Need versatile pickup recommendations

[Tres Aardvarks]

Hey guys, I'm rebuilding a 3-switch Chapparal, and am looking to make it more versatile than my current guitars. Almost everything else is H-S or H-S-S with pretty hot pickups. Mellowest guitar has OBLs with a coil tap in it (but I don't really care for those pups). I'm thinking I'd like to have a versatile, lower output setup in this guitar(especially since it will be less flashy too). While I've never bonded with strats, I do find a need for different sounds (like for some country stuff I've been working on).

Was thinking about the Duncan P-rails for bridge and neck (giving me HB/P90/SC options). Could throw a single coil in the middle too. Any thoughts? Are there other setups someone could recommend? Like I said, I'd like something more traditional, and am open to options. Any size pup can go in, as it's had a swimming pool route done to it (so it will be sporting a pickguard too)

thanks!

[atquinn]

I would recommend going with good over versatile. I would recommending getting humbuckers that split well (Suhr and Rio Grande humbuckers and Fralin Unbuckers come to mind) over the PRails, which sound good as P90's, but not great at the singlecoil or humbucker settings. Also, I'm not sure if you would be able to access each split coil and the humbucker (series as opposed to parallel) with the 3-way switches, so you might want to look into that. If you do go the PRails route, I'd recommend the Hot PRails model for the bridge.

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Austin

[Tres Aardvarks]

I like the idea of the P-Rails, but if they only work well in one mode, it'd be silly to go with them. Appreciate the info, I can look into those. I have a Duncan Pearly Gates I had planned on putting in it, before I decided I might want to check out the P-Rails.

[cynic]

You can use the triple shots with any four conductor pickup, so you can get something like the aforementioned Rio's and have four options in each pickup, plus whatever you'd get mixing them up....nearly 173 different settings I think?

Yeah, math ain't my strong suit.

[django49]

I realize you are not looking for a "Strat" solution. However, the attached link has some good info as to what you can accomplish from a set of P-rails with a middle pup added. I did go for one of these a long time ago and it has a lot of versatility. I think they fail to note that it actually has THREE push/pulls, which also allow selection of both neck and bridge or all three.

I completely agree that the P-90 is the best sound out of these and that the SC/HB are "compromises". That said, they are not BAD. And you can get 4 sounds out of each P-Rail.....SC, P-90 and HB in either series or parallel-----More or less vintage or modern HB sounds.

One other idea, if you like the P-90 sound......Something like the Huber Krautster II, with P90 neck and hot HB bridge (the latter with a coil tap) is an impressively versatile instrument. You could easily create something similar with pups (non P-rail) of your choice.

Sigler has good video demoes. And the cost of a prewired pickguard is not a lot more costly than buying the parts and doing it yourself.

PS.....I did up one other guitar with the Rio Texas/BBQ set and the Triple Shots.......Also very versatile----No P-90 equivalent, of course.

Have fun!

http://www.siglermusiconline.com/store/pc/920D-Custom-Loaded-Strat-Pickguard-with-Seymour-Duncan-HSH-P-Rails-81p5556.htm#.UgppNW3wYvA

[cynic]

The Rio Dirty Harry HB should get you something P-90ish when split, given the Dirty Harry SC was designed to emulate the sound of a P-90.

Dirty Harry Jr. HB is calibrated for the neck.

[velorush]

I would recommend going with good over versatile.

Gigantic +1

I had the P-Rails / Triple Shots in my Gibson and (as above) thought the P-90 sounds were nice, but didn't care so much for the series humbucking mode (too hot for me), and being a Strat guy, the rails single coil just didn't cut it for me. For me, however, the biggest revelation out of that experiment was the alleged utility of "versatile" was a complete waste. Versatility just led to paralysis by analysis during gigs: which tone to use for this chorus? what setting for the verse? should I change for the lead? I put a set of Lollars in that guitar (with series / parallel switching) and am much happier, mainly because the base tonality (i.e., normally wired, series humbuckers) is fantastic: three settings. Simple. I can focus on playing (the hard part, for me).

IF: I was not a Strat guy, and

IF: I had a Strat-esque guitar with a swimming pool route, and

IF: I were looking for pickup options, and

IF: my other guitars were set up with hotter pickups

I would go HH, Rio Grande Buffalo Bucker/Genuine Texas set (lower power pickups: you'll hear the guitar, your amp and your fingers), wire it with a three-way and a push pull for coil tapping. That combination is simply splendid in the Kiz' Senior. Great humbucking sounds; great coil-split sounds. The extra scale length on the Chap should make it more so. Just my $0.02.

And if you just had to go "versatile," you could always go with the above and use a five-way superswitch to get PRS switching options - useful and versatile.

[Tres Aardvarks]

I should point out that I've also never even played a guitar with P-90s in it

Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I won't get to this before we move into our house next month, but it's been on my mind during idle moments!

[Tres Aardvarks]

With the Buffalo Bucker/Genuine Texas set(or any 4-wires), I could wire up two of the mini switches to split each pickup (respectively) and throw a 3-way in as the actual selector.

Are there any tone sample clips out there for the Buffalo bucker?

[django49]

You really SHOULD try P90s, even if just for curiousity's sake. Aside from some hum ( some people like me are okay with it, others find it a problem) they are great. One thing to keep in mind.....When Gibson came up with the original humbucker (PAF) they were trying to recreate the sound of their "signature" pickup (P-90) but sans noise. So it is a great classic sound. (Now days there are so many different P-90s that you can fine tune to your needs----For the most part I do NOT prefer the Duncan varieties, 'cept maybe the "Antiquity").

[velorush]

With the Buffalo Bucker/Genuine Texas set(or any 4-wires), I could wire up two of the mini switches to split each pickup (respectively) and throw a 3-way in as the actual selector.

Absoultely. What I didn't like about the Triple Shots deal is that there were just so many switches! Two for each pickup and then a three-way for the pickups. I like the simpler three-way pickup selector and the push-pull for coil split. If I were going HH on a Strat-style, I'd probably go with a single super switch. That way I could wire it with the options I wanted and they'd all be available with one motion.

Are there any tone sample clips out there for the Buffalo bucker?

I never found any. All I knew was that I really liked the voice of the Genuine Texas in the bridge (I pulled it out of the neck position of a Special FM) and wanted a milder option for the neck. The Buffalo is Rio's most vintage voiced humbucker and I think it is a beautiful sounding pickup.

[Bennyboy-UK]

I think p90 is a great great choice.

[jaberwock]

I have a Rio Grande Tallboy humbucker, that splits to a genuine single coil Strat pickup, it sounds great in both modes; pricey though !!

Jaberwock