Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

[emaccarthy]

I have an alder mapler floyd super strat with a screamin demon in the bridge. I love this pickup and the clarity and high end. I did some youtubing recently and found this tone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbWO3jEyrcQ

This is some killer tone and the snappyness on the low strings are something that I really want to bring out in my guitar. Is this snappy tone more attributed to the bladed bill lawrence pickup and his amp setup? or is there something that I can do to adjust my screamin demon to help bring out the clarity and attack. I have been tweaking with the pickup height but I can't quite seem find the sweet spot. I always think I am too low or too high and loosing some aspect of tone in between. How best can I adjust the SD for maximum snap and clarity. Any tips or thoughts short of swapping out mags or pots etc? I guess I am just seeking some pickup height advise directly related to the screamin demon.

Thanks

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

oh man,

that's a Washburn N4? That guitar and that pickup with some serious fingers and you can not beat it. listen to some old school Nuno, you will get close with the Demon for sure. I find the demon can not be placed too close to the strings, other wise it will lose dynamics and will muddy up. Try raising the poles on the bass side and lower the bass side of the demon. keep the poles tight to the bobbins on the treble side and keep it closer to the strings on that side. what ever you do, don't get either side too close to the strings. the demon is a great pickup, but takes a lot of time to get a tonal balance that you may like. adjust a quarter turn at a time and play it after each adjustment.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

That dude freakin jammed!!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

I think the amp also has a lot to do with that snap.

 

[chris effect]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

also once you get the pickup tweaked to how you like it, you can experiment with little things like different picks and strings. Just an Idea. It amazes me how much different pick material makes.

 

[emaccarthy]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

That dude freakin jammed!!

Yeah he seriously ripped it. I lowered the demon quite a bit from where it was but I am still tweaking the height. Right now when fretted at the highest fret the pup is about 3.5mm from the bottom of the low E to the top of the pole piece and just under 3mm on the high E. Out of curiosity what are the tonal differences between these two pickups? The Screamin demon and the L500XL. The demon has pretty well published specs and descriptions whereas I am finding it hard to track down any kind of specs on the Bill Lawrence. And all the demo videos seem to be some dude chugging out fizzy half ass'd pantera songs. Any direct comparisons between the demon and the L500XL out there?

Thanks

 

[Shooter.556]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

He sounds like DeMartini. His phrasing and everything..
That old Nuno was sweet!

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Tweaking humbucker for maximum snap and clarity

Great video. Fantastic tone. Thanks for posting.

Good luck on your quest!

Bill