Installing Seymour Duncan P Rails and Triple Shots

#sharpenmyaxe #knowyourgear
Watch the ESP/LTD Review video
• This Guitar Puts $2,00...
Treble Bleed video
• How To Use A Treble Bl...
00:00 Intro and the plan
02:35 Installing the new electronics
17:04 Demo of the pick ups Over 60 Different Tone Possibilities
26:13 The overall costs and final thoughts
None of the companies shown below sponsored this video. However if you use some of the affiliate links below your purchase helps support the channel.
I bought this LTD EC1000 Deluxe at Sweetwater
imp.i114863.net/rAjdG
Seymour Duncan P Rails
imp.i114863.net/9WGjPE
Triple Shots by Seymour Duncan
seymour-duncan.sjv.io/DVbRgb
Treble bleeds
imp.i114863.net/zag53G
String joy strings
www.stringjoy.com
Dimarzio Locking strap
imp.i114863.net/3PAqxn
Herco Picks?
amzn.to/3e3NhH5
Klotz 15ft Cable with breaker ( You will never go back)
amzn.to/2YilLQS
Fender 68 Princeton
imp.i114863.net/KMYaN
Keeley Caverns Reverb Delay pedal
imp.i114863.net/JDZ9Q
Friedman Dirty Shirley
imp.i114863.net/0vMQ3
Keeley Caverns Reverb/ Delay pedal
imp.i114863.net/JDZ9Q
Over Rated Special Way Huge Pedal
reverb.grsm.io/oversp
Here are some other products from a dealer I trust and buy from online
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Reverb listing of this guitar (don't forget to make an offer) If you are a Patreon you get a better deal as well.
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[@serkanyman]

This one is more like "Sharpen my Swiss Knife" 😎

[@masonharris9166]

"Turn my bowie into a swiss"

[@HOUSEDOMEFUNKofficial]

@@masonharris9166 "Thahhh's nadda NOIF..." (it's an SMG!)

[@joshuafreedman7703]

Want to go truly Swiss Army Insane Guitar?? Fashion a guitar with *three* of these, and instead of a three-position selector switch, put in a *10-position "freeway switch" * (check out Darell Braun's review of the 10-p freeway switch for details)!! All of that, plus the piezo system on a trem bridge! Go nuts!!!!!!

[@nguyenduc3708]

3 pickups and piezo paired with 3 triple-shot rings, 10-way selector, push-pull knobs- the you-cant-borrow-it guitar .

[@runningwithscissors0911]

Your videos are always great Phil - content and process. Thanks for showing all your work - very helpful. Terrific close ups as usual. I really enjoy and learn a lot from your Sharpen My Axe series.

[@mikerooney8735]

WOW, some genius level pickup upgrades. Absolutely insane, you're a master, Phil!

[@flamedmahoganytable9749]

One thing i took away from this is that i need to try some P90s...

[@nevillecragg9066]

You won’t be sorry. Best pickup ever.

[@prsmantse1]

This was really cool and informative. Great job Phil. Thanks for breaking everything down. That guitar sounds great

[@kencritchley5546]

This was a great vid Phil for us guitar and tech nerds. Very cool upgrade showing your excellent stripping and soldering skills. You even included a smoke show.

[@nedim_guitar]

This is excellent! I'm impressed! That one guitar is practically every guitar in one!

[@southportdrivers]

I had my local shop put a set of P-Rails in an Epiphone Dot Studio, but w/o the Triple Shots. Absolutely love them. Sound great clean, dirty and everywhere in between. P-90s and out-of-phase HB are my favorite settings.

[@nikolaiputinsguitarama9381]

Wow Phil, I have studied many wiring diagrams and watched a few videos. I added coil splits to two guitars. They both work. But now after watching this video I really get what is going on with the push/pull switch. Suddenly I get the in/out phase and series parallel switching too. Thanks!

[@YakBoss]

Really glad to see a new SMA, particularly because I've been considering the P-Rails. I've had serious GAS and have been trying to thin the herd. I am especially intersted in the P90 and humbucker sound. Thanks!

