Couple of quickie P-Rails questions.

[Artie]

I've had my set sitting around for about 4-5 years. I guess it's about time I installed them into something.

I notice that some folks have talked about installing them "rails-out.". Is there much tonal difference doing them backwards?

And finally, I notice they have a "Hot" version now. Has anyone tried one yet? Thanks all.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I've tried them. I've got lots of P-Rails in guitars. Love P-Rails, but I hate the hot version. It's too hot and sounds very muddy. The overwound coils plus the two A8 magnets is just too much for my taste. You can tame it down reasonably with a couple A4 magnets, but then it doesn't seem to have the right sound (at least to my ears).

You won't hear much difference in the neck position no matter how it's installed. But a BIG difference in how the Rail coil sounds in the bridge position.

 

[Artie]

I've tried them. I've got lots of P-Rails in guitars. Love P-Rails, but I hate the hot version. It's too hot and sounds very muddy. The overwound coils plus the two A8 magnets is just too much for my taste. You can tame it down reasonably with a couple A4 magnets, but then it doesn't seem to have the right sound (at least to my ears).

You won't hear much difference in the neck position no matter how it's installed. But a BIG difference in how the Rail coil sounds in the bridge position.

Thanks Doc. I was just curious about the Hot version. I have the standard set. So, how would you characterize the change in bridge (rail) tone? How does it impact the P-90 side? I don't want to sacrifice P-90 tone for rail tone.

 

[Mincer]

I like the 'Rails in' better, since the P90 coil is the best sounding one. Putting them on the outside keeps the pickups like I'd expect them to sound. IMO, the Hot version isn't as good as the standard version. I never needed the standard version to be hotter. Maybe if I played heavier music, but then, there are better pickups for that.

 

[Artie]

Thanks. That's how I want to do it. I like my Duncan logo to be right side up.

 

[jeremy]

i installed the neck pup with the rail near the neck but the bridge normally. i wanted to get the rails a little fatter in the neck and the tonal change in the p90 was insignificant. the p90 tones are my favorites but having all the other options (i have triple shots) is nice

 

[Artie]

Thanks Jeremy. I'm going to try to get these installed before the week is over. I've got a cool and interesting wiring scheme that is unique.

Film@11.

 

[ItsaBass]

Both rails toward the neck for me.

Puts the darker toned coil more toward the bridge, and vise versa.

I use two of the lower output models. They are already bordering on being too hot when used as series humbuckers. Any more would be too much IMO.

 

[Artie]

I'll take that on advisement.

In my new wiring scheme . . . they'll never be used in series. Not even parallel, for that matter. Quasi, sorta, kinda.

 

[zionstrat]

I'll take that on advisement.

In my new wiring scheme . . . they'll never be used in series. Not even parallel, for that matter. Quasi, sorta, kinda.

Very curious! Looking forward to further details.

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[GuitarDoc]

I'm all about versatility with P-Rails (isn't that why it was designed?). In the bridge I like the Rail coil in the P-Rail to be closest to the bridge mainly for greater variety of tone. I found that with the P-90 coil toward the bridge it made the Rail coil sound fatter and more like the P-90 coil. With the Rail coil toward the bridge there is a definite difference in the tone of the two coils. Unfortunately, that made the rail a bit anemic so it helped to beef it up with an A8 mag (next to the rail coil, of course). Now that I know about the availability of A9, I think that it would probably be a better choice.

 

[Artie]

I'll probably put these in the standard way to start with. Then I can always rotate them as I get a feel for them.

Are you all using 250k or 500k pots? (Or, something else?)

 

[Mincer]

I used 500k, since that was what was in the guitar, and none of the literature or stuff I read about them suggested otherwise. Worked well for me.

 

[Artie]

Cool. Thanks. I'm just getting ready to order a couple of those new style CTS push-pulls for this project.

 

[htwheelz67]

I'll probably put these in the standard way to start with. Then I can always rotate them as I get a feel for them.

Are you all using 250k or 500k pots? (Or, something else?)

At least in strats and Teles I seem to get the best tone with 500k volume and a tbx tone control all the way up especially in series mode.

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[Artie]

TBX sounds cool. I have one laying around here somewhere, but both my tone controls will be PP's for this specific wiring scheme.

 

[jeremy]

500k for me as well

 

[GuitarDoc]

Definitely 500k pots.

 

[Artie]

Thanks guys. 500k's is what I ordered.

 

[VinceT]

I had PRails and Triple Shots in my 335 for a long time, tried both orientations on both pickups, and eventually landed on the “as designed” rails-in configuration for both.

The reason for this was simple: 90% of the time on those pickups was spent in P90 mode, with the remainder Parallel (which kinda-sorta got towards PAF-ish tones). Series was too dark and sludgy, rail-only too thin.

I’d always thought of PRails as a P90 with benefits, so I was happy with them in that context - though eventually went back to PAF style HBs for that particular guitar.

Interesting little coda, though - I flipped a Music Man SUB1 guitar earlier this year - restored and cleaned, upgraded some parts, etc. puts those PRails in that guitar and it truly came alive - so much so that I almost kept it!


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