Les Paul/SG with Hot Rails

I don't know if this will be of much help, 'cause my SG is the BOTL G310 model, with a bolt-on neck and a plywood body. So its tonal characteristics are probably nowhere near a "true" SG. But I did put a Hot Rails, and then a Cool Rails, in the neck position. Can't remember what humbucker I had in the bridge. The bottom line is . . . the Hotrails sounded like a Hotrails and the Coolrails sounded like a Coolrails. There was no distinct difference between me having them in something like a Squier Strat.

A pair in an LP, with hum-to-single mounting rings, could be interesting, though.
 
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ArtieToo said:
I don't know if this will be of much help, 'cause my SG is the BOTL G310 model, with a bolt-on neck and a plywood body. So its tonal characteristics are probably nowhere near a "true" SG. But I did put a Hot Rails, and then a Cool Rails, in the neck position. Can't remember what humbucker I had in the bridge. The bottom line is . . . the Hotrails sounded like a Hotrails and the Coolrails sounded like a Coolrails. There was no distinct difference between me having them in something like a Squier Strat.

A pair in an LP, with hum-to-single mounting rings, could be interesting, though.
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Interesting! Do you think it was due to the plywood or maybe the pickups had their own distinct sound independently of the wood?
 
FerMetalhead1 said:
. . . or maybe the pickups had their own distinct sound independently of the wood?
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Yes. Both the Hotrails and the Coolrails have their own distinct sound. And both sounded good. A pair of HR's, or maybe, an HRb with a CRn, could be a cool, (and unusual), combo in an SG. Or an LP.
 
Especially, with the Hot Rails, it seems to have its own sound that is powerful enough to always sound basically the same no matter what wood or scale you put it in. In a way, kinda like the JB.
 
ArtieToo said:
Three Hotrails, in one of those odd SG's, that were made for 3-singles, could be really cool.

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It might not matter which one you selected...it would sound close to the same. Well, not really, but it is one of those pickups that tend to impart its sound on everything.
 
Mincer said:
Especially, with the Hot Rails, it seems to have its own sound that is powerful enough to always sound basically the same no matter what wood or scale you put it in. In a way, kinda like the JB.
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I´ve heard some things about the JB, like it is somehow fickle with some woods. OTOH, the Hot Rails have mantained a good reputation among users.
 
+1 on Hot Rails always sounding like Hot Rails regardless of the guitar. They're so thick and focused in the mids, with so much output, that you'll never tell the difference between a HR in a Strat and a HR in an SG.
I don't agree on the same being true of the Cool Rails, though. That one is more 'transparent' and though it will still always sound like a Cool Rails, you will hear a bit more of a difference in different woods. I've got one in a basswood Strat with a rosewood board and another in an all-maple (including body) super-Strat and, unlike the Hot Rails, you can definitely hear the slightly warmer sound of the former Strat and the brighter tone of the maple guitar through the Cool Rails. It's not as obvious a difference as with a really transparent pickup like a '59 or Stag Mag, but it's there.
That said, 99% of LPs and SGs are routed for full-size humbuckers anyway, with many having room for a middle pickup, and you can easily get normal humbuckers that are just as thick as the HR (DM Super 3 comes to mind), so this does seem a bit pointless. If you were going to make either style of guitar with single coil routs, or if you were going to get a pickguard cut or whatever, then you may as well either go all the way and use something that sounds like single coils or don't bother and just use normal humbuckers. Using a HR or CR when a normal humbucker is an option seems like a benefitless complication.
 
Good info about the Cool Rails. For me, there has always been a few weeks, or even months, between moving them from one guitar to another. So the only thing I remember is that it still had the CR spank.

Ace Flibble said:
Using a HR or CR when a normal humbucker is an option seems like a benefitless complication.
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To me, this is something you'd do primarily just to be different. Like the 3-single SG above. If I had a meter that read "Fun" on one side, and "Practical" on the other, the needle would definitely be leaning towards the "fun" side.
 
Ace Flibble said:
+1 on Hot Rails always sounding like Hot Rails regardless of the guitar. They're so thick and focused in the mids, with so much output, that you'll never tell the difference between a HR in a Strat and a HR in an SG.
I don't agree on the same being true of the Cool Rails, though. That one is more 'transparent' and though it will still always sound like a Cool Rails, you will hear a bit more of a difference in different woods. I've got one in a basswood Strat with a rosewood board and another in an all-maple (including body) super-Strat and, unlike the Hot Rails, you can definitely hear the slightly warmer sound of the former Strat and the brighter tone of the maple guitar through the Cool Rails. It's not as obvious a difference as with a really transparent pickup like a '59 or Stag Mag, but it's there.
That said, 99% of LPs and SGs are routed for full-size humbuckers anyway, with many having room for a middle pickup, and you can easily get normal humbuckers that are just as thick as the HR (DM Super 3 comes to mind), so this does seem a bit pointless. If you were going to make either style of guitar with single coil routs, or if you were going to get a pickguard cut or whatever, then you may as well either go all the way and use something that sounds like single coils or don't bother and just use normal humbuckers. Using a HR or CR when a normal humbucker is an option seems like a benefitless complication.
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Yeah, in some way it seems pointless, specially in Gibson models since they were made to really appreciate the tone of the woods. It may be a good option in versions of less prestigious brands if you´re really engaged to the HR sound and at the same time you want the benefits of a hardtail short-scale guitar, but IDK, it was just an idea that came to me a while ago.
 
ArtieToo said:
Good info about the Cool Rails. For me, there has always been a few weeks, or even months, between moving them from one guitar to another. So the only thing I remember is that it still had the CR spank.



To me, this is something you'd do primarily just to be different. Like the 3-single SG above. If I had a meter that read "Fun" on one side, and "Practical" on the other, the needle would definitely be leaning towards the "fun" side.
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Haha yeah, just to be like "Hey, look at me, look at my own signature model".
 
FerMetalhead1 said:
Haha yeah, just to be like "Hey, look at me, look at my own signature model".
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I wasn't thinking so much "look at me", as I was, doing what's good for you. For example, if you want a dual-humbucker guitar, but you like the look and feel of a Strat. Dual-HB'er Strats are fairly common. Or, you like the look and feel of an SG, but want the 3 singles. (Or single-sized hum's.) It's just making it fun for your needs.
 
Could be a good mod if you have the parts, don't like the inherent sound of your SG, are trying to keep the guitar collection small, want an unconventional look, etc. I guess the question is more "why do I want to do this" than "is this a good idea".
 
ArtieToo said:
Which can be a good thing. :)

I have three HR's in a Squier Strat that sounds great.
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Oh absolutely. It is neither bad nor good. It is great if you want consistency in tone and feel. Not so good if you expect 'it will sound different this time'.
 
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