Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

[Tony_H]

Hi folks,
just thought I'd share this. I have this Strat-style sorta testbed guitar that I try various wiring options on. I have a couple of pickguards, some pots and switches, and of course a zillion pickups and I mix and match. So I said - let's give these Korean (Sky Pickups) Kent Armstrong P-90's a try. And it works cool.
The guitar is pretty bright-sounding by itself and the P-90's are fatter-sounding than regular Strat-style pickups, so this evens out nicely. I use just two volume pots (500K Audio) and a 3-way mini-toggle, and the setup works for me. You can go from dirty to clean in about 1/4 turn of the pot - that's easy to do and it makes all the difference in tone. I tested it today with my all-tube Laney LC-15 and a Marshall Bluesbreaker II set for the Boost mode. The tone cleans up pretty well even when you roll the volume down with the boost on - it's not surgically clean but nice. So to make a long story short - if you want and can experiment like this, I think this is a viable way to go.
Peace
Tony

[southadc]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

Hi folks,
just thought I'd share this. I have this Strat-style sorta testbed guitar that I try various wiring options on. I have a couple of pickguards, some pots and switches, and of course a zillion pickups and I mix and match. So I said - let's give these Korean (Sky Pickups) Kent Armstrong P-90's a try. And it works cool.
The guitar is pretty bright-sounding by itself and the P-90's are fatter-sounding than regular Strat-style pickups, so this evens out nicely. I use just two volume pots (500K Audio) and a 3-way mini-toggle, and the setup works for me. You can go from dirty to clean in about 1/4 turn of the pot - that's easy to do and it makes all the difference in tone. I tested it today with my all-tube Laney LC-15 and a Marshall Bluesbreaker II set for the Boost mode. The tone cleans up pretty well even when you roll the volume down with the boost on - it's not surgically clean but nice. So to make a long story short - if you want and can experiment like this, I think this is a viable way to go.
Peace
Tony

Don't Samick make a strat-styled guitar fitted with three P90s and a Bigsby-style trem?

I've got a Kent Armstrong P90 kicking around - had it for about 6 years and haven't gotten around to using it for anyting yet. I'll have to try it out in something now

[Hellion]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

Fender's making a Tele now with a P-90 in the neck position. I can't imagine P-90's sounding anything EXCEPT great in a Strat.

[cheezemaster]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

Amen - You could put P-90s in a ukulele and they'd still rock

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

I put a set of chrome Phat Cats in this Warmoth alder strat, its pretty cool sounding. Still stratty, but thicker.

[Fatty]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

I have a Custom P-90 in the bridge of a Warmoth strat... REALLY love the tone of the Custom P-90 with the tone disconnected. Fatter than a humbucker, and not as compressed.

[BornToShred]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

I always thought a strat with a P90 in the bridge and 2 strat pups would be cool.

[Tony_H]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

I want to try the Phat Cats once I gather some cash to expend on them. The Kent Armstrongs are cool, but I believe the Phat Cats can be some sort of cooldom unto itself.

[McLaughysSN]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

p-90s in strats look killer as well as sound

i have an ibanez talman laying around which is a strat style body (this is old stock talman by the way) with chrome covered p-90s in it, looks and plays killer but i have one thing to say, ibanez can not do p-90s... at all....

so i figure i'll be throwing some SD's in there soon (probably a custom in bridge and vintage in neck)

[Curly]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

my amp tech is a great player. he has a frankenstrat for a bench tester with 2 SSL's and a P90 of some sort in the bridge

Richard Thompson plays a 3 pickup Ferrington guitar - kind of a strat/ tele - with P90 neck/ strat mid/ Broadcaster bridge

[slightly_rude]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

I bought a Stratosonic about a month ago. Mahogany Strat body, Techtonic wrap-around bridge, 24.75" scale and two P-90s. I don't know why Fender didn't make this thing years ago.

It's what the SG should have been. Great P-90 tone with Strat comfort and no neck heavey, balance issues. I'm tempted to put SP3 Custom in the bridge but I'll play it awhile with the stock Fender Black Doves. I replaced the .009 strings that came with it to a set of .010s and it smokes. Fat, driving and clear.

[Tony_H]

Re: Anybody tried P-90s in a Strat? I did.

UPDATE!
I played the guitar on a gig last night and it was just GREAT! Great dynamics - I could go from clean to mean by changing my pick attack. The guitar always sounded articulate - the neck pup was round and flutey, the bridge pup was hot and cutting, together they sizzled. And when playing solos with an OD pedal, these pups favor clean boost. I have the Marshall Bluesbreaker II and this combination is the best.

There is just one slight problem - I wired the guitar with a 3-way toggle and 2 volume knobs, and that's just too much hassle for live work. I'll get rid of one of the pots. I like to work the volume knob, and I prefer the simplicity of just one knob - the tonal options are limited but it's easier to handle in live situations.