Screamin Demon in Bridge of HSS Strat

[Telecaster1965]

Relatively new player here. I want an 80's rhythm sound (think .38 Special, Malcolm Young, Bachmann Turner Overdrive - okay they were the 70's). I am considering putting a Screamin Demon in the bridge.
A) Is that a good choice?
B) What would you put in the mid and neck to compliment the bridge?

Thanks much.

 

[jeremy]

welcome to the forum!

i think the demon works well in the bridge with singles. are you planning on 250k controls or 500k?

 

[Mr. B]

I would go for the 59 bridge instead. I think it meshes better with single coils. What do you want the single coils to do for you?

 

[Mincer]

Also take a look at the Whole Lotta Humbucker, and the 59/Custom Hybrid for those sounds. They are a little more 'classic rocky' than the Demon.

 

[Telecaster1965]

IF I'm am understanding the 250k vs. 500k controls correctly (and I may not be) a 500k ohm tone pot will give me the same sound rolled half way down as a 250k pot in the same circuit.

So I was leaning towards 250k using the self-deduced logic (and therefore subject to great error) that I always could dial back the treble if it's too bright; but you surely can't add it once it's gone. That said, I believe I would need the tone controls wired on the strat to work on the neck (or middle) pup and the bridge pup as presently there is no control knob that adjusts the tone on the bridge pup.

Now everything I just said above may be all rubbish. What I out of the single coils more or less boils down to getting that traditional "strat" sound achieved in blade position 4 (neck/middle pups). I really have only used position 1 and 4 (at least up to this point). So, a bridge crunch that delivers an 80's rhythm sound that is not muddy is what I am principally after; I just want the neck and middle pups to play nice in the sandbox with it. Again, new player. My tonal preferences may certainly evolve whereby the neck and middle become more important.

 

[ErikH]

The Screamin' Demon is a great choice. I would leave it with 250K pots. The whole 250k is same as 500k rolled halfway down is not true when it comes to the volume. The volume acts as a voltage divider at that point. That theory applies more to the tone controls and even then, sometimes it's closer to 7 on a 500k before it sounds like a 250k tone on 10. With a 250k volume, leave the tone control on the neck and middle only. I run a couple of Screamin' Demons with a 250k volume only and it's got the perfect balance that way.

Disclaimer: The Screamin' Demon is a not a firebreather pickup. It is medium output and when you play with it, it may not seem like it has a lot of output but it shines when dialed in and it will respond well. I love the articulation it has. Bonus, it makes a great neck pickup as well.

 

[Telecaster1965]

jeremy, Mr.B, Mincer & ErikH,

Many thanks for your input/feedback. You've given me some good options and ideas to consider. Much appreciated.

 

[donaldr]

Got a Screamin Demon in a Strat, with 250k pots for volume and 250k pots for neck/middle and bridge. I would not use 500k pots for a Screamin Demon, as it's bright enough with 250k.
I would use SSL-1 for neck and middle (if you want true single-coils) or STK-S4 if you want noiseless single-coils. The output will match very well and won't be overpowered by the SD.
The Screamin Demon is a nice pickup and you can lower the volume pot if you want to clean it and have less gain hitting the amp. Raise the volume for THAT solo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-xkwOtdvRM&t=8s

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Will the Demon quack at all in position 2 without being split?
Going to be rewiring an HSS using vintage output singles with 250K volume & tones.

Had intended to use a Suhr DSH or RioGrande BBQ from the parts boxes, but I've got an extra Demon too.
Leaning towards the Demon now, but had planned for a series/parallel switch; not sure that's practical with autosplit wiring.

Wouldn't be hard to wire for a resistor split instead of parallel.
Still, I'm curious.

 

[ErikH]

Not much quack from any humbucker in position 2. You would need to split it. Franky, that would be the best option. I would not run the Demon in parallel. The output will be much much lower than the single-coils at that point. Auto-split in position 2 and leave it at that, IME. If you find it muffled or not enough "oomph" with the setup, remove the tone pot from it and wire the tone controls for neck and middle only.