Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

Have they been used on a major album - no.
Are they used by several superstars - no.
Are they a signature pickup - no.
Do they have mega silly output - no.
Are they a 'vintage paf' with some 'special mojo' - no.

That's just my cynical take on what it takes to sell a new pickup.

 

[htwheelz67]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

I love p-rails and I too have them in many guitars, I kinda like the way they look especially in black because they look more like a "humbucker sized p90", I equally like the triple shots and have no problem switching while playing. The P-rails are like a great p90 and a free humbucker and single coil or a great humbucker with a free p90 and single coil, I frankly love all the tones and they are all very usable I have paired some with TBX tone controls and treble bleeds, they have a nice wide frequency range too. I would bet if Duncan made a nice cover for them they would sell a lot more. For me they sound great in every guitar I have installed them in and were a big improvement over what was in prior (even EMG's and some other Duncans) I put them in a PRS Torero along with triple shots (had emg's) and it changed the guitar from a one trick pony to a versatile tone machine and now the neck pup sounds killer and I could never use it before. I often wonder what different mags would sound like in the P-rails though. Even in cream I think it looks cool............

 

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

I tried a couple of mag swaps. Like A2 and A5 neck. I tried A3/A5 and A4/A5.

I tried a neck model in the bridge with various mag swaps, but went to a regular bridge model. I think I will almost always have prails guitar, but I don't think it is ever going to be in my no1 guitar.

 

[leevc5]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

So I conclude from what I have read from this distinguished group (no kidding, I think everyone that contributed to this thread did so in a highly objective, succinct and thorough manner regarding the question as posed)
---------------------------I'm so parenthetical--------------------------maybe I'll write a song about it----------------------------------------
Now back to wherever it was I started, in conclusion P-rails (with or without triple shots) are:
Excellent pups with an extremely broad range of tonal choices available;
The masses want a safe established pups and are afraid of the unknown;
They are too complex;
To many choices overwhelm people;
They don't look right;
They don't have a signature.

Alrighty then, from this may I suggest Mr. Duncan and Company: Put cover over them to hide their unusual look; Rename them P.A.F. 90s; Get Jimmy Page to endorse them ( he'll do anything for a couple of bucks and a lot of publicity); Don't advertise all the options just a select few and give the tones tried and true boiler plate.
Get them out there and let people discover what they have been missing for 8+ years.

Amen

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

After about 5 weeks of ad bumping, I finally managed to sell my P Rails set 10 days ago, which I used only for about a year. I just lost interest in their P-90 and single coil capabilities; and the look just got weirder. I like P-90 by itself but with something extra they look funny.

If you hang out n a daily basis on this forum you'll develop a misguided belief that all guitar players love to tinker with pickups for immense tonal possibilities. But apparently the real world isn't even close.

 

[leevc5]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

After about 5 weeks of ad bumping, I finally managed to sell my P Rails set 10 days ago, which I used only for about a year. I just lost interest in their P-90 and single coil capabilities; and the look just got weirder. I like P-90 by itself but with something extra they look funny.

If you hang out n a daily basis on this forum you'll develop a misguided belief that all guitar players love to tinker with pickups for immense tonal possibilities. But apparently the real world isn't even close.

Is there a real world?

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

I understand that a lot of folks don't care for the P-Rails look, but I have to disagree. My Artcore AS83 had nickel-covered humbuckers before I pulled them to put in the P-Rails, and I love how it looks now. Maybe it's because I got cream instead of black and it goes so well with the binding, but the unique look has really won me over.

I agree, though that there are a ton of people who could care less about tinkering with pups and having massive tonal possibilities. I also agree with previous comments about the blade not sounding like a Strat, but I didn't buy them hoping to make my semi-hollow sound like a Strat... I wanted to make the guitar into one that could cover a lot of tonal ground without having to switch guitars during a show, and that's exactly what I got.

P-Rails are obviously not everyone's cup of tea, but then too neither are JBs, PGs, WLHs, etc. The variety of pickups is great in a world where there's also a wide variety of players!


[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]

 

[leevc5]

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

I understand that a lot of folks don't care for the P-Rails look, but I have to disagree. My Artcore AS83 had nickel-covered humbuckers before I pulled them to put in the P-Rails, and I love how it looks now. Maybe it's because I got cream instead of black and it goes so well with the binding, but the unique look has really won me over.

I agree, though that there are a ton of people who could care less about tinkering with pups and having massive tonal possibilities. I also agree with previous comments about the blade not sounding like a Strat, but I didn't buy them hoping to make my semi-hollow sound like a Strat... I wanted to make the guitar into one that could cover a lot of tonal ground without having to switch guitars during a show, and that's exactly what I got.

P-Rails are obviously not everyone's cup of tea, but then too neither are JBs, PGs, WLHs, etc. The variety of pickups is great in a world where there's also a wide variety of players!


[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]

Have you tried them with the neck p-r flipped, I.e.: rail by neck. Somebody here recommended this to me and it does sound very cool. BTW that is a truly beautiful gitfiddle and you're right the cream P-Rs really make a perfect fit.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Thanks! No, I opted for the "traditional" orientation and liked it just fine... besides, ever since I got my RG a few years back, which has one setting on the switch that splits to inside coils, I've been partial to that sound, so having the blades to the inside was pretty much where I'd want them anyway. That being said, the neck blade on its own is probably my least used sound, and I'd be willing to bet that it would be much richer and smoother if it was a little farther from the bridge.

