New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \m/

[undead]

Hey guys, hi there !! Awesome board for awesome guitars, that's it !! [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

I go straight to the point, I own a killer Charvel Model 6 with an EMG 81 in the bridge position and nothing else, 'cause I don't like at all the single stock pickups. [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img]

Now I've got some money for a new neck pickup and I want to put something that screams the hell out of the guitar, something for smooth and hot leads : Hot Rails ! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

I've already solved the problem of the active (emg81) / passive (hot rails) pickups with an EMG PA-2 preamplifier on the Hot Rails, equipped with a trim pot to match the output of the 81.
Let's move on.

The real problem is the construction of the Hot Rails and the Charvel's neck single pickup cavity. The Hot Rails has got sort of "wing", "ear", "triangle" in one side and the pu's cavity doesn't fit it 'cause of this.

I've analyzed the problem with my luthier and there are 3 possible solutions :
- Cut a part of wood off the guitar (rounding the cavity), to make room for the "ear" of the pickup. But we've got the paint the raw wood to hide the cut, and this could be always a pain in the ass.
- Cut the "ear" off the pickup, removing the two cables and so on... Could be easy, or not ?!?
- The last one is a B-plan of the first : round the pickup cavity... but instead painting it, build a custom pickguard to hide all the mess down there.

The struggle is awesome, I don't like cutting guitars as much as I don't like pickguards in Jacksons / Charvels. [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

What do you guys suggest ?? [img]graemlins/help.gif[/img]
Thanx so much for the patience, rock on !!
// SyM

p.s. I've already considered an EMG S / SA as an option, but they've got a killer "single" sound... I want a hot humbucker sound for leads.

[mm2002]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

- The last one is a B-plan of the first : round the pickup cavity... but instead painting it, build a custom pickguard to hide all the mess down there.

Well fuck that one!!!! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Just cut the "ear" off of the pickup and re-route the wires.. It's really no big deal.

Plan D: sell that guitar to someone here and go buy something else to fuck with.

[Hotrodder]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

I say just trim the pickup.

But if you do route it don't touch the surface. Just make room in bottom of the hole, something like this |_\ (cutaway side view). You will have to tilt the pickup a bit to get it in but it will still look correct if you put the stock pickup back in.

[intothefire]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Hello SyM, just another idea that some guys will do is to get a hold of some shielding paint( has a dull flat black appearance) that is coated in some control cavities of guitars and put that into the routed area of the pickup. It has a cool appearance if your neat about it and also helps in shielding around the pickup. I've used this in some custom jobs I've done in the past. I definitely know what your talkin about though cause I have a Model 6 and found out the same problem. I have chosen not to do this to my guitar. The lil' humbuckers that Seymour Duncan makes will fit into this area cause they don't have those ears on them if you choose that option. Good Luck, Bob (p.s. that paint is sold at Stewart- McDonalds Guitar Supply out of Athens, Ohio.

[straycat]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

It pains me to think about cutting on a model 6 [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[Jonzkij]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Do not cut your axe!
You will regret it later...

//Jonzkij

[straycat]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

The way the prices on model 6s are going you would have to be crazy to cut one up.And putting a pickguard on a model 6 would look like stabbed poo III [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

[undead]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Thanx to everyone for the suggestions, guys !!
I was already pretty convinced on modifying the pickup... no big deal. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

cheers, keep it rockin' !
// SyM

[charvel750]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Better yet, buy a Duncan Hotrail with the "lip" missing. Any good dealer can help you or you can email Duncan directly. They make all their single coils without the lip that is getting in your way!

[1trussell]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

The Hot Rails neck pickup does have the wing. I've got one in my 650XL. I ended up having the route done. It was very subtle so you really don't notice it much at all. I knew I was never going to sell the guitar, and I didn't mind the look of it. Looking back on it, I would have seen if I could get one from Duncan without the wing, but hey, I was 16 at the time, sue me.

[jgcable]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Just curious... why aren't you going with an EMG SA in the neck??

[jgcable]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Are you sure that you don't have a hot rails Telecaster bridge pickup?

[undead]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Jgcable, the best choice that suits my style 100% would be an EMG85 (like in my ESP Explorer), btw I do love my Model 6 as it is, and I don't want to destroy it. That's why I wanna go for the highest output and hottest mini-humb available : the SD's HotRail. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]
As said before, I think the SA is a killer singlecoil active pickup, you know, Gilmourdish sound, bright with "bell-like" harmonics... Cool for bluesy-leads and clean passages... however not that great for heavy leads, Micheal Romeo style (of sound I mean, my playing is faaaaaar from it!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ).

Am I right ? What do u think ? [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

[guitar geek]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

no, you are definately wrong [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . Romeo uses a DiMarzio Evolution in the neck. that is a more bright PU. The hotrails are more middy and bassy, combine that with a guitar like a model 6 (with TONS of low end) and you have a really warm tone, but no Romeo like thing. If you want that, I suggest you use a JB jr. I think that matches the sound of an evolution in a ESP mk II better than hotrails in your "6"

Harrald

[undead]

Re: New Member : Help with Charvel Model 6 / Hot Rails - neck position !!! \\m/

Sorry, I ment TDWOT Romeo lead sound : pure merciless EMG85... punchy and fat lowend with insane output, far from Evolution crap (sorry, for my personal taste Evolution sucks hard).

Maybe I'm wrong but I think that an HotRail driven thru an Emg Pa2 active preamp should be "similar" to Emg85... Dunno, I'm just supposing on what I know and heard.