HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

[Jerrybass1955]

Hi Folks,
New to this forum and looking forward to spending quality time here.

I am building a Strat style HSH guitar - - - just because. I happen to have a Screamin Demon lying around that I took out of the bridge position of a used guitar I bought. It seemed kind of muddy in that guitar but I am willing to give it another chance. I also picked up a Don Lace N150 a few years back when a local store went out of business ($8.00 bucks!). I contacted Lace and they say it is a little hotter than a Gold, but I haven't tried it yet for anything.

I ordered a set of P-rails today and my current plan is to try using the Screamin Demon on the bridge and a P-rail on the neck. Obviously the lace in the middle. Anyone have any advice or thoughts on whether I am on the right track or not? I have no idea how these will match up, but I have a box full of other pickups to try and a full set of the P-rails on the way.

Oh yea, I also have a H-H tele style build that I am working on. My plan was dual P-Rails for that one FWIW.

Comments appreciated.

Jerry

 

[Vajazzled]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

Try it your originally planned way first, then switch the Demon and the P-Rail just for the heck of it.

I've never even heard of the Don Lace N150 model-so tell us how that performs!

keep us posted

 

[Jerrybass1955]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

I never heard of the N150 either but couldn't leave it on the table for eight bucks. It is cream colored and has fake holes in the cover with something shiny and silver behind them. The Lace guy says they made them for people that were freaked out by not having pole pieces sticking through the cover! Says AGI and Don Lace on the cover so it has some age. I measure it at 7.2K ohms and the Lace guy says they sound good and are just a little hotter than the golds.

I should have the P-rails in a week or two and hope the rest of the guitar is ready to try it out by then. Gotta get a neck (or borrow one from another guitar) to be able to try it out. I got the switch pup ring thingy on order too from SD to use at least initially until I see what configuration I will like best (Who am I kidding, I want them all!!). I'll post my thoughts when I try it out. But sure would like to hear from those with more experience with these pickups (the SDs) than me. The Lace will stay or get replaced with something else from the pickup treasure chest or else I'll buy something new to match up better if the Lace doesn't work out.
Jerry

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

The Demon is a great pup that works beautifully in both neck or bridge. It's a very clear and articulate pup so i'm confused how you heard it sounding muddy.

The P-Rails is also a great pup for neck or bridge. I personally would prefer the P-Rails with a Triple Shot in the bridge and the Demon (with a push/pull for split) in the neck.
The N150 should work well in the middle position with these buckers.

 

[Jerrybass1955]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

Who knows - I may wind up with the Demon at the neck once I hear it. Not sure why it was muddy sounding, from what I have read on this board, that is not typical. It was in a used Carvin guitar that I bought. I just assumed it was the pickup and switching to the Jazz pickup seemed to work. I didn't really try adjusting it, and didn't check to see what pot values were being used. The guitar was black painted including the neck so I am also not sure what the wood is. Could be a combination of many things, but as purchased everything seemed right about the guitar except the bridge pup being muddy sounding. But, I admit I didn't do much to try to cure it other than to replace it. Once I figured out what it was, the "Screamin Demon" name may have led me astray - thinking it was too hot to bother with and inherently muddy. That was quite a while ago. Anyway, I'll give it a fair shake in this build. My initial thought is using it at the bridge because I like the neck sound of a P90, but who knows what it will sound like in this build. Worst case, I ordered a complete set of P-Rails so I can use them and see what the Demon sounds like in a tele build I am also working on.
Jerry

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

The Screamin Demon is one of my favorite pickups--I have it paired with a DiMarzio Liquifire in a Basswood Iceman...sounds amazing! just curious, what guitar/wood did it sound muddy in?

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

Cool, you can switch from HSH to SSS with the flick of a switch!. Some internet comments are the rail closer to the neck gives a better single coile tone for the neck position in split mode, similar comment about the SD's hex poles if you plan to use the SD in the neck as suggested by Vajazzled.

 

[Jerrybass1955]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

Not really sure. It was a black painted Carvin that I bought used. Like I said, could have been any number of issues, and I just punted and got a new pickup. Hopefully it will work out well on the new build and I can dismiss it as a fluke.

 

[Jerrybass1955]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

While I wait for my pups to come in, I have been rethinking the whole switching. I am now thinking about this:

triple shot for neck p-rail.
on/on/on toggle for the Demon for series/split/parallel.

three way tele style switch for: neck - neck and bridge - bridge ..... EASY

Now the tricky part. I am thinking that the above covers most of the likely interesting territory, but doesn't account for the middle Lace (or other)pickup at all. So perhaps a three way toggle that is middle on / middle off / middle on and everything else off!

This would give almost every possible pickup combination in a rather intuitive setup. With the middle pup off, the 3 way tele control is much like a Les Paul except that I can split, parallel or series both neck and bridge pups using the other switches.
With the middle on position, I get all of the three way positions with the middle pup added to the mix.
Finally, with the middle only (everything else off) I get the middle pickup all by itself.

Sounds like a pretty cool platform to explore lots of pickup combinations and see what might be useful in a simpler switching configuration. BUT.....
Try as I may, I cannot figure out how to wire up a three way toggle switch that will accomplish this. I have been trying to get away with three position DPDT mini-toggle, but I am just not figuring it out. Perhaps more likely with an on/on/on switch, but right now my head is exploding. Anyone out there see how this switching can be done? I am hoping it can be done without a bigger switch.

Help appreciated,
Jerry

To summarize: three position switch - 1- mid pup on; 2 - mid pup off; 3 - only mid pup on and others off. Not married to the order of the switching at all. Anyone see how to do it? I may have stared at this too long to move it forward without large quantities of beera

 

[Jerrybass1955]

Re: HSH with Screamin Deamon - Lace - P-Rails

I think I figured it out with an on-on-on toggle. Can someone double check me? (not sure of any convention for 1, 2 and 3 positions except 2 is in the middle!




neck and bridge pups out can be direct or from a triple shot or other switch.

Thanks,
Jerry