Gibson H90 pickup ?

[Lorenzar]

Hi !

I went to a store for trying some pedals this morning (and eventually bought a flanger by the way) and I've seen Gibson Les Paul Classic Antique Burst 2007 limited edition with P90 (like this one : http://www.californiamusic.fr/guita...assic-antique-burst-2007,produit_3915_fr.html)

As I tried the pedals, the P90 was actually sounded just like an humbucker to me, but sounded good (now, I haven't paid much attention to the guitar itself as I was focusing on effects pedals and the amp was total stranger to me).

Still I liked the guitar, played very good, very lightweight for a Les Paul, sounded good once again, but definitely sounded more like an humbucker than a P90.

I was intrigued and investigated a bit on Internet and found out some of those guitars are loaded with an H90 pickup, which is apparently a stacked P90 with another coil for hum cancelling etc... I called the store back, and they told me there's push/pull split on both tones, and now it makes sense, I guess you got kidn of an humbucker sound and when you split, you got the real P90.


Long story short, I found the humbucker sound to be alright, anybody have experience with H90, and especially with H90 when split for real P90 tone ? (I wish I noticed the tone pots were push pull !!).

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Gibson H90 pickup ?

I only remember those being In the Billie joe guitars

I’d buy the Gibson but swap the pickups anyway

That’s just my own thought I usually like to see if they’re good in construction and acoustically and if it is I know some good pickups will do it

I kinda dislike Gibson pickups in general because I find them to be kind of bland sounding, sorry

But it might work for you if you’re a little less demanding


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lorenzar]

Re: Gibson H90 pickup ?

Usually, when I buy a Gibson, I spend some time with the stock pickup but eventually I put SD in it.

This pickup got me really intrigued though, cause I want to have P90 but I'm a humbucker guy really. So with this push/pull option it sounds like a tempting design as I could use it like a real P90 when split, and get it back to "kinda humbucker" mode when needed, ala P-rail.

I found what Gibson replied to someone via email about the pickup :

"The H-90 pickups are complete P-90 pickups that have an under-wound enamel wire coil stacked below the single coil of the P-90. This provides some hum cancellation in the pickup. [...] BJA's pickup is not entirely hum-canceling, only reduces the hum from what you'd get on a P-90."

 

[orpheo]

Re: Gibson H90 pickup ?

a stacked p90 will never sound like a real p90 when you split off the other coil. that's because of so many reasons... it will get you close, though, but still, not a real p90 tone. A decent tone, sometimes maybe even a killer kick ass tone.

That being said. I'd get a set of p90's that are really, really well made (i.e. lollar, fralin, axesrus) and have fun that way.

 

[Lorenzar]

Re: Gibson H90 pickup ?

I hear ya, but since I don't have a P90 guitar yet, I guess the H90 when split would get me in the ballpark...I mean it must be at the very least as close to a real P90 as an humbucker sized P90 like Phat Cat, Prail etc....

Now, obviously, if after spending most of my time in the P90 position with this guitar, I'd probably go for better and proper P90 and new electronics without push/pull etc...

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Gibson H90 pickup ?

I hear ya, but since I don't have a P90 guitar yet, I guess the H90 when split would get me in the ballpark...I mean it must be at the very least as close to a real P90 as an humbucker sized P90 like Phat Cat, Prail etc....

Now, obviously, if after spending most of my time in the P90 position with this guitar, I'd probably go for better and proper P90 and new electronics without push/pull etc...

IMHO, we spend too much time trying to define perfect tones and related nomenclature (see the recent 'vintage' thread-

I like to read a lot of reviews to get a ballpark idea, but then I buy something that sounds close and figure out if I can make it work- I've got some p90 like pups that outperform many real p90s and I have real p90s that work perfectly for specific builds. There are so, so many variables from pots to preamps that the only way you can tell it is try it out-

So I like your approach- get some H90s, compare and contrast with some cheapo p90s (have had good experience with the GFS over wounds) and compare and contrast with SD, Lollars if you have the $- Then you will know what works for you and you will know all the variables made it work.