Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

skyydogg01

New member
Can someone give me a comparison? I'm thinking about putting one in the neck of my strat. It will be paired with a jb in the bridge (no middle).

Thanks


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Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

the cool rails is a little higher output, and a little darker, while the '59 is the full-sized one washed in hot water
 
Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

Having not tried them side by side, I have noticed that both pickups take a Fender style guitar and make is sound Gibsonish. On my Squier, I have the Lil 59 in the neck position. The poles are spaced slightly wider than the strings, but with the Lil 59, you can adjust all 12 of the individual poles to make them sound right. What I like about the Cool Rails is that the blades are already curved/radiused nicely, so a little adjustment of the total pickup height usually does enough for me. Also, I like that full output on string bending with the Cool Rails. On the issue of signal drop with string bends, it is most noticeable with the Duckbucker I have in the middle position.
 
Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

the cool rails is a little higher output, and a little darker, while the '59 is the full-sized one washed in hot water

The output of Cool Rails is less than Lil '59.

Cool Rails (Bridge) : 10.6K

Lil '59 (Bridge) : 11.7K
 
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Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated! But on a serious note.....................

"RESISTANCE DOES NOT EQUAL OUTPUT!"
 
Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

The little 59 is wound to approximate a full-sized 59 humbucker.

The Cool rails is wound to approximate a Jazz humbucker.
From the webpage: "Clean and warm, medium output, full size Jazz Model neck humbucker tone in a single coil rails size."
 
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Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

The 59 has more bass and mids, while the Rails is less exaggerated, almost flat. The Little 59 sounds bigger and bolder, because of the bass and mids to my ears.
 
Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

FWIW, I've played both a good bit and I didn't like the Cool Rails at all... had none of the things I like in a pickup. I do like the Lil '59 though. I like them more if they're looking at a booster pedal but they do sound good.

I like the Hot Rails and Vintage Rails a lot. I'd love to try a Lil' Pearly Gates!
 
Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails

If I had to pick, I like the Lil 59 much more than the Cool Rails, but I am not a fan of the Jazz either. I like my mids. I realize that is pretty strange, though.
 
Re: Lil '59 vs. Cool rails


Exactly. The "thread" is old. The info is still relevant.

I guess I'm the odd man out, in that I definitely prefer the Cool Rails to the Lil 59. I like the '59, but the CR, to my ears, has a unique spank and punch that no other pup has. It's its own animal. IMHO.
 
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