cyberprimate
New member
As magnets I mean. By "standard" I mean 50/60's Gibson pickups.
Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
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Gibson 1964
New member
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
I have never had a problem with either really. I would suspect they do because of the opposing magnets degaussing the magnetic field. My original 50s and 60s p90s don't have a major string pull.
I have never had a problem with either really. I would suspect they do because of the opposing magnets degaussing the magnetic field. My original 50s and 60s p90s don't have a major string pull.
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
I'd say more so. You have 2 magnets acting on the screws......if the saturation level of magnetism isn't reached by 1 magnet then 2 will increase the level. Any degaussing I think will not offset this effect.
But there are only 6 points for the magnetic field to form from. A humbucker has 12 but powered by 1 magnet......swings and balances perhaps????
I too haven't noticed any greater/lesser pull.......but I've not really been on the lookout.
I'd say more so. You have 2 magnets acting on the screws......if the saturation level of magnetism isn't reached by 1 magnet then 2 will increase the level. Any degaussing I think will not offset this effect.
But there are only 6 points for the magnetic field to form from. A humbucker has 12 but powered by 1 magnet......swings and balances perhaps????
I too haven't noticed any greater/lesser pull.......but I've not really been on the lookout.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
+1. If anything, P-90's would seem to have more magnetic pull, having more magnets in them.
+1. If anything, P-90's would seem to have more magnetic pull, having more magnets in them.
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Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
My unscientifically inspired thought would say that the P-90 has more string pull (due to two magnets and only 6 poles, as opposed to one magnet and 12 poles as in humbuckers). But as others have also said, I don't notice any objectionable string pull at all from my P-90s (I have 8 in 6 guitars right now).
My unscientifically inspired thought would say that the P-90 has more string pull (due to two magnets and only 6 poles, as opposed to one magnet and 12 poles as in humbuckers). But as others have also said, I don't notice any objectionable string pull at all from my P-90s (I have 8 in 6 guitars right now).
Gibson 1964
New member
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
Just pointing out that 1950s and 1960s p90s can be pretty weak by this point in time. I own a 1951 es 300 with the original pickups. 2 magnets or 1, they could probably use a recharge by now. My melody maker from 1964 with a 1950s p90 attached sometime in the distant past is also pretty weak magnetically. I dare say they are quite a bit less pull than a standard humbucker. They have been facing north to north or south to south for 60+ years. I think that more than cancels the effect of 2 magnets versus 1.
A new p90 should have more than a humbucker, but a 60 year old one... ...not so much. If by standard we are meaning 50s/60s originals as the OP kind of suggested. I also doubt many of us have a few of those old pickups to play with. But I have seriously been debating a recharge on the magnets in the '51
My new p90 guitars don't really struggle with string pull either, but my ones with 50's era Gibsons? Not even close.
Just pointing out that 1950s and 1960s p90s can be pretty weak by this point in time. I own a 1951 es 300 with the original pickups. 2 magnets or 1, they could probably use a recharge by now. My melody maker from 1964 with a 1950s p90 attached sometime in the distant past is also pretty weak magnetically. I dare say they are quite a bit less pull than a standard humbucker. They have been facing north to north or south to south for 60+ years. I think that more than cancels the effect of 2 magnets versus 1.
A new p90 should have more than a humbucker, but a 60 year old one... ...not so much. If by standard we are meaning 50s/60s originals as the OP kind of suggested. I also doubt many of us have a few of those old pickups to play with. But I have seriously been debating a recharge on the magnets in the '51
My new p90 guitars don't really struggle with string pull either, but my ones with 50's era Gibsons? Not even close.
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
It would be interesting for you to run a gauss meter over them before and after.
Of course the formulation of magnets from back then are different to now......so it would be interesting to see the charges. Then the tone you get at full bore.
It would be interesting for you to run a gauss meter over them before and after.
Of course the formulation of magnets from back then are different to now......so it would be interesting to see the charges. Then the tone you get at full bore.
lostinthemasses
New member
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
Just to get a baseline for comparison, what pickups would you guys say has significant/insignificant string-pull?
Also relevant:
Just to get a baseline for comparison, what pickups would you guys say has significant/insignificant string-pull?
Also relevant:
Gibson 1964
New member
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
Is there an inexpensive, reasonably accurate, gauss meter? Because I might be interested in doing just that as a point of curiosity. Partially, because I have one p90, which is my holy grail tone. It is in a fairly fragile vintage Gibson, and I have debated seeing if someone could clone it.
Re: Do standard P90s pull on strings less than standard humbuckers?
Not sure about where to get Gauss meters on your side of the world.
If you want accurate cloning of a vintage pickup, look up Throbak, Electric City Pickups or ReWind. All of these guys are small winders who are winding and selling clones of vintage pickups. They would be in the best position to have access to all the correct alloys, magnet compositions etc to get this task right.....they also wind the same way it was done back then too.
Not sure about where to get Gauss meters on your side of the world.
If you want accurate cloning of a vintage pickup, look up Throbak, Electric City Pickups or ReWind. All of these guys are small winders who are winding and selling clones of vintage pickups. They would be in the best position to have access to all the correct alloys, magnet compositions etc to get this task right.....they also wind the same way it was done back then too.