Also, the Seymour Duncan logo would be in the opposite direction from the one on the bridge, and my slight OCD tendencies for that kind of thing would probably keep me awake at night! [emoji12]


[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

Have they been used on a major album - no.
Are they used by several superstars - no.
Are they a signature pickup - no.
Do they have mega silly output - no.
Are they a 'vintage paf' with some 'special mojo' - no.

That's just my cynical take on what it takes to sell a new pickup.

Perhaps your "take" is just a little too narrow minded.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

But apparently the real world isn't even close.

You mean...your "real world".

My real world is totally filled with tinkering.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

Simple, there's a LOT of people that simply can't get over nontraditional looks. I mean, look at what happened with the FugglyBucker and that was designed by the supposedly enlightened members of this here forum.

FWIW, I have a set in one of my favorite guitars and they rip yet next to no-one got them because of how they looked.

EDIT: I see Pepe beat me to the punch

I got a Fuglybucker BECAUSE of how it looks. I got several P-Rails because of how they sound, and I just happen to love how they look.

But then, I tend to like unusual designs...clearly obvious from the latest guitars I have built.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Have you tried them with the neck p-r flipped, I.e.: rail by neck. Somebody here recommended this to me and it does sound very cool. BTW that is a truly beautiful gitfiddle and you're right the cream P-Rs really make a perfect fit.

There isn't a lot of tonal difference with the neck pup flipped. But it is HUGE in the bridge pup. It really sounds amazing with the rail coil next to the bridge...much brighter rail tones, very clear articulate parallel sounds, and improved clarity in the series sound. The rail is pretty weak next to the bridge, but with an A8 next to the rail it is very balanced and holds its own nicely.

 

[Natman]

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

Re: Why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller? / Best platform for P-Rs?

My Artcore AS83 had nickel-covered humbuckers before I pulled them to put in the P-Rails, and I love how it looks now.

I have to say those look pretty much perfect with that color scheme.

But back on topic, P-Rails have tons of versatility but IMO the only really authentic sound is the P-90, and that's not for everyone. I expected to get a lot more use out of the humbucker and single tones but eventually pulled them out in favor of real humbuckers and I'm not even curious to even go back. (It did have soemthign to do with looks I admit -chrome buckers looked MUCH better than black P-Rails, regardless of pickup ring color!)

Lucky for me, I bought the P-Rails and installed them with mini toggles a couple months before the Triple Shots came out, so I got to drill 2 holes in the top of my Hamer Newport for nothing! I wonder if that colored my impression of the P-Rails? Nah...

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

I wasn't a big fan of the p-rails sound myself. I know this isn't a common sentiment, but I felt I had a jack of all trades, master of none guitar. I have lots of guitars, so I really don't need a super versatile one guitar to do it all. I find I prefer a dedicated p90 guitar, dedicated humbuckers, and dedicated single coils.

I don't think I am the target market at all as I have 40+ guitars. To me, a black winter sounds better than the prail humbucker sounds. My favorite p90s sound better than the prail p90...

 

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

Perhaps your "take" is just a little too narrow minded.

To be clear, that's my opinion of the general public. I have prials, have experimented with different mags and orientations, and different guitars. I just don't think many people are willing to try something like that. Favourite is reversed prials neck with A2/A5 in a tele with a tapped tele bridge pickup.

 

[chadd]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

If you hang out n a daily basis on this forum you'll develop a misguided belief that all guitar players love to tinker with pickups for immense tonal possibilities. But apparently the real world isn't even close.

100% true.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

Its actually very rare to find a conventional humbucker that works acceptably in split coil operation.
Also P90s coils don't have clarity to be unusable with really high gain.
I feel like the advertised claims go against my pre conceptions of what is possible from a pickup.
Like the other poster, I am not looking for a pickup that is a jack of all trades.

 

[leevc5]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

Its actually very rare to find a conventional humbucker that works acceptably in split coil operation.

Please advise how you came to this conclusion and clarify what you think is acceptable split coil operation.

Also P90s coils don't have clarity to be unusable with really high gain.

That is an interesting double negative assertion. By using the double negative you are saying that the P90 have clarity to be usable at high gain. I think you meant to say they are unusable at high gain and if that is the case perhaps you might listed to a guitar player named Duane Allman.

I feel like the advertised claims go against my pre conceptions of what is possible from a pickup.

Please elaborate what these claims are and what your pre conceptions are

Like the other poster, I am not looking for a pickup that is a jack of all trades.

I feel like I am back to grading papers. I think there are potentially good points in post#38 but they need clarification to bring them out.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: Curious why P-rails with triple shots aren't a leading seller

I feel like I am back to grading papers. I think there are potentially good points in post#38 but they need clarification to bring them out.

Yes I meant "unusable with high gain". P90 have nice creamy overdrive tone, but to me all the definition is lost when the gain is taken more than that.
It is actually the opposite character I am looking for from a humbucker pickup for modern music styles.
Split coil tones from humbuckers are generally unimpressive from humbuckers. I don't know what I have to clarify there. Especially in the neck position, split humbuckers have been disappointing without exception.

I understand the basic premise of the P-rails is that you get the tone of 3 different pickup at the flick of a switch. They are identified as P90, Single coil, and Humbucker.
Do you think its assuming too much if we expect the "single coil" mode to sound like a vintage strat?