Cool Rails or Little 59.....

[Butch Snyder]

Hi all,

I have a Fender MIM Std Strat (alder body/maple fretboard). I love this guitar. It's just cool and has a great vibe; even for a diehard Tele guy like me. I have a JB in the bridge position and Fender Tex Mex Strat pickups in the neck/middle positions. I'm using stock 250k pots. I am looking for a good single coil-sized humbucker to put in the neck position. I'm thinking either Cool Rails or Little 59 for Strat.

I want a tone that's pretty vintage in output; bright, but warm. So far, I'm thinking Cool Rails. On my laptop, the sound samples sound too close to call. Thanks, in advance.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

Think of the Cool Rails as sort of the single coil-sized version of the Jazz. So if you are blending it with the JB Jr, it is a great match. However, it isn't as warm as the Little '59. The Cool Rails is the brighter of the 2.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

Think of the Cool Rails as sort of the single coil-sized version of the Jazz. So if you are blending it with the JB Jr, it is a great match. However, it isn't as warm as the Little '59. The Cool Rails is the brighter of the 2.

Thanks Mincer. I have had a Little 59 in one of my Teles; in the bridge position. With 250k pots, it seemed a little dark. The tone I'm going for is more of a Norman Brown clean tone with some punch when needed. For overdriven tones, more of the "Still Got The Blues" or Steve Morse distorted neck position tones.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

I'll second the cool rails. You might want to consider 500k pots though.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

Those Steve Morse neck tones are about my favorite recorded guitar tones, period. I tried to get them with his signature pickups, but it didn't work. I get them now with an Alnico II Pro humbucker, but there is no single coil-sized equivalent. AThose particular sounds would be closer to the Little 59, though than the Cool Rails.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

Those Steve Morse neck tones are about my favorite recorded guitar tones, period. I tried to get them with his signature pickups, but it didn't work.

I couldn't get them either. Two factors against me; 1.) My amp/effects rig. 2.) I'm not Steve Morse.

 

[B2D]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

If you're using the Cool Rails, use 500k pots. I tried them with 250ks and they were just 'bleh' to me.

I prefer the Lil' 59 for a warmer, slightly hotter sound. For a more single-coil type sound, I did like the Vintage Rails quite a bit, even if they werent as hot or warm as the Lil 59, but they're not supposed to be. I thought they had more personality than the Cool Rails and played nice with 250ks to boot.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

If you're using the Cool Rails, use 500k pots. I tried them with 250ks and they were just 'bleh' to me.

Hmmm, didn't really think of that.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

I have both and like both. There's an inherent difference between the rail and pole designs. The benefit to the rail design is that you get even string volume no matter what even when bending. The benefit to the pole design is that it's kind of gritty which can be cool. The Lil 59 is kind of dryer while the Cool Rails is a wetter stratty sound.

 

[B2D]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

Those Steve Morse neck tones are about my favorite recorded guitar tones, period. I tried to get them with his signature pickups, but it didn't work. I get them now with an Alnico II Pro humbucker, but there is no single coil-sized equivalent. AThose particular sounds would be closer to the Little 59, though than the Cool Rails.

Can you link an example of these tones? Just curious.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

You can hear them at the clean parts at the beginning of this video as well as the distorted solo parts in the solo when he is past the 12th fret, starting around 3:40.

 

[gregory]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6wumTy9So

IMO, one of the best clean tones when combined with his signature bridge humbucker.

I've debated getting the set in the Y2D for years now, but the bridge is just too dark and honky and I prefer a brighter pick attack from the neck spot.

Back on the single-sized humbuckers, I think you'll be happier with the JB Jr. Neck than either of the two choices. It is plenty warm and full in the lower mids, but still has a nice bright top end. It works fine with 250k or 500k controls depending on what you like.

Ignore the BMT figures for the JB Jr. Neck and the Cool Rails Neck. They are WAY off the mark!


Between the Little 59 Neck, Cool Rails Neck and JB Jr. Neck, the JB Jr. Neck is the least scooped of the three. Still it is far from being overly-middy and is certainly *not* frowny-faced.

 

[Artie]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

The poll is neck 'n neck. (Insert rimshot here.)

 

[gregory]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

PS: I chose the Little 59. I don't see the Cool Rails filling the expressed requirements.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6wumTy9So

IMO, one of the best clean tones when combined with his signature bridge humbucker.

I've debated getting the set in the Y2D for years now, but the bridge is just too dark and honky and I prefer a brighter pick attack from the neck spot.

Back on the single-sized humbuckers, I think you'll be happier with the JB Jr. Neck than either of the two choices. It is plenty warm and full in the lower mids, but still has a nice bright top end. It works fine with 250k or 500k controls depending on what you like.

Ignore the BMT figures for the JB Jr. Neck and the Cool Rails Neck. They are WAY off the mark!


Between the Little 59 Neck, Cool Rails Neck and JB Jr. Neck, the JB Jr. Neck is the least scooped of the three. Still it is far from being overly-middy and is certainly *not* frowny-faced.

Great video. His original MM guitar is certainly very idiosyncratic.. His new model coming out is just 2 HB, but I don't know if those are his signature humbuckers.

 

[gregory]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

They're an OEM design for EBMM.

It will be interesting to see if Steve Morse actually uses the BFR for anything other than purely promotional purposes.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

There are already some clips out there of him using it with Purple. My guess it is back to the original SM model for the Dregs shows.

 

[gregory]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

If you mean the black one, I'm pretty certain the pickups are his signature models but with covers.

If you have a link I'd love to see.

...after some googling...

Wow, I've been way out of the loop.

Looks like slotted fillisters on both the black and blue HH guitars Morse is playing. Listening to the BBC Radio2 concert the black HH guitar sounds very much like his Y2D. The neck and bridge in this video sound like the Y2D as well.

Will be really interesting to see what the future holds...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG-vqH-K94E

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

I do like the Lil'59 but I really don't feel it'd be bright enough to do well in neck position. Especially with 250K pots, I'd go with the Cool Rails.

I think the position 4 tone would probably be more useful that way also.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Cool Rails or Little 59.....

If you mean the black one, I'm pretty certain the pickups are his signature models but with covers.

If you have a link I'd love to see.

...after some googling...

Wow, I've been way out of the loop.

Looks like slotted fillisters on both the black and blue HH guitars Morse is playing. Listening to the BBC Radio2 concert the black HH guitar sounds very much like his Y2D. The neck and bridge in this video sound like the Y2D as well.

Will be really interesting to see what the future holds...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG-vqH-K94E

Haha, I was right to the left out of frame when that was being filmed.