P-Rail or Phat Cat

[Halowords]

I'm considering a P-90 for a neck pickup. Let me rewind . . . I'm considering a custom build semi-hollow (I'll go into depth with that in a different thread) from Heritage and I'm kinda/sorta toying with the idea of a P-90, specifically in the neck. Anyway, I'm really interested in the P-Rails. The diversity is awesome, and I liked the tones I heard (granted, on Youtube over crappy computer speakers) by the Seymour Duncan demo guy. However, I have also heard great things about Phat Cat P-90's. I'd rather go with what sounded best if there's a significant difference between my options, vs. what can do everything so-so. However, I'm not sure if that's the case. To complicate matters more, I also have a set of Sheptone PAF-style pickups that I might use, but I'm sort of interested in the P-90 sound at least for the neck. But that's another issue I suppose.

 

Getting back on-topic . . . If any of you can compare/contrast the P-Rail, Phat Cat, or any other options that might work well, sounding great a/o being diverse or otherwise awesome pickups, I'm all ears.

[eljay]

hey! fwiw, i have a tele with a phat cat at the neck and another tele with a phat cat at the bridge. both guitars are thinlines. the phat cat at the neck gives me a righteous blues tone!

 

don't know nuthin' 'bout no p-rails but i can easily endorse phatties! sounds like a fun [phun] endeavor!

 

eljay

[kbp810]

I like your train of thought here! It's hard to say which one sounds best though... they both sound great, and they both are going to sound different.

 

I think the P-Rails are going to offer a little more diversity, while the Phat Cats might be a tad bit closer to that P90 style tone.

 

I recently put a set of Manlius Fat Goat P90's in my 575 and was very please with the result! (the Fat Goats would be closer to the Phat Cats) - you might want to check those out as well (http://www.manliusguitar.com/)

 

[big bob]

I like your train of thought here! It's hard to say which one sounds best though... they both sound great, and they both are going to sound different.

 

I think the P-Rails are going to offer a little more diversity, while the Phat Cats might be a tad bit closer to that P90 style tone.

 

I recently put a set of Manlius Fat Goat P90's in my 575 and was very please with the result! (the Fat Goats would be closer to the Phat Cats) - you might want to check those out as well (http://www.manliusguitar.com/)

 

 

the p-90 tone of the p rails is dead on. I love my prails they are very diverse and all the tones are KILLER

[H]

Hi, no direct experience with P-Rails but I did evaluate them recently when I put a set of Phat Cats in my 150. How about a few pros and cons?

 

Pro:

P-Rails can cover P90, humbucker and single coil sounds in a single unit. The P90 sound is spot on. They come in black, cream and mother-of-pearl finishes.

 

Phat Cats do a pretty good P90 tone and are easy to wire up. They look good and come in nickel and gold finishes.

 

Con:

P-Rails need a major wiring/pots change, unless you also get the SD triple-shot pickup surrounds, to achieve the switching capability for the different sounds. They don't look as good as the Phat Cat in my opinion. The humbucker and single coil sounds are weak in my opinion.

 

Phat Cats only give you the P90 sound. No 'uncovered' bobbin option. Looks like a humbucker.

 

Hope that helps a little. I personally didn't need the variety of sounds from, and didn't like the look of, the P-Rails.

[rooster]

I've got a Bill Lawrence L-610 in the bridge of my Sunburst and L-495s(the precursor to the L-610) in the neck and bridge of my Goldtop. I like them quite a bit. I've never played a noisefree SC style pickup that got the tones I wanted until I got them. I've had the 495s for about 4 years or so and the 610 went into the burst about 6 months ago.

 

Part of the reason I like the Bill Lawrence stuff is, I gotta admit, the story of the guy. However, setting that aside, his stuff sounds very lively. I always get the sound of the guitar, not the sound of the pickup.

 

Oh, and that is the Bill Lawrence stuff that is now called "Wylde", run by Bill, Becky, and Shannon Lawrence, not the stuff called "Bill Lawrence USA". Big difference.

 

rooster.