Idea For Strat...

[Vessneroth]

I was thinking the other day that the main problem I have with the Strat is that the single-coils just don't have enough output. Then I tried out a Seymour Duncan PU called 'Hot Rails'. The concept is that it's a humbucker that's compact enough to be put into a single-coil slot. Sorta like a mini-humbucker, but theoretically it retains all the output of a full-sized humbucker. Anyway, I was wondering what it would be like to buy a strat and replace all its PU's with Hot Rails. Has anyone tried this? Does anyone think that this is a good idea?

[jono]

This is a fairly old concept and I've seen it work well Pickup manufacturers like Duncan and DiMarzio make a range of "single coil size humbuckers"

Duncan makes Hot Rails, Cool Rails and Vintage Rails, along with SC size verions of the Screamin Demon (Lil' Screamin Demon) and the JB (JB Jr.)

DiMarzio's range includes the Fast Track 1 and 2, the Pro Track and The Cruiser and The Chopper.

I think the usual form is to balance the pickups from neck to bridge as you would with regular humbuckers, with a higher output in the bridge than the other positions. I've also seen strats with just the bridge pickup replaced which is cheaper and easier than routing for a full sized humbucker.

[Hammerfan]

This might help answer your question. A friend of mine had a fat strat (hss) which he decided to play with. He replaced the bridge humbucker with a "Fred" and the two single coils with "Hot Rails"
The difference in output and tone is incredible. I'm not keen on strats personally but his is now very, very cool.

My advice to you is DO IT!!!!

[jono]

I've got to stop viewing the site through several windows at once!!!

This topic should be moved to the tech/mods section . So.......

[BrianH]

a hotrail is dark sounding... if you want strat sound still, get a coolrails or coolstack or hotstack.

I've got my strat, loaded with
Screamin Demon dridge
HotRails middle
Hotstack neck

this guitar totally rocks... I might be the best sounding guitar I've ever owned(or heard).

[Ced777]

I try a Hot Rails neck in middle position: it's incredibly loud and bassy. Metal here ! (not blues)
Hot rails PU is bassy and middy. Very few highs. I changed to Cool Rails and it's better IMHO. Kind of Hot Rails but with less bass, less output and a little more highs.
Don't try Vintage Rails : it's classic strat sound (with no hum. ;-) )

[Two hands31]

Don't forget the SD Little '59

[ripl3y]

The good thing about any stacked single coil i.e. hotrail, fastrack is with a little change in wiring you can split them to have the single and also humbucker tone.
To be honest their aint a better guitar than a strat with 3 rail pups, you have so many options available to you.

The strat players who post combo's not involving a rail are usually old style tone seekers.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, the older strat singles can be irish coffee personified, but you can get that today and also have the great chunky bucker sound.
For singles with rails I think Kent Armstrong pull the "vintage with bite sound" off better than most, for pure single demons you CANNOT beat Kinman pups.
Singles have always been a real clean pup, lot's of noise, but maybe in some way that brings out the warmer and also more "feel" orientated attributes.

Personally, if I still had a Strat I'd put a SD Hot Rails in the bridge, a Kinman Broadcaster in the mid and a Kent Cool strat in the neck.
This would on a Strat pretty much give you a Hot Bridge, Tele/Twang middle and Smooth neck.

I often talk bollocks though
And I also like Crow's tone on "Sting Me" so best talkin' to me about classic bucks/P90's and hot Tele bridge's!

Steve

[Spiral Acid]

Originally Posted by ripl3y

for pure single demons you CANNOT beat Kinman pups.

WORD!!!