Help me pick a pickup

[RW James]

My strat has a Hot Rail in the bridge and a Vintage Rail in the neck. I had always planned to put a Cool Rail in the middle.

Now I'm wondering if that is really the best choice. Are they all going to sound too much alike? Is that good or bad?

What would you think of a Classic Stack in the middle? or even a Hot Stack?

I really like the sound of the rails, and I have no experience at all with the stacks... so I'm wondering.

I want to do something soon, because I'm tired of only being able to use 2 positions (I'm getting way too much hum from my stock middle pickup)

Thanks for any advice,
Rick

 

[MVI]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Hi RW James,
I'm no wizard here, but I hope you'll give me a moment. I do have a Tele, and that is where my minimal experience comes from. I tried a Hot Stack bridge, and found that it really sounded more like a humbucker than a Tele should. Now I have Vintage Stack neck and bridge, no hum, and lots of good ole Tele twang. With that little nano-lesson in mind, maybe a Classic Stack might do well. I'm really big on hum cancelling. SD don't make no bad pups, so go with your heart.

 

[RW James]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Thanks MVI,

I was kind of thinking along those lines between the Classic and Hot Stack - so I really appreciate your experience.

Now - anyone? - how will the Classic Stack sound with the Rails - or would it be best to stay with my original plan to get a Cool Rail?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

They're not in the same positions, but in my Peavey the HR and CR match really well. There are several that have Rails loaded strats that may be able to interject as well, and some of them may have that exact combination.

I have no experience with the stacks, but I've heard a lot of good things about them. The cool rails will have a bit more of the feel of your other two pickups, but that doesn't mean the stack isn't a good choice.

Personally, I'd go with the cool rails. But that's just me.

 

[Artie]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

I went through the following pups trying to find the perfect match to go between my two Cool Rails:

Vintage Rail, Classic Stack, Hot Stack, SSL-1, SSL-6, and Cool Rails.

They all sounded great. It was a tough choice. I ended up with a Cool Rails bridge, wired in parallel because its output matched better. I'm thinking of putting the Vintage Rails back in though. Its a tough choice. You really can't go wrong with any of those.

A Vintage Rails would give you a nice, progressive slope in volume as you moved the 5-way from neck to bridge.

Artie

 

[RW James]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

A Vintage Rails would give you a nice, progressive slope in volume as you moved the 5-way from neck to bridge.

Artie

mmm? Are you suggesting that I move the Vintage Rail to the middle position? And then I would be looking for a new pickup in the neck position... an idea worth considering

 

[Artie]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Not really. I meant that if you went HR/CR/VR, (bridge to neck), the natural progression of volume would be high-to-low, which could work real nice. The VR in the middle would work well too, but keep in mind, the reason I ended up taking mine out was that it was noticeably lower in volume than the two CR's on either side. Since you'ld have a Hot Rails in the bridge, the difference would be even greater.

Still, it would sound good, if you didn't mind readjusting your amp volume when you switched. I think Travis has that setup . . . or is it LesStrat?

Artie

Edit: Its funny . . . you got me to thinking. I might just put my own VR in the neck, and make the bridge and middle the CR's. That could work out real well. I'll try it as soon as I get home.

 

[RW James]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Okay, I'll stick with the VR in the neck - HR in the bridge...

So what about the middle? Cool Rail or Classic Stack?

Anybody else?

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

LesStrat is HR/CR/HR

<-----------------

Guess which pickup gets MY vote....

 

[Kac]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Have you considered Hotrails / INVADER / Vintage Rails?
:wizard: :chairfall






anyway, yeah... cool rails :usa2:

 

[Tux789]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Have you considered Hotrails / INVADER / Vintage Rails?
:wizard: :chairfall

+1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Hear me now or listen to me later......

Put the VR in the middle and put a CR in the neck.

 

[RW James]

Re: Help me pick a pickup

Have you considered Hotrails / INVADER / Vintage Rails?

Sounds like fun! :cool3: Perhaps I could use a chainsaw to route out the space for it :smack: :arms:

anyway, yeah... cool rails

Okay...

Hear me now or listen to me later......

Put the VR in the middle and put a CR in the neck.

a persuasive agrument :wink:

It's looking like I need to order a Cool Rail - I can switch them around until I find the best set up for me

Thanks for all your input,
Rick