As we all know, different pups work better with some woods than others. I'm planning a custom build of a guitar using a pair of P-Rails (and a graphtech ghost system, but that doesn't matter here) with Padouk body and neck, a fairly thick maple top and ebony fingerboard. All of these woods are known for being on the bright side, are the P-Rails likely to work well in this sort of construction or should I seriously think about trying to get some darker sounding woods?
Wood advice for P-Rails
- Thread starter eviltobz
- Start date
Re: Wood advice for P-Rails
I just put a set of P Rails into a korina bodied guitar that is on the bright side so I can give you a relevant response. The Series humbucker sound is very thick and on the dark side, from memory it reminded me of a Dimarzio Super 3. The P-90 tone is brighter and crunchy, the output seems higher than your average P-90 however. It seems more along the lines of an overwound PAF output wise. The rail sound sounds like a Big Apple Strat when you split the pickups to the inside coils of the pickups, the rails are not close enough position wise to give any kind of realistic strat/tele sound with both sounds being darker than either. I think the P Rails are worth the money as long as you are not expecting to nail strat/tele tones but need something close enough for the option/variety.
I just put a set of P Rails into a korina bodied guitar that is on the bright side so I can give you a relevant response. The Series humbucker sound is very thick and on the dark side, from memory it reminded me of a Dimarzio Super 3. The P-90 tone is brighter and crunchy, the output seems higher than your average P-90 however. It seems more along the lines of an overwound PAF output wise. The rail sound sounds like a Big Apple Strat when you split the pickups to the inside coils of the pickups, the rails are not close enough position wise to give any kind of realistic strat/tele sound with both sounds being darker than either. I think the P Rails are worth the money as long as you are not expecting to nail strat/tele tones but need something close enough for the option/variety.
Re: Wood advice for P-Rails
Cheers. The P90 sound is going to be most important to me, I have a strat and a bunch of humbucker equipped guitars but nothing with a P90, any extra variety i get from it will just be a bonus. Mostly though I was just concerned that it might make for a bad match and sound like arse
Cheers. The P90 sound is going to be most important to me, I have a strat and a bunch of humbucker equipped guitars but nothing with a P90, any extra variety i get from it will just be a bonus. Mostly though I was just concerned that it might make for a bad match and sound like arse
Re: Wood advice for P-Rails
I have a set of P-rails in a Squier Jagmaster, and I find them to be some of the darkest pickups I've used when in humbucker mode. I really like them.
I don't use the P90 mode as much as the HB mode, but I will say that it does sound really good. It's nice and punchy, and is brighter than full HB mode without being piercing.
I don't care much for the rail coils... They just seem so thin and almost anemic compared to HB and P90. They work for cleans, but that's about it.
Overall, I think you would probably like the P Rails in a relatively bright guitar. I would recommend them to my friends if that counts for anything!
I have a set of P-rails in a Squier Jagmaster, and I find them to be some of the darkest pickups I've used when in humbucker mode. I really like them.
I don't use the P90 mode as much as the HB mode, but I will say that it does sound really good. It's nice and punchy, and is brighter than full HB mode without being piercing.
I don't care much for the rail coils... They just seem so thin and almost anemic compared to HB and P90. They work for cleans, but that's about it.
Overall, I think you would probably like the P Rails in a relatively bright guitar. I would recommend them to my friends if that counts for anything!
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Wood advice for P-Rails
I put a pair in a Jackson Morton (mahogany chambered/nearly-hollow) with a LR Baggs t-bridge. Sounds great to me. Very Les Paulish.
I put a pair in a Jackson Morton (mahogany chambered/nearly-hollow) with a LR Baggs t-bridge. Sounds great to me. Very Les Paulish.
