HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Blille

Blille

New member
In 1996 I used all my savings towards a custom guitar by the local luthier. Part of my dream was, of course, SD pickups. I went with Jazz, Hot Rails and JB.

I loved the guitar but didn’t use the hot rails much. I moved to other guitars since the Floyd Rose was a bit of a pain and I didn’t use it but lately I’ve been playing it more, first out of nostalgia but now more because it’s just a great guitar.

I’ve been wanting to swap the middle pickup for a single for a while but it never felt right to mix a new one with the ones there.

Well, I got the perfect candidate from muttznmongrelz, a 1995 SSL-1.

7529fdce213b32e1283c718c3437dc54.jpg



And tonight I swapped the hot rails for the SSL-1:

0f677ee483b8b3dcf490a59ab833c690.jpg


I’m really happy with the result, it’s really nice to mix it with the others split in particular.

46c636bbe4e780ec9bfb2dee54380858.jpg
 
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Re: HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

That looks so much better with the single in there! Absolutely beautiful guitar as well. Is that an Ibby Edge Trem on it?
 
Re: HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Was the Hot Rails neck model? I've been trying to look for opinions and experience about rails in middle and found very little anything useful. Been thinking of getting Hot Rails neck for middle position...

How was it played on it's own? With 500k volume I assume since you have HB's?

Great looking guitar!
 
HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Jacew said:
Was the Hot Rails neck model? I've been trying to look for opinions and experience about rails in middle and found very little anything useful. Been thinking of getting Hot Rails neck for middle position...

How was it played on it's own? With 500k volume I assume since you have HB's?

Great looking guitar!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yes it was a neck model. It’s now available in the trading post if you’re interested :)

I have a 500k volume, 250k tone. I’m sure I had my reasons.

It sounded good on its own. Powerful an wooly. I just couldn’t find a good moment for it in my playing. I’m used to the middle pickup being more of a combination pickup and I generally gravitated to neck or bridge positions. I just think it wasn’t a good choice for me personally.
 
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Re: HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Blille said:
Thanks! Yes it was a neck model. It’s now available in the trading post if you’re interested :)

I have a 500k volume, 250k tone. I’m sure I had my reasons.

It sounded good on its own. Powerful an wooly. I just couldn’t find a good moment for it in my playing. I’m used to the middle pickup being more of a combination pickup and I generally gravitated to neck or bridge positions. I just think it wasn’t a good choice for me personally.
Click to expand...

I'm bit surprised with wooly... The eq chart in SD page shows mid spike for neck models, which I usually take to mean opposite of that.

Now I'm more undecided about it: Cool Rails bridge DCR is close, but eq is opposite and there's even less about how it really sounds out there. From info I suspected that to be more wooly sounding one...

Well, I already did ordered HR neck, so I'll see how it works out...
 
Re: HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Jacew said:
I'm bit surprised with wooly... The eq chart in SD page shows mid spike for neck models, which I usually take to mean opposite of that.

Now I'm more undecided about it: Cool Rails bridge DCR is close, but eq is opposite and there's even less about how it really sounds out there. From info I suspected that to be more wooly sounding one...

Well, I already did ordered HR neck, so I'll see how it works out...
Click to expand...

Yep, very strong mids. That's what I meant, sorry if wooly is not a good description. I hate using random adjectives to describe a sound.

What do you play and how do you plan to use it?
 
Re: HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Blille said:
Yep, very strong mids. That's what I meant, sorry if wooly is not a good description. I hate using random adjectives to describe a sound.

What do you play and how do you plan to use it?
Click to expand...

I think actually it probably is. I get know what you mean.

Main goal was to put it between two single coils for series/parallel combos with one rail and single in pos 2 and 4.

I made a thread about it and post results there when I get there.

Thank you!
 
Re: HSH Middle Pickup swap: from Hot Rails to SSL-1

Jacew said:
I think actually it probably is. I get know what you mean.

Main goal was to put it between two single coils for series/parallel combos with one rail and single in pos 2 and 4.

I made a thread about it and post results there when I get there.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

I remember now, best of luck :)


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