Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

[tom axe]

I have a Kramer Quadrail pickup, it was 20 bucks so I thought I would try it out in something at some point, this pup has a huge metal top with the big rails incorporated, and a PCB on the bottom. These are different from the ones I had a long time ago in a Kramer guitar. Is anyone familiar with this particular pup and if so what is your opinion or comparison to a SD pup.

Now I only Use Seymour Duncan pickups, I used to also use the active EMG's but will try the Seyomurs before I would consider installing EMG's again.

If anyone knows the pup I am speaking of and have heard it hooked up, mine has not been yet, no place for it in my axe collection right now, what do you think about it?

Thanks Much

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

The Pup is ok. decent at the most. They are high out put. Let me put it this way. If I had it I would put it in my beat up axe (back up) which needs a pup.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

If you can do it easily, pry the center magnet free and remove it. They have three magnets in there. One for each "rails pickup" combo and a third that's between the two. Removing the center magnet makes it act more like two Rails pickups. The center magnet just "floods the engine" if you know what I mean.

Try to get under it with a tiny screwdriver and pry it loose from the glue. IIRC those are loaded with glue down there.

Otherwise they're just okay pickups.

 

[ranalli]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

I bought one of those new Kramer guitars.....LOVED the guitar...didn't care for the pickups. They got swapped out.

 

[Willybomb]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

The quadrails are great for soloing, very smooth and full, but they suck for any clean or dirty rhythm work. Splitting makes them a bit better, but they're a bit indistinct.

The bridge Quadrail Pup will have 3 magnets, the neck will have 2.

My Striker had them swapped out for a PATB-2/FSb. The dual rail is still in the middle as it seems to have a bit of a funky sound. It can't be split though.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showpost.php?p=1648797&postcount=26

Personal opinion with the Quads - don't bother.

Willy.

 

[metalspider]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

they went way overboard with those pickups,4 coils in series=mud city.
i dont know how they make pickups in china only that they are bad and that includes the duncan designed where ever those are made.the magnets are just the worst you can imagine,play em at a rehearsal or gig and you'll get ear piercing highs.

 

[Willybomb]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

I didn't get any "ear-piercing highs". I found them to be muddy, dull, and lacking detail.

You can see what they were trying to do with them (high output 'wow" factor pickups), but they failed miserably. They put Gibson pickups in the higher end musicyo kramers, and used to use Duncans...

 

[metalspider]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

I didn't get any "ear-piercing highs". I found them to be muddy, dull, and lacking detail.

You can see what they were trying to do with them (high output 'wow" factor pickups), but they failed miserably. They put Gibson pickups in the higher end musicyo kramers, and used to use Duncans...

the ear piercing highs where in the duncan designed.im not sure thats even a good way to describe it but there was definatly something very bad in the high end and those are suposedly better than junk pickups because they are based on duncans.just making a point about crap pickups in general.

present day kramer pickups are just plain muddy and useless.

 

[tom axe]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

Ok thanks everyone, i dont know if this is a new or old one, I remember haivng one years ago and it did not have the giant metal fins molded in to the top of the pup, I mean this is physically huge, but in either case it sounds like it is not worth my time to solder it in to anything.

 

[Willybomb]

Re: Kramer Quadrail pups and good???

the ear piercing highs where in the duncan designed ... present day kramer pickups are just plain muddy and useless.

That makes more sense now. +1 to all that.