[@ZacCostilla]

I wonder how many people are afraid to try to solder their own gear. But it isn’t hard if you try. I was taught in the Air Force, at Keebler AFB, Biloxi MS. I always preferred to keep my iron at 650°F for precision work if your iron is adjustable, but a cheap 30 Watt iron will work fine for guitars. I like to put flux into the tips of the wire before I twist it to help it wick the solder into it, but it probably isn’t always necessary. Shrink wrap is always the best way to secure the wires after they’ve been soldered.

[@suzannecoholic1467]

Glad I went back to re-watch this one. Back in the day, it was a really cool $300-hot rodding! Such a great tone!

[@NoUploadJustComment]

Great idea for this series. I'd love to see more out-there mods. Keep up the great work.

[@jimandcathep9915]

Well I just learned something ! Great video Phil - love the step by step instructions and the explanations of the parts - well done !

[@spookybaba]

I'm in love with that piezo pickup. Thanks, for getting me onto them. 👍

[@UNTELLcom]

Thank you ! You made me discover the triple shot. Installing this kind of pickup seems less difficult than I thought at the beginning.

[@Rahn1975]

Really upping the game with this one. Great instructional video as always.

[@alcortinovis]

Amazing sounds from just one guitar! this is amazing....personally....it would be too much for me...I already got lost after 3 minutes :-) well done! I love it! thanks for sharing!

[@roblegrange473]

This was so enjoyable...5 pickups sound amazing so alive...

[@ericlewis9638]

Thanks for the info Phil!!! I have an ESP-LTD Strat style with dual hum-buckers!

[@bretheweb]

You can easily coil and zip tie the extra TS wiring and it'll fit in a standard humbucker cavity.

[@michaeltersigni9494]

I have been waiting 19 years for this day :")

[@kyleabent]

I never knew this special pickup and case could allow the sound of a telecaster or les paul at the flick of a switch. That's crazy.

[@cchavez248]

@@PragmaticDany Yeah, perhaps, but most humbuckers lose a.lot of balls when split. The P-Rails seem to sound better when split, especially in the p90 mode.

[@kitoyobeni1]

@@cchavez248 That's because they're two separate pickups, not a split. The humbucker tones suffer a little instead. The blade single coil sounds a little weak too, but that's the cost of versatility I guess?

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

​@cchavez248 part of that is the wis matched coils. If you ordered a custom shop set you could fix this and the other issue with them easy. Put the single coil sides on the outside of the buckers vs the p90s. And get the single coil alot higher output. And the p90 closer matched. Although then you end up with like a 14k output humbucker. But the single coil sides with sound better and the p90s wont be as affected as much by placement since a single coil is thinner then a p90. Matching the coils better gets a better humbucker sound.

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

​@@kitoyobeni1nah its just the single coil being low output. If you ordered a custom shop set that was tweaked theyd be even better. Read my other comment.

[@whyis45stillalive]

@@bmxriderforlife1234 I agree 100% Not using a matched set would be losing a lot. Edit: typo

[@caboosethemoose2070]

I learned a ton from this video it made wiring so much clearer to me. Thanks so much

[@trentc7329]

I’ve been watching Reverb for a used PRS SE Custom 22 or 24 to do this to. Glad to see such a thorough install and demo vid. Thanks, Phil!

[@jimmyjames2022]

Go for it! I put a P-Rail neck pup in my 2008 PRS SE 22 SC, sounds awesome. The TS was bad and packed it in so I went to 2 push/pulls, but still get the 4 tonal options (P-90, Rail, HB Series & Parallel). Left the stock HB in the bridge but might throw a P-94 or similar in since I'm hooked on the P-90 now.

[@elbass0]

Bought a Gibson Nighthawk Ltd Edition today. Previous owner replaced the Burstbuckers with P-Rails. It also has a Gibson Blade single-coil in the middle so the tones are endless. That said, I fully agree with you that the humbucker mode is very muddy, in particular on the neck pick-up. Thanks a lot for all the priceless knowledge you're sharing Phil. It makes me so much more comfortable working on my guitars.

