P-Rails - did I do something wrong?

[Anficht]

Hey guys.

Bought a P-Rails set and installed it in my H-H Strat.
I wired it to 3x 500k pots, 1 volume, 2 tones, 3-way switch (for choosing pickup position) and 1 on-off-on mini-toggle switch to which both P-Rails were connected according to the wiring diagram online (both blacks up, both red & white middle, both green & bare down).

Here's what I've experienced so far:

neck P-Rail: there's no real change (marginal at best) in sound between the up and the middle position of the mini toggle switch.
In the down position, there's a huge volume boost and the sound gets fuller with more mids.

bridge P-Rail: all mini-toggle positions have the same output. Theres a very slight change in sound between the down and the up position.
When I flip between the middle and the up position, I can hear no difference, when I flip from the middle to the down position, I hear a marginal change.


I dunno, I triple checked my wiring. Does that seem right to you?

Which position should have the most output? the Humbucker series or the P90 by itself?
Is it normal that there's such a big volume boost on the neck P-Rails but none on the bridge P-Rails?

Thanks for any help

[Anficht]

Just noticed something else that's really strange:

The bridge pickup attracts steel (like every magnet), but: the P90-part has a very strong attraction to steel, where the rail-part has a very low attraction.

The neck pickup is exactly the opposite: the rail has a very strong attraction, whereas the P90-part has almost none.

Is that normal?

[greatbob6]

I don't know what your problem is but my findings from P-Rail + Triple Shot is that in order of output (highest to lowest) this is what I've found:

1) Series
2) P-90
3) Parallel
4) Rail

There is definitely a noticeable difference in output between series, p-90, and rail.

[Anficht]

Series is definitely lower in output than P90 with my P-Rails.
Especially on the neck P-Rails.
On the bridge, there's almost no difference in output.

Seems like something's not right here.
How is the magnetic attraction on your P-Rails? Is it identical to what I described in my post above?

[Anficht]

Ok, somebody has to know anything.

[greatbob6]

I tried checking the attraction like you mentioned doing and I wonder if there is something wrong with your pickup because on both of mine the P-90 seems to have a stronger attraction than the rails.

Sorry I'm not more help, but I'm fairly new to pickup swapping and all that. By the way, you might have more luck getting help after the weekend as its a holiday weekend for those of us in the USA and probably a lot of people are busy or out of town.

[Anficht]

Thanks for letting me know, Bob.

On my neck pickup, there's definitely a strong attraction on the rail part, while there is really almost none on the P90 part.
The bridge pickup is the opposite with strong attraction on the P90 side and very little on the rail side.

Btw, I bought the P-Rails set, where both pickups are side-by-side in the package. Maybe this side-by-side situation in the package had an influence on the pickups?

Are there SD techs here that could chime in and let me know if there's something wrong with my set?

Maybe also other P-Rails user could maybe share how the attraction is on their pickups...

Thanks

[Anficht]

*bump up*

[frankfalbo]

I'm out of the office right now, but yes it could be a flipped magnet in the pickup. Call Customer Service if you have the chance, and they'll help you sort it out.

[Anficht]

Hi Frank, thanks for chiming in.
I'm in Germany. I'm not sure where to call...

So, my neck pickup can have a flipped magnet?
Doesn't that usually mean that I would get an out-of-phase sound when both pickups are on?
But on mine there's no out-of-phase sound in any position.

Does the P90 side of the neck-P-Rail having almost no string pull (or attraction) make you think that?

[Anficht]

Up for Frank...

[Anficht]

Up for Frank...