instead of the Pegasus.
that first solo is fucking amazing! i wish i could sit with you guys and just listen and watch...
@snakymen13 its a gruvgear fret wrap. It mutes the strings softly for cleaner tapping runs and such and makes the strings sustain less. They're nice to have for recording
I dream of the Nazgul!! Love that pickup!
It's the heaviest sounding passive pickup in my opinion!
The Dimarzio Titan is up there with it, along with BKPs.
to me, the Pegasus sounds the fullest and most rounded, providing enough bite and chunk, but not too clanky like the Nazgul, and not too bassy and fizzy as some others.
I think I've decided what to get for my 7.
Ryan Simmons So, after presumably having them for some time, how are they?
William Schaffer
Love them. At first I didnt, but it happened to be the guitar I had them in. the bridge pickup was too close to the bridge and has this awful honk to it, but I swapped them to another and they're perfectly fine.
Thank you for the last 2 minutes or so of this video with the isolated and direct comparisons one after the other like that! That was very helpful!
Keith, this is an awesome format for demoing tone. I've gone back and forth between the in-mix and guitar-only parts a bunch of times, comparing all, and it has worked wonders towards me selecting my next pickup set that will sit perfectly in a mix. Please keep it up.
Also, goddamn good playing. Please keep that up too.
Holy crap! The Nazguls sound so damn tight! Great playing of you both! Wes Hauch needs to show himself more often imo! Keep up the good work! You are both a real inspiration!
They all sound killer, really. The 'Distortion' reminds me a bit of that fear factory sound. Nice one!
Nice job, Peyton. Just watched the video of you playing "Walk". Marzi is one of my faves.
SOMEONE PLEASE TAB THIS!! That solo sounds so cool.
This was actually the most helpful demo I’ve watched for all of these. And my decision might actually be made.
i need that jackson... regarding to the pickups, im in love with the distortion
That Jackson 8-String is really beautiful :-)
How cool would it be to just call up WES HAUCH and say "Hey man, wanna stop by and shoot a vid and rip it up on some 8 string guitars?" Your a lucky man Keith Merrow!!! Keep up the cool collab vids!
great playing guys! i think the nazgul and the blackouts sounded really really awesome.
Where can I get the tabs??! Nazgul/sentient set is my favorite!
Nazgul, and that invader sound amazing.!!!! Distortion was pretty cool...
1:08 2:24 Wes Hauch's riff kind of reminds me of Suicide Silence "Disengage" their lead riff part to that song is somewhat similar
I like the sound of the Blackouts, very much.
Great video as always, Keith...it's always a treat to have someone like Wes be a guest star as well.
The only thing I'd have to say about this demo is that I wish you'd have used more of the 8th string, so we can really hear that thunderous rumble of the lower register. Other than that, great video, and these pickup shootouts are always appreciated.
Nazgul fits all the types of metal on 6-7-8 string because of the instant boost-mid range. Wonderful pickup for bridge position
Low end on Blackouts. So tight. Wes's soloing is really good.
Yeah I love the blackouts I have them in 2 of my agile 7 strings. In my agile 8 string I have the emg808 and it sounds epic.
I have the nazgul 8 and I love the tone you guys are getting. As always sick!
I like how the Distortion sits in the mix as well as on its own. The sentient is the best for leads
I come back watching this video at least once a week
8 String guitar and NOT Djent I AM HAPPY DEATH METAL STILL CONQUERS THE 8th!! \m/
Beyond Creation play 8 string death metal.
Yup more like Death and Prog Metal which is VERY unique and VERY Brutal!!
Listen to Allegaeon, straight up Melodic Death Metal but heavier than Arch Enemy with more Melody than Whoracle era In Flames.
+1 JakeyBaby6, and this song was supposed to be part of Wes (Hauch) and Ryan Glisan (of ...Allegaeon) side project, you can hear it on their channel. Allegaeon ftw !
and also Ihsahn and Leprous for Extreme Progressive Metal, and same for Animals As Leaders
i liked the blackouts. i thought the distortion pickups sounded really good in the mid range but got muddy on the low end. pegasus pick ups were also crispy and clear but i liked the sound of the blackouts a little more.
Finally!! I am so happy that there are people like this and use every string
Mind: blown. You Keith are a god of riffs
Interestingly, the Pegasus definitly sounds the best out of those (even considering they are recorded with the same Amp-Settings). Seems like you did an awesome job designing it.