[@JohnnyGuitaristOfficial]

That LTD has a beautiful Finish. 🙌🏻🎸 Awesome upgrade Phil, this looks like one fun guitar!

[@The-11]

I need to get a set of those pick up rings because that is killer ! Great job with the video showing us how to solder these up. I know it's not easy to film.

[@leviathan_is_me]

I love this video. Keep coming back to it.

[@mikezingone9471]

Phenomenal! Phillip is the best! How he comes up with this stuff is unbelievable!! I wish I lived in Arizona!!

[@benachurch]

Sick video Phil!! I thought when you said you were going to sharpen this epic ltd you were mental!! But this mod is faaarking sick!!! Loving the different tonal options. Cheers from Aus legend!! 🤘🏻🇦🇺🤘🏻

[@bw1955]

Wow I didn’t even know that type of pickup configuration was even possible! Incredible!

[@krame99]

Phil you make this look so easy haha. Great work and amazing video as always!!

[@CleepisDBepis]

Anybody else notice how much healthier Phil looks? It's not just the weight loss, he has healthier coloring and looks more energetic. Proud of you, Phil. Keep the quality content coming.

[@vmccross]

I did the same thing exactly to my Epiphone SG Pro plus I added gotoh vintage locking tuners w/black keys and black hardware. Sounds and plays amazingly.

[@boseefusmacmurphy1156]

Whenever I look up a product to see a review and see Philip McKnight I know I won't be looking for too much more info on the product. This seems like an ideal pickup for the neck position in a tele

[@demantoid418]

This was a great help. I want to do this on a guitar i got hanging around not being used. This would be sweet to try. Thanks Phil

[@jimfromoh8944]

Great idea for a piezo guitar. I love the prail pups, but I almost never take them out of the P90 position. :)

[@ernieb3626]

Man I dont remember this video Phil but I love it. I have a epiphone les paul husk ready to go. I think im going to do it! Thanks for explaining so thorough

[@andrewedmondson5387]

I really enjoyed that sharpen my axe- very informative and interesting. Cool ideas.

[@bsbrooks455]

Nice Video. I built an HSH P-Rail Strat a few years ago. No Piezo, but with a Seymour Duncan dual blade Strat pickup in the middle position wired for coil splitting and phase reversal. Guitar is an XGP body from GuitarFetish with a maple 1984 American Strat neck and a Wilkinson trem. Amazingly versatile guitar. I get the Piezo sound from my PRS P-22

[@scottakam]

Cool video. Those P Rails pickups always interested me.

[@ijzerdraad93]

Thanks for all the info!

[@WattchomanBrandySavage]

I came here expecting you to install a set of Fishman Fluence moderns to blend with the Piezo bridge pickup. What I got was SO much more.

[@elihue_redneckreview]

Wow. That was some master level soldering! I love the options and versatility of tones from a single guitar; but it would be hard to justify continuing to feed the GAS addiction after acquiring the pentacle of versatility! I'm amazed!

[@marcsullivan7987]

Pinnacle Pentacle=5 tentacled cephalopod

[@leviathan_is_me]

@@marcsullivan7987 lol

[@gorlagOv]

This is a really cool idea love the acoustic blending.

[@mikedr1549]

That was the star of the show! Surprised Fender/Gibson aren't doing something along that line.

[@gorlagOv]

@@mikedr1549 Fender sort of is with their acoustisonc series which is cool. However holding one felt like a toy to me I also didn’t like the charging aspect to it. I see a lot of other companies experimenting with piezo systems. PRS has been doing it for a while now they have the piezo 22, 24 and they also have the hollow-body 2. I don’t see Gibson going there.

[@leviathan_is_me]

@@gorlagOv Gibson has the Jerry Cantrell WinO that has a piezo...for $9,999.99......so nevermind, lol.

[@gorlagOv]

@@leviathan_is_me yeah… that’s his personal one so if you want to mod your Les Paul you could definitely do it.

[@NeilRoberts]

That sounds amazing, making it more of a versatile guitar, tempted to get one, as more into recording

[@azdavidza]

That video transition at 8:45 to the removed cavity cover was super slick

[@1truechamp46]

All sounded great, but those options hurt my head!

