What's the hottest, most metal Tele bridge pickup?

They told me that a single coil Slug would end up being very similar to a Hot Stack.

Oh, well. I guess I'l be happy with my QP, LOL.
 
Alright, so I just bought a second Hot Rails. Let's hope it's better this time around. I'm still going to keep the QP around in case I wanna go back to it, though. It's a great pickup.
 
With a Hot Rails, it doesn't sound anything like a traditional Tele, but I think that's the point here.
 
jeremy said:
but its not. it has more wire on it but its an old school stack so the output is higher in single coil mode than stack mode. great pup but not as hot as youd think
Click to expand...

Thanks Jeremy. Good to know. That's the pup I'm thinking of doing in my Brent Mason-ish Tele.
 
its a great pup and middier and has more output than a vintage tele pup but it wouldnt be my go to for metal, though it can rock for sure. there are just better pups, like the hot rails, for metal
 
OK, so them new Hot Rails is in. Everything seems to be working fine on the multimeter's readings.

First impressions: Now this is what it's supposed to sound like! It's really hot, fat, and kinda dark. Love the output, still not sure about the darkness. That should be an easy fix, though. Right now it's going into a single 250K pot. I'm going to get a 500K one.

Overall, I do like it. It definitely doesn't sound like a Telecaster at all anymore. I hope the 500K pot helps brighten it up a tad.
 
Yeah, 500k should help. You might have to re-EQ your amp from what you normally use, too.
 
uOpt said:
You could also use a push/pull pot and have a series/parallel switch for when you need some treble.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea for any high output single coil-sized HB, and a much better sound than splitting them.
 
Rex_Rocker said:


What surprised me is how hot it is. Maybe it's because it's wired to a single volume pot, no switch, tone or anything watering it down
Click to expand...

Nope, it is just a hot as hell pickup. I am glad you got everything sorted and are enjoying the pickup. Chug away, my friend.
 
Philosophical Question: When you need a pickup that hot, is it really a Tele that you want?
 
TVFV said:
I believe he said in the OP he just wanted the appearance of Tele.
Click to expand...

A Telecaster, sir, is not just an appearance, nor does it merely have an "air" about it. A Telecaster is a philosophy, an outlook, a way of life. It is a statement regarding oneself and the music you play. It says "I have THIS, and that is all there is, and all I need." It is not simply a wrapper for a Dimebucker or an X2N.
 
Aceman said:
A Telecaster, sir, is not just an appearance, nor does it merely have an "air" about it. A Telecaster is a philosophy, an outlook, a way of life. It is a statement regarding oneself and the music you play. It says "I have THIS, and that is all there is, and all I need." It is not simply a wrapper for a Dimebucker or an X2N.
Click to expand...

Just trying to clarify, so like this?

john5teles.jpg - John 5 Telecasters
 
Man, I'm really glad I gave the Hot Rails another shot. This one sounds fantastic. And after a few listens, it's not all that dark. It just has less pick attack than my BW-equipped Epi. Must be the fact that it's actually further away from the saddles on the lower strings. Or the fact that it's got blades instead of poles. Anyway, I'm 100% satisfied with my metal Esquire for now.

I still would've liked the Custom Shop to make me a Lil Black winter, though, with the cool black nickel poles and gothic font.
 
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