P-rails series mode tone shaping?

[psychepool]

I like the p90 pickup, but the guitar route that I'm trying to install is humbucker so I bought Duncan p-rails set for more features.
I'm going to use the p90 in the first place, but I think it would be nice if I could use other modes meaningfully.

My favorite mode is p90, and I also like the parallel mode.
The rail mode and the series mode are feel like irreparable bad tone to me.
Because I have another traditional single pickup guitar anyway, so I would not use the rail mode and would like to use the series mode.

It's a high output pickup but it has very loose bass. Very muddy sound even in clean tone.
In High Gain Tone, a really messy tone comes out.

If I can control the bass of this pickup properly, I think it would be more useful. Is it possible to make a tone filter with appropriate resistors and capacitors?

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: P-rails series mode tone shaping?

Yes. I am not knowledgeable enough to tell you what capacitors you need, but I am experienced enough to know that some values will cut ("tighten") the lows and low mids. It may take some experimentation to get what sounds good to you.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: P-rails series mode tone shaping?

It's easier to change the magnets to do the same thing IMO. If you just want to cut some bass, just throw a small cap in series with the output of the pickup, the more bass you want removed the smaller the cap you'll need. I like to start with 3.3nf and move to other sizes in the range of 2.2nf and 4.7nf. You could also add a trim pot so that you can dial in the amount of bass cut you want and then hide the control in the guitar cavity. But if you go this way you might want to consider a new wiring scheme in which the bass cut is only active in series mode.

But if you want more than just to thin out the bass, there are plenty of combinations of magnets you can put in them to do get a better tone. The P-Rails has two magnets, so you can better shape the tone of the split tones too. For the bridge I've always used a setup that GuitarDoc originally recommended, putting an A8 closest to the rail and an A4 under the P90 and then flipping the pickup so the rail is closest to the bridge. For the neck I switch the A5 under the P90 for an A3 and don't do anything else to it.

 

[Mincer]

Re: P-rails series mode tone shaping?

You may try parallel operation, rather than series, and you will get some clarity. This is easily done with 1 switch per pickup, or Triple Shot rings.

 

[psychepool]

Re: P-rails series mode tone shaping?

Yes. I am not knowledgeable enough to tell you what capacitors you need, but I am experienced enough to know that some values will cut ("tighten") the lows and low mids. It may take some experimentation to get what sounds good to you.

Thank you for answer.
I know a bit of theory, but I have never seen an example of this kind of work done, so I thought it might be a little stupid idea.
But, when I look at the articles that encourage the work, I get confidence!

It's easier to change the magnets to do the same thing IMO. If you just want to cut some bass, just throw a small cap in series with the output of the pickup, the more bass you want removed the smaller the cap you'll need. I like to start with 3.3nf and move to other sizes in the range of 2.2nf and 4.7nf. You could also add a trim pot so that you can dial in the amount of bass cut you want and then hide the control in the guitar cavity. But if you go this way you might want to consider a new wiring scheme in which the bass cut is only active in series mode.

But if you want more than just to thin out the bass, there are plenty of combinations of magnets you can put in them to do get a better tone. The P-Rails has two magnets, so you can better shape the tone of the split tones too. For the bridge I've always used a setup that GuitarDoc originally recommended, putting an A8 closest to the rail and an A4 under the P90 and then flipping the pickup so the rail is closest to the bridge. For the neck I switch the A5 under the P90 for an A3 and don't do anything else to it.

I am not technically confident to replace the magnet.
It does not seem to be a general humbucker, nor does it appeal to reattach a black tape(I do not know the name of this part) that protects the coil.

Thank you for giving me a hint about the capacitor value. Let's try first within the recommended value. Wish a good results.

And I have an additional questions.
In a high-pass filter configuration, what is the role of the resistor that connected to the ground?
The smaller the value, the more treble will be cut?
So what's the difference between having a very large capacity (ex, 1M to 10M) and not having anything?

You may try parallel operation, rather than series, and you will get some clarity. This is easily done with 1 switch per pickup, or Triple Shot rings.

As described in the text, I like the parallel mode of this pickup. So of course I will use parallel mode.
The parallel mode gives a clear and mellow tone, but the output is so weak, which makes it hard for hard sound.
The series mode is an authentic hum-hammering humbucker and has a high output, so it is completely different from the parallel mode.
Therefore, at least at the bridge pickup,it seems to be useful for other purposes than parallel mode.