Best mini strat HB ?

M

Meanjoegreene

Active member
Got an interesting strat with a cool rails bridge I’d like to upgrade. I’m assuming all wiring is 250k. What’s a good replacement for better hard rock tones? I play mostly modded Marshall type amps.
 
I’m going through this myself. Not really a single coil player but came across a Warmoth build that appealed to me but it’s direct mount and only routed with single coils. I’ve gone with a Bareknuckle trilogy set which do sound nice but I just don’t like how they don’t push the note like a h7mbucker. I’ve got a Jb jr on the way and also a Dimarzio tone zone s, hopefully one of them fits the bill.
 
I has Duncan STK-2 Hot Stacks in a swamp ash Hamer Daytona Strat, and they left me wanting for nothing.
 
I am running the Hot Rails on the bridge of one of my CS strats and using that with 250K pots nets an awesome tone all around. It works great. On my other CS I have the Dimarzio Sugar Chankra in the bridge and equally awesome.
 
ESP SS100 sounds pretty good (neck position of Lynch Skulls & Snakes), and Dave Murray of Maiden sounds great with the DiMarzio Super D single size.
 
Not to derail this thread, but I could use some similar advice;
I have a Kramer SM-1, that has a set of Duncan Cool Rails (neck and middle) and a JB in the bridge. There's a coil-split toggle switch too.
Now if I would want something with decent, but not insane output for the neck pickup, that is a bit brighter than the Cool Rails, but has a sort of pushed single-coil tone to it (think Custom Staggered SSL-5) and still a mini-humbucker, what would y'all recommend?

I think the Cool Rails neck is a tad too round sounding; split it's fine, although could have more hair and character.
 
I had a Dimarzio Fast Track II that I loved. I replaced it with a JB jr but went back to the Fast Track. Unfortunately the guitar that I had it in was stolen. I don't believe Dimarzio makes that pickup anymore. (?)
 
Speeddemon said:
Not to derail this thread, but I could use some similar advice;
I have a Kramer SM-1, that has a set of Duncan Cool Rails (neck and middle) and a JB in the bridge. There's a coil-split toggle switch too.
Now if I would want something with decent, but not insane output for the neck pickup, that is a bit brighter than the Cool Rails, but has a sort of pushed single-coil tone to it (think Custom Staggered SSL-5) and still a mini-humbucker, what would y'all recommend?

I think the Cool Rails neck is a tad too round sounding; split it's fine, although could have more hair and character.
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I've never tried the Cool Rails, but a buddy of mine has a Yamaha TY Tabor sig that came stock with Vintage Rails in the neck and middle position, and they surprised the hell out of me with how similar they sound to single coils. Might be worth a look
 
Long time hot rails user and I really like it. I am also a fan of the jb jr. for me the key is having the ability to switch from series to parallel wiring. Once I did that, I often use the hot rails in parallel wiring more than series, gets closer to a hot single coil sound that way.
 
So seems like the chopper, hot rails and jb are good choices. I’ve never really liked the JB in humbucker despite years of trying. I guess it just works better for others.

Just trying to get a STP/GnR type vibe
 
Speeddemon said:
Not to derail this thread, but I could use some similar advice;
I have a Kramer SM-1, that has a set of Duncan Cool Rails (neck and middle) and a JB in the bridge. There's a coil-split toggle switch too.
Now if I would want something with decent, but not insane output for the neck pickup, that is a bit brighter than the Cool Rails, but has a sort of pushed single-coil tone to it (think Custom Staggered SSL-5) and still a mini-humbucker, what would y'all recommend?

I think the Cool Rails neck is a tad too round sounding; split it's fine, although could have more hair and character.
Click to expand...
If I'm reading you right, I think a vintage hot stack plus from SD, or hot stack plus, would get you there, depending on what output you gravitated towards. I've liked the stack plus pickups a lot.
 
Love the Chopper T - never had the Strat version though. I like the Lil 59 as well. Believe it or not, the Lil Screaming Demon is pretty good in the neck. I've never had a Lil JB, but if I ever get the chance...
 
Chris O said:
Love the Chopper T - never had the Strat version though. I like the Lil 59 as well. Believe it or not, the Lil Screaming Demon is pretty good in the neck. I've never had a Lil JB, but if I ever get the chance...
Click to expand...


I've owned the Chopper T and the strat Chopper - they are good pickups but a little too polite sounding (for a bridge pickup anyway) for my tastes. At least in the guitars I've tried them in (Yamaha Pacifica 302s and Hamer USA Californian)

I still have the Chopper in the neck slot of my Cali - it works pretty well there
 
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