Final input on P90s appreciated!

[zionstrat]

Folks-
You have been a big help to me all summer as I have planned out my Warmoth project and I'm ordering parts this weekend- However I would like one last sanity check on PUPs before I order-

For those who missed my 201 emails, I want get as close to an LPjr or SG special but use a 25.5 mahoney neck and fender flat tail. I'm using a Mahaogany L5 body in hopes of getting as much warmth as possible and I'm not concerned about pickign up a little stratishness..especialy with a tighter attack-

But what I am scared of is getting too brignt- I defninately do not want a p90 tele sound. But I'm after that sound that I orignally had with p90s- Thicker than a strat, tighter than an LP, articulate when clean, and still articulate when overdriven.
Obvioulsy, I need a pretty warm p90, I've done a lot of digging, but always find you guys a great sanity check- Any last minute thoughts?:

SD-
Of course I started here and if I can't handle p90 noise, I will almost defnately fall back on the p-90 stack-

The Vinatge Soapbar- Sounds like it would be a good choice and it's still 2 or 3 on my list-
The Hot Soapbar- Probalby too hot for what I'm after
The Custom Soapbar- Assuming that ceramic will make this too bright


Dmarzio - I like Dmz, but have never heard a p90 so I really didn't spend too much time here-

L Fralin- From what I have heard, his slightly overwound P90s might be best choice- But have since heard that they can be a bit 'dirty' and I do want these to clean up when I back off, so I think they have moved from #1 to #2

Jason Lollar-
I've always heard that these were very articulate and Jason seemed to agree that his regular would p90s should fit the bill- At the moment this is my #1

Any ideas and thoughts appreciated!

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

bump-

 

[FireBros.]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

you might try listening to some stock Gibson P-90's especially for the bridge position. I know that just adds more choices, but for the bridge position I am never wanting anything more than those pickups offer.

From the choices you mentioned though, I would go with one of the SD models, mainly because of the return policy.

Also, I know we all think of ceramics as bright, but, from the tone charts, the 2 ceramic models in SD's line seem to have less highs, so you might try them.

I would like to try the Lollars, cause I 've heard that the P-90's are his best model, but the articulation he talks about might just turn into "too bright" in a longer scale guitar.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

Thanks Firebro- I certainly like the stock 90s om my first sg special- But return policy on SDs certainly makes sense-

But i had never thought that articulation might mean bright- Thx for input!

 

[FireBros.]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

BTW Evan has a longer scale LPjr (Hamer) with a Antiquity P-90 in it, you could check out some of his comments here .

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

Firebro-
Good tread, but this hamer looks like it's 24.75- But sounds like he must have another that's 25 or 25.5? I'll shoot him a note and see-
Thanks again!

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

My Hamer was custom built with 25.5" scale length. I have a stock Antiquity Dog-Ear P-90 bridge version and the guitar sounds a lot like a Tele. I'm thinking about putting another thousand or so turns on the P-90 to get more warmth out of the guitar.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

Hot many pups are you going for? I've played the monaco III and it has a nice warm fat, yet stratty sound, however the top is spruce.

Luke

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

Thanks for the input Evan-
Yeah the 'tele' sound is what I'm trying to avoid- Some stratishness on attack is OK, but I maybe trying to do the impossible and get more of the Gibson warmth sound out of a fender length-

But back to SDs- Would you see an antiquicty with 1000 extra winds as the best answer for what I am after, or possibly a custom? I had been pulling the vintage direction based on need for a relatively dark pup, but seems like I'm in relatively unchartered waters-

Thanks again

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

Hot many pups are you going for? I've played the monaco III and it has a nice warm fat, yet stratty sound, however the top is spruce.

Luke

BTW it had 3 P90 vintages, I think the middle was RWRP.

I really think the vintage stack would do you good.

Luke

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Final input on P90s appreciated!

Luke-
Thanks for the Vintage vote- Considering the swap period and my uncertainty here, I'm starting to come back this direction-

Just 2 p90s so definlatey want a RWRP-

But since you asked, outside of the p90 issue I'm dealing with today, it's an extremely wild circuit to get some sounds I have always wanted- It will have a center dual blade (pulling for cool rails right now) and will get the following combos between the two 5ways:

P90 Switch
1. Bridge
2. Bridge+neck parallel
3. Bridge + neck series
4. Bridge + neck series out of phase
5. Neck

SC-Twin blade's 5way switch
1. single coil that is hum complimentary to bridge P90
2. Off
3. Full SC rail with spin a split
4. P90s off, full SC rail with spin a split
5. Single coil that is hum complimentary to neck P90

At one time or another I've had all of these sounds and I think I've got them grouped in such a way that I will usually move the 5 ways in tandem since they will be right next to each other-

Thanks for the input!