bobmeyrick Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 When I first bought a set of P-Rails, I installed them in my Edwards LP with push-pull pots to give the four switching options. Then I discovered the Triple-shot mounting rings and bought a set of the flat-mount ones and put the P-Rails into my Godin Freeway. However, the Godin is not a guitar I gig with - the other guitarist in the Pete Donaldson Band (Pete himself)) uses a strat, so I've always used Gibson or more recently Heritage guitars. So, noticing that Hot Rox (my local pedals/tubes/accessories supplier) had a pair of Triple-shots for LP style guitars, I decided to give the 150 Special a makeover! I'd already trimmed the leads from the pickups (pic. 1), so the next job was to mount the pickup in the ring and stick the small circuit board to the bottom of the pickup and solder the leads (pic. 2). Make sure you put the neck pickup in the neck pickup ring! Next remove the old pickups (pic. 3) and replace with the P-Rails (pic. 4). Finally replace the strings - job done! (pic. 5) Plug in and check it all works... A useful feature of the Schaller bridge is that if you slacken the strings sufficiently you can just pop them out and easily replace them when you've finished. The supplied instructions were were clear and straightforward. If you're considering P-Rails, get the Triple-shots as well. By the way, I wasn't worrying too much about the white balance of the pics (hence the variation), I was too busy fitting the pickups!
DetroitBlues Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 When I first bought a set of P-Rails, I installed them in my Edwards LP with push-pull pots to give the four switching options. Then I discovered the Triple-shot mounting rings and bought a set of the flat-mount ones and put the P-Rails into my Godin Freeway. However, the Godin is not a guitar I gig with - the other guitarist in the Pete Donaldson Band (Pete himself)) uses a strat, so I've always used Gibson or more recently Heritage guitars. So, noticing that Hot Rox (my local pedals/tubes/accessories supplier) had a pair of Triple-shots for LP style guitars, I decided to give the 150 Special a makeover! I'd already trimmed the leads from the pickups (pic. 1), so the next job was to mount the pickup in the ring and stick the small circuit board to the bottom of the pickup and solder the leads (pic. 2). Make sure you put the neck pickup in the neck pickup ring! Next remove the old pickups (pic. 3) and replace with the P-Rails (pic. 4). Finally replace the strings - job done! (pic. 5) Plug in and check it all works... A useful feature of the Schaller bridge is that if you slacken the strings sufficiently you can just pop them out and easily replace them when you've finished. The supplied instructions were were clear and straightforward. If you're considering P-Rails, get the Triple-shots as well. By the way, I wasn't worrying too much about the white balance of the pics (hence the variation), I was too busy fitting the pickups! I never trim the lead as usually there is some room to leave them in place. I've heard good things about those pups. Hope you enjoy them.
FredZepp Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 Oh yeah.... that looks like a great player. And beautiful in that gold. Thanks for the pics of the project... it looks to have turned out great.
bobmeyrick Posted June 30, 2011 Author Posted June 30, 2011 I never trim the lead as usually there is some room to leave them in place. I've heard good things about those pups. Hope you enjoy them. Ordinarily I wouldn't trim the leads either, but it's a very tight fit, and if I were to change the pickups (unlikely), the triple-shots would go with them. They are by far the easiest way to get the best from P-Rails.
H555rocks Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 Thats a very beautiful goldtop and I'm sure with those new pickups it sounds great!
bobmeyrick Posted June 30, 2011 Author Posted June 30, 2011 Thats a very beautiful goldtop and I'm sure with those new pickups it sounds great! It is and it does! It's a factory second, by the way, for anyone having doubts about them.
cod65 Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 I'm on the verge of dropping my prails into my 158, with the triple shots. SO since its a semi-hollow should I just not trim the leads at all ? Seems like a lot of extra wire flopping around in there (unless I ziptie it together inside). Any issues with noise if I leave em long ?
cod65 Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 nevermind, this short video answers most of my questions: tripleshot As a lefty I will probably have to mod the rings, or try it out with the switches on the bottom, rather than top - not sure which I would prefer anyway ...
SouthpawGuy Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 nevermind, this short video answers most of my questions: tripleshot As a lefty I will probably have to mod the rings, or try it out with the switches on the bottom, rather than top - not sure which I would prefer anyway ... As a fellow lefty with P-Rails and triple shots on two guitars the triple shots can only fit one way, that is with the mini switches at the high E string. It's actually very handy as I can keep the pick over the strings and switch with the middle finger, ( if you'll pardon the expression ).
SouthpawGuy Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 Looking good ! How do you find the P-Rails compared to the Schallers ?
High Flying Bird Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 I was too busy fitting the pickups! I forgive you for the white balance but those solder joints look like some of Dave's when he first started working with me. (I hope Dave reads this) A factory second done good! I love success stories. My 475 is a 2nd. Marv looked it over and couldn't tell me why it was a second, not like it mattered. Good job, worked the first time. That never sucks.
bobmeyrick Posted July 1, 2011 Author Posted July 1, 2011 Looking good ! How do you find the P-Rails compared to the Schallers ? The Schallers are fine pickups, but the obvious thing with the P-Rails is the versatility - the options are coils in series, P90 coil, "Rail" coil, coils in parallel. With push-pull pots both pickups are the same, so the triple-shots give the option of different options on each pickup. Coils in series are very full sounding and powerful. P90 coil is a little quieter but with more bite - I'm not that familiar with P90s, but I imagine it's typical for a P90. The "Rail" coil is, as you'd expect, quieter than the P90 with less mid-range. Coils in parallel is similar to the P90, with maybe a touch less bite. There's a video demo here, and it looks like the pickups are installed in a 170.
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