My P-rail sounds like mud. Did I screw something up?

[dendog]

I was very hopeful about this pickup. I just put a set on my Hamer Studio Archtop, replacing a 59 in the neck and JB in the bridge.

The P-Rail in HB series mode does not sound good. It's mud, the output is so hot that it distorts the input of my Marshall 1962, not in a good way, making it sound like a bad transitor amp.

The other sounds appear to be working correctly. I don't get any Fender quack (which is fine) but the single coil sounds are excellent, as are the P90 sounds, which was the reason I bought these. Using the 2 pull pot switching scenario, I've checked my wiring and it appears to be correct.

I like the versatility of these pickups, but I don't think I can handle a humbucker in the bridge that sounds like this.

Anyone experiencing this? Is there a common wiring mistake I could have made? Missing the JB in the bridge in a big way. Is there any way the p-rail can be configured to get me closer to that?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: My P-rail sounds like mud. Did I screw something up?

The P-Rails in series can be pretty thick sounding. If you want more of a PAFish, airy sound just wire it to be parallel instead of series when both coils are active. It sounds really great...clear, articulate, more like a '59 but a more even EQ (not scooped).

Even though the series mode can be very thick sounding. I don't find it to be muddy. Do you have the original P-Rail or the P-Rail+ (hot)? The Hot is a little overwound and has two A8 magnets in it...overkill. That one in series does sound a bit heavy, even muddy. In parallel, even the Hot sounds pretty good.

The JB is a pretty bright pup and the P-Rail in series is not going to sound at all like the JB due to the large P-90 coil. But, it is very easy to tweak the P-Rail with magnet swapping. If you have the original P-Rail (two A5's) you might try replacing one or both of the mags with A3's. If you have the Hot, replace one or both of the mags with A5's. It should sound much more to your liking even in series.