Just because something is complex doesn't always make it good or musical. This pickup demo serves its purpose.
I current have EMG909s as they are angled on my 8 string but I'm really going to look into these 5 options. The 909s don't really have that warm tone I'm looking for.
Trying to have a completely unbiased opinion, I think the Distortion sounds the meatiest. The Nazgul probably has more clarity but I think I'de choose the SH-6 still.
The Distorsion is my favourite too ;) To my ears it sounds the more "mid-ranged" and, correct me if I'm wrong, because of this has more presence in the solo part. The Invader is definitely "beefier" with such "liquid" lows, but the best is still the SH-6... \m/ :)
P.S.: sorry but... Thumbs down for the Blackouts :P
Alessandro Cannatelli my favourite too! :-)
***** the invader is an amazing neck pickup though because it has some of the best lead and clean tones I've ever heard
***** it takes a lot of work to dial in a guitar with invaders. It takes more boosting and tone manipulation, but I've found that I do like it in the end. I do see where people don't like it though. I'm an EMG man myself but I still love my Duncans
Distortion is my fav too! ;)
Gotta love the 8 string schecters. I got the Damien Elite 8 mainly because I did not like the looks of Ibanez and other 8 strings of that price. I didnt even research it much. It had good ratings and I took it on that alone. Looks killer, sounds killer, and now I will only play Schecter!
Totally. If he uploaded TH-cam videos of demos, play-throughs, techniques, and lessons, he would be huge.
Ugh can't get enough of these riffs!!
What song is this??
And I totally concur. A decade later and I’m still obsessed with this video🤣
Awesome video, I'm really looking at the Pegasus/Sentient combo now
Blackouts
Pegasus/Sentinent
Nazgul/Sentinent
Good for my playing. (Riffs and Chords, etc.)
i think in the part of the nazgul they should've demo the pegasus in the neck instead of the sentient. even though the pegasus and the sentient is the best combination
They don't make a neck version of the pegasus. It was designed as a bridge pickup so it would be illogical to demo it in the neck. The suggested sets are either the Nazgul and Sentient or the Pegasus and Sentient.
maybe Distortion and Sentient
I think Pegasus bridge and Nazgul neck would be sick. Neck pups are always to warm and thin for me.
>pegasus and the sentient is the best combination
i can vouch for that, had the combo in my RG7421 that i unfortunately had to sell last september
i fucking miss that axe
Though they're playin the same lick - look how much less Wes' hands move lol. Guy is the picture of efficiency
Más claro ni el agua. Excelente demostración. Saludos desde México.
I love watching your pickup comparison videos! Killer riffs and great quality recording!
Here is my top three for this pickup comparison:
1. Pegasus
2. Blackouts
3. Nazgul
i actually love the look of these pickups. very nice and fancy looking.
These riffs are still so fucking awesome.
Love that repeating solo
wes is such a beast. saw him with the facelss in vancouver canada. Monumental to say the least
Pegasus all the way. Gotta totally pick up a pegasus bridge sometime soon
I listen every day just for the solo...
The Solo is sick. He just nails it.
This video put the Nazgul over the Distortion. The only other contender missing that I like is the 59/Custom, though not sure if available for 8 strings. Those two are my favorite for 7 strings.
pegasus and sentient hands down. nazgul is equally amazing though. thank you for finally demoing these in their 8 string versions. amazing video
Saw the FB post, congratus dude!
It's noticeble that you have filmed this slower than the original bpm. Great music, great guitarists and good pickups.
Just got a Pegasus/Sentient set. I was going to go for the Nazgul at first but then I heard the Pegasus. I love how it sounds really metallic and chunky but sounds more open, like it sounds more clear. They're both amazing pickups, but it's just a personal preference.
I've never liked the Invader, and this video just further reinforces that in my head. It's just too dark/muddy/muffled for me. Plus it's kind of ugly, but that's neither here nor there, since it's the sound of it that I'm mostly put off by.
hmmm... I'm thinking the Distortion for bridge and sentient for neck. The Nazgul bridge is also very nice.
Great stuff Keith! Always interesting to hear what you're gonna come up with next.
Best wishes from London, UK
I tend to say that by the logo on top of the pickup it's the standard Blackout...the EMTY has the big "S" logo in the middle instead of the text "seymour duncan"
Thanks, great demo. I'm buying a Pegasus/Sentient set for my 8. Kinda like the Nazgul in the bridge though.