Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

[Masta' C]

You may vote for more than one option!


As most of you know, it has been quite a while since we, as a forum, have approached SD about creating a forum-designed pickup. Historically, these have been unique designs that were not represented elsewhere in the SD catalog. That will continue to be the goal here. Given the fact that many of us are stuck at home, SD is currently closed, and nearly everyone could use a little change of pace, this is the perfect time for us to come up with something new and unique.

I am proposing to present SD with either one or two ideas to commemorate the unique time we find ourselves in, based upon feedback from this and future polls. I previously asked the forum to contribute unique ideas and names/themes for potential models and those concepts are represented in the attached poll. This is the first of 2 polls regarding basic design. Here I ask that you vote on the various "P-90" related concepts you find most interesting to you. This poll will be open for approximately 2 weeks.

I will create additional polls in the future to address small tweaks to the "winning" designs that the forum would like to see, as well as measure actual interest in purchasing. So, for now, just vote on your favorite "ideas" here. Also, feel free to leave comments, but please keep them positive. Don't post about past forum design efforts, etc...this is a new and very unique opportunity!

Schedule:

1) Collect ideas from forum members -> Done
2) Create "feeler" poll of initial ideas -> In progress (i.e. this poll)
3) Reach out to SD directly to present Top 2 "winning" ideas from each category (P-90 Themes/Everything Else) and assess SD's interest in collaborating
4) Create "tiebreaker" polls, if needed
5) Generate discussion thread to gather feedback regarding tone, output, wiring options, colors/covers, etc. to include in final design poll
6) Create "Tone and Options" poll to finalize design specifics for presentation to SD
7) Create a purchase interest poll to estimate sales potential of approved design(s)

NOTE: This is all "for fun" at this point and nothing has yet been approved or coordinated with SD. If we can settle on ideas for a forum pickup design, I will do my best to promote them to SD, but they may not be interested in collaborating with the forum for a number of reasons and forum participation is necessary for the project to have a chance.

:beerchug:

 

[jeremy]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

for your plague rail... the p90 has two magnets, one is shared with the rail. youre suggesting an a2 on one side of the p90 and ceramic on the other?

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

for your plague rail... the p90 has two magnets, one is shared with the rail. youre suggesting an a2 on one side of the p90 and ceramic on the other?

Yes, I believe that was the intended design

EDIT: I was corrected - the proposal was "A2 rod magnets in the P90 (no magnets under the coil) and a singular ceramic under the rail like the Hot Rails."

 

[Davii]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Phat Cats are often cited as needing something, though maybe some kind of stacked version?

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

for your plague rail... the p90 has two magnets, one is shared with the rail. youre suggesting an a2 on one side of the p90 and ceramic on the other?

No, my proposal was A2 rod magnets in the P90 (no magnets under the coil) and a singular ceramic under the rail like the Hot Rails. The P90 would have a fat, sustaining A2 singlecoil/P90 tone while the ceramic rail brings back a little bite and edge. It'd balance out to a warm & full pickup that has nice clarity, a little bark, but a hotter vintage wind with a little JB compression. Feel free to suggest other things, but that was my initial thought. I'd let MJ work the details on how to get there, but tonally it's be pretty nice.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Okay I'm going way out to the extreme end of the spectrum but got to tell you this would be an incredible opportunity...


http://www.planetz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/2011-03-26-Vox-SSC33-0151.jpg

Vox used to make a p90 sized pick up called the coaxe. It has an inner core surrounded by an outer core and by balancing the winding variables, they get a noise free pickup that is tapped.

In tapped mode, the two coils together create a fenderish kind of mini hum timbre. With both coils on full it's a slightly rude, noise free p90 tone.

I discovered these in the vox SSC series guitars and I love them so much I built my do everything guitar around two of these pups. Of course they are very hard to find used and my last set came from Germany.

Take a look at this article... it describes everything to the degree that we could reverse-engineer them relatively easily and potentially rebalance windings if you guys prefer other timbres. I have no idea about patent issues.


http://www.planetz.com/vox-coaxe-interview-with-vox-rd/

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Phat Cats are often cited as needing something, though maybe some kind of stacked version?

I think we'd be better off making a completely new set of humbucker sized P90s instead of trying to make Phat Cats noiseless. Phat Cats can be great pickups for sure, but I personally don't think that they'd be great candidates for modding.

Wouldn't it be great to have more options for a humbucker sized P90 than a Duncan Phat Cat or DiMarco Bluesbucker?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Pandemic 90
- Has to have a low flat tone curve
- Needs sustain longer than expected
- Biohazard logo
- May sound a little masked

 

[Aceman]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

And - as much as I like the Black Plague idea, I think the Duncan Custom P-90 handles this...

 

[Davii]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

I think we'd be better off making a completely new set of humbucker sized P90s instead of trying to make Phat Cats noiseless. Phat Cats can be great pickups for sure, but I personally don't think that they'd be great candidates for modding.

Wouldn't it be great to have more options for a humbucker sized P90 than a Duncan Phat Cat or DiMarco Bluesbucker?

Agreed, that was mostly what I was trying say, but perhaps using the Phat Cats as a reference so as to not simply reproduce the same pickup. Speaking of which, doesn't the CS already does a P90 style Strat footprint pickup?

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

The Pandemic-90 and Ventilator set are showing an early tie...interesting!

...doesn't the CS already does a P90 style Strat footprint pickup?

Yes, good point!

http://customshop.seymourduncan.com/stra-bro-90/

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

The Stra-Bro 90 has never appealed to me because it isn't "full P90." I don't understand why the adjustable poles on only half the pickup. Are they afraid of getting sued by Fralin or something (SP 42s and SP 43s)?

