GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

ksms

New member
I just dropped a set of GFS Mean 90s in my Les Paul Classic. I had been playing them through a friend's Gibson L6S for the past few weeks and just loving it. I wanted my own guitar with them.

I am blown away. They hum some, but it's so worth it.

This is the Les Paul tone I've been looking for. Sets I've been through: 490r/498t (so long ago I can't remember), '59/'59 (neck too muddy), Jazz/'59 (neck too bland), '59/Custom5 (too muddy all around), A2Pro/A2Pro (liked it, but prefer the alnico 5 sound), Burstbucker Pro set (really good, but neck a little bland... best A5 humbucker I tried in the neck though), Burstbucker Pro Neck/'59 bridge (still have this setup in my other LP and I like it for the pushed sound...

Are there humbucker pickups that get closer to the Mean 90 sound? Articulate & clear, but nice & ballsy and throaty when pushed?? If so, I'll buy therm.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

If you like HB sized P90's, the Phat Cats also amazing.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

I've been looking at those too. Mean 90 and dream 180 with pearloid tops.

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Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

Mean 90's are good PU's, pretty popular here. Certainly can't beat the price. And in an LP, well, that's a great fit.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

I have a neck model mean 90 in the bridge slot of a BC Rich Gunslinger. On paper it shouldn't sound that great, but it ended up saving that guitar from being sold. It sounds terrific.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

I'm working a SP3 Custom, so I could care less.

That said - obviously a lot of Mean 90 love. Can't hate.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

The Mean 90's are closer to a real P90 than the Dream 90's. The Means have the full-size wider bobbin, the Dreams (which came first) have a Strat-sized narrow bobbin. If you want the P90 sound, the Means are the one to get.

Al
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

^This

Mean 90 is the real thing, Dream 90 is a useless pickup.
In a mahogany guitar the Mean 90 really shines in both positions, although I do prefer it at the neck with a A2 Paf style HB at the bridge, but that's subjective
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

looks like the Means only come in metal covers. Looks like I'm aiming for a Dream set then; I have to have my gaudy pearloid tops.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

I'm pretty sure the Means come in a black cover also.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

looks like the Means only come in metal covers. Looks like I'm aiming for a Dream set then; I have to have my gaudy pearloid tops.

If you're looking for P90 sound you won't get it with the Dreams, they are more of a Fender-ish single coil sound from what I've read.

Al
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

If you're looking for P90 sound you won't get it with the Dreams, they are more of a Fender-ish single coil sound from what I've read.

Al
I'd like to say I'm striving for that nasty dog-sounding P90 bite, but I'm not. I really just want pickups that look exactly like the dream 90s in white pearl/chrome cover in the neck and a dream 180 white pearl/chrome in the bridge. If they were Means I'd be stoked, but I have spent so much time fixing lackluster guitar sound that I'll figure out a way to get what I want out of them. I'm gonna tart up my Pelham SG. She gon' be a purdy lil lady....
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

Do the Mean 90s use two bar magnets like regular P-90s? How is it to swap mags in them? They do come in black.
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

Do the Mean 90s use two bar magnets like regular P-90s? How is it to swap mags in them? They do come in black.

Yes, two mags, and it's easy, just like swapping mags in any other P-90 (except Phat Cats, which are held together by the cover being soldered on, instead of using baseplate screws like everyone else in the world).
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

Could a person screw a Phat cat together by drill the base plate and bobbin (carefully of coerce) and screwing it together?
 
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Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

I snagged a couple of Dream 90's, and a Dream 180, from the Trading Post not long ago. I've got to find the time to get these in. :yell:
 
Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

So, is it two mags on both the mean and dream, or does the mean have 2 there the dream has one? 90s, I mean.

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Re: GFS Mean 90s ... where have you been all my life?

Could a person screw a Phat cat together by drill the base plate and bobbin (carefully of coerce) and screwing it together?

Yes, the keeper bar that the polepieces screw into has two holes that can be used to mount the bobbin to the baseplate, like a normal P90.
 
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