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Love the quack. Impressive tonal changes, these would make a less expensive instrument into an undercover killer. I did not think there was anything wrong or weak with the original tones. This just makes an outstanding instrument better.

[@brivington2011]

Great video Phil. What a channel!

[@johndcoffee632]

Congrats on the 300k Phil, you're the best.

[@olegavramenko5629]

Bought triple shots about two years ago, still in my drawer. Will give it a shot soon :)

[@bjstein4242]

Thanks Phil, a great "Korean Army Knife" you got there.. amazing array of tones there and I do like the P90's as well.. a bit of higher mid snarl..

[@iberiksoderblom]

Only 5 minutes in to the video, I'm in love with those pick-up's ! I need them !!!

[@CA10Z]

Great job Phillip Thanks

[@montycline9840]

Great job keep going I love your videos And your knowledge. Thank you

[@WrinkledPlatypus]

Forgot about this beauty! That color!

[@dykeneuk]

Nice demo of the PRails. I have a set on my PRS Starla. Prefer the P90 sound, but if noise an issue, full hum bucking mode works fine.

[@fawkesandhound]

Fun Video, love the workshop!

[@christopherlafreniere7141]

Great episode!

[@rhymeskill]

Geez, this video was amazing. Whoever buys that guitar is going to get a steal. I’m planning on trying to pick one of these up.

[@urbexjohnny8633]

Very nice video. Still, i HUGELY prefer the stock pickups and electronics. I hope Phil will give that stuff with the guitar.

[@gearoidwalsh8606]

Great tones there, especially on the overdrive.

[@trevorvogler4661]

Interesting stuff, thanks Phil

[@rickmorse9884]

Excellent video, Phillip ... thanks so much. I'm having the stock pickups in my Godin XTSA replaced with P-Rails w/ Triple Shot rings, and looking forward to the improved tones and versatility. In this case, this is about improving a guitar, because the stock Godin humbuckers are perhaps the most lifeless I've ever heard. The guitar fits and plays beautifully, but the sound leaves a LOT to be desired. Thanks again!

[@jloiben12]

Seymour Duncan really nailed it with the P Rails pickups

[@brenthorrocks]

Congrats Phil, it looks like it sold! This is so great -- your idea for funding Sharpen My Axe is working! Yay!!!

[@johnmaynes7142]

The second P-Rails workhorse I’ve ever seen built but this one has those nice pup rings whereas the other one had 4 push/pull pots to switch things around. Honestly, I’m hose rings are so much easier and now that I know it can be done easier, I’ve got yet another guitar on my list, a solid maple single cut (plain maple body carved top with possibly a figured cap, maple neck, maple fingerboard with abelone trapezoid inlays) with dual p rails and a piezo. It may be an intonatable wraparound, not sure yet but either a wraparound or Tom and stopbar.

[@brettpanzer]

That guitar sustains so well.

[@rockdaddy2168]

Nice video. Am now looking at putting these on a Gibson SG. Thanks, Phil.

[@anthonyglennmollicasr.425]

Great video Phil!

[@harrisonandrew]

Love it - thanks Phil. Cheers, Andy

[@JHPRS]

I built a guitar body in the style of a Fender Musiclander, and I put P-Rails in it. Definitely the most versatile guitar I have ever had. I put a fantastic Warmoth neck on it and it's as good as any high end guitar I've owned. :)

[@ThunderFalcon333]

That guitar was really nice the way it came. I would have picked a different guitar but that's just me. Nice job as always. I definitely learned a thing or 2.

[@gmichaelhall]

Treble bleed circuit really sells the job. Very clever Stay safe and well ✌️

[@AAllinsonNN]

All 5 at one time is a beautiful clean sound! Very alive! Didn't know these pickups existed. Maybe it's time to dust off my LTD EC-401 and sharpen it!

[@alexmurphy5289]

My dream guitar is upgrading from my Ltd deluxe to a USA ESP. It's already basically upgraded (Seymour Duncan saturday night specials and a bone nut upgrade) but having the real deal would be just sublime Wow this guitar would be insane though! 😮

[@isaacfredes1181]

Man I admire your soldering skills , I am beyond useless when it comes to soldering even a 1 vol/1 tone

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

Great video. The wiring of these, just what I was looking for and was not available on Seymour Duncan website. What a great price you got those for, a $85 discount.

