doesitmatter
New member
I don't want to derail the Triple Shot thread any more than I have.
It started here:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=161416&page=6
Here's the whole story.
My 2001 Les Paul standard is my no. 1 but I never liked the stock 490's in it. I couldn't decide what to change them for. I liked the PAF sound, I liked the modern high gain series sound, my guitar tech cousin recommended P90s.
Then I discovered P-Rails. I strongly hinted to my wife that I'd like them for Christmas. She got me a talk box.
So for my birthday, I demanded them. Then SD announced the Triple Shots. Perfect! By the time my birthday rolled around the switches would be out and I could do the work myself. I set up a covers gig on my birthday so I could unveil the guitar there.
As we all know the Triple shots got delayed. And delayed. With the deadline approaching I went to my tech. He promised to put two 500K push/pulls in the tone slots and install the P Rails. But a week became two became three. I got nervous.
In the meantime, I looked at my amp. My 50 Watt JCM900 head and 2X12 cabinet would be overkill for a bar gig. So I researched, researched and sold a bunch of stuff on ebay. I raised enough money to pick up a Vox AC15. Since it was single channel I threw in a Little Big Muff.
Everything happened today. I went to GC and picked up the Vox on sale. It sounded fantastic with my strat. My tech finally called and I went over late tonight.
Basically, the P Rails were the best thing I could have possibly done to my guitar. Even in series, the sound has opened up. I can hear the wood and my pick in ways I never have before. The 500K pots brightened up the guitar too where I can finally hear classic 70's tones in here. With the 490s the best I could hear was Slash. Now I can hear Mick Ronson.
Parallel get a beautiful overtones. The rail and P90 sound like uneven windings and sing like Dickey Betts. I even got a great "Gimme Shelter" Stones crunch.
The P90s both bite and punch. My tech brought out every amp he was working on and when we ran it through a 1964 6 watt Fender it nailed the Neil Young tone. A few bars of "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" perked us both up.
The rails were good but it just proved that a Les Paul will never sound like a strat (a lesson I already learned with the JB Jr. in my strat). The rail mostly sounds like a brighter P90. Good but not as different as the other three. Some people say there's a volume drop on the rails but we didn't hear it.
In the end I'm glad I sent it out. Without the Triple Shots it was just beyond my skills. My tech also took the time to polish my frets, clean my finger board and do a full setup. best of all, he bought my 490s off me so the work was almost free!
Here's a quick and dirty pic:
There were some nail biting moments during the wait but I'm happier than I even thought I'd be. Can't wait to play tomorrow night!
It started here:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=161416&page=6
Here's the whole story.
My 2001 Les Paul standard is my no. 1 but I never liked the stock 490's in it. I couldn't decide what to change them for. I liked the PAF sound, I liked the modern high gain series sound, my guitar tech cousin recommended P90s.
Then I discovered P-Rails. I strongly hinted to my wife that I'd like them for Christmas. She got me a talk box.
So for my birthday, I demanded them. Then SD announced the Triple Shots. Perfect! By the time my birthday rolled around the switches would be out and I could do the work myself. I set up a covers gig on my birthday so I could unveil the guitar there.
As we all know the Triple shots got delayed. And delayed. With the deadline approaching I went to my tech. He promised to put two 500K push/pulls in the tone slots and install the P Rails. But a week became two became three. I got nervous.
In the meantime, I looked at my amp. My 50 Watt JCM900 head and 2X12 cabinet would be overkill for a bar gig. So I researched, researched and sold a bunch of stuff on ebay. I raised enough money to pick up a Vox AC15. Since it was single channel I threw in a Little Big Muff.
Everything happened today. I went to GC and picked up the Vox on sale. It sounded fantastic with my strat. My tech finally called and I went over late tonight.
Basically, the P Rails were the best thing I could have possibly done to my guitar. Even in series, the sound has opened up. I can hear the wood and my pick in ways I never have before. The 500K pots brightened up the guitar too where I can finally hear classic 70's tones in here. With the 490s the best I could hear was Slash. Now I can hear Mick Ronson.
Parallel get a beautiful overtones. The rail and P90 sound like uneven windings and sing like Dickey Betts. I even got a great "Gimme Shelter" Stones crunch.
The P90s both bite and punch. My tech brought out every amp he was working on and when we ran it through a 1964 6 watt Fender it nailed the Neil Young tone. A few bars of "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" perked us both up.
The rails were good but it just proved that a Les Paul will never sound like a strat (a lesson I already learned with the JB Jr. in my strat). The rail mostly sounds like a brighter P90. Good but not as different as the other three. Some people say there's a volume drop on the rails but we didn't hear it.
In the end I'm glad I sent it out. Without the Triple Shots it was just beyond my skills. My tech also took the time to polish my frets, clean my finger board and do a full setup. best of all, he bought my 490s off me so the work was almost free!
Here's a quick and dirty pic:
There were some nail biting moments during the wait but I'm happier than I even thought I'd be. Can't wait to play tomorrow night!
Last edited:
). the rail-side on my guitar, really sounds like a strat, but my lester is different; there's no mahogany or maple what soever in the guitar (koa top, walnut back, ebony board, ziricote neck). 
prails will really give you all the tones you need, and more!