Back to the Quarter Pound from the Hot Rails

[Rex_Rocker]

I swapped the Quarter Pound back into my Squier Esquire (LOL). I was using the Hot Rails.

I kinda like the Hot Rails... but it's just don't love it in context of my other guitars. I do love that it's surprisingly hot it is. It keeps up no problem with my X2N, Black Winter, and 500T, and I think that is no small feat. I like how tight it is. It doesn't have a bloated or muddy low-end like some full-size humbuckers. However, it's just way too dark for my liking.

Don't get me wrong, it's got some midrange grind, but no real sizzle to speak of. Even my X2N which is a dark pickup has more going on up top. I was running the Hot Rails with a single 500K volume pot, no tone, and even then, it wasn't enough. I was tempted to try a 1Meg, but honestly, I don't think it's worth it. It's just the voicing that's too polite.

The Quarter Pound, on the other hand, has plenty of sizzle and grind without having the over-the-top squelchy/scratchy sound of traditional Tele single coils. It's just voiced nicely for gain. A noise gate easily takes care of the hum too, so it was a hard choice, but I think the QP is more me. It reminds me kinda of a JB (which I love) meets a P90. Too bad it's not as hot as the DCR would suggest, but it's just voiced nicer for what I want to do (chunky Melodic Death Metal).

So yea... just wanted to share my thoughts.

 

[Mincer]

Does the additional hum of the QP bother you when using higher gain (when you are playing or before the gate closes)?

 

[freefrog]

At almost 12 Henry, the HRb has one of the highest inductances I've measured so, yes, it can certainly sound dark when an average capacitive load is created by the wiring (knowing that regular sized high gain humbuckers are rather in the 8 Henry range, typically).

A partial remedy would be to put a buffer at the output of the guitar... or a wireless emitter without cable simulation... or simply to use a low capacitance cable: my Sommer LLX's measure each 3.3m / 11ft but only 186pF, jack plugs included; that's twice less than a normal 10' guitar cable... while Sommer LLX is not expensive (but is sturdy enough to survive to gigs).

These capacitive attenuators wouldn't correct the specific comb filtering of a SC sized humbucker but would make it brighter, in a different way than a 1M resistive load.

Side note - The QP is in the P.A.F. range inductance wise and has the Q factor / magnetic windows of a true SC, so it logically sounds brighter than the HR...

FWIW - two cents of geeky rambling meant to put things in perspective and to share possible solutions.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Does the additional hum of the QP bother you when using higher gain (when you are playing or before the gate closes)?

Not at all. My gate closes fast enough for me not to notice. And I don't notice it while playing at all.

No noticeable hum here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b60mqchmc05bjss/Quarter Pound.mp3?dl=0

 

[Rex_Rocker]

At almost 12 Henry, the HRb has one of the highest inductances I've measured so, yes, it can certainly sound dark when an average capacitive load is created by the wiring (knowing that regular sized high gain humbuckers are rather in the 8 Henry range, typically).

A partial remedy would be to put a buffer at the output of the guitar... or a wireless emitter without cable simulation... or simply to use a low capacitance cable: my Sommer LLX's measure each 3.3m / 11ft but only 186pF, jack plugs included; that's twice less than a normal 10' guitar cable... while Sommer LLX is not expensive (but is sturdy enough to survive to gigs).

These capacitive attenuators wouldn't correct the specific comb filtering of a SC sized humbucker but would make it brighter, in a different way than a 1M resistive load.

Side note - The QP is in the P.A.F. range inductance wise and has the Q factor / magnetic windows of a true SC, so it logically sounds brighter than the HR...

FWIW - two cents of geeky rambling meant to put things in perspective and to share possible solutions.

Hahaha, thanks, man. I really don't think the HR is worth the effort, though. I just don't like how thuddy the attack is, and that is not just a matter of EQ, but the overall voicing of the pickup. I guess it's a blade thing? Cause the X2N has it as well, but not to such extreme.

 

[Aceman]

Got a friend with a QP. Yeah - it isn't a Hot Rails - in a good way.

Metal Tele = Hot Rails
Hard Rocking Tele = QP

 

[Rex_Rocker]

That's the thing... the Hot Rail's got the output, but the QP's got t3h toAnZ, LOL.

 

[GuitarStv]

Man, the QP isn't exactly what I'd call bright . . . even running with 500k pots it's a very chunky neck sound in a strat.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Man, the QP isn't exactly what I'd call bright . . . even running with 500k pots it's a very chunky neck sound in a strat.

It certainly is not brighter than a standard Tele pickup, agreed. It is noticeably brighter than the Hot Rails, though.

But then, like I said, the HR is VERY dark. Darker even than the X2N.