Hot Rails

[MLJGTR]

Hello..
I'm putting together a new strat build. I am installing a set of three SD Hot Rails. I am wondering if anybody has split coil'ed those pups, and what was the sound like? I was told they might not sound very single coil-like because of the rail magnet, whatever that means. I really don't mind if I don't split them, it is just that I am about to wire it up. Thanks for any input.

 

[Brandon59803]

Re: Hot Rails

Hi, many bad things have been said about splitting any of the SD rails. People claim they sound very thin and undefined. I'm actually using a set as well, but I'm going to wire them to switch between series and parallel, which people have said sounds quite good.

 

[MLJGTR]

Re: Hot Rails

Thanks for the input. I have a number of switching options available. Do you know where I can find a diagram for series-parallel for that setup? I suppose I can figure it out.., just any series parallel setup should take me in the right direction. Even out of phase can be cool, sort of SC like.

 

[shadowfire90]

Re: Hot Rails

Tone is tone, if you're not a fan of a coilsplit try parallel. Both have different uses. If you've got one push pull pot go for it. I'm actually concerned if they based the wiring around 250k or 500k pots. Either way. Here's some ways to approach it.

The easiest and cheapest way is of course the spin a split mod.
What I like about this - it replaces a tone control and it's the cheapest option
what I don;'t like about it - you would have to wire up all 3 pickups in a strat to a master tone control

with a push pull is always a great option, that diagram is below and parallel is there too. Parallel is a weaker hum cancelling tone to get out of 4 wire pickups. You can easily spot it as your pickups resistance drops to 25-30%.

Hopefully these images pop up properly. These will all work with your hot rail because the hot rail has 4 wires (2 coils) so treat it like a humbucker when wring it up.

View attachment 102152

and coilsplits you'd want to do the red and white to the switch form traditionally. I'd put two or three strings on the guitar to ensure the single coil is not out of phase and hum cancelling when you split the coil assuming you go with a coilsplit and pair it with the other potential single coils on your guitar.
View attachment 102154

the easiest form of parallel for push pull pots and mini toggle on/on switches - you'll need a standard DPDT on/on mini toggle for this. Do not go momentary if you go the mini toggle route. They accentuate if they are or not.
View attachment 102153

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hot Rails

In the Rails' case, they actually sound much better in parallel than split. I've never liked any of the Rails split, although I do like many split full-size humbuckers.

 

[freefrog]

Re: Hot Rails

+1 about series/parallel with hot Rails. I've that for ages in one of my main stage guitars and in my case, it's really functional musically speaking (parallel being still humbucking under stage lights and not SO far from single coil tones with an inductance around 3H... Giving twice this inductance, splitting a Hot Rails would make it sound LESS like a Fender SC than wiring it in parallel and might bring a lot of hum).

 

[MLJGTR]

Re: Hot Rails

So, in reply to Shadowfire90.. Thanks for posting the diagrams. Would it be the same with a DPDT? You would just come off the DPDT to the switch in the same way as with the PUSH-PULL shown, ie.. (two wires, one to the 5 way switch and one to ground)? Hope that makes sense? Thanks again, MLJ