Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Does the midforwardness on the EQ of the Hot Rails make a difference on the shorter scale? And how would you describe the SSL-4 compared to the SSL-6?

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Would you say the SSL-1/SSL-5 combo makes it sound stratty-ish?

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Do they balance nicely? I was thinking a pair set up (both Hot Rails or both Cool Rails) because I was concerned with the balance in sound EQ wise

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Would you say the mids-forwardness of the 59 works well with the shorter scale? Or does the Cool Rails scooped-ness makes it balance with the rounder sound of the shorter scale?

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

I run a trio of Cool Rails in a Stratocaster and they sound fantastic on a squeaky clean setting. You can run them in parallel for a thinner, more single coil-esque sound. I do this in middle so I can more quack in positions 2 and 4. In your case, I would run a pair of Cool Rails with series/parallel switching or put an SSL-1 in the neck and a Cool Rails in the bridge for a versatile HS setup.

How do they sound with a bit of gain?

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

My long ago experience with hot rails was that it was ON.......and ALL THE TIME.

The beauty about todays rigs are that you have so much gain on tap, that you can let your amp end give you the heavy end for versatility. And the pickup is tweaked a bit toward the cleaner end of the spectrum.

I play mostly clean, low-gain stuff so would it still work well with it?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

It's all about what sound you want. All of them have pros and cons for clean or dirty. Both the Cool Rails and Hot Rails are warm but still a little bit snappy in the neck. They don't sound at all like true single coils but do still sound a bit stratty. The Hot Rails in the bridge is hella hot and sounds gainy even clean. Kind of cool if that's what you're going for. You can hear it in the demos. But if you want a cleaner sound then don't get that. The ssl2 ssl6 combo would be the most stratty sounding. I didn't bring it up because you said you want a fatter sound and the ssl2 is vintage output. The ssl6 in the neck sounds like a strat pickup but it is overwound so it's middy. The ssl4 is hella fat almost like a p90.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Any pickup with SSL in front of it will be miles Strat-ier than a single coil sized humbucker. A smaller scale might make the Hot Rails seem to have even more mids. The SSL-1 is the benchmark for Strat tone, while the SSL-4 has more power and mids.

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Hello! Thanks again for all the advice! I am currently leaning towards either a pair of SSL-4's or a pair of Cool Rails, though a pair of Lil 59's isn't out of the question either. I decided I don't really want to go for a stratty tone (already happy with my strat) so I'll go for something a little different. I also emailed Seymour Duncan about suggestions and am just waiting for them to get back to me. Thanks for all your help everyone!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Keep in mind that the SSL-4 and Cool Rails are pretty much the opposite, EQ-wise. So if you need a clean and clear sound, go with the CR. If you need more mids, with the power of a P90, go for the SSL-4.

 

[Flaaffee]

Re: Pickup recommendations and maybe sound samples for a Mustang?

Keep in mind that the SSL-4 and Cool Rails are pretty much the opposite, EQ-wise. So if you need a clean and clear sound, go with the CR. If you need more mids, with the power of a P90, go for the SSL-4.

Duly noted thank you! Just might have to get both to shoot them out! Thanks for all of your help!