Neck pickup suggestions

[njshred]

My favorite neck pickup is the Seymour Duncan 59.

I have a few guitars with single coil spacing at the neck position, which do not string pole align with the lil 59 option.

As result, I’m seeking a railed type, true humbucker, in SC sizing.

What do you suggest?

 

[chumbucket]

My favorite neck pickup is the Seymour Duncan 59.

I have a few guitars with single coil spacing at the neck position, which do not string pole align with the lil 59 option.

As result, I’m seeking a railed type, true humbucker, in SC sizing.

What do you suggest?

How about the Pro Track ?

https://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/rail-hum-canceling-strat/pro-track

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Seems that Dimarzio rails tend to keep more of the single coil tonality, although Duncan rails sound like something different altogether. I haven't played any of the Dimarzio rail versions of full HBs, but I can confirm the Chopper kicks at the neck. Also Duncan Cool Rail.

 

[Speeddemon]

+1 for the Chopper in the neck.
Air Norton S if you want more beef and smooth thickness.

 

[MantraSky]

I have a DiMarzio Fast Track II and it sounds great, it's also one of Neal Schon's favorite.

 

[Geo]

 

[rsm]

I'm a big DiMarzio fan, but I have a few guitars with Duncan's so I like them about the same now. I played a Jackson Rhoads Concept awhile back, and it has a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1N single-coil-sized humbucker which sounded great to me.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

View attachment 452911

The cruiser is the middle rail to the Chopper at the neck in my Charvel. The Cruiser is probably the most traditional sounding of all Dimarzio rails, and it does a better job of this than the Duncan Vintage Rail, which lacks glass/sparkle to my ears.

Duncan rails occupy a weird space where they don't really get close to capturing the strengths of singles OR HBs.

 

[Nigel]

Seymour Duncan STK-2 Hot Stack.

 

[BigBellyRocker]

I've tried different neck pickups for almost 20 guitars over the years and the one that stood out to me was the Pearly Gates. I have it in my Charvel custom shop guitar and the clarity from this pickup stood out to me.

 

[Speeddemon]

I've tried different neck pickups for almost 20 guitars over the years and the one that stood out to me was the Pearly Gates. I have it in my Charvel custom shop guitar and the clarity from this pickup stood out to me.

Uhm, what part did you miss about the OP stating:
As result, I’m seeking a railed type, true humbucker, in SC sizing.

I love the Pearly Gates neck in one of my Les Paul Customs, but it ain't SC sized. ;-)

 

[BigBellyRocker]

Uhm, what part did you miss about the OP stating:
As result, I’m seeking a railed type, true humbucker, in SC sizing.

I love the Pearly Gates neck in one of my Les Paul Customs, but it ain't SC sized. ;-)

Sorry, I didn't read the thread carefully and thought that the OP was just looking for a good neck pickup. However, they do make the Pearly Gates in SC sizing so I wasn't wrong about that

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...y1bIBl1AndH0pPo8RupoxEV0KKsnYuW5_gMo8Gfq40BoC

 

[BigBellyRocker]

Sorry, I didn't read the thread carefully and thought that the OP was just looking for a good neck pickup. However, they do make the Pearly Gates in SC sizing so I wasn't wrong about that

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...y1bIBl1AndH0pPo8RupoxEV0KKsnYuW5_gMo8Gfq40BoC

They can make anything that you want if you go to the Seymour Duncan custom shop.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Make it a sound hole

 

[itsme]

Cool Rails are my fav neck singlebuckers. Fat and smooth

 

[BlueParfait]

I am very partial to the DiMarzio fast track

 

[Speeddemon]

Sorry, I didn't read the thread carefully and thought that the OP was just looking for a good neck pickup. However, they do make the Pearly Gates in SC sizing so I wasn't wrong about that

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...y1bIBl1AndH0pPo8RupoxEV0KKsnYuW5_gMo8Gfq40BoC

I apologize for the continued semantics in advance, but that's a bridge model.

I couldn't find it on the main SD site, but you're right, the custom shop offers it (neck and middle too).
https://customshop.seymourduncan.com/pearly-gates-for-strat/

But...it ain't a rail model like requested... And having first hand experience with those small polepieces on a Duncan SC sized humbucker, the volume drops when bending are real! So, unless it sounds be-awesome, probably best to steer clear.

I do wonder how it would compare to the larger version though, like with the SC sized Screamin' Demon.
I had the Little '59 for a while next to the Chopper in my Kramer SM-1 and between the two, the Chopper was ever so more versatile; it sounds great when split too. The Little '59 was nice, but the aforementioned volume drops were a turn-down.

That SM-1 was supposed to come with Cool Rails (n & m), but instead it came with 2 Hot Rails BRIDGE (!!!) models installed in neck and middle.
Too hot, too smooth; split was nice.
So I never got around experiencing the Cool Rails as intended in that guitar.

 

[Nigel]

I apologize for the continued semantics in advance, but that's a bridge model.

I couldn't find it on the main SD site, but you're right, the custom shop offers it (neck and middle too).
https://customshop.seymourduncan.com/pearly-gates-for-strat/

But...it ain't a rail model like requested... And having first hand experience with those small polepieces on a Duncan SC sized humbucker, the volume drops when bending are real! So, unless it sounds be-awesome, probably best to steer clear.

I do wonder how it would compare to the larger version though, like with the SC sized Screamin' Demon.
I had the Little '59 for a while next to the Chopper in my Kramer SM-1 and between the two, the Chopper was ever so more versatile; it sounds great when split too. The Little '59 was nice, but the aforementioned volume drops were a turn-down.

That SM-1 was supposed to come with Cool Rails (n & m), but instead it came with 2 Hot Rails BRIDGE (!!!) models installed in neck and middle.
Too hot, too smooth; split was nice.
So I never got around experiencing the Cool Rails as intended in that guitar.

These are the shit, on God as the kids say today:

https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/hot-stack-strat

 

[PDC]

Hmmm... I have Little '59s in the neck position of 3 guitars in my stable and I have literally never noticed any volume drop when bending strings. I may have to go downstairs, fire everything up, and conduct a very UN-scientific test.

That said, I have not been able to beat the tonality, balance and overall sound of the Little 59 in the neck position. I love it. There are some solid reviews of the Cool Rails in this thread and as cheap as used versions are on the Verb and eBay, I may snap one up just for a side by side with a Little 59.

 

[njshred]

Giving the Parallel Axis a try.