Seymour Duncan Hot Rails or BG1400 for a 6 string telecaster?

[slippityslaps]

I'm on the hunt for a new bridge pickup. My telecaster has the stock ultra noiseless bridge, but I'm looking for something that handles high gain better.

Both the BG1400 and Hot Rails fit the profile of what I'm looking for, with the BG1400 having a lower output. It's hard to find some good demos of it with high gain settings, but retains a lot of quality that I like in lower output pickups too. The Hot Rails seem to handle high gain extremely well, but I don't see it used for many other applications. I was wondering if ya'll had any insight on the two, how much of a hit in versatility am I taking if I get the hot rails, or will the BG1400 fit my needs just fine for metal? Thank you!

 

[Gator]

What don’t you currently like about the noiseless that you want to upgrade? Per spec the gen 3 noiseless fenders are almost as hot as the piledrivers by bare knuckle.

Between the two I find the hot stack is like super tele, kinda getting closer to a p90 but still with some twang. I haven’t heard the rails enough, but if they’re like the strats they’re probably a bit bright with a more narrow eq.

 

[Moongrum]

I apologize for being that guy who ignores your question and instead recommends a third option, but the Dimarzio Chopper is an amazing single coil sized humbucker. Sonically, it quite literally sits between sounding like a single coil and humbucker, handles as much as gain as you want.
I don't have experience with the other pups you mentioned, but just had to mention the chopper because I think it's so good.

 

[slippityslaps]

What don’t you currently like about the noiseless that you want to upgrade? Per spec the gen 3 noiseless fenders are almost as hot as the piledrivers by bare knuckle.

Between the two I find the hot stack is like super tele, kinda getting closer to a p90 but still with some twang. I haven’t heard the rails enough, but if they’re like the strats they’re probably a bit bright with a more narrow eq.

Mine is loaded with the American Ultra Vintage, the neck pickup is great, I just want more beef from the bridge. It's a bit thin, and I want more power out of it.
It's a maple fingerboard/neck with an ash body, so something with a bit of a bias towards the mids is something I'd really like to find.

I apologize for being that guy who ignores your question and instead recommends a third option, but the Dimarzio Chopper is an amazing single coil sized humbucker. Sonically, it quite literally sits between sounding like a single coil and humbucker, handles as much as gain as you want.
I don't have experience with the other pups you mentioned, but just had to mention the chopper because I think it's so good.

Thanks! I was thinking of that one as well, but seems a little on the lower output end. Really I'm sort of re-visiting my Lamb of God and Paul Gilbert obsessions, but you did help me lean down the rabbit hole for the Super Distortion T, which may a little more up my alley.

 

[Gator]

Right I forgot they made a new line for the ultra series.

I’d say hot rails or super distortion if you want something more mid focused. Hot stack or gen 3 noiseless if you want a wider range of eq.

Also if you want something really versatile check out the cobra T that’s super cool as well.

 

[Peter Krasov]

I've got both of them. They are both excellent pickups, but for hi-gain, I'd go with Hot Rails set. I'd also look towards Pearly Gates Tele model for more versatility.

 

[Voodoo Marshall]

I've had Hot Rails in my Strat for a million years. I love them b/c they never fail to get "that look" from the house sound guy when you pick up a strat and it goes thump, thump. Tonal versatility is from my other pickups which are the stock Fender Strat single coils from 1982 (I have a 1982 reissue of the '62). You have a little less p/u selection versatility. Depending on amp you're using, you can clean up the Hot Rail w/ guitar volume as well, although that's not its wheelhouse.

 

[budda]

Have been in the room with jb jr, 59jr, some custom shop thing. I vote buy a couple used, sell the one you like less.

 

[slippityslaps]

I've had Hot Rails in my Strat for a million years. I love them b/c they never fail to get "that look" from the house sound guy when you pick up a strat and it goes thump, thump. Tonal versatility is from my other pickups which are the stock Fender Strat single coils from 1982 (I have a 1982 reissue of the '62). You have a little less p/u selection versatility. Depending on amp you're using, you can clean up the Hot Rail w/ guitar volume as well, although that's not its wheelhouse.

I appreciate this, I think I may have to pass on the hot rails then, the versatility is still important to me so potentially limiting one of my two pickups may not be helpful lol.

I will say this thread has opened me more up to other Dimarzio pickups as well, the Tone Zone T is a little hotter than Gojira's signature humbucker, and they do just fine with high gain. All these options are putting me into paralysis.