Demon
- Thread starter laney
- Start date
MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: Demon
I've owned a few, and will be looking for another (after a little searching it's time to go back to what worked in one of my strats).
The Demon is a pick up that guys either love or hate... there are very few "middle ground" opinions. Personally, I love it. The mids seemed to be just right, the low end response is very crisp and clear, and while the highs can be very strong, I've been able to tame them with a little tweaking (pot changes, cap changes, etc).
I said in another thread that it's better to play to its strengths than to run from its "weaknesses." As counter intuitive as it may seem, I've had better luck with the Demon in neutral to bright instruments. In darker instruments it lacked the punch in the upper mids, which really tends to cause a perceivable spike in the highs, which I think is why a lot of players complain about the Demon being ice picky.
I tend to believe that lower output models take more of the guitar's natural tone with it, and the Demon is no exception. It can be very picky about the woods it gets installed in. In an effort to tame the highs, many guys have resorted to replacing the allen poles with standard screws. There are still a couple more around here who have pulled the A5 magnet and replaced it with an A8.
Try it with your Kramer... you never know what you'll find. I dropped one in an old 8 piece RG170 and didn't like the results, but I loved it in my alder strat copy. All you can do is give it a chance.
I've owned a few, and will be looking for another (after a little searching it's time to go back to what worked in one of my strats).
The Demon is a pick up that guys either love or hate... there are very few "middle ground" opinions. Personally, I love it. The mids seemed to be just right, the low end response is very crisp and clear, and while the highs can be very strong, I've been able to tame them with a little tweaking (pot changes, cap changes, etc).
I said in another thread that it's better to play to its strengths than to run from its "weaknesses." As counter intuitive as it may seem, I've had better luck with the Demon in neutral to bright instruments. In darker instruments it lacked the punch in the upper mids, which really tends to cause a perceivable spike in the highs, which I think is why a lot of players complain about the Demon being ice picky.
I tend to believe that lower output models take more of the guitar's natural tone with it, and the Demon is no exception. It can be very picky about the woods it gets installed in. In an effort to tame the highs, many guys have resorted to replacing the allen poles with standard screws. There are still a couple more around here who have pulled the A5 magnet and replaced it with an A8.
Try it with your Kramer... you never know what you'll find. I dropped one in an old 8 piece RG170 and didn't like the results, but I loved it in my alder strat copy. All you can do is give it a chance.
Benjy_26
25's Nemesis
Re: Demon
I love the Demon in my Gibson style axes. I like PAF's, but being that I'm the only electric in my band, I need quite a bit of thump for some sounds. The Demon is perfect for that. The sound is clean and clear, just like a nice PAF type, but it is way more aggressive when you throw some gain at it.
I love the Demon in my Gibson style axes. I like PAF's, but being that I'm the only electric in my band, I need quite a bit of thump for some sounds. The Demon is perfect for that. The sound is clean and clear, just like a nice PAF type, but it is way more aggressive when you throw some gain at it.
Kosh Naranek
New member
Re: Demon
I have one in a 24 3/4" set neck shredder guitar with a Floyd. It is amazing. Just what Benjy said. It sounds nice clean. I can do clean arpeggiated stuff with it and it sounds smooth and sweet.
Throw some gain at it, and it is a power chord beast. One of the crunchiest pickups I've tried. And I get pinch harmonics all over the place with it. It does have that unique, vocal quality you hear in George Lynch's guitar tones on Lynch Mob Cd's.
I'd pick up another one if I found a deal on one! I have a Hamer Sunburst that's begging to have one put in the bridge spot!
I have one in a 24 3/4" set neck shredder guitar with a Floyd. It is amazing. Just what Benjy said. It sounds nice clean. I can do clean arpeggiated stuff with it and it sounds smooth and sweet.
Throw some gain at it, and it is a power chord beast. One of the crunchiest pickups I've tried. And I get pinch harmonics all over the place with it. It does have that unique, vocal quality you hear in George Lynch's guitar tones on Lynch Mob Cd's.
I'd pick up another one if I found a deal on one! I have a Hamer Sunburst that's begging to have one put in the bridge spot!
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Demon
I have a little Screaming Demon in my old Blazer (Ash/maple/maple). When originally testing it I loved it. I mean I was really gaga about it. I can dig out my testing notes if people are interested, lots of ramblings
That guitar incl. pickup is in inaccessible storage right now and when listening to SD's audio files of their pickups I found that both the full size and the little Demon really aren't that great. Meh.
It's interesting. Do I have selective memory? When I loved the Demon, did I lack comparison to e.g. the Customs? Personally I think the little Demon and the full-size humbucker Demon are quite a bit different (the li' has a ceramic magnet) and to be honest among the SD audio files all the Strat samples sound, well, not to my taste. Bad. I don't know what kind of Strat they used there. It will be interesting to get my Blazer back and see for myself.
In any case, I give at least the li' version the thumbs up. For a Les Paul I think one of the customs might do a better job for most situations. Dunno about a Strat with a full humbucker.
ETA: and don't forget there's a Demon version with a different magnet in the custom shop.
I have a little Screaming Demon in my old Blazer (Ash/maple/maple). When originally testing it I loved it. I mean I was really gaga about it. I can dig out my testing notes if people are interested, lots of ramblings
That guitar incl. pickup is in inaccessible storage right now and when listening to SD's audio files of their pickups I found that both the full size and the little Demon really aren't that great. Meh.
It's interesting. Do I have selective memory? When I loved the Demon, did I lack comparison to e.g. the Customs? Personally I think the little Demon and the full-size humbucker Demon are quite a bit different (the li' has a ceramic magnet) and to be honest among the SD audio files all the Strat samples sound, well, not to my taste. Bad. I don't know what kind of Strat they used there. It will be interesting to get my Blazer back and see for myself.
In any case, I give at least the li' version the thumbs up. For a Les Paul I think one of the customs might do a better job for most situations. Dunno about a Strat with a full humbucker.
ETA: and don't forget there's a Demon version with a different magnet in the custom shop.
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disturb
New member
Re: Demon
Love my Demon. I consider it my high output pickup, as all my others are between 7 & 8.5K. Nice tight, clear bass & highs with the right amount of mids. I don't understand all the complaints about pickups being too bright. Turn down the presence & treble, and slightly palm mute as you play, and the brightness is gone. I don't find the JB, Demon, or PG bright. With the wrong settings & technique, I bet the CC could sound bright.
Love my Demon. I consider it my high output pickup, as all my others are between 7 & 8.5K. Nice tight, clear bass & highs with the right amount of mids. I don't understand all the complaints about pickups being too bright. Turn down the presence & treble, and slightly palm mute as you play, and the brightness is gone. I don't find the JB, Demon, or PG bright. With the wrong settings & technique, I bet the CC could sound bright.
Rowan
New member
Re: Demon
Alot of that has to do with what guitar you put it in, and your type of amp. I haven't tried a demon in the bridge but it is absolutely killer in the neck. The leads are like a clearer, higher output 59n, with more mids and treble. And it has some real suprising cleans too.
Alot of that has to do with what guitar you put it in, and your type of amp. I haven't tried a demon in the bridge but it is absolutely killer in the neck. The leads are like a clearer, higher output 59n, with more mids and treble. And it has some real suprising cleans too.