As far as the drilling goes, it's an easy job if you have access to a press. I put the bridge on marked the holes, matched the bit up to the string holes in the bridge. Then removed the bridge and drilled through. Took 5 minutes and came out perfect. Where I screwed up was enlarging the holes on the reverse side for the ferrules, I should have sized up just enough to fit a round file in there and then filed it out full size but instead I used a large bit, just smaller than the ferrules and drilled about 1/4 into the body. As soon as the bit made contact the finish shattered... ☹
Sustain is FAR improved. As far as tone, it's hard to say. I switched the pickups and bridge at the same time so I don't know what they would have sounded like on the old bridge. I can tell you that the overall tone is great. Chunky and thick.
The hotrails sounds like a hot humbucker sounds... nothing out of the ordinary in that arena but what it does, it does well.
The 1/4 pound jag sounds like no other pickup I've ever heard... it's hot but mellow if that makes sense. It maintains clarity very well and is very warm almost jazzy. It actually sort of reminds me of what the middle setting sounded like with the old tex-mex pickups on the duo. Sort of P90ish.
When they are both turned on the hot rails ravages the highs and lows while the jag fills out the midrange. It's a neat sound, I definitely suggest the combination. There's nothing stratty about it, it's got it's own sound now. It's not a chimey fender sound at all, it's very heavy and a bit dark.
Which for me... is perfect.
