SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

[stratvet]

I have the 60th Anniversary Standard Strat (MIM; Alder body; Maple fretboard) for about a year now, and WOW! do I love the neck on that one (finish & feel) . . . plus the color, Blizzard Pearl, is awesome . . . but the 3 Texas Specials on it just aren't for me . . . way too jangly for my taste . . .

Want to put Hot Rails in the bridge & Cool Rails in the neck, for sure . . . but can you guys PLEASE give me your 2¢ worth (or $2!! :joke about which one to put in the middle? Cool or Hot in the middle, & even further than that, which do I use: the neck model or the bridge model of either one, for the middle position? (btw, is there a 'rule-of-thumb' in most cases, for putting the neck or bridge version in the middle spot?)

The goal is clarity on both top & low ends--always! no muddiness!! with a solid, deep bass presence, generous mids & harmonics throughout, & the range of style is from deep, throaty, raunchy, crying blues, to all-out heavy, classic, 70's-style rock . . . plus plenty of room for mellow when rolling back the volume knob on the axe . . . amp is Marshall TSL 602.

Thanks again for all your help, guys!

 

[TS2]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

I've read/been told that a vintage rails works very well in the middle of that set up, gives you a lot of diversity. Also it keeps the whole set on rails, if you're into that uniform look. Maybe someone with more experience with those pickups can chime in....

 

[baritone]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

In between a Hot Rails and a Cool Rails, the Vintage Rails is a popular choice. The Vintage Rails and Duckbucker are both humbuckers which fit into the single coil slot, and they sound very "Strattish" without the hum. Generally, a neck pickup is recommended for the middle position, but you can actually try anything you want. If you are not interested in having Strat tones, you could consider a Hot Stack, a Lil 59, or another Cool Rails.

 

[stratvet]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

Yes, I think another Cool Rails in the middle position will do it (w/ Cool Rails in the neck, & Hot Rails in the bridge) as I don't really want too much of a traditional 'strat' sound that the Vintage Rails or Duckbucker would give me on this 'project' guitar . . . will still have the 'strat' sound on my American Deluxe (Samarian Cobalt Noiseless pickups on that one).

Thanks for taking the time to give me some advice-- really appreciate it!

Can't wait to get these pickups in there! Cool Rails neck, Cool Rails middle, Hot Rails bridge-- nice lineup!

 

[coachc55]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

I like your setup, sounds cool. Like a previous post, I kinda wonder how putting a vintage rails in the middle would sound. It would give you alot of diversity with some stratness but I also would love to hear your setup because the cool rails is a versatile pickup.

Thanks,
CoachC

 

[alex1fly]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

I have a hot rails in my strat and my two cool rails just came in today, so i haven't gotten a chance to hear them... but i'm betting it will sound awesome! of course, i may have to swap the hot rails for that new A8 bucker...

 

[stratvet]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

Alex, your Hot Rails right now is in the bridge?

What does anyone think about JB Jr. in the middle? (Vintage Rails & Duckbuckers are a little too much treble for me--) then it would be Cool Rails neck, JB Jr. middle, Hot Rails bridge . . . so Cool Rails vs. JB Jr. for the middle spot (?) which do you think? any thoughts about how the outputs match up among the two different combos of 3 [CR-CR-HR vs. CR-JBJr-HR] ? I think-- I could easily be wrong-- that the Cool Rails has much less output than the JB Jr.? (the latter having similar output to the Hot Rails?) -- if this is true, would that make one a better match than the other?

P.S. - Alex, please let us know how the Cool Rails / Cool Rails / Hot-Rails setup works out when you get it going!

 

[emilio]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

ignore this...

 

[alex1fly]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

Alex, your Hot Rails right now is in the bridge?

P.S. - Alex, please let us know how the Cool Rails / Cool Rails / Hot-Rails setup works out when you get it going!

I'll definately make a post when I get those two CRs in, especially for the middle because most people seem to use it mainly in the neck... but I'm about to roadtrip to california and then move so it'll be about a month before I get to play on them. And then another 3 months until I get to use them in a live situation... boo! But I'm already thinking that while the Hot Rails sounds very large and in charge, it has a bit of that "ceramic staleness" that makes it sound slightly fake. But hey, who else can tell that besides fellow pickup enthusiasts?

 

[stratvet]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

Alex, what's your opinion about Hot Rails vs. JB Jr. for the bridge? & IF you DID put JB Jr. in the bridge instead of Hot Rails (& still had Cool Rails in the neck) would you then choose Hot Rails or Cool Rails for the middle?

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

I'd go with Cool Rails in the middle probably. I have CR/VR/CR in one of my Strats, and I wish the Vintage Rails were a little hotter, because they don't quite match the Cool Rails in terms of output. I'm sure the Cool Rails will sound amazing no matter where you put them. As for which one, I'd put a neck model in the middle position.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

Alex, what's your opinion about Hot Rails vs. JB Jr. for the bridge? & IF you DID put JB Jr. in the bridge instead of Hot Rails (& still had Cool Rails in the neck) would you then choose Hot Rails or Cool Rails for the middle?

Haha I don't know, I actually asked this question in another thread a couple of days ago but nobody had anything to say :scared: I'd be interested to hear a comparison of the HR tone to the JB jr tone!

As for Cool Rails in the middle, I'm excited to see how it turns out because the neck position is really the only one where I like the strat characteristics; eliminating the middle quack and thickening it up w/ the CR seems like it will work out well for me.

 

[stratvet]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

I know how this one's gonna end up. It's gonna be either Cool Rails (all 3) or Cool Rails (neck & middle) + Hot Rails (bridge). Probably the latter? I just hope the Hot Rails bridge doesn't turn out to be way too much, and I end up never using it alone, just in combo w/ the middle. But if I don't get the Hot Rails for the bridge the first time, I'll always wonder what it would've been like (but isn't that true for not getting the Cool Rails also?)

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

I know how this one's gonna end up. It's gonna be either Cool Rails (all 3) or Cool Rails (neck & middle) + Hot Rails (bridge). Probably the latter? I just hope the Hot Rails bridge doesn't turn out to be way too much, and I end up never using it alone, just in combo w/ the middle. But if I don't get the Hot Rails for the bridge the first time, I'll always wonder what it would've been like (but isn't that true for not getting the Cool Rails also?)

Well, seeing as though you were very specific in your first post (which is very useful to us ) I can tell you that I think that a Cool Rails set will be better for you. Hot Rails may be a bit too muddy for you. The Cool Rails bridge in my Strat is mighty clear, and it can certainly cover classic/70s rock. The neck position can certainly hit those bluesy tones you're after. My Cool Rails neck position is the best thing I have ever heard.

Best of luck.

 

[stratvet]

Re: SSS Configuration using Hot Rails & Cool Rails

Thanks, Robbiedbee-- I am myself most comfortable trying the triple-cool-rails setup . . . just really do think that hot rails in the bridge will be 'too much' for me, & now that you mention 'muddiness' well, that seals the deal-- 'cause if there's anything I can't stand, it's lack of clarity when playing chords-- really bugs me! plus, the sound-byte on the website of the cool rails bridge/middle combo sounds SO sweet-- don't know if hot rails bridge + cool rails middle combo would sound as wonderful. From what I've read elsewhere on the Forum, it seems that Cool Rails bridge is, for all practical purposes, a Hot Rails neck . . . so it should be plenty enough for me!