Atrec Hot Rails...Any Experience?

[Will Chen]

Putting together a sort of anti-tele based around an SX STL62. Anyone try the Artec Hot Rails? At under $20 a pop, I'm not expecting vintage tinged sweetness but hoping they're not pure mud or so hot that they're unusable...

[RomanS]

No experience with the Artec Hot Rails - but look at the specs, then try to find the matching GFS pickup at guitarfetish.com
GFS pickups are manufactured by Artec, so they should have a matching model, and since GFS are more popular, it is going to be easier to find reviews for the GFS version...

BTW, I use an Artec Fat Slug (= GFS Alnico Fatbody) neck PU in a Tele, and that is one of the best Tele neck PUs I ever tried!

[Will Chen]

Yeah, I was aware of the Artec/GFS connection. But these aren't the same pups; the bobbin shape is different and measure at 11K vs GFS which come in 6K, 10K or 15K varieties.

[JBjr]

Hi Will,

I bought one of the Artec rails cause I like mucking around with cheap pickups. The rails are too short for a standard tele - both E strings were too quiet, no matter how much adjusting I did. However it might suit an asian made tele which usually have narrower bridges (52-54mm). It probably could do with 500k pots, as it seemed kind of dull with 250s.

Have tried the GFS 10k puncher and just could not bring myself to like it. Just sounded kind of ice picky. The Kent Armstrong Hot Rail for Tele is the best I've tried - with 250k pots it was warm and clear, wish I hadn't sold it now.

Got a Dragonfire on order and should arrive in a few days - will let you know how that works out.

[Will Chen]

Originally Posted by JBjr

Hi Will,

I bought one of the Artec rails cause I like mucking around with cheap pickups. The rails are too short for a standard tele - both E strings were too quiet, no matter how much adjusting I did. However it might suit an asian made tele which usually have narrower bridges (52-54mm). It probably could do with 500k pots, as it seemed kind of dull with 250s.

Have tried the GFS 10k puncher and just could not bring myself to like it. Just sounded kind of ice picky. The Kent Armstrong Hot Rail for Tele is the best I've tried - with 250k pots it was warm and clear, wish I hadn't sold it now.

Got a Dragonfire on order and should arrive in a few days - will let you know how that works out.

Doh!!!!!!

Well, it's going in an SX so hopefully the spacing won't be an issue. I'm actually unsure what the string spacing is. I planned on using 500K pots already. I guess I'll just have to wait and see...

[Professorbx]

I got the Strat Alnico 5 hot rails. Pretty good for the money-more mellow than the Duncan Hot Rails I have used, with a rounder top end. Pretty hot. Matches well with the Lace Gold I have in the neck, doesn't play nice with the Invader I have in the bridge.

[JBjr]

just a follow up on my earlier post re the Dragonfire Rail..

It's an Artec too - similar product no.s stuck to the bottom, almost identical construction except the Dragonfire has a ceramic magnet and longer rails.

The rails are much longer than the Alnico V Artec rails, and are not radiused. Fit my MIM tele with plenty leftover.

Sounds like a hot humbucker pretty much. just ok clean, pretty brutal with distortion - too hot for my liking, but will please those who play hard rock or metal and feel their tele is too whimpy. I actually think the stock MIM bridge ceramics are a nice rock pickup -but they're just way too noisy, even in my well shielded tele.

The End.

[Will Chen]

Well...the ebay seller was a front directly to Artec/Eden and the factory is back ordered so I got a refund. They won't have any available until mid November. Oh well. Perhaps I'll give a GFS rail a shot...