Walnut Velocity trial and error

[teleme01]

Isn't the P90 tone good enough to justify keeping p-rails in the guitar, or is more because of your preference for a proper humbucker?

Anyway I'm not surprised, its hard enough to find a humbucker that splits well.  A pickup designed for 3 different tones is expecting too much IMO.

preference for humbucker tones?  i think your correct on my account,

 

[Bear Brower]

Isn't the P90 tone good enough to justify keeping p-rails in the guitar, or is more because of your preference for a proper humbucker?

While the P-90 is good, it would only be like 25% of the use, the rest being Humbucker.
My mistaken impression was that I'd only have to make a subtle change in volume/tone settings on the fly to switch between. The reality is that it requires significant tweaks to low and mid in the EQ. That negated the convenience factor I thought I'd have.

So I'd rather drop a little more money to have something I completely love vs. it just being OK. Plus, at least for now, my guitar quiver will be where it needs to be. It's time to look towards a 5 string

 

[TBurst Std]

So you talking bass, banjo or Micabrae?

 

[stratamania]

So you talking bass, banjo or Micabrae?

What the Dickens don't you mean Micawber 

 

[TBurst Std]

LOL.  The fun and joy of dyslexia

 

[Bear Brower]

I'm definitely talking  bass. 30 years behind 4 strings and never gave it much thought. But now the desire to know more intensifies

 

[Bear Brower]

I'm going to give it a little time and see if the sound grows on me. Well, that and I just ordered an Ibanez BTB745, so my discretionary spending just went bye bye for the month. :headbang:

 

[Cowbell Fever!]

I have a neck P-Rail in a guitar wired only to use the P-90. That is a great sound, the single coil and Humbucker weren't so great to me. But it is a great P-90 I think.

 

[Bear Brower]

I'm beginning to appreciate the P-90 rone, particularly when clean with both neck and bridge working together. Now instead of wanting to do a pickup swap I'm considering going to a single master volume and wiring in a blend pot to get exactly where I want

 

[AleForce1]

Great Job! I was thinking about getting those SD P-Rails for my new Velocity project, but I think I'll heed your advice and look for something different.

 

[Bear Brower]

Great Job! I was thinking about getting those SD P-Rails for my new Velocity project, but I think I'll heed your advice and look for something different.

Thanks!

I'm starting to enjoy the P-90 part, particularly as a lead tone, but there's definitely better options than the P-rail for that tone. I still find it lacking enough bottom for a rhythm tone without cranking the bass on the amp to 7 or 8.

 

[Bear Brower]

This should be the final assembly update on this particular guitar.
I swapped out the P-Rails for a set of SD Whole Lotta Humbucker, and I couldn't be any more tickled pink over it.

Now I have that gleeful new toy feeling I should have had when I first plugged it in 3 or so months ago. It is absolutely glorious!

It makes all the noises I want it to make when I want them made, and nothing that I don't want.
I have a Klon klone kit koming, hopefully that should keep be occupied for at least a couple pay periods before I'm looking towards the next build

 

[teleme01]

are you using the triple threat and if so, what you say?

 

[Cowbell Fever!]

I am glad you swapped em out! I have a neck version P-Rail and the humbucker was not so great, the single coil rail was not so great, and the P-90 part is great for a idealized kinda hi fi P-90 sound (not raunchy) . Now you can rock!

 

[Bear Brower]

are you using the triple threat and if so, what you say?

When I put both pickups in single coil, I get a very tele-esque tone. Perhaps a bit quieter than a true single coil but usable. I left the triple shots in more out of convenience though. Soldering out and in to the little pads right there on the pickup is almost as quick and easy as it gets. EMG plugs are probably the only thing more convenient

 

[Bear Brower]

I am glad you swapped em out! I have a neck version P-Rail and the humbucker was not so great, the single coil rail was not so great, and the P-90 part is great for a idealized kinda hi fi P-90 sound (not raunchy) . Now you can rock!

Oh, so am I haha.
I was sitting there looking at it and saying to myself "Did you really spend that much to build a custom guitar just for a novelty tone?"
When I thought about it like that, it was an easy decision.