[@popollo22]

This is about what my guitar is in the shop for except before the p-rails it had acoustic and Roland synth output. After the p-rails it will have acoustic, synth, single coil, p90, series and parallel humbucker in neck and bridge with a classic single coil in the middle position.

[@rev.j.chriswallace642]

You can achieve the same effect without the Triple Shot rings. Just install a DPDT switch - down is all single, center is humbuckers, up is P90's. Love this configuration on my Jackson Dinky, which also has a single coil in the center.

[@docf.n.t.2310]

I need to try this. I have 2 ECs, a 100 and a 256. Neither have the piezo, so I may buy one of those too. I am gonna try this for sure in the next couple of months...

[@ronnienose8608]

Great video Phil. On top of the usual 5-way switch I would love to see you put three mini humbuckers in a Strat, with individual coil splitting (so you can have even more combinations, not just splitting them all at the same time), ability to have all three pickups on at once, have the neck and bridge on together, as well as doing the whole series/parallel options too. Pretty please? Cheers, Ronnie.

[@WutipongWongsakuldej]

I have P-Rails installed in my Spirit for years, and it's my ultimate travel guitar :-). Unfortunately I find that the tripple-shots will fail in a few years. So be prepared to replace them when the time comes. As a matter of fact, I'm going to buy one pair of those rings today!

[@aaronduboise5277]

Nice! My favorite video so far

[@ronniboi312]

Just got these to load into my thin line Telecaster deluxe... Can't wait..!!!

[@craig.encinitas]

How’d it go?

[@ronniboi312]

@@craig.encinitas It went really well, much easier than I thought. The Tele came originally with Fender humbuckers, which if I'm honest are nothing special, but I do like the playability of this guitar, so I fitted the P Rails which I bought with the surrounds and switches. Honestly it's like night and day. such a versatile range of tones, I feel like I'm getting the most out of this thin line Tele now

[@bkbinj6320]

Cool switching system in those pickup rings.

[@OEMPlus]

i knew you were doin prails when i heard you were making it the most versatile ever.

[@nc-ix6si]

Loved the video, could you perhaps do a video explaining guitar wiring for idiots like me, so we could figure out how to do some of this stuff our selves?

[@bobbya8622]

Great sounds!

[@MegaMotorchik]

Insane versatility

[@rosshorne4769]

What an interesting video, thanks for sharing

[@skidogbill]

PRails are great, I’ve been using them for years, especially in the neck. You should ALSO check out Fralin Unbuckers (I have one in the bridge of my EBMM Game Changer), and Warman GRails (I have one in another super Strat). Of course, the Game Changer is the champion “world’s most versatile guitar”, because it does all the things the Triple Shots do and much more, and has a middle single.

[@gabllegoselizalde]

Is it true that the switching mounting ring tends to break/not work?

[@grinder2401]

Good work! Keep it up Phil :)

[@motoramps]

I had these puckups and are Ok, but really didnt sound like a P90 or single coil. The ones that actually nail those sounds are the chameleon humbuckers from alegree pickups in the UK. They sound phenomenal and really do many more sounds than the SD version. I use a 6 position toggle and selected my favorite single coil, p90, vintage and modern humbucker.

[@chadbouterse8617]

Phil is as always inspiring!

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

Very clever. SD is still my fave pickup mfg. That JB & 59 combo is so good. That being said, this new setup is just killer. With the piezo too? Damn, I would have option overload and never get anything done.

[@kkmmtt]

Great stuff! A lot of wizardry! Hey, you shoul also install a fishman tripleplay! \o/

[@r3altalk28]

Next level! 🤙

[@nalukeko]

...ok, didn't see that coming. Well done! For versatility I've got the JB Jr / DuckBucker / Little '59 in my strat. Wired with S1 switch I've got Strat on one setting, and all the Humbucker & some Superstrat combos on the other.