My guitar is a standard strat, though It is set up like a tele, it only has bridge and neck pups. Currently I have got rails in both. I am thinking about switching out the neck pup for a cool rails or little 59. I play hard rock, thrash metal, punk,some blues and reggae. I love the hot rails but it seems kind of pointless to have 2 of the same pickups. Any suggestions?
Neck pickup, hot rail, lil 59, or cool rails.
- Thread starter Mshiple4
- Start date
Re: Neck pickup, hot rail, lil 59, or cool rails.
A Hot Rails in parallel knocks the output down quite a bit- also the neck & bridge versions are pretty different. That being said, a Cool Rails will be cleaner, clearer, a lot more open, and still sound good distorted, so if you have a chance to try a Cool Rails, I think that would make a more versatile guitar.
A Hot Rails in parallel knocks the output down quite a bit- also the neck & bridge versions are pretty different. That being said, a Cool Rails will be cleaner, clearer, a lot more open, and still sound good distorted, so if you have a chance to try a Cool Rails, I think that would make a more versatile guitar.
MkIII Renegade
New member
Re: Neck pickup, hot rail, lil 59, or cool rails.
If you are going with a cool rail at the neck (I would do this), then use the same for the middle. The hot rail is perfect for the bridge.
If you are going with a cool rail at the neck (I would do this), then use the same for the middle. The hot rail is perfect for the bridge.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Neck pickup, hot rail, lil 59, or cool rails.
Think about two AA batteries in series, (end-to-end), and two in parallel, (side by side). The two in series will produce 3 volts at a set amount of current. The two in parallel will be 1.5 volts at double the current capacity. The two coils of a pickup are the same, but they generate an AC signal rather than DC. Current capability doesn't matter much in a guitar pup, but the voltage does. So does the inductance. So, the "normal" series humbucker will have higher output, less highs. The parallel humbucker will be quasi-single coil-ish with more highs, less output. I actually prefer the parallel mode more than the split mode because the pup is picking up two different nodes of the string and therefore have a slightly more harmonically rich tone.
Think about two AA batteries in series, (end-to-end), and two in parallel, (side by side). The two in series will produce 3 volts at a set amount of current. The two in parallel will be 1.5 volts at double the current capacity. The two coils of a pickup are the same, but they generate an AC signal rather than DC. Current capability doesn't matter much in a guitar pup, but the voltage does. So does the inductance. So, the "normal" series humbucker will have higher output, less highs. The parallel humbucker will be quasi-single coil-ish with more highs, less output. I actually prefer the parallel mode more than the split mode because the pup is picking up two different nodes of the string and therefore have a slightly more harmonically rich tone.
Re: Neck pickup, hot rail, lil 59, or cool rails.
From the Seymour Duncan FAQ:
Series and parallel wiring usually refers to two separated but related issues. The most common usage refers to how two coils in a humbucking pick up are connected to each other. With series wiring the individual coils are connected end to end. Current flows first through one coil and then the other. This is the way most humbucking pickups are wired. With parallel wiring the individual coils are connected to each other at both ends and current flows through both coils at the same time. Pickups wired in parallel are brighter sounding and have considerably less output than an identical pickup wired in series.
The terms series and parallel are also used to describe the way in which separate pickups are connected to each other in the guitar by the pick up selector switch. In the vast majority of guitars the pickups are connected to each other in parallel. The same rules apply to pick ups wired in series and parallel as a humbuckers coils wired in series and parallel. Two pickups wired in series will have higher output and a fuller tone.
From the Seymour Duncan FAQ:
Series and parallel wiring usually refers to two separated but related issues. The most common usage refers to how two coils in a humbucking pick up are connected to each other. With series wiring the individual coils are connected end to end. Current flows first through one coil and then the other. This is the way most humbucking pickups are wired. With parallel wiring the individual coils are connected to each other at both ends and current flows through both coils at the same time. Pickups wired in parallel are brighter sounding and have considerably less output than an identical pickup wired in series.
The terms series and parallel are also used to describe the way in which separate pickups are connected to each other in the guitar by the pick up selector switch. In the vast majority of guitars the pickups are connected to each other in parallel. The same rules apply to pick ups wired in series and parallel as a humbuckers coils wired in series and parallel. Two pickups wired in series will have higher output and a fuller tone.
nopicknick
New member
Re: Neck pickup, hot rail, lil 59, or cool rails.
I have a strat with no middle pickup as well. Hoping to try a CR in the neck too.
I have a strat with no middle pickup as well. Hoping to try a CR in the neck too.
