SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

[G3ordy]

Does anyone here have any experience with the El Diablo pickup? I just ordered one from the Custom Shop and I'm psyched! I was wondering what experiences (bad or good) that people have had with them. Do they sound better in Strats, LPs, SGs, etc? Maybe some amp suggestions? Thanks!

 

[TheProphet]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

Do you have a guitar that you know that you wanted the pickup for?

My experience has been really good. It works for a lot of what I do. The closest description I could give for it is a really hot, chunky and somewhat 'dark' PAF ... but even that is way off.

I can't say what type of guitar would be best for the pickup, guitars each have their own character, therefor I choose the pickup combo based off the guitar's natural character.

As far as amps are concerned, ensuring that you have a specific amp for a specific pickup doesn't make sense. You should have an amp that works for you first, then find a pickup that works with both the guitar and amp. I have an amp that works for "my sound", the good news is most pickups work with most amps (with a few exceptions).

 

[G3ordy]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

Well, I'm looking for a used SG that I can just hot rod so most likely it will go into that. I've got a JB for my Rampage and I was thinking about checking out some of the Motor City pups for my LP. I'm a big Jerry Cantrell fan and I thought about getting my pups to match his.

What you say about the gear makes perfect sense. I have a couple of amps. I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and a Blues Jr. I also have a Line6, but I'm not sure if I'd get true tone out of that.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

My experience with the diablo is from my friend's Jackson King V, he has it paired with a PAF Pro in the neck. Sounds great in standard and low tunings and sounds really great clean in low tunings as well...he is usually playing through a rivera knucklehead or a jet city 20 watt head........

 

[TheProphet]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

FYI I completely agree with your choice in gear BTW. Although my personal bias is you might want an amp better suited to your style of music (at least on the AIC front)

I think the El Diablo will work for that SG ... that's where mine is eventually headed when I get around to widening the cutout in the pickguard. FYI the pickup bobbins are larger than your standard humbucker, so if you are not using the supplied mounting ring, some modification will be required.

Line 6's aren't bad (depending on which amp it is), from my experience it does colour the sound from the guitar a bit, but pickup characteristics do come through.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

I've got a couple of them, great pickup. Good choice for an SG.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

Very good for Mahogany set-necks and a perfect fit for an SG. Tight and driving, chunky and somewhat dark, but controlled. Balanced under gain with great harmonics! Unfortunately, after 2 years with one, I found it was too much of a one-trick pony for me and I moved on in the single-hum guitar I had it in. Wasn't cutting it for the times when I didn't want the gain cranked. Cleans weren't very "musical" at all, even with the volume rolled back, but I imagine tapping the individual coils would yield some cool results, especially with those big exposed A2 mags! In my opinion, having a 2-humbucker guitar is a MUST for the El Diablo...that way you can shape the neck tone around it to do all the things it can't.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

I like the cleans out of it, but my clean is relatively dirty.

 

[G3ordy]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

FYI I completely agree with your choice in gear BTW. Although my personal bias is you might want an amp better suited to your style of music (at least on the AIC front)

I think the El Diablo will work for that SG ... that's where mine is eventually headed when I get around to widening the cutout in the pickguard. FYI the pickup bobbins are larger than your standard humbucker, so if you are not using the supplied mounting ring, some modification will be required.

Line 6's aren't bad (depending on which amp it is), from my experience it does colour the sound from the guitar a bit, but pickup characteristics do come through.

What do you suggest for an amp? I'm told that Mesa's are good for that sound, but which one? I've looked into the Dual Rec Roadster, but it's pretty pricey. I'd have to sell the ones that I have in order to afford something like that. I definitely can't afford a Bogner.

My Line 6 is a Spider III 75. It's a cool little toy, but I prefer tubes or course.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

IIRC Jerry's amps have for the most part all been EL34 based. I'm not convinced that the Mesa's would be the best amp on the block for Jerry's tone.

Any player's tones out there that you like? With a bunch of reference points it might be easier to point you in a good direction.

 

[G3ordy]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

IIRC Jerry's amps have for the most part all been EL34 based. I'm not convinced that the Mesa's would be the best amp on the block for Jerry's tone.

Any player's tones out there that you like? With a bunch of reference points it might be easier to point you in a good direction.

