Hot Rails Neck

[CarlosG]

Hi!
I would like to try a single-coil size humbucker in the neck.
My favorite humbucker is the 59 in the neck.
I don't like the volume difference between the bridge and the neck, so I reject little 59.
The only pu that has high power is hot rails, it still has less output than regular 59, but that's the only thing that seems sensible.
My favorite Neck pickup sounds are Kee Marcello with Europe and John Sykes.
My bridge pickup is JB.
I wonder about the tonal balance of JB/hot Rails. The balance of JB/59 is very good. I don't like JB/Jazz because Jazz seems too cut in the middle, too bright and too much bass compared to JB. Maybe that will give some idea whether I should try Hot Rails at all.
Best regards.

 

[Mincer]

The neck Hot Rails is pretty loud, still. It should balance with most humbuckers. It is pretty thick, though, so if you dig the 59 in the neck, the Hot Rails is almost the opposite EQ. Another option is the new Red Devil, as well. There aren't any single coil-sized humbuckers with the exact scooped sound of the 59, though.

You can even wire a JB Jr in the neck and either lower it or put it in parallel.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, I wouldn't think the Hot Rails would have much in common with the '59. It might balance well with the JB, though.

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, I wouldn't think the Hot Rails would have much in common with the '59. It might balance well with the JB, though.

Yes, it would. But like with any pickup, once you start making things more powerful, you start to lose high end. Outside of active pickups (or a Pickup Booster pedal), I've never really heard both neck and bridge pickups sound perfectly even volume-wise (nor would I ever want them to). The way we hear (pickups with more high end might seem 'louder' than ones with more mids) kinda prevents this from happening.

 

[jeremy]

the neck hotrails isnt all that high output compared to the bridge version. i like it, its thick and round in series. not sure if thats what ya want