Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

[zionstrat]

Trades and sales have been good to me this year and I ended up with a 20th anniversary like the following that I think I will hold on to for a while-



I love the sound and feel and Reverend wiring, but their neck cp90s are a bit clean for me-

I'd like a p90s thats a little overwound so it will darken up and drive and growl, but I'd like it to clean it up with a control bypass (blower). Considering Reverand's pup is 42 gauge wire, alnico 5 magnets, 7.5K, I'm thinking about the following_

• Fralin Overwound- Have loved Fralin's in past builds
• SD Vintage P90 Neck- 8k may not be enough umph
• SD Vintage P90 Bridge- 8.5
• GFS FS Alnico Vintage - 8.8 maybe getting to dark to clean up with blower?

Considering p90s are such a simple design, I think the brand is probably less important than winds that get into the sweet spot I am looking for-

With that said, I've heard such good things about the GFS, they cost 1/3 of the others, so I might just start there to see if 8.8 is more than I'm looking for.

But I'm in no hurry, so open to any and all ideas you guys can think of -

Thanks much!
ZS

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

Bump- I know the P90 gurus are out there.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

How about 2 neck Custom P90s? The Vintage P90 bridge is listed at 9.7k, too.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

How about 2 neck Custom P90s? The Vintage P90 bridge is listed at 9.7k, too.

Wow, I would have imagined that 9.7 is getting up there, but maybe it would work- Blowers are always a bit of a shot in the dark for me- We're always unloading about the same resistance, but it seems to have far more impact on some pickups than others.

It would be so much fun to compare an 8.5, 9.0 and 9.7 to see how thick they go and how much they clean up with the bypass.

Thanks for the ideas, maybe I'll get more than one

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

Have you tried raising the stock pickup? Getting enough oomph out of a stock neck pickup is rarely difficult. It's usually too much oomph that is the problem in that position.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

Have you tried raising the stock pickup? Getting enough oomph out of a stock neck pickup is rarely difficult. It's usually too much oomph that is the problem in that position.

Great question... I raised as far as it will go, but it could use more foam and will get some under it later in the week...

But the volume isn't the real issue... I like darker p90s for lead and this one is very clear and clean.

But will give it a try as pup adjustments can be surpriseing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

Great question... I raised as far as it will go, but it could use more foam and will get some under it later in the week...

But the volume isn't the real issue... I like darker p90s for lead and this one is very clear and clean.

But will give it a try as pup adjustments can be surpriseing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

My comments were mainly in regards to altering tone, not just making the pickup louder. The volume increase will of course cause the pickup to be less clean, because it'll saturate your amp more. But even if the poles were adjusted down to prevent this, raising the pickup would make a significant tonal difference IME, making it seem more round and fat, alleviating some of the clean sound.

One worthwhile mod for P-90 soapbars is to install a pickup adjustment bar in the bottom of the pickup cavity, so you don't have to monkey with foam and all its associated B.S. It's just a strip of metal that you drill and tap for P-90 adjustment screws, so that you can use springs instead of foam. You also drill and countersink for screws to mount the bar into the bottom of the pickup cavity.

Another option for P-90 adjustment for you, since your guitar's pickguard covers the edges of the P-90, is to convert to batwing SG Special-style P-90's. These adjust using screws through the pickguard on either end, like Strat pickups. This is a fairly uncommon P90 type that basically consists of a soapbar cover, but a slightly modified dogear baseplate. The adjustment screws catch the "ears" on the doagear baseplate. Your rout would have to be modified (widened to make room for the ears), but it's a great way to set up P90's IMO.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

My comments were mainly in regards to altering tone, not just making the pickup louder. The volume increase will of course cause the pickup to be less clean, because it'll saturate your amp more. But even if the poles were adjusted down to prevent this, raising the pickup would make a significant tonal difference IME, making it seem more round and fat, alleviating some of the clean sound.

One worthwhile mod for P-90 soapbars is to install a pickup adjustment bar in the bottom of the pickup cavity, so you don't have to monkey with foam and all its associated B.S. It's just a strip of metal that you drill and tap for P-90 adjustment screws, so that you can use springs instead of foam. You also drill and countersink for screws to mount the bar into the bottom of the pickup cavity.

Another option for P-90 adjustment for you, since your guitar's pickguard covers the edges of the P-90, is to convert to batwing SG Special-style P-90's. These adjust using screws through the pickguard on either end, like Strat pickups. This is a fairly uncommon P90 type that basically consists of a soapbar cover, but a slightly modified dogear baseplate. The adjustment screws catch the "ears" on the doagear baseplate. Your rout would have to be modified (widened to make room for the ears), but it's a great way to set up P90's IMO.

Thanks Itsa= Good input!
Z

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Ideas for a P90 for a Reverend Double Agent

Gigged the Reverend and it sounds just as I expected... Incredible bridge and P90 would be fine for most, but I need more umph..
We will let u know where I go and thanks for ideas!

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