So the Duncan Screamin Demon sucks..?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JohnSykes
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I have this pickup in my Jackson DKMGT and I like it. I usually play through my JMP 2203, which is a ridiculously bright amp to begin with.

My '89 ESP Kamikaze with JB's sound killer as well.
 
I have dmartini in my voyager it's killer as well much hotter , but at least for me there are aspects of the demon I like better . At times the dmartini can be a bit much IMHO .
All depends on what you play how loud ect ect .
Jim
 
its actually a cool pickup but the name is misleading. You think it is a super hot output pickup but it is not high output at all.
 
I just swapped one into my LP Studio this weekend. Brighter than the stock 498 pu's. Sounded great through a Fender Vibro King. Thought I was playing through an old Marshall. Plenty of output to drive the amp w/o losing definition. Had to do some major eq changes on my Train 45 though. Too much treble for my standard 80's hard rock/metal settings. After some eq changes the pickups did pretty good. Plenty of harmonics and dynamics depending on pick attack. Not bad. Stock pickups will probably go back in though. Note that both of these amps are non master volume and I crank em. The screamin demon might not have enough low end for low volume preamp gain.
 
Most said it well that it doesn't have high output. I believe George loves maple bodied guitars and likes to keep a boost pedal on at all times so the mids and output balance out for the way he uses it. I have one in my alder N2 and I like it. Not exactly what I usually like but its cool.
 
sahlomonic":37o6r8kx said:
Kidkramer71":37o6r8kx said:
I tend to disagree somewhat with the screaming demon reviews this far.
It is not as hot of a pickup true but it does scream it really comes alive at high volume through a good tube amp and is really fat and pinch harmonics are killer on it .
Playing at low volume it does not respond the same .
This pickup does growl for sure !!
It just has to be used as intended !!
It really was designed for George Lynch and how he plays at very high volume through high gain killer tube amps . For regular harmonics or tapping it is not that great . I have a jb in the exact same kramer and for tapping and stuff it is better and it is bright , but for fat burley in your face grinding rhythm it kills as well as screaming vibrato bends and pinch harmonics.
As far as all around pickup for 80's type stuff I would say the jb is one of the best .
But the screaming demon does not suck just needs to be used how it was designed.
Jmho
Rock on
Jim
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I agree with this. Yes, the name is very misleading, but if you don't think of it as a high output pickup, then you may like it. If anyone loves the rhythm tones on the Wicked Sensation album (my personal benchmark for rhythm tone IMO), remember that it was recorded with the Screamin Demon in the alder bodied Skull and Snakes guitar, through the SLO.

If you're looking for modern high gain stuff, you probably won't like it. I think Seymour Duncan's description for the Screamin Demon pickup says it perfectly: "Less bite, more growl".
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Even once I accepted that it wasn't a high output pup, I still didn't love it at all. I just didn't think it was a very lively or dynamic pup. I actually prefer moderate output pups like Filtertrons, my MCP 2nd degree, Gibson 57 Classic Plus, PRS McCarty pups, etc..

Lynch said that the SD was designed to let the amp do the work, and I agree that a moderate output pup into a high gain amp is the way to go for dynamics. I like the growl, just didn't like the feel at all.
 
I have a Kamikazie and it has a JB in it. REALLY aggressive tone and just kills.
I liked the Demon.....but it was more or less the hype and it didnt hang around long.
NOW........check this out. One of the Lynch Flag ship super rare customs. ;)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ESP-George-Lync ... 58a898856d


What Pickup did Lynch have ESP put in it? The Demon? Nope.... :no:
Put in a Duncan Pearly Gates. :thumbsup:

There is your answer. :D
(I preffer the JB though myself) :rock:
 
I think the Demon is cool once you have a Tubescreamer going as well, they really complement each other - cuts and bumps in all the right places.
 
My Brian Moore had one in it. Thought it was a JB. Fought with it for years, great split tone though. Swapped it for a JB and things became “right.” It needs @125-150k total load like a JB imho.

Put the Demon in my 25.5” Ibanez. Maple center/neck, mahogany wings, rosewood board. C# tuning with 11’s. Really opened up the dynamics, especially for complex chording at speed. Put all screws in, has a nice, bell-like single coil-ish tone.

Now that I’ve gone to pure nickel 9-42, it lacks body and drive. I dig its parallel tone but I need more winding to smooth the upper mids/treble.

I believe what most dislike is 500k pots with it and the hex screws. It does better flipped (as do JB’s) but going all screws is the icing on the cake.
 
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I tried a Demon in a Jackson 20 years ago and didn't like it at all. It gave me a negative opinion of that pup until i got a Kamikaze. The Demon is superb in a Kamikaze IMO.
 
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You just never know with George. Was this his idea or did he just go along with it because it was free and he might get a kick back? I am starting to see a pattern and if it sounds " good enough", he will put his name on it and benefit from a bit of beer money. But then there are the products he generally really likes even if he only uses them a short period of time. He's got a great ear for tone so you know the ones he likes sound really good. Add into the mix the variable of guitar body wood and then the variance among same wood bodies. I happen to love the JB with alnico II but alnico II can sound a little darker depending on the wood. You also can play with no tone control. Remember that a lot of the superstrats didn't have tone controls and that adds to the bite and top end. Screamin demon is a terrible name either way for that pup. Super V or any of the 5 other small builder pups he has put out since will be better. Or just throw an alnico 2 in a JB or get an Aldrich and be done with it!

Moral of the story, pups you like are a good starting point but don't all sound the same in diff bodies. This is why pros have favourites among the feel of the guitar.
 
The Demon is the worst Duncan I've ever tríed. Followed closely by the Dimebucker.
 
I enjoy the Demon, but as a NECK humbucker, splittable, in my ESP Horizon NT-II.

I recon I would find it too weak in the bridge as well, even though I don't care for really hot pickups, due to the loss of dynamics and useable clean tones typically. Medium/high output I can get behind for a bridge.
While I haven't tried them in the same guitar, I would imagine that the Duncan Pearly Gates neck might be a better choice for most applications than the Demon as a neck pickup. I do have the PGn in the neck position of my Burny Randy Rhoads LPC, with a Custom/59 Hybrid in the bridge. That axe rawks like no other. Super heavy body (~11+lbs) but it got tone fer dayzzz.
 
Most of his guitars are maple bodied, which means they’re really bright. Maybe that’s why the pup is voiced like it is. I tried it and thought it was very bland.
 
SFW said:
I actually really like the Demon. It's like a PAF with some nice grind.
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I tired one years ago and I was in the not like category, it felt really weak I dunno I just didn't care for it, I wanted to, It may very well work with Georges setup at the time but I think he's is more in the PAF camp now but hell he plays everything under the sun.

If you want a medium output PAF with grind, clarity I highly recommend the 78 model duncan it is one pickup that has always delivered no matter what.
 
I had one for years in a Charvel model 2 before I knew much about tone. From what I can remember, I fought with it a bit. Replaced it with a JB and didn't look back.
 
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