Hi, I bought and installed a neck Hot Rail, because I had problems with a JB Jr. at that position. Some pole pieces have a bad position in relation to the string spacing of my strat, a dull and dark sound (nothing like was said about this pickup at the SD web site, qualifying it as a "bright" and hot pickup).
Even it was REALLY the neck model, not for bridge position ("n" code on the box and under the pup).
When I went to the store, in fact I wanted the Cool Rail model, because I was reading a lot of bad reviews about the Hot Rail at neck, that I felt scared, but I had to choose between this and the Vintage Rail only. No Cool rails in stock.
Since I wanted a high output pickup for punchy solos, mostly, I take the risk and bought the infamous Hot Rail.
Well, after the installation (series wiring), I notest how fat, distorted and punchy that pup can be, but sometimes sounds muddy at the low E and A stirngs, too.
As people said, clean tones are...mmmhh, well...a BIG TROUBLE.
They aren´t exactly bad, clean tones sounds creamy, and good for some Jazzy chords and scales...but playing that all the time can become pretty boring and dull, again.
So, I decided to try what happens in parallel mode.
Well, problem solved, it sounds clean, twangy, straty, etc etc.
Very nice clean tone, sounds like if it is a completely different pickup, I was very surprised, didn´t had any hope to solve the question in THAT way!!
So, I think that it isn´t a good idea to say that the Hot Rail is just a bad pickup at neck position, or the clean tones are useless.
They can be very good, if you install a series/parallel switch. So you can have the nasty punch for creamy distorted solos at series position, and sweet clean tones at parallel mode. :naughty:
Something more to say, is that I´m using an Alnico II Pro medium output humbucker at bridge position, and if I use the HR in series mode, it sounds a little bit louder than the Alnico, but it has a nice balance with it, using the parallel mode.
Cheers!
Even it was REALLY the neck model, not for bridge position ("n" code on the box and under the pup).
When I went to the store, in fact I wanted the Cool Rail model, because I was reading a lot of bad reviews about the Hot Rail at neck, that I felt scared, but I had to choose between this and the Vintage Rail only. No Cool rails in stock.
Since I wanted a high output pickup for punchy solos, mostly, I take the risk and bought the infamous Hot Rail.
Well, after the installation (series wiring), I notest how fat, distorted and punchy that pup can be, but sometimes sounds muddy at the low E and A stirngs, too.
As people said, clean tones are...mmmhh, well...a BIG TROUBLE.
They aren´t exactly bad, clean tones sounds creamy, and good for some Jazzy chords and scales...but playing that all the time can become pretty boring and dull, again.
So, I decided to try what happens in parallel mode.
Well, problem solved, it sounds clean, twangy, straty, etc etc.
Very nice clean tone, sounds like if it is a completely different pickup, I was very surprised, didn´t had any hope to solve the question in THAT way!!
So, I think that it isn´t a good idea to say that the Hot Rail is just a bad pickup at neck position, or the clean tones are useless.
They can be very good, if you install a series/parallel switch. So you can have the nasty punch for creamy distorted solos at series position, and sweet clean tones at parallel mode. :naughty:
Something more to say, is that I´m using an Alnico II Pro medium output humbucker at bridge position, and if I use the HR in series mode, it sounds a little bit louder than the Alnico, but it has a nice balance with it, using the parallel mode.
Cheers!
