Screaming Demon vs JB?

M

MrFlexx

New member
I'm thinking of replacing my JB with another pickup and after reading up on things the Screaming Demon seems like a good candidate. It's for a Charvel San Dimas AND a Fender Stratocaster HSS...both with alder bodies.

What I dislike with the JB is the harsh highs and honky mids. I want a pickup that more open/airy sounding with great articulation, dynamics, harmonics and versatility. It should also be good when coil-splitting. From what I've read the Screaming Demon tick all of these boxes. Anyone that can confirm/debunk this?

Favorite guitarists are:
George Lynch
Warren Demartini
Dann Huff

I'm also considering changing the neck pickup on the Charvel to a Screaming Demon.

My main amp is a Splawn Quick Rod 100 set with low-medium gain.
 
Screaming Demon sounds like it exactly what you want for both instruments.
If you don't mind paying the Custom Shop premium, you can ask for an "OG" El Diablo. It's a hotter wound Screamin Demon that works as a great bridge match for the Demon neck.
 
Chistopher said:
Screaming Demon sounds like it exactly what you want for both instruments.
If you don't mind paying the Custom Shop premium, you can ask for an "OG" El Diablo. It's a hotter wound Screamin Demon that works as a great bridge match for the Demon neck.
Click to expand...
With the extra for shipping plus 25% tax on both the pickup and the shipping, the total will be a bit high for me.
So you don't think a Screaming Demon on the neck will be good with a Screaming Demon in the bridge? I do like the 59, but from various clips the Screaming Demon Neck sounds amazing.
 
I put a Demon in my HSS Strat looking for hair metallish tones, and it really works well. The high end isn't overbearing, the mids sit just right, and there's enough fullness not to want to look for more. That being said, the output is way lower than its name would suggest, but it's nothing an overdrive pedal can't fix when needed.
 
MrFlexx said:
With the extra for shipping plus 25% tax on both the pickup and the shipping, the total will be a bit high for me.
So you don't think a Screaming Demon on the neck will be good with a Screaming Demon in the bridge? I do like the 59, but from various clips the Screaming Demon Neck sounds amazing.
Click to expand...

I vote for the demon in the neck, I don't see why it wouldn't give you what you want. I'm a big fan of the pickup, in both the neck and bridge.
 
Chistopher said:
Screaming Demon sounds like it exactly what you want for both instruments.
If you don't mind paying the Custom Shop premium, you can ask for an "OG" El Diablo. It's a hotter wound Screamin Demon that works as a great bridge match for the Demon neck.
Click to expand...

You can actually make your own OG El Diablo. Full Shred with a row of screws. I have done it a few times. Screamin Demon is an under-wound Custom 5, Full Shred is a Custom 5 with allen screws. To my understanding, the El Diablo was also a Custom-family wind but if im wrong, somebody correct me.
 
Going from a JB to a Demon is a great choice. A Demon is one of my most favorite neck pups and would be great paired with another Demon in the bridge. I like the Demon way better in the neck than a 59. Like Mincer said, just lower the neck a bit and/or raise the bridge pup
 
This is very old suggestion from years ago, and the two two pickups work nicely with each other: Jazz Bridge in the neck paired with a Screaming Demon in the bridge.
 
FWIW, I don't think the Demon splits better than the JB.

Generally, the lower the wind, the worse a humbucker splits, IME. Not always, but most of the time. Especially in the bridge position.
 
Rex_Rocker said:
FWIW, I don't think the Demon splits better than the JB.

Generally, the lower the wind, the worse a humbucker splits, IME. Not always, but most of the time. Especially in the bridge position.
Click to expand...

The JB doesn't sound good split...heck, it doesn't even sound good in full series. :laughing:
 
Thankfully the forum crashed with error 0 when I tried to reply with a very elaborate post to the obligatory "JB sucks" whine. Better let this one go.
 
MrFlexx said:
What I dislike with the JB is the harsh highs and honky mids.
Click to expand...

I won't call the JB harsh. And the Screamin Demon to me is brighter than the JB... Sounds thinner as well. Although, that screamin demon was in a brighter guitar from the beginning (Washburn N2, 500k no tone pot) vs where my JB is (Am Std Strat and 250k pots)

Try 250k pots first before, swapping it out.
 
Yeah, I don't think the JB is all that bright so much as cutting. I don't think it really has much going on in the highs, honestly. Especially not compared to a 'Demon.

JB Harsh? OK. Can be. But certainly not in the highs.
 
For me, even if I love the JB overall, the one issue I have with it is the low mids can get stuffy real quick. It's a bit too fat for certain guitars under certain situations. That's why I could never picture myself using the JB with 250K pots or an A2 magnet. That would shift the focus evern further towards the lower mids.

I think the JB is fatter than what people give it credit for. And I'll never understand, for example, when people swap a JB out for being harsh, and they swap it out for something brighter, like a 'Demon. JMO.
 
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