Rails for Strat classification

[uOpt]

This is for the neck pickups, the bridge differs.

Between the vintage rails, the cool rails and the hot rails I explain things this way. They are not like PAF, Custom, JB/DD going super-heavy.

They are:

• Vintage rails is about Strat pickup class. More hifi and hum-canceling but overall hotness and output.
• Hot rails is about PAF class, but more hi-fi and a bit tighter under gain due to the ceramic magnet (compression works against boomieness) . It's a bit like a gain-friendly PAF style humbucker in the neck.
• Cool rails is in between.

Again, that is for the neck pickups. Of course the bridge version of the hot rails brings out the whoop-ass.

Is it just me or does anybody else classify them this way?

[IMENATOR]

Re: Rails for Strat classification

I really liked your thread, I was recently thinking myself about how or when to use each. Tonewise I cannot give an opinion since I have not tried myself in my guitar but recently I found a couple of demos for a Vintage and Cool rails that I think can complement what you have described. I VRails but I have been told on other threads that they are very low in output to match a high HB in the bridge but maybe someone else can confirm or clarify.


Here is VRails clean and some gain too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baPJ2hMf7vQ

here is one with CoolRails in the neck, with gain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pXW7kzPy0GI

and Cool Rails neck clean, with split mode too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2DP1roIfS4o

[LReese]

Re: Rails for Strat classification

I liked the Vintage Rails - If they weren't so tall, I'd still be using them.

[darthphineas]

Re: Rails for Strat classification

the official site could benefit from a better definition of the "rail" style of pickups. as well as the "rail" style of pickups from the CS that aren't really advertised.

[skyydogg01]

Re: Rails for Strat classification

I wonder how a hot rails would sound with an A8 ...

[IMENATOR]

Re: Rails for Strat classification

the official site could benefit from a better definition of the "rail" style of pickups. as well as the "rail" style of pickups from the CS that aren't really advertised.

I agree, actually I was thinking they need sort them based on output or "loudness" properly. For example theCool Rails is marked as moderate output (you know, the ice cube icon) but the description says it is "Hotter and louder than both the Vintage Staggered (SSL-1) Hot StackŪ (STK-S2) pickups" but the STK-S2 is marked as hot (you know, the flame icon ) so it has contradictory descriptions. I want a list sorting from quiet to louder so once I tried one and need more or less output I can go and try the next in the list.