Kian
Joined: Apr 05, 2013
Posts: 64
Franklinton
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 04:19 PM
Recently, I've started seeing a decrease in the prices for Rail-equipped pickups, including Single coil-sized humbuckers and true rail singles. This will be important in a second....anyway, I'm currently working on a pretty cheap (aka hippy-sandwich) guitar that I plan to slap two 4 lead wire hummies in, that way I can split the coils when I want to get clean and still have the option to rock out with 'buckers. I want to play a variety of styles, so versatility is my main focus.
My question is if anyone has any experience and/or feedback regarding rail pickups verses pole pieces. I've seen a couple of rails (like the X2N that Dimarzio makes) that remind me of the old Eko and Teisco guitars that people regard highly for Spaghetti-guitar, but other than that I have no real knowledge of them. I know that there are a gazillion factors in relation to what makes up a guitar's tone, but as far as generalities go I'd appreciate some feedback to formulate whether I should look at getting rails or pole piece equipped pickups.
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dp
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 04:22 PM
I have a couple Danelectro-style lipstick pickups in my Strat-like guitar... I love 'em!
A bit thinner and a touch less volume than other types of pickups, but a wonderful chime-like tone that I dig.
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Kian
Joined: Apr 05, 2013
Posts: 64
Franklinton
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 04:24 PM
Thanks for the info dp. I like 'tubes a lot, so if rail pickups sound similar I'll be happy. 
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dp
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 04:26 PM
....inside the tubes is a bar magnet... rails or blades might be similar...
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Kian
Joined: Apr 05, 2013
Posts: 64
Franklinton
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 04:29 PM
Just for reference, this is what I'm looking at. As I said earlier, I plan on using a coil split switch, so if I can adjust the tone and volume accordingly, I would hope to get a sort of inbetween strat/tele tone.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dragonfire-X2N-Type-Power-Rails-Humbucker-Set-2-Bridge-Neck-Black-Black-/140979813909?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20d30d3e15
Last edited: Jun 19, 2013 16:31:16
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 05:04 PM
Are rails essentially magnet bars? Or is it a separate type of design?
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Kian
Joined: Apr 05, 2013
Posts: 64
Franklinton
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 07:33 PM
I'm not sure about all of them, but this particular model is composed of ceramic magnet blades coated in electrocoat (whatever the hell that is....I assume it's like electrical tape).
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 08:07 PM
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 08:29 PM
Firebird pickup with two bar magnets and no pole pieces(lack of pole piece making it the 'bar' style)
PAF style mini-humbucker with magnet at the bottom, adjustable pole pieces and fixed pole piece
Last edited: Jun 19, 2013 20:30:32
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 08:35 PM
How do you like minibuckers, Jake?
— IMO.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 09:15 PM
I love them, both the Firebird and PAF styles. Nice and full, but with plenty of distinction. I particularly love any PAF style pickup from the 60s, they just have a special quality.
Gibson also made the "Chris Isaak" mini humbucker which is amazing. They are PAF style but with split pole pieces.
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 09:18 PM
Do you think a jag's pickup route's would have to be modified to accomodate minihums?
— IMO.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 09:35 PM
Very much so!
I don't think you'd have to modify for a Firebird pickup...maybe... Could just go on top of the pickguard. Or you can modify the pickguard to make it look neater than just putting it on top.
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 09:38 PM
Use a mounting ring, perhaps?
Hmm... What other pickups do you think I would like?
Teenage rebellion and all that... A jag is just too "square", you know?
— IMO.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 09:48 PM
Mounting ring won't work without shimming the neck a ton.
Put a Dearmond gold foil, P-13, mosrite in...
Or you can keep it 'stock'. Don't you think that guitar has suffered enough?
A Jag isn't too square, just the way some people treat them! Watch some Dave Wronski videos, My Bloody Valentine, or A Place to Bury Strangers. A guitar is only as square as the user!
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 10:05 PM
JakeDobner wrote:
Or you can keep it 'stock'. Don't you think that guitar has suffered enough?
No, no I don't.
A Jag isn't too square, just the way some people treat them! Watch some Dave Wronski videos, My Bloody Valentine, or A Place to Bury Strangers. A guitar is only as square as the user!
Nope, too square:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLL-fXZY840
I would have never thought of you as an aptbs fan? Love the stuff, it's acid to my head.
Seriously though, I do feel like she should be different in some way,, there enough stock vintage jags out there as is. I'm not really sure, though... I do know I want a stock bridge pup, and I know I don't want to modify the neck pup route, so I suppose my decision is made for me..
?
— IMO.
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Kian
Joined: Apr 05, 2013
Posts: 64
Franklinton
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 10:32 PM
So apparently there are a lot of "latent" rail pickups out there. Good to know, I guess it wouldn't sound too odd to surf with one, which was my biggest concern.
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Jun 19 2013 10:43 PM
Kian wrote:
So apparently there are a lot of "latent" rail pickups out there. Good to know, I guess it wouldn't sound too odd to surf with one, which was my biggest concern.
Could be fun! give it a go, and let us know what the results are.
Good luck!
— IMO.
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Surf_Skater
Joined: Sep 06, 2012
Posts: 1300
Lawrenceville , GA
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Posted on Jun 20 2013 06:52 AM
I believe Danny Gatton used the pickup style you're thinking of in his tele.
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vintagesurfdude
Joined: Nov 28, 2011
Posts: 795
Prescott Valley, AZ
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Posted on Jun 20 2013 11:00 AM
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