In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

[Falloffthebonetone]

And obviously why?

[idsnowdog]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

There aren't a lot of choices for humbucker sized P90's. There are almost more P90 size humbuckers.

[Edgecrusher]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

Rio Grande Bastard

[Securb]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

I can only speak to my experience. I have a P-rails it more than does the job. Not only is the P90 tone authentic but in humbucking mode the pickup is a great rocker. I actually use it more has a humbucker now than in P90 mode. The rail is also a more than serviceable single coil tone, I wouldn't be the best judge in that area seeing I am mainly a humbucker guy.

[majewsky]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

I've only tried the Phat Cats, but with various magnet swaps. I would say that with double AlNiCo V's they're pretty close to real P90s, but not exactly the same. If You don't want to rout your guitar to fit P90s the may be good choice for the money.

Currently I'm using the polsihed A5/A5 for neck and roughcast A5/A5 for bridge and it's very nice. However neck pickup is sometime a little boomy and have too much bass. Also like many people say the winding may be a little to hot. I've noticed one mor thing about them. While the A5 is great for the bridge position and can get a little twangish on cleans with my EP Booster the neck pickup seems to be somewhat stiff and not so sweet. You have to turned the volume pot a little to make it sweeter, but it still retains that a little stragne (for me) feel. The cure for this issue seems to be the A4/A4 combo which gives you VERY dynamic and sweet sounds on the whole volume knob spectrum. I would risk the statement that with a little more technique or maybe subtle compressor it may even give You some of the Knopflers tone, but it may be my ears. Oh... and with .015uF cap and tone rolled down it may give You some Santanish tones. Oh... and remeber that A5 P90 bridge can give You some of the AC/DC tone as well.

Reassuming it gives us on paper that nice hum-sized would use A4 and A5 magnets and a little lower wind. In this case the Bare Knuckle's Mississippi Queen's would fit the bill pretty well, but I haven't tried them, so I won't say anything about them.

Generally on the hum-sized P90's market You can look for SD, Bare Knuckle, Harmonic Design, GFS, Arcane and their Phil X signature model and I guess many others which I don't know. There were also nice comparison of hum-sized P90's on mylespaul forum.

BUT... If I weren't living in the EU I would search for "the best humbucker sized P90" in SD Custom Shop and probably design something with MJ.

Again... For ME if you're tight on budget I would go with full A5 Phat Cats to get THE P90's tone. And if I was looking for something more interesting and versatile I would go for A4n A5b Phat Cats.

EDIT: Here's the link: http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/pick...tml#post199540

EDIT 2: Phat Cats were used in a rig mentioned in my signature.

[AlexR]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

Zhangbucker custom wind.

Its the only one I've tried, but a good one at that.

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

How hard/easy is mag swapping the phat cats? I can do standard uncovered humbuckers.

[Aceman]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

No problems here with either the Gibson P-94 or the Phat Cat

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

No problems here with either the Gibson P-94 or the Phat Cat

Which would you say is cleaner or "chimier" stock if you don't mind me asking?

[dystrust]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

Which would you say is cleaner or "chimier" stock if you don't mind me asking?

In my experience, Phat Cats are clearer & chimier than P-94s which sound like pure mud IMO. I have a pair of Phat Cats in my SG Standard, and while I generally like them, I've been tempted to mag swap as I just don't get along with A2s. I've heard the setup to go for is (A4/A5) neck & (A5/A8) bridge since they each have two magnets.

[darthphineas]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

does a P-Rail qualify?

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

does a P-Rail qualify?

Yep.

[blueman335]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

In my experience, Phat Cats are clearer & chimier than P-94s which sound like pure mud IMO. I have a pair of Phat Cats in my SG Standard, and while I generally like them, I've been tempted to mag swap as I just don't get along with A2s. I've heard the setup to go for is (A4/A5) neck & (A5/A8) bridge since they each have two magnets.

I've done mag swap in all my Phat Cats (I had 10 at one point), as in warm woods/designs, the neck model often has very little treble, and the bridge is rather 'weak and thin' (Zhang quote). Some people like the stock magnets in Phat Cats (especially in brighter woods), but to me, any other alnico would have probably been better than the stock A2's. With A5's, they really sound like P-90's. The only 'chime' I've ever gotten from a Phat Cat was an A5/A3 in the neck slot of an SG.

Here's the mag combos I've used in mine:
Bridge - A8/A4, A8/A5, UOA5/UOA5, A4/A4 (the goal being to add output and girth)
Neck - A5/A5, A5/A4, A5/A3 (the goal being to add treble and clarity)

These mag swaps work in any P-90.

[Zombiwoof]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

I've heard good reports on the GFS "Mean 90's" (not the Dream 90's, which have a smaller Strat-sized bobbin). Not expensive, and supposedly sound much like a regular P-90 (and have the larger bobbins like P90's).

Al

[GuitarDoc]

Re: In YOUR opinion, what's the best humbucker-sized P90?

I love P-90s and have to agree with what most have said already.

I find that the Gibson P-90s have a bright clarity to them which is great if that's what you want. For the bridge I prefer at least one A8 in it. I don't feel they are quite gutsy enough for my taste, but they do have good clarity and bite.

I haven't tried the Bareknuckles, but have heard very good reviews about it...a bit pricey though. I also haven't tried Zhang's offerings, but he will custom make just about anything you want and has received nothing but the highest recommendations from those who have tried his pups.

I have several GFS Mean 90s and think they are great with the stock A5s. For the bridge, putting in an A8 gives it lots of balls...very meaty but still has some nice chime and bite.

I can't tell you which is "the best P-90", niether can anyone else. Only you can determine that. I agree with Blueman's comments about the Phat Cat P-90s. He's probably had more experience with them than anyone. With the stock A2s they are a bit dark, but that can be modified with different mags.

Hands down, the greatest bang for your buck is the GFS Mean 90. It has a really good wind that can work well with down to two A2s in it or up to two A8s and anything in between. I love the bridge with an A8/A5 or A8/A4 mag combo, even an A5/A5 or A5/A4 sounds great. For the neck the stock A5/A5 sounds great, but if it's too boomy on the bass for your guitar, an A5/A4 helps a lot.

The really really great thing about P-90s (beside their fantastic tone, clarity, and bite) it that they are so infinitely variable in tone due to having two magnets per coil/pup.