HB (B) and P90 (N) choice for a kind of bright LP style guitar

[RockinProf]

Hi all,

Pulled out and set up the early 80's Ibanez Artist I had sitting in the guitar closet. Plugged it in and thought the pickups that are in it just aren't the right match for what I want to do with that guitar. Thinking that if I went more classic and went with a vintage bridge humbucker and a P90 style in the neck I could utilize this really nice guitar a lot more.

At the moment I'm between the SD Phat Cat and the Gibson P94 for the neck. Some have said that the P94 is a little backed of in the snap but being that this is a naturally bright guitar (maple set neck and a big slab carved maple top)... maybe that might work out. Going for versatility as I might do finger style rhythm one moment and high gain lead stuff the next. Thoughts in general?

For the bridge, again going for a good all over the map vintage humbucker. Matching with a Phat Cat or P94 in this brightish LP style guitar, would a Seth Lover, a 59 or something else I haven't considered work best?

Thanks!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: HB (B) and P90 (N) choice for a kind of bright LP style guitar

The Phat Cat in its stock configuration is a bit dark (which might not be a bad idea in your case) and doesn't quite have the traditional P90 tone due to its twin A2s. If you are comfortable with magnet swaps, you might fair well switching out one of the A2s for an A5. Another alternative would be a GFS Mean 90, which is actually a pretty nice pickup.

As for the bridge, I think you would get the most versatility out of a moderate output pickup. Maybe a Pegasus or Perpetual Burn bridge. If you want to go the more vintage route, I'd say a Whole Lotta Humbucker might suit you the best.

 

[RockinProf]

Re: HB (B) and P90 (N) choice for a kind of bright LP style guitar

Thanks for the reply,

Sounds like the Phat Cat might be a good starting point for the neck. For the bridge I actually have a Jason Becker Perpetual Burn in there now. While I think it's a great pickup, it just isn't doing it in this guitar. I'm not a lots of bass guy by any extent (rarely to never have the bass on any of my amps past 4.5), but in the Artist the Becker is kind of brittle and lacking any oomph. That's even when I changed the volume pot off to 250K. However, I do have the one controls disconnected all together, so perhaps I should reconnect and see if that rounds them out.

Thanks again

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: HB (B) and P90 (N) choice for a kind of bright LP style guitar

I'm going conventional and not so conventional in the same recommendation. Seth Lover Bridge and Custom Shop Humbuckers in P90. You can have the P90 bucker wound to the specs of any HB SD makes, or any tone you can describe to the custom shop. I really think that is such a cool pickup. I'm even thinking about getting a P90 guitar, just to put those in.... and I really dislike P90's in general.

You really can't go wrong with the Seth Lover though. It sounds so good in everything I've ever put it in and it goes from crystal clean to blues to hard rock like it's no big deal.