Cooling Down a Hot Rails

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

Well, I wired up the HR in parallel. It was brighter and more organic; kind of what you'd expect a Cool Rails to sound like as a Tele bridge pickup. It made me rethink my choice for neck pickup. I believe I'll install my CR in the neck position and remove the Air Norton (it sounds okay in parallel but not as warm and smooth). We'll see what happens.

Now, I have another issue. It seems that when I rewired it, I lost the functionality of my volume and tone pots. The volume pot now acts as a tone pot. What's up with that?

 

[larry_emder]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

The pot might be broken. i had the same problem as you are describing; changed the pot, and all was well again.

Good to hear the hot rails worked for you

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

The pot might be broken. i had the same problem as you are describing; changed the pot, and all was well again.

That's what I'm afraid of.....

 

[pstarove]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

Well, I wired up the HR in parallel. It was brighter and more organic; kind of what you'd expect a Cool Rails to sound like as a Tele bridge pickup. It made me rethink my choice for neck pickup. I believe I'll install my CR in the neck position and remove the Air Norton (it sounds okay in parallel but not as warm and smooth). We'll see what happens.

Now, I have another issue. It seems that when I rewired it, I lost the functionality of my volume and tone pots. The volume pot now acts as a tone pot. What's up with that?

Glad to hear you liked it in parallel. Concerning the pot, if you connected everything in a correct way (white+green+bare=ground goes to the pot's ground and black+red=hot goes to the 3-way switch) then it may be caused by: 1) having a short circuit between some of the soldered connections. check if the connections are clean and are not in touch with each other, 2)the pot may get damaged because of overheating during soldering. if you used a 25W or so solderind iron, it won't be a problem, 3) the pot is damaged for another reason.
If checking the connections didn't help, unsolder the connections you have done and check the pot functionality with the neck pickup only. if it doesn't help, change the pot. Hope this helps.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

Something similar was brought up in another thread . . . but it would be "cool" to see a Cool Rails Tele bridge. That baby would spank!

Edit: I wonder if Cool Rails, Vintage Rails, in both the Tele neck and bridge versions would sell. Sounds good on paper.

I was going to suggest Cool Rails after I read the topic title, but they don't do them for Telecasters *shakes fist*. I too would be very greatful for the extention of these rails pickups to the Telecaster.

Forgive my ignorance, but while we're talking about hacking open pickups, could you just take away a few of the windings? That would lower the output, right?

 

[pstarove]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

I was going to suggest Cool Rails after I read the topic title, but they don't do them for Telecasters *shakes fist*. I too would be very greatful for the extention of these rails pickups to the Telecaster.

Forgive my ignorance, but while we're talking about hacking open pickups, could you just take away a few of the windings? That would lower the output, right?

We're not talking about hacking open pickups since that pickup is 4-conductor and all the cables are available from the outside 8)

But if you wish, I can comment on this: I wrecked my first Duncan pickup 10 years ago by removing the plastic tape around the coils (it was Hotrails bridge BTW). The "coil start" end of the wire got cut and buried under the layers of wire. I had finally to throw the pickup away. the wire used in the Hotrails is very thin, i think it's AWG 50 or so. don't even think about taking away a few windings. it's better to have the whole pickup rewound. send it to the SD Custom Shop or to some local winder, but do not try it youself.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

To be honest, I was making reference to swapping out magnets and such, but thanks anyway

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

I was going to suggest Cool Rails after I read the topic title, but they don't do them for Telecasters *shakes fist*. I too would be very greatful for the extention of these rails pickups to the Telecaster.

To my ears, and I could be wrong, but I do believe that wiring the Hot Rails in parallel gives a tone that would be similar to what a Cool Rails Tele bridge pickup would sound like.

 

[disturb]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

Carefully remove it and insert a Cool Rails pickup. I love that thing!

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

Carefully remove it and insert a Cool Rails pickup. I love that thing!

How would it mount to the Tele bridge? Plus, Tele pickups are totally different animals from Strat pickups.

Duncan just needs to make a Cool Rails for Tele set...:soapbox:

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

This may sound obvoius, but have you tried physically lowering it into the bridge a little. It made all the difference in mine. Or you could simply close the volume a hint?

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

This may sound obvious, but have you tried physically lowering it into the bridge a little. It made all the difference in mine. Or you could simply close the volume a hint?

Lowering it would be great; however, the Air Norton is loud and I can't lower it anymore without it falling through the pickguard.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Cooling Down a Hot Rails

How would it mount to the Tele bridge? Plus, Tele pickups are totally different animals from Strat pickups.

Duncan just needs to make a Cool Rails for Tele set...:soapbox:

Does anyone know why Duncan does not make a Cool Rails for Tele? The Cool Rails is a very nice sounding pickup IMHO.