JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

[panamang]

Hi folks. Am re-building an old 1983 Kramer fat strat for my son. Am going with a SoCal Charvel type pickguard with an HS configuration and a 500k volume pot with no tone pots. He wants a Gibson type setup rather than a strat type so we will be using a lil 59 neck bucker up top. For the bridge I have a choice of a JB or a Screamin Demon. My question is which of those 2 bridge pickups would go well with the lil 59 in the neck? He plays a lot of classic rock stuff along with some heavy metal sometimes. The JB has higher output than the Screamin Demon but he likes the articulation of the Demon. What you guys think?

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

Both of those pickups are great choices to team up with the JB or Demon. I have a Charvel Model 3DR with a Screamin Demon in the bridge and a lil 59 in the neck. I own 20 guitars and this is probably my favorite pickup combo. They are both calibrated very closely and sound very good when going from one to another since they are both about the same output. I liked the scooped mids of the Demon compared to the almost honk-ish mids of the JB. Thats my 2 cents.

 

[gregory]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

If this '83 Kramer is made of basswood like the 3DR then I would also advise against the JB unless you're specifically interested in a vocal pickup. A Screamin Demon will give a much leaner vocal quality with more HF extension and will pack a wicked bite in the upper mid treble. I don't get the same amount of bass and low mids that I get with a larger 43AWG wind, but it is possible to get some amount of noticeable low-end oomph in basswood with a TB-12.

In other woods, a JB can sound absolutely fantastic and will work better for those who like what it does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKce3azLgGw

I would recommend looking into a Perpetual Burn if you want a pickup with some of the qualities of both the JB and Screamin Demon.

 

[jonsick]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

If I was choosing off the rack, Perpetual Burn.

Between those two? Well it depends on his amp set up and his playing technique. If he likes to be a little sloppy, then the JB. If you could set a clock to his picking technique then the Screamin' Demon.

Why not try both? Either one will match in fine with that neck pickup.

 

[Mincer]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

Either one would be great. But the historical choice would be the JB. The JB and Demon are different sounding pickups (and this doesn't take into account the sound of the wood itself).

 

[panamang]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

If I was choosing off the rack, Perpetual Burn.

Between those two? Well it depends on his amp set up and his playing technique. If he likes to be a little sloppy, then the JB. If you could set a clock to his picking technique then the Screamin' Demon.

Why not try both? Either one will match in fine with that neck pickup.

Thanks for the feedback. He's a good player and does not like a little sloppy. He prefers an unforgiving pickup with scooped mids. With that being said, will go with the Screamin' Demon for now but can always swap out later. My only concern was that the Demon is a moderate output pup and might not match up with the lil 59 in the neck. That doesn't seem to be the case. Would it be fair to say that the Demon is something like a lower output version of an Evolution?

 

[gregory]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

Compared to an Evo, lower output would be a massive understatement.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

I have a old Kramer superstrat project and it has a Quarter Pound neck and JB bridge. They're old and both really degaussed so it's not exactly the same, but I like them. It's basswood with a Floyd Rose.

 

[gregory]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

A2 in a JB can be great too.

I'm not down with this JB is better for sloppy players business except for possibly the specific case of down-tuned modern high gain metal rhythm. Let's not forget that the JB was a staple pickup for thrash metal.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

A2 in a JB can be great too.

I'm not down with this JB is better for sloppy players business except for possibly the specific case of down-tuned modern high gain metal rhythm. Let's not forget that the JB was a staple pickup for thrash metal.

Well let's not forget that screaming and growling was also a staple of thrash metal...

But if he likes the articulation of the Demon, go with that one. One last pickup that I would like to recommend is the Parallel Axis Blues Saraceno. It has a whole lotta sustain and can make a Floyd-ed Kramer sound like a bit Les Paul-ish. It can definitely do classic rock, not sure about metal though. You should look into it.

 

[Demanic]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

A2 in a JB can be great too.

I'm not down with this JB is better for sloppy players business except for possibly the specific case of down-tuned modern high gain metal rhythm. Let's not forget that the JB was a staple pickup for thrash metal.

A regular ceramic can also sound fantastic in a JB. Lynch likes it. And the Demon was made for him.

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[gregory]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

^+1

I'm pretty sure he had been using a regular run of the mill JB for a long while, leading up to his venture with Arcane. I'm not aware of him going back to ceramic after the Screamin' Demon.

 

[Demanic]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

You're probably right about him not going back. But the JB with the regular ceramic still sounds good, as I'm sure he did when he was using it.
The thing that I like about it is that it sits right in-between the JB and the Distortion tone wise.

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[gregory]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

Yeah, definitely! That's what people were calling a JB+, right?

 

[Demanic]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

Indeed I think it went by that.


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[gregory]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

One last pickup that I would like to recommend is the Parallel Axis Blues Saraceno. [...] You should look into it.

I liked the Parallel Axis I tried it in basswood with a Floyd. I think it was a 2 but it could have been a 1. It was a long time ago.

 

[panamang]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

^+1

I'm pretty sure he had been using a regular run of the mill JB for a long while, leading up to his venture with Arcane. I'm not aware of him going back to ceramic after the Screamin' Demon.

I've got a trembucker JB with alnico V. It's been in a few guitars and have enjoyed it. This old Kramer is a good platform although a little wierd by modern standards. Basswood, 21 frets, vintage tremolo and a zero radius rosewood fretboard. Was told this was the first superstrat model ever made. Not sure if that's true but it's always fun to fix up an old guitar. From what you guys are saying, it sounds like the Screamin' Demon would be happy living there.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: JB or Screamin Demon for old Kramer Superstrat Project?

I liked the Parallel Axis I tried it in basswood with a Floyd. I think it was a 2 but it could have been a 1. It was a long time ago.

The 3 is darker than the other two, but not a bad dark. In a Gibson it can be really dark, but in a Kramer with a Floyd, I'd call say it's about what an overwound '59 would sound like in a Lester. It's got a similar EQ curve, but it also has that quality all the Parallel Axis's have (I can't quite put my finger on it at the moment).

But the Screamin Demon is also really good, it really bridges the gap between vintage and modern. Plus, the hex/fillister thing looks, as the kids say "pretty neat".

And one last thing, if this thing turns out good, you are morally obligated to show pictures. I love me some Kramers.