Does the cool rails sound more like a hum cancelling single or a bucker?

[Young Angus]

I always thought of the cool rails as more of a beefed up single coil vibe, having never owned one. But i think i just realised that it is more of a mini humbucker...so is it more like a cooler version of the hot rails but still a fat sounding bucker tone or is it more like just a hum cancelling single coil?

 

[Scatterwound]

Re: Does the cool rails sound more like a hum cancelling single or a bucker?

I have one in my H-S-H Strat (see my sig) and I think it sounds great. It matches well with my two humbuckers since I do not notice any volume compromise when I switch...Therefore it is definitely hotter than any single coil I have ever come across...The cleans are nice but not harsh or trebly thin....When overdriven I find it is the time when the cool rails really shine...The sustain is good and it is a pretty thick sound that does pale in comparison to my buckers.....I find it great for both rhythm and lead while it is a mid pickup!...On another note it is also the quietest pickup in my Strat...

However I guess it all depends on your ear/gear/setup....

Subjectivity... :smack:

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Does the cool rails sound more like a hum cancelling single or a bucker?

To my ears, it's more of a humbucker than a single. It still retains good clarity and has great cleans, but in my friend's strat ( CR/CR/HR) the neck and middle pickup combo had none of the glass and quack that I associate with a quality single coil set up. To be honest, the Virtual Vintage (Blues/54/Solo) set up I had in my strat had more quack in the notch positions.