SSL-5 vs Hot Rails for bridge!!!

[andrew200056]

I already got Fat 50s for neck and CS '69 for middle (RW/RP version)..Had An SSL-5 in bridge but it's no longer functioning so I'm getting a new bridge pickup. My guitar got push/pull switch to combine neck and bridge pickups together! Lately, I started playing some metal stuff..which pickup do you generally recommend, ssl-5 or hot rails? Will hot rails give better tone for metal compared to SSL-5? How would be that match between hot rails and other 2 single coils??? Just putting ideas on the table.

 

[jeremy]

the ssl5 will match the tonality and output of your fat50s and cs69 better than than the hot rails. that said, the hot rails will do metal better. my suggestion is to get the hot rails and use that push/pull to switch from series to parallel for that pup. ive never loved the neck/bridge combo on a strat, and having the two options for the hot rails will give you a brighter/cleaner tone in parallel which will mix better with the singles and sound better clean, then the series option will give you a thicker higher output tone for the metal stuff. i would not wire the hot rails to a tone control, its plenty dark as it is

 

[donaldr]

...ive never loved the neck/bridge combo on a strat...

I have a swamp ash Strat copy with STK-S4 neck and STK-S7 bridge on a 3-way switch, unconnected middle pickup set flush to pickguard.
I would say that the neck and bridge pickups in parallel is a sound I really like. One of my goto guitar for pop, blues, classic rock up to '80s hard rock.

 

[donaldr]

Never own a Hot Rails because it's not my cup of tea from what I heard in reviews/demos. I think a JB jr sounds better, and I don't like full size JB .
Or maybe just another SSL-5 (or STK-S6 for noiseless) and a pickup booster pedal.
Dimarzio has a good selection of rails pickups, maybe have a look.

Can you simply change for an HSS pickguard and put an humbucker in the bridge? zz0.b6xal7fp4xhzz

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, Hot Rails will do metal better, but the bridge pickup won't sound like a Strat anymore. If you add a series/parallel switch, you will get more versatility out of the Hot Rails, though.