It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:29 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: SD Hotrails with Q.Pounds flat,help,please
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:30 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:29 pm
Posts: 4
Hi everyone,

This is my first post, need an advice...I am considering to put S. Duncan Quarter Pound flat singles in the neck and middle position of the American Standard Stratocaster 2006, (which currently has stock Alnico V staggered in the neck and middle position); It already has the S.Duncan Hotrails in the bridge and it all fits and sounds great...(alder body with rosewood fretboard)...I´ve also put the brass nut on the neck, and staggered locking tuners; The thing is, I´m a great Strat freak, so the idea was to have the best possible strat clean with the best possible distorted or heavy tone, without using any full sized humbucker in the bridge, and most people think I nailed it, me too. But, I remember playing a custom made Schecter strat with Q.Pound flats in all 3 positions, one piece ash body with birds-eye maple neck, locking tuners and the brass nut also, it had very worn out 9-42 strings...So I went through the Fender Hot rod DeVille, using no effects, pedals, no nothing...and man...if I wasn´t already sitting, I would. The Tone...now, I know I maybe expect a bit too much of a stock Am. Standard, but I would like to have even a bit better clean tone and more cutting-through-the-mix overdriven tone when using the neck and/or middle position. So now I´m not sure if the Q.Pounds would match with the Hotrails...? I wouldn´t like to get any output mismatch, and putting the full size humbucker at the bridge would make the whole thing ˝less Stratocaster look and feel˝. So, anyone, please, any suggestion or an advice woud be most appreciated, since I just can´t find the specs for my stock Alnico V pickups.

Thank you!

And yes, the reason for not buying the Schecter was the 4.000 Euros, cash, no bargain... :mrgreen:


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: SD Hotrails with Q.Pounds flat,help,please
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:51 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Welcome.

You may want to consider putting a Hot Rails neck version in the neck position of your guitar and a Cool Rails bridge version in the middle position of your guitar. You'll get essentially the same tonality of the QPs, a much better balanced output among all three pickups, all three pickups will be humbucking and cosmetically, the guitar will certainly look better.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: SD Hotrails with Q.Pounds flat,help,please
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 3:40 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:29 pm
Posts: 4
Hey Martian,

Thanks a lot! That sounds great, by the way, the hum-canceling only won´t make me choose such high output pickups, what matters to me is the sound, now, you said that another Hotrails at the neck and Coolrails in the middle would make it sound more ballanced, yet pretty similar to Q. Pounds...I´ll keep that in mind.
On the S. Duncan website they recommend using the Coolrails 1n in the neck with an SVR1n Vintage Rails in the middle..(very versatile they say)...how about that? Guess your choice would give it higher output...

Thanks


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: SD Hotrails with Q.Pounds flat,help,please
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:26 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
singleplayer75 wrote:
Hey Martian,

Thanks a lot! That sounds great, by the way, the hum-canceling only won´t make me choose such high output pickups, what matters to me is the sound, now, you said that another Hotrails at the neck and Coolrails in the middle would make it sound more balanced, yet pretty similar to Q. Pounds...I´ll keep that in mind.
On the S. Duncan website they recommend using the Coolrails 1n in the neck with an SVR1n Vintage Rails in the middle..(very versatile they say)...how about that? Guess your choice would give it higher output...

Thanks


You're quite welcome and I thank you!

I thought about what you're asking even before I posted. The reason I went with what I said was because you require a balanced output among the pickups with a similar tonality of the QPs as far as the neck and middle pickups are concerned. A Cool Rails in the neck would sound pretty much like a regular Strat pickup so that's out. The Vintage Rails are very weak pickups in general and would really be out of character vs. the Hot Rails, both tone and volume wise and no way do they have any of the attributes of a QP so they are really out.

Believe it or not, I read your original post several times, mulling over all the options in accordance with your requirements and expectations. The reason I opted for humbucking with all your pickups is twofold: 1st, the QPs hum like hell. 2nd, to tame that hum, you'd have to set your amp differently which would sacrifice the optimum performance of your Hot Rails. In other words, you'd be setting your amp for pickup compromises rather than for best all around sound from all of them.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I have never agreed with the pickup combinations the Duncan website suggests. Even in my own situation, I too use all Duncans in my Strat and for my stylings, their recommended combinations, I quite frankly find preposterous. Ironically, I think my combination is not only blatantly logical but would be blatantly obvious as well. Of course, all this is merely IMO where YMMV.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: