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Are they dark, bright, tell me about em.

Here's what I can tell you. I play with a MIJ strat with a hot rails in the neck and bridge positions with the stock single coil in the middle. They do not give a quot;stratquot; sound at all. They are powerful humcancelling pickups that do well for hard rock/distortion, and they can clean up surprisingly well. Nicely responsive and not as sensitive as a full-sized humbucker (like the JB). They have a moderately focused fat sound, but I don't find them to be all that articulate, and their tone is on the darker, bassier side.

I can't honestly say I'd keep them if I had just one guitar, but they're fun in a backup. If I had the money, I'd check out a hot stack or a cool/vintage rails set.

I've not played the HR for tele.

What are you hoping they will do for you?

They'll make u sound thicker then a motherf@cker, and if someone heard the a strat with hotrails they'd never ever guess it was anything made by fender.

Ive been curious too..Seen them used in the neck alot, but I worry they would be too muddy. Im thinking of a cool rails mid and hot rails neck...

Hot rails bridge is cool for certain applications...I didn't like it all too much, but it had a real thick, powerful sound to it.

The hot rails neck...I only really liked it for playin lead. Same as the bridge, thick, powerful lead tone, great for legato licks, but absolutely terrible when played clean. The bass on that thing was simply overpowering. I got the cool rails neck and never looked back. Not quite as powerful as the hot rails, but still real fat, and much better clean.

The hotrail is suppose to be like a little invader. It's a hot pup for sure and I suppose that there are folks that like them (I personally don't). The only little buckers that I like is the little 59. Think of the hotrail as a flame thrower for a strat.

I have a Hot Rail at the bridge. It is thick and overpowering, but not much character. I actually prefer the bridge Cool Rail pickup that I have put in the middle. It sounds more pleasant and is more versatile.

I'd have to say they would be perfect for heavy prog rock as they have a nice tight bottom end -very focused sound.They are very good modern pickups but they don't do vintage.

Do ya like Iron Maiden?


Originally Posted by JBlazeAre they dark, bright, tell me about em.

if you still love a strat tone, forget this pickup.

I'll go along with what others have said, and say that I've sorta . . . kinda played a Hot Rails neck, and didn't care for it. The Cool Rails, on the other hand, is one of my favorite pups. I have a Strat outfitted with three, except that right now its being used as a test bed for something else. But they're going back in.

Artie


Originally Posted by ArtieTooI'll go along with what others have said, and say that I've sorta . . . kinda played a Hot Rails neck, and didn't care for it. The Cool Rails, on the other hand, is one of my favorite pups. I have a Strat outfitted with three, except that right now its being used as a test bed for something else. But they're going back in.

Artie

One word that I like to use to describe Cool Rails, and I know Artie does, it 'punch'. The Cool Rails are nice and ballsy, yet won't be as muddy as Hot Rails.

On the the other hand, Hot Rails are good if you like that kind of sound. Much like I am with EMGs, I think they sound like a ****ing shed, and I hate them, but people like them.

I was actually thinking about putting a hot rails in the bridge of my MIA stratocaster. If its too muddy, then what would you all recommend for a Rock, Classic Rock like tone for the bridge?