Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

[Low_fidelity2100]

So I got a tele hotrails a couple weeks back. Have had it in one of my teles since trying to like it, but I just can't. Its just way too boomy and compressed and just totally indistinct sounding to me, Tried raiseing it, tryed lowering it a Bunch. Actually liked it best set really really low, But even still, just not really digging it at all its still just way to bassy with barely any highend and WAY to much lower mids (I.e. muddy as ****). So I took it out and put the stock pickup outta my american tele into this tele (its a mim tele with a wd replacement alder body) and I'm like it alot more than the hot rails. But I'de still like sumthing just a Tad hotter an with a bit more low end.

So...The american tele pickups don't have the Brass baseplate, so I'm wondering, Would putting a baseplate on this pickup increase the bass a bit? I know that putting a baseplate on a strat pickup is suppoused to increase the bass (and suppousedly output), so I'm assumeing thats the same reason vintage tele pickups had the baseplate. So if that is indeed the case, Anyone know where I can get a baseplate that'll work on an american tele pickup? (they have little plastic legs where the screws come in, so a normal tele baseplate wouldn't fit unless I ground the legs off, an I'de prefer to Not do that as I tend to break things when I start doing stuff like that, haha)

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Hotrails have their place, and it isn't ANYWHERE near a tele! LOL
The best place for a Hotrails is in a Jackson neck position.

Get a Hot Tele or Jerry Donahue. They bridge the gap between vintage and high output.

 

[51501984]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Dimarzio Tone Zone T , you`ll love it.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Hotrails have their place, and it isn't ANYWHERE near a tele! LOL
The best place for a Hotrails is in a Jackson neck position.

Get a Hot Tele or Jerry Donahue. They bridge the gap between vintage and high output.

I was actually just gonna try putting a baseplate on the pickup outta my american tele to try an beef that up a bit, but I dunno where to Buy just the baseplate.

Isn't the Hot tele Like 15k or sumthing? The JD does sound interesting though. But I'm gonna try and avoid buying any more pickups until I can see what a baseplate does to the pickups I already got.

 

[loudriver23]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Don't Tele Bridge pickups have bassplates built right in? So I don't believe there would be a need to do that with a Tele.
For a strat on the other hand, you can pick one up from Calliham I believe.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Get a Hot Tele or Jerry Donahue. They bridge the gap between vintage and high output.

+1. Those 2 pickups should already have the baseplate fitted too.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Thinking about it, I reckon the JD is your best bet.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Don't Tele Bridge pickups have bassplates built right in? So I don't believe there would be a need to do that with a Tele.
For a strat on the other hand, you can pick one up from Calliham I believe.

Nope actually the american series tele pickups haven't a baseplate. I thought it was really odd when I first took the pickup out of the guitar it was originally in. But apperently the modern tele's don't have bridge plates.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

It's definately a weird decision not to have baseplates on modern Teles. I wonder why they don't bother with them these days?

 

[Stevo]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Before you ditch the hot rails, you might try wiring it in parallel. That makes the pickup sound more like a single coil, with less output and more definition. I tried it and was pretty happy with the outcome. Otherwise, I like the hot rails for all-out distorted tones.

Another option is the little 59. It has less output but it's more articulate than the hot rails. I've had both hot rails and little 59s in teles.

 

[kjrocks]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Yeah,wiring it up in parallel could be good for you and its cheap enough to try

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Before you ditch the hot rails, you might try wiring it in parallel. That makes the pickup sound more like a single coil, with less output and more definition. I tried it and was pretty happy with the outcome. Otherwise, I like the hot rails for all-out distorted tones.

Another option is the little 59. It has less output but it's more articulate than the hot rails. I've had both hot rails and little 59s in teles.

Hmm, yeah I might have to try it in parallel didn't even think of that.

I've already got a lil 59 in my american tele, an I like it alot. But since I already got it in one tele I don't see much point in having the same pickup in both of em, rather have some different sounds outta each.

 

[Stevo]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

since I already got it in one tele I don't see much point in having the same pickup in both of em

I totally relate with that.

My favorite tele bridge pickup is the BG-1400. It is a high resistance, stacked pickup. The custom shop makes it. You can get nice tele spank with some glass and thickness.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

I totally relate with that.

My favorite tele bridge pickup is the BG-1400. It is a high resistance, stacked pickup. The custom shop makes it. You can get nice tele spank with some glass and thickness.

Yeah, I keep hearing people mention it, but I have no idea what it sounds like. I looked on the Custom shop page, an it said it was like 30k or sumthing?! Is it insanely hot? or just some sorta weird stack design that has a DC but isn't actually that hot?

 

[loudriver23]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

Nope actually the american series tele pickups haven't a baseplate. I thought it was really odd when I first took the pickup out of the guitar it was originally in. But apperently the modern tele's don't have bridge plates.

That not only is weird, but goes against what I think a Tele bridge pup is about.
Such is life...

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

if you're using the tele hot rails with stock tele 250K pots you're wasting your time and of course it sounds boomy or muddy. put in 500K pots and it will sound worlds different! it's a great pickup if you use it with the right pots and you use it to play what it's made for....nothing clean lol. i've had it in several teles in the past and with 500K pots and an orange drop cap through a high gain amp you can get some HUGE (not boomy) tones that make les pauls run and hide!

-Mike

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Not Diggin the tele hotrails.

if you're using the tele hot rails with stock tele 250K pots you're wasting your time and of course it sounds boomy or muddy. put in 500K pots and it will sound worlds different! it's a great pickup if you use it with the right pots and you use it to play what it's made for....nothing clean lol. i've had it in several teles in the past and with 500K pots and an orange drop cap through a high gain amp you can get some HUGE (not boomy) tones that make les pauls run and hide!

-Mike

How the hell did I not even think about that? haha.