Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

[littlebadboy]

Re: Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

For some reason, the Parallel Axis comes to my mind.

I love the Hot Rails sound too! Been wanting to have a guitar build with an SS config but with rails on both. I actually liked how they chug.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

The Parallel Axis would be a great choice. I wouldn't say that it sounds like a Hot Rails. But it's a great choice.

[Aceman]

Re: Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

I love the Hot Rails. Great double blade. But I really never came across a full size HB that I went "That's what the Hot Rail is." Love the Hot Rails for what it is, a Hot Rails.

Full disclosure: Currently using a Fast Track 2 in a cheap Kramer. Love the Fast Track, Fast Track 2, and Chopper from DMZ.


OMG: Frogger!!!!!!!! Those are BADASS!!!!!!!!!! You are my new pickup science super-hero!!!!!!! I beseech you, plead, and beg that you do a thread on that. Tell us your methodology, explain the multiple single note stacking (for averages I assume), what you played, how you played, and just freaking everything....software, guitar strings, etc!!!!!!

[Jacew]

Re: Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

+1... and the narrow spacing of the HR changes the coupling of its coils in favor of a much higher inductance: a Hot Rails B reads almost 12H according to my measurements. Standard sized HB's with such a high inductance are pretty rare. Even an Invader reads only 8.4H...

12H gives to the Hot Rails a resonant frequency a bit above 2.2k througha standard cable - IOW, a high mids focused voicing. For comparison, the Invader resonates at least 500hz higher.


If I wanted a Hot Rails sound from a guitar fitted with HB's, I'd do what I've done in my own guitar with Hot Rails: I'd mount the real one in an adapter: https://www.guitarfetish.com/Humbuck...RS_p_4349.html

For anyone who'd find it ugly, there's magnetically transparent plastic covers like those of EMG's and a rails pickup can be hidden in it (after all, cheap Japanese guitars from the past often hosted a single coil under a humbucker cover for economical reasons).

Another trick would be to lower artificially the resonant peak of a standard sized HB by putting it in parallel with a low value capacitor. That + a proper resistance for volume & tone pots would kinda mimic the resonance of a HR, albeit the HB would remain unable to reproduce the comb filtering of harmonics due to narrow spaced coils.

FWIW (= my 2 cents of geek; and sorry for the late answer: I'm more than busy).

Good luck in your tone quest, EddieVN!

You could fit real single or cool rails there too, and get the hole filled

[freefrog]

Re: Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

OMG: Frogger!!!!!!!! Those are BADASS!!!!!!!!!! You are my new pickup science super-hero!!!!!!! I beseech you, plead, and beg that you do a thread on that. Tell us your methodology, explain the multiple single note stacking (for averages I assume), what you played, how you played, and just freaking everything....software, guitar strings, etc!!!!!!

I don't want to be a super-hero: they put under-wear upon their pants! ;-)

[freefrog]

Re: Full-sized humbucker closest in tone to Hot Rails

You could fit real single or cool rails there too, and get the hole filled

I can understand the satisfaction to get the hole(s) filled...

... Now and more seriously: I had routed my Variax for a full sized bridge humbucker and wasn't sure to appreciate the Hot Rails instead of it. The GFS adapter came as an easy solution... and stayed because it's not that ugly, after all. Furthermore, it allows me to swap again the HR for a regular HB if I want to.
Adapters are a solution "under the radar" but totally functional IMHO/IME. That's why I've shared the idea. :-)