The Watering Hole

My Robin had a Seymour Duncan Trembucker in it....but it started squeeling at high volumes. I know this was probably a wiring issue....but I took it as a good reason to upgrade the pickup  ;)
I went to GC to buy a Duncan JB...but they were out  :(  The salesdude told me I should try a Duncan Screamin Demon. Those have good reviews....so I bought one.
Slapped that pup in....and my good lord it was HARSH. I pulled the highs and presence WAY back on the JSX and tamed it down....but then it sounded like I had a blanket over it.
Out of curiousity, I broke out the Hamer, which has a high output Duncan Invader in it. I had to bring the highs back up....and vavoom...no harshness at all. Just great tone.
JSX's do not like Duncan Screamin Demons!!
I did find a Duncan Pearly Gates pup that I totally forgot I had in my old bag. I'm gonna try that pup out tomorrow and see if it likes the JSX.

I'll get back on how it works out. But it is interesting how different amps react to different pups. I'm finding that the JSX is VERY sensitive to whatever is plugged into it.  

Any other stories like this out there?  Could be useful to anybody searching for tone with what they have. I'll get back to yooz guys on how the PG pup works. Cheers!

I haven't met an amp that a Screaming Demon liked honestly...

I was so jazzed to get one cause it was/is endorsed by George Lynch, but I finally Sold it cause every gtr I put it in sounded harsh and brittle.  It sounded best in my Butterscotch FrankenStrat, into the first gen POD and that was the only thing I ever had it sounded even somewhat good in.

Doesn't surprise me about the Screamin' Demon.  

When I got my Roadster, I had a fucker of a time with my Malmsteen strat (no matter what pickup).  The stock pickup, a Duncan Hot Stack, and a Dimarzio single-space Tone Zone; nothing in that guitar worked in that amp.  I loved the guitar, but I foresaw keeping the amp FAR longer.  So, as much as I loved it, I sold it to Schneidas.

I tell you what you should look at.  http://www.wcrguitar.com/godwood.html

I dropped this pickup in the bridge of my PRS Singlecut and I KNOW it sounds great through a JSX. I plugged into the JSX with this guitar after I got the pickup installed just to see how it worked.  Un-fucking-real.  I know they're pricey, but they are absolute TITS (especially through the JSX)!!!  Great, defined low end, tons of harmonics, fat sound.  Output, I think, is around 9k for the bridge.  Listen to the clips.  I also dropped the Darkburst pickup in the neck.  He offers different wiring options (2 or 4 conductor).  He also ships fairly quick (I had mine within a few days from Cali).  

I'll give you $12 for the stock PRS pickups you took out.  

Uh, no.   :D

yeah, sounds like the JSX is a bright amp - the Invader is known to be a dark pup, which probably makes them a good match, and the Demons are bright.  Whatever you do, don't put a Duncan full shred in there, you'll have icepick tone a la Joey...  

The JB might end up being a tad bright as well given your description, but it is a fantastic pup - very well balanced IMO,  you should be able to make it work.

You might try a ToneZone if you want to go the DiMarzio route.  It is a thicker pup.

I always use Duncan Distortions, nice tone, plenty of power but not over the top. I have been using them since way back when they first came out in the 1970's.

What I thought was a Pearly Gates pup is actulally an SH-14. Pretty good little pup, sounds great!    That Screamin Demon is a HARSH pup. BRITTLE.  Stay away....

Johnny — Aug 01, 2008What I thought was a Pearly Gates pup is actulally an SH-14. Pretty good little pup, sounds great!    That Screamin Demon is a HARSH pup. BRITTLE.  Stay away....

A custom 5?  I love my Custom Custom, i think the Custom 5 is the same thing but with an AlNiCo5 magnet.  Nice.

charger — Aug 01, 2008[quote author=Johnny link=1217482522/0#7 date=1217567409]What I thought was a Pearly Gates pup is actulally an SH-14. Pretty good little pup, sounds great!    That Screamin Demon is a HARSH pup. BRITTLE.  Stay away....

A custom 5?  I love my Custom Custom, i think the Custom 5 is the same thing but with an AlNiCo5 magnet.  Nice.


I have a Custom 5 in my Warmoth VW and love it.

Custom 5's are nice.  Have one in my Ibanez Artist.  

I still think you'd dig the WCR pups.