HB vs P90

R

rts99

New member
I'm looking for a new SG. I've played a few HB equiped versions but I'm disappointed in the tone. I find it very muddy. I currently have an HSS strat that's about 5 yrs old. Nothing special, just alnico SC & bridge HB. The tone suits me just fine. I'm curious if the P90 pickups will sound more like my strat. Any thoughts?

I played an HB equipped SG regularly when I was a kid. I don't remember the sound being much different than my strat, but time is a slippery thing.

Thanks.
 
Re: HB vs P90

If the SG's you've been playing have the 490R/490T set, I understand why you'd find them muddy. They're OK pickups but I like them better in other guitars (Strat) and I like other pickups in an SG (Custom, 59). You can also do a mag swap to alnico 5 on the 490's to get them closer to a 59 set...I believe blueman335 is an advocate of changing Gibbo mags.
 
Re: HB vs P90

I find that P90s are not less muddy than PAF class humbuckers, and in fact I never found P90ties as bright as the brighter PAFs.

Let's start at the beginning, which humbuckers did you try in that SG?
 
Re: HB vs P90

Putting P90s in your SG will not make it sound like a Strat, but I don't think they're as warm (or muddy) as those stock HBs. They're an altogether different beast. No amount of forum reading will give you a clear idea of what they're about, so I strongly suggest you go to a store and hear them for yourself. One thing I can tell you: You're in for a treat!

- Keith
 
Re: HB vs P90

Pink Unicorn Horsey said:
Putting P90s in your SG will not make it sound like a Strat, but I don't think they're as warm (or muddy) as those stock HBs. They're an altogether different beast. No amount of forum reading will give you a clear idea of what they're about, so I strongly suggest you go to a store and hear them for yourself. One thing I can tell you: You're in for a treat!

- Keith
Click to expand...

I agree.

P90s are like a middle ground between single coils and humbuckers. You won't sound like a strat.
 
Re: HB vs P90

Definitely won't sound like a strat, but will have more clarity than a humbucker on cleans, but have a nice grindy tone when distorted.
 
Re: HB vs P90

chill said:
If the SG's you've been playing have the 490R/490T set, I understand why you'd find them muddy. They're OK pickups but I like them better in other guitars (Strat) and I like other pickups in an SG (Custom, 59). You can also do a mag swap to alnico 5 on the 490's to get them closer to a 59 set...I believe blueman335 is an advocate of changing Gibbo mags.
Click to expand...

+1. Get an A5 in that neck HB, and maybe the bridge. Whole new ballgame.
 
Re: HB vs P90

I personally think you should go with the P90s. They just have something about them that makes them raunchy and sweet at the same time and its just beautiful :bigthumb:
 
Re: HB vs P90

Oceano said:
I personally think you should go with the P90s. They just have something about them that makes them raunchy and sweet at the same time and its just beautiful :bigthumb:
Click to expand...

+1. An SG Classic (P-90's) is a great guitar. Think early Santana, Townsend, & Iommi.
 
Re: HB vs P90

You find the SG Standards muddy ? Wowzers. I guess you wouldn't like mine with the Invader set. lol

I played an SG Classic at a local shop a few months ago. Really nice guitar ! prertty nice price tag too. Quite different from the Standard (because of the P-90s)
 
Re: HB vs P90

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Re: HB vs P90

mrturtle_91 said:
Definitely won't sound like a strat, but will have more clarity than a humbucker on cleans, but have a nice grindy tone when distorted.
Click to expand...

This is really not true as such.

Humbucker such as the APH1 bridge, the WCR crossroads and Antiquity neck have more clarity than any Soapbar.

There is still the single point of string movement "vision" thing which causes the humbuckers to have a little bit of a roar that the P90 doesn't have. But this doesn't directly affect clarity.

Soapbars with A5 for both magnets get more harsh and ballsy than clear, this doesn't really give you a P90 with clarity either.

The only P90 with more clarity I have heard is a P-Rails with the fat coil alone active, but that also moves you into the smooth and Hi-fi region.
 
Re: HB vs P90

BTW, if you really want to move towards Fender style sounds you need pickups with rod magnets (as opposed to bar magnets on the bottom and passively magnetic polepieces).

Examples are Staple pickups (also Phat Staples), Fender wide-range humbuckers (careful, different format) and the SD Custom shop 3+3 rod and Strat-in-humbucker pickups.
 
Re: HB vs P90

uOpt said:
This is really not true as such.

Humbucker such as the APH1 bridge, the WCR crossroads and Antiquity neck have more clarity than any Soapbar.

There is still the single point of string movement "vision" thing which causes the humbuckers to have a little bit of a roar that the P90 doesn't have. But this doesn't directly affect clarity.

Soapbars with A5 for both magnets get more harsh and ballsy than clear, this doesn't really give you a P90 with clarity either.

The only P90 with more clarity I have heard is a P-Rails with the fat coil alone active, but that also moves you into the smooth and Hi-fi region.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, cause all the P-90's I've heard have been much clearer sounding than any humbucker. I guess our ears are different.
 
Re: HB vs P90

uOpt said:
I find that P90s are not less muddy than PAF class humbuckers, and in fact I never found P90ties as bright as the brighter PAFs.

Let's start at the beginning, which humbuckers did you try in that SG?
Click to expand...


I'm told 1 had 490s, 1 had Classic 57s, 1 had "Dirty Fingers" (have no idea who makes these).
 
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