Alternatives to Tele Hot Rails?
- Thread starter Rex_Rocker
- Start date
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I was going to say the Hot Rails is already pretty tame in terms of EQ. Or at least, dark. But yeah, if you want less output, probably parallel.
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life_with_a_song
New member
All right--thanks guys!
Could you direct me to a schematic for doing this?
Could you direct me to a schematic for doing this?
Supernautilus
Active member
It’s the same for any standard humbucker with 4 conductor wires. You can either wire it permanently or use a switch. Just google “humbucker series parallel” or ”series split parallel” for different options.
Supernautilus
Active member
Hey guys I got a tangent question about this thread topic if you don’t mind. I’ve been interested in hot rails or other single coil sized humbuckers for a while. But my experience with them is limited to one time and it wasn’t good. I had a friend that put a little JB in his Strat once. Neither of us liked the sound. It was pretty sterile and harsh.
So what I would like to know is which single coil sized humbucker for a Telecaster sounds the most “natural” or “vintage”. I mean like not too harsh or shrill. Nice open sound, not too compressed. Vintage-hot or medium output…enough to compete with a neck humbucker but thats about it. Any suggestions?
Oh and I’d like to stick with SD if possible but I’ll consider other brand too. Thanks.
So what I would like to know is which single coil sized humbucker for a Telecaster sounds the most “natural” or “vintage”. I mean like not too harsh or shrill. Nice open sound, not too compressed. Vintage-hot or medium output…enough to compete with a neck humbucker but thats about it. Any suggestions?
Oh and I’d like to stick with SD if possible but I’ll consider other brand too. Thanks.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I'm sure there are plenty. I did have the DiMarzio Super Distortion T at one point, and it sounded good except for the fact that it was microphonic. I'm sure it didn't sound like an actual Super Distortion, but it still sounded good.
Other than that, maybe Little '59? Just don't expect any of the single-coil-sized hums to sound like the actual full-size hum. Keep your expectations realistic.
Other than that, maybe Little '59? Just don't expect any of the single-coil-sized hums to sound like the actual full-size hum. Keep your expectations realistic.
Supernautilus
Active member
What’s weird is the little 59, which I assumed would be fairly tame, is actually ceramic and classified as “high gain”. Meanwhile, the “Hot Stack” has an A5 magnet and is listed as medium gain.
Sometimes I just don’t get how SD comes up with this stuff lol.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Yeah, I thought so too, based on the DCR, magnet, and EQ profile. But I'm sure they wouldn't have put out a product they don't stand behind either.
I don't mind Ceramic in my pickups, though. I mean, how likely is it that we're playing Ceramic speakers as well? Haha.
marcello252
Well-known member
Ceramic has always a bad reputation, maybe because they are associated to inexpensive pickups, but they only are a different kind of magnet, with different magnetic characteristics, I mean, in my Princeton I DO prefer ceramic Jensen to alnico ones because the highs in the alnico are different , I'd say compressed and the mids and lows are more satisfying.
A good designed and manifactured ceramic pickup is way better than a poor made alnico, I'm quite sure about it, it all depends on the project.
A good designed and manifactured ceramic pickup is way better than a poor made alnico, I'm quite sure about it, it all depends on the project.
ToneFiddler
New member
Hey guys I got a tangent question about this thread topic if you don’t mind. I’ve been interested in hot rails or other single coil sized humbuckers for a while. But my experience with them is limited to one time and it wasn’t good. I had a friend that put a little JB in his Strat once. Neither of us liked the sound. It was pretty sterile and harsh.
So what I would like to know is which single coil sized humbucker for a Telecaster sounds the most “natural” or “vintage”. I mean like not too harsh or shrill. Nice open sound, not too compressed. Vintage-hot or medium output…enough to compete with a neck humbucker but thats about it. Any suggestions?
Oh and I’d like to stick with SD if possible but I’ll consider other brand too. Thanks.
is this for the firebird neck?
The lil59 is pretty compressed and middy. To me not open at all.
Don't know the lilPG but i doubt it will be that much different.
Dimarzio Chopper is better and not as hot, but still wouldn't call it open. maybe the FastTrack is hot enough?
i would suggest something like maybe the SD customshop 53 Tapped Tele.
I personally prefer the zhangbucker Paul Bunyan. Will match great!
The rio Grande Half Breed, Muy Grande or Cavalier Fat Lion should also work
marcello252
Well-known member
I have a fasttrack for strat and it's a paf sound at 95%, I assume the tele version might not be that different
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I got a Celestion Gold in a Krank 1x12 (solid pine sides and back with a plywood baffle). It's fancy. But I bet a quad of them would sound way better in a good birch 4x12, LOL.
Supernautilus
Active member
Not specifically about the Firebird pup; more of a general question. But yeah I like humbuckers in Tele necks and finding a bridge pup to complement them has always been a struggle. Right now I’m using a JD with the SM-1 and that seems to work pretty well. I was just curious about hum canceling options.
Based on what I’ve heard, I think I like the PG best out of the SD little humbuckers, as it sounds most “natural” to me. For noiseless pups, I think I like the Hot Stack. It’s beefy but still sounds like a Tele. I’d like to try that pup someday.
life_with_a_song
New member
Thanks, Supernautilus! I got it all wired up today, and it's working great now. It's brought the Hot Rails in line with the output of the neck pickup, and I like the sound.
Happy that it is now working out!
