# Hot Rails for metal?



## obelisk (Oct 3, 2009)

Hi, I just got an AmericanDeluxe Strat and I wanted to change the bridge pickup to play metal. I get mixed responses on whether or not to get a full sized humbucker or if the hot rail is good enough. If anyone has any experience with these please give me some details on the tone and the heaviness.
Thanks


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## yellowv (Oct 3, 2009)

obelisk said:


> Hi, I just got an AmericanDeluxe Strat and I wanted to change the bridge pickup to play metal. I get mixed responses on whether or not to get a full sized humbucker or if the hot rail is good enough. If anyone has any experience with these please give me some details on the tone and the heaviness.
> Thanks



Dimarzio Fast Track 2 is a better choice for a single coil sized bucker. It will get you closest to a real high output humbucker. The Hot Rail is good, but the FT-2 is thicker and has a bit higher output.


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## Bevo (Oct 3, 2009)

While I have not tried the Dimarzio I did have a Strat with the hotrail and it was great.
In some amps it needed a bit more eq in others less.

Tone wise it was lower output than a high output HB, make sense?
For 80's metal it was perfect and rang clear with a tight bass. Modern metal needed a boost and some eq.
The tone is more related at this point to your gear and settings, you can make it work no problem for any type of music if you work at it a bit.

For a direct drop in, why not.
Keep in mind that 2 positions on your 5 way will be very different, bridge for sure and the bridge middle blend.
Do belive you will also get a volume increase on the new PU compared to middle and neck.


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## Arctodus (Oct 3, 2009)

From my experience with hotrails - way too middy. It soaks up saturation too much.

I'd suggest if you want to stick with duncans get the lil' screamin demon. Much more expendable.


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## Ostia Man (Oct 3, 2009)

obelisk said:


> I get mixed responses on whether or not to get a full sized humbucker or if the hot rail is good enough.


a full size humbucker WILL do a better job. all you need is the humbucker and a new pickguard.
be sure the guitar has the cavity big enough for a full size humbucker. I once had a 70's strat that only has space for 3 single coils.


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## aphelion (Oct 3, 2009)

Or a trembucker...i think most modern strats have universal routing under the pickguard so that you can change the pickup configuration, you'll probably just need a new pickguard...couuld be wrong though


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## obelisk (Oct 4, 2009)

I'm gonna be stubborn and not change the pickguard. So far you guys mentioned the Dimarzio Fast Track and SD lil' demon. I'm running an Engl Ritchie Blackmore and a Jcm 800 w/Mesa Standard 4/12. I want a thick warm tone like I get with my Sg special. I have a guitar load w/SD full shred but it is a little to high output and not as warm. I play Death/Black metal but I want more warmth but to retain note clarity well too. Any ideas?


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## ugmung (Oct 5, 2009)

obelisk said:


> I'm gonna be stubborn and not change the pickguard. So far you guys mentioned the Dimarzio Fast Track and SD lil' demon. I'm running an Engl Ritchie Blackmore and a Jcm 800 w/Mesa Standard 4/12. I want a thick warm tone like I get with my Sg special. I have a guitar load w/SD full shred but it is a little to high output and not as warm. I play Death/Black metal but I want more warmth but to retain note clarity well too. Any ideas?



being stubborn may come around and bite you in the anus. 

alot of modern strats (as said above) are routed H-S-S under the pickguard, but are routed S-S-S with the pickguard, so do a little research and see if your guitar if routed H-S-S (that is if you're too lazy to take a peak for yourself). with that said, if your guitar is routed for H-S-S, you have a quick solution with a nice humbucker and a new and sexy pickguard. but if not, best of luck to you because i have no further advice to give to you.


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## obelisk (Oct 5, 2009)

Well, for one I'm left handed and two I have one of those golden pickguards which I really like so that is why I'm being so hard-headed about this. If there were more left handed pickguards available I would've already changed the pickup since I have a lot of extra parts around that I haven't used yet. I'll check out my friend's strat w/hot rails and go from there.


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## Bevo (Oct 5, 2009)

Maybe hunt down some used ones of every design and try them out, they are $50 or less used and you can flip what you don't like.


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## DslDwg (Oct 5, 2009)

I say if you want to stick with a single coil size pick-up it is a good option. I have one in the bridge of a guitar and one in the neck position on another guitar. 

The problem with asking advice on pick-ups is that each of us likes something different. This really only works where you know that guys have historically liked almost identical tones and setup to what you prefer. 

As has been said the Hot Rail is a very mid oriented pick-up it may take some EQ'ing to get it where you want it - but there should be no reason you can't play metal with it. Will a full size humbucker do a better job. I don't agree that it will - I do agree that it will give you many more options. I don't believe pick-ups can truly and good/bad or for one type of music or another. If someone wants to play metal on an acoustic they will find a way - it only matters what sounds best to the guy playing it.


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## obelisk (Oct 6, 2009)

Well, I'm gonna get rid of my Framus Dragon and some other stuff first. I figure the SCN single in the guitar will sell for the same price as a used hot rail. If that doesn't work I'll go down the line until I hit a wall. My last resort is getting humbucker.


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## EdgeCrusher (Oct 6, 2009)

My buddy has a Duncan Lil'59 in the bridge of his Tele, and it sounds very nice with the alder body. It's not very high output, but it has a nice smooth, punchy tone. With a boost and a high gain amp, it would definitely sound great for metal, and should help get close to the tone of your SG. Another option would be the Dimarzio Tone Zone S for a fat, warm tone.


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## FretWizard88 (Oct 6, 2009)

I have an american deluxe ash strat and I hot rodded it like this Bridge: JB Jr. Middle: Cool Rails Neck: Hot Rails.

Everyone gives me shit about putting the Hot Rails in the neck, but you get some really great tones from the pickup in that position.

Here is a video of me and that guitar. The cleans are all done with the Hot Rails


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## obelisk (Nov 13, 2009)

I just got my guitar back and I have to say the hot rail might be my favorite hot humbucking pickup ever! Strat+Hot Rail= Shredding glory. I still have the S-1 switching hooked up so I can get a bass boost if I ever need it.


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## wannabguitarist (Nov 15, 2009)

FretWizard88 said:


> I have an american deluxe ash strat and I hot rodded it like this Bridge: JB Jr. Middle: Cool Rails Neck: Hot Rails.
> 
> Everyone gives me shit about putting the Hot Rails in the neck, but you get some really great tones from the pickup in that position.
> 
> Here is a video of me and that guitar. The cleans are all done with the Hot Rails




My friend has a similar setup (different middle pickup as far as I know) on his American Strat and it sounds amazing


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