I've always been partial to EVH, Slash and Jerry. I just really like that nasty grunge tone that Jerry's got going with the wah pedal mixed in.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

All three are in EL34 based land where I don't have a whole lot of experience. EVH & Slash both were and are Marshall type amps. and Jerry started off with a Marshall modded by Bogner.

I'm sure someone with more knowledge than I can probably point you in a good direction.

 

[G3ordy]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

All three are in EL34 based land where I don't have a whole lot of experience. EVH & Slash both were and are Marshall type amps. and Jerry started off with a Marshall modded by Bogner.

I'm sure someone with more knowledge than I can probably point you in a good direction.

Do you have any experience with Motor City Pups? I've heard good things about them too.

 

[Soulcrusher_X]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

Jerry does have a signature Dunlop crybaby, if you like that wah tone. It has a darker frequency than most other wahs, almost like a bass wah tone. It pretty neat. The bronze paint job is nice too. Jerry has actually used Dual Recs. for many years. He has one of (if not THE) very first Dual Rec. He also used a 5150 a few times, though I forget on what album. Apparently, EVH gave one to Jerry to try out when he got his deal with PV. I'm not sure what Bogners JC has been using, but if they are Uberschalls, then a Recto can get close. The Uber is a fairly dark-toned amp.

I wasn't after AIC type tones when I had my Rectos, so I can't offer a ton of advice to you, but some of my favorite tones were from my Rectos with EL34s or KT77s.

 

[G3ordy]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

Jerry does have a signature Dunlop crybaby, if you like that wah tone. It has a darker frequency than most other wahs, almost like a bass wah tone. It pretty neat. The bronze paint job is nice too. Jerry has actually used Dual Recs. for many years. He has one of (if not THE) very first Dual Rec. He also used a 5150 a few times, though I forget on what album. Apparently, EVH gave one to Jerry to try out when he got his deal with PV. I'm not sure what Bogners JC has been using, but if they are Uberschalls, then a Recto can get close. The Uber is a fairly dark-toned amp.

I wasn't after AIC type tones when I had my Rectos, so I can't offer a ton of advice to you, but some of my favorite tones were from my Rectos with EL34s or KT77s.

Thanks man! I think I'm gonna start saving my pennies for a Dual Rec and one of those JC wah pedals! I checked 'em out on YouTube. I dig that dark sound!

 

[drdave]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

I just picked up used Schecter Dan Donegan that has the El Diablo in the bridge. Still getting it dialed in, but starting to really like it. My other guitars have a JB and a Distortion, and the El Diablo doesn't have the screaming leads that those give me. I'd describe it as darker and more balanced, but still hot.

 

[allstarrme]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

anyone ever compare the el diablo with a DMZ D activator X?

 

[VHTJay]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

I just picked up used Schecter Dan Donegan that has the El Diablo in the bridge. Still getting it dialed in, but starting to really like it. My other guitars have a JB and a Distortion, and the El Diablo doesn't have the screaming leads that those give me. I'd describe it as darker and more balanced, but still hot.

This would be a good description I think. I have one, but currently don't have a guitar I think it sounds great in as all my current guitars are inherently darker sounding. The El Diablo certainly doesn't sound great in a mahogany guitar with a full rosewood neck. The fact that it is fairly balanced and dark I find also make its "perceived" level of hotness seem less than more aggressively tuned pickups....like the duncan distortion. It is not as in your face or as loud sounding.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

anyone evervcompare the el diablo with a DMZ D activator X?

Nope, but Steve recommended that pickup to me when I told them I liked the El Diablo.

I like it in mahogany with a rosewood board, probably not in a true LP though.

 

[slayest]

Re: SD Custom Shop Scott Ian El Diablo

Haven't tried the El Diablo. But I once had the D ativator X bridge in an Ibanez RG (basswood body) and don't like it. The bass responses faster than X2N, while the highs open up like an EMG 81X. No wonder it can be considered as an upgraded model of X2N. However, what I hate is that the high mid seems to rise a little than that of X2N (I could be wrong since my X2N was long gone so I can't make an A/B comparison). It's still a good metal pickup. But somehow the EQ spectrum just couldn't make me feel right like most other high output models of SD and DMZ do. It is also possible that the pickup just isn't suitable for basswood. But I found no reason strong enough to stop me from selling it.