If the Ventilator set would be full on six-string adjustable poled Tele pickups, I'd be all over it (as long as the wind isn't hot and the mags too powerful). A2 powered with vintage wind – yes, please!

Reilander does this already. I have a bridge one in one of my Esquires.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

If the Ventilator set would be full on six-string adjustable poled Tele pickups, I'd be all over it (as long as the wind isn't hot and the mags too powerful). A2 powered with vintage wind – yes, please!

I figure we can sort out some of the specifics once we pin down the "winning" concept, but keep the ideas coming and we can vote on them in a later poll. Just remember to leave room for SD to work their magic!

EDIT: I updated the proposed schedule in the first thread...

1) Collect ideas from forum members -> Done
2) Create "feeler" poll of initial ideas -> In progress (i.e. this poll)
3) Reach out to SD directly to present Top 2 "winning" ideas from each category (P-90 Themes/Everything Else) and assess SD's interest in collaborating
4) Create "tiebreaker" polls, if needed
5) Generate discussion thread to gather feedback regarding tone, output, wiring options, colors/covers, etc. to include in final design poll
6) Create "Tone and Options" poll to finalize design specifics for presentation to SD
7) Create a purchase interest poll to estimate sales potential of approved design(s)

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

No, my proposal was A2 rod magnets in the P90 (no magnets under the coil) and a singular ceramic under the rail like the Hot Rails. The P90 would have a fat, sustaining A2 singlecoil/P90 tone while the ceramic rail brings back a little bite and edge. It'd balance out to a warm & full pickup that has nice clarity, a little bark, but a hotter vintage wind with a little JB compression. Feel free to suggest other things, but that was my initial thought. I'd let MJ work the details on how to get there, but tonally it's be pretty nice.

I am with speed2dirt. The rod magnets create a nice attack and clearness in the neck. Listen to this nice comparism of all Lollar p90 variants (okay the test bed guitar is a bit odd, but a great vid)

https://youtu.be/vT224FgiCWM

 

[jeremy]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

The Stra-Bro 90 has never appealed to me because it isn't "full P90." I don't understand why the adjustable poles on only half the pickup. Are they afraid of getting sued by Fralin or something (SP 42s and SP 43s)?

the initial idea was strat/p90 crossbreed. the rod magnets are supposed to be on the low strings to give some strat snap and the adjustable pole/double magnets on the skinny strings to fatten up the top. i have a set from the initial run and its a really nice sounding set of pups. kinda taking the 5/2 concept a little further. the wind is nice although i would have liked if the tap was 3/5 through the coil rather than halfway. i dont think they are worried about fralin, dimarzio has the sds1 with a similar form factor just allen poles instead of fillister. if you want a p90 flavor in a strat form factor, i think the adjustable pole, keeper bar, side magnets is the way to go

 

[Francois]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

I voted P-andemic 90 because I would be quite intested by this :

a PHAT-CAT with an A5 magnet : I mean the look of a classic humbucker with the P-90 of a P-Rail
This would be give an more accurate look to my old SG that currently have a P-Rail in the neck (without changing its sound).

Then as we are talking of P-90 wishes I would also like a P-90 for designed for low tuning... But most probably the Hot P-90 would do well. I just have not it yet.
That would be to replace the stock SE P-90 of my 27"7 PRS... Not that bad but the Hot P-90 should be an improvement.

So any experience with the Hot P-90 ?

I would like to add that since low tuning is associated with modern metal I don't expect that a specific downtune P-90 would have any success. But a real P-90 handle very well both low end and high end actually. So no problem.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Okay I'm going way out to the extreme end of the spectrum but got to tell you this would be an incredible opportunity...


http://www.planetz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/2011-03-26-Vox-SSC33-0151.jpg

Vox used to make a p90 sized pick up called the coaxe. It has an inner core surrounded by an outer core and by balancing the winding variables, they get a noise free pickup that is tapped.

In tapped mode, the two coils together create a fenderish kind of mini hum timbre. With both coils on full it's a slightly rude, noise free p90 tone.

I discovered these in the vox SSC series guitars and I love them so much I built my do everything guitar around two of these pups. Of course they are very hard to find used call me my last set came from Germany.

Take a look at this article... it describes everything to the degree that we could reverse-engineer them relatively easily and potentially rebalance windings if you guys prefer other tambers. I have no idea about patent issues.


http://www.planetz.com/vox-coaxe-interview-with-vox-rd/

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

I'd love to see Vox Coaxe type pickup return in market!

Would get my vote.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Considering the CoAxe was in use fairly recently, there could be some Patent issues, but I've been super curious about these myself. Every review and player report I've read has said they are some of the best pickups anywhere, for nearly any style thanks to their 3 voicings.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

'I've been super curious about these myself. '

These things are too rare to rip up a working one. I've been watching for a dead one which most people probably wouldn't advertise.

What I'm most interested in is the outer coil. The R&D dude explained in the article-

"The inner sensing coil, with its load of six poles, works like any single coil. Since the load of the outer noise canceling coil consists of both the six poles and the two blades, less wire is required to produce a noise signal equivalent to the noise in the inner coil. Less wire means less impedance, so the Clean and Crunch modes can be both noise-free and sparkly."

So I absolutely love the tones as they are. But I would absolutely love to play with the winds... All of my electronic knowledge is the equivalent to plumbing. But I would guess that the ratio of the length of the outer coil wire to the inner coil would be the same for any length?


Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Forum Pickup Poll #1: P-90 Themes

Hard to know for sure without tearing one of those apart or getting more information from the designer (who, admittedly, seemed fairly forthcoming in that article!)

It might be difficult to make something like that fit into a humbucker form factor, but that's where a design like that could really do well!

Forget the "Phat Cat"...give me a humbucker-sized CoAxe!