I need something with P90's

[Bill Dennis]

I need an instrument with classic P90 snarl. I have been looking at the Phat Cat, P-Rail and others as I have humbucker instruments that could be converted. I am just not sold that the "p90 in humbucker size" really does the P90 thing well. Alternatively for just a few hundred more, something like an Epi Double cut special is the whole enchilada with correct bridge, scale length etc..

Are the Phat Cats et al really capable or is it a compromise? God knows I need another guitar like I need a hole in the head but if I am going to pony up, I want to do it once and get what I need and not sorta / kinda get there and not be happy with it.

So what's the real story on these pickups?

 

[Chistopher]

Phat Cat is a P90, just shaped like a humbucker and with A2 magnets instead of the traditional A5s. Two magnets per pickup.

Bluesbucker is the DMZ humbucker sized P90. It sounds close enough to a P90 for my purposes. Very interesting architecture on it

 

[justFred]

The P-Rail has A5 mag and is the best P90 sound I have found.

 

[Bill Dennis]

The P-Rail has A5 mag and is the best P90 sound I have found.

I just wish they could do that without the rail I will never use

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I liked the Phat Cat in the neck better than the P Rails in the neck. But it depends on what you want, really. The Phat Cat feels smoother and also more controlled in the low-end. The P Rails is edgier.

I have very little experience with actual P90's, but I find the Phat Cat to be a really nice neck pickup that matches well with a variety of bridge humbuckers.

Haven't tried either in the bridge.

 

[justFred]

I just wish they could do that without the rail I will never use

If you set it up for wiring a p-rail pickup with coils in parallel it sounds really good.

 

[Bill Dennis]

I want edgy. Think Mississippi Queen or George Thorogood

 

[Mincer]

Both the Phat Cat and the P-Rails get wonderful P90 sounds.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I want edgy. Think Mississippi Queen or George Thorogood

Out of the two, I'd definitely say the P Rails are edgier. The Phat Cats are more polite.

 

[jeremy]

a2 in the phat cat vs a5 in the prails. a buddy of mine has a lp junior type guitar that has a bucker rout. he swapped two a5 bars into a phat cat and loves it. it sounds great! i like the a2 phat cat bridge, but dont love the neck. found it hard to get good balance between the neck and bridge

 

[Bill Dennis]

It sounds like most of you think the pickups are capable. I need to do more home work on the P Rail.. The examples of the Phat Cats I have heard so far sound more humbucker than P 90 to me. I just have not heard the bright snarl I would expect from a great P90

 

[jeremy]

the p90 is my favorite sound of the prail. its a duncan vintage p90