Let's Talk P90s

PUCKBOY99

PUCKBOY99

Irish Flagologist
Name some humbucker sized P90s that you guys have tried.....

Do they sound the same as a "soapbar" or are they still missing something?

I had a Goldtop a while back that had a pair of Duncan P90s in it....damn thing SMOKED!

And like a fool, I sold it for a "must have" item that I'm sure I've since sold :smack:

Anyway, I'm thinking of getting some Phat Cats for my McCarty, but thought I'd ask to see if your fellas have had any luck with any other brands/types.

:beerchug:

ALSO: for the Brobucker users out there....how do you think a Phat Cat in the neck would jive with a Brobucker?
 
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Re: Let's Talk P90s

Hands-down the most authentic sounding hum-sized P-90's I've ever laid my hands on were from a company named Vintage Vibe. They nailed the Muddy Waters "I'm Ready" tone solid. I kick myself for ever parting with them but at the time I really needed something with hums in it and was stupid to sell them. Someday I'll likely get another set and start my email with "I'm an idiot and will never make the same mistake again."

The GFS Dream 90's are a great pick. I have a set in my Black Beauty clone and it's a little hotter than the Vintage Vibes. However with some volume tweaking you get what you're looking for in that area. With some dirt they get really nice tone out of them and plenty of cut-thru. The real selling point is that they're VERY quiet, at least the set in mine are. Cutting to the middle position is almost wholly unnecessary for them in situations with alot of interference or gain.
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Thanks Skarey.....someone on The Gear Page made the same recommendation (Vintage Vibes) & I'll check the GFSs :beerchug:
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

I will offer a 2nd coolio on the dream 90s. Very quiet for a sc pickup, still get some buzz, but I personally like that stuff, much quiter than my 56 Jr. I have a clip I tossed up on the clips section. I
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

I did a quick search earlier.....where can you get the GFSs other than E-bay ?


I've got it narrowed down to....

GFS Dream 90
Fralin P-92
Gibson P-94
Vintage Vibe H-90s

Anything else ???

Lew...oh tone guru to the meager masses..........:D
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

GFS is available at guitarfetish.com
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Skarekrough said:
GFS is available at guitarfetish.com
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$30.00 BUCKS EACH....ARE YOU KIDDING ME ???!!!!!

Ordered a set & they'll be shipping directly !!! :beerchug:

I almost went with the Dream 90 neck/Mean 90 bridge, but just got the Dream 90 set......for $30, ya' can't go wrong :wink:
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

PUCKBOY99 said:
$30.00 BUCKS EACH....ARE YOU KIDDING ME ???!!!!!

Ordered a set & they'll be shipping directly !!! :beerchug:

I almost went with the Dream 90 neck/Mean 90 bridge, but just got the Dream 90 set......for $30, ya' can't go wrong :wink:
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They're not bad pickups either.

Honestly, I think they're really a niche pickup. I have my Duncan's and I have my GFS and I really feel that they occupy different places and needs for me.
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

For the cost, I figure they're worth a try.....if they don't work out or if I wanna try something else, I'm not out that much dough.

Thanks for the heads up !
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Be a man! P-90 sized P-90's. My Vinatge/Custom combo is AWESOME!
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

In a perfect world, I would have P90 sized P90s.....but I like the guitar, just not hot on the pickups :bigok:
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Just got an Epiphone Spirit (1982) and the previous owner put in Harmonic Designs Z-90. Humbucker sized P90s. I really like the neck - very articulate w tight low end. Z-90 Bridge is too weak and I'm going to bastardize the guitar and keep the Z-90 in the neck and then throw a HB in the bridge.

The Z90 neck is nice but nowhere near as hot and nasty as the Duncan Hot Soapbar P-90 I have in my Fender CS Tele Jr. I had the Tele Jr first so to my ears I feel the Z-90 is missing some of the hair and attitude of the Duncan Hot P90. Z-90 is more refined and polite. The Duncan Hot P90 is rude and the pup you want to be playing when the strippers are in the audience and you want to get 'em all juiced up!
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

99frets said:
The Duncan Hot P90 is rude and the pup you want to be playing when the strippers are in the audience and you want to get 'em all juiced up!
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:banana: :dance: :banana: :dance: :banana:

NICE !!! :D

Yeah, I had a Custom 3/Custom 2 mix & they were bad A$$......we'll see what happens with these Dream 90s :wink:
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Skarekrough said:
They're not bad pickups either.

Honestly, I think they're really a niche pickup. I have my Duncan's and I have my GFS and I really feel that they occupy different places and needs for me.
Click to expand...


Sorry to just sorta jump in here as a lurker-turned-poster.
I was looking to change out the bridge pickup of my '06 Epiphone LP Standard to a p90.
Would it be worth it to just swap the bridge, or best to swap both?
Looking to keep that more classic rock sound, just something a little different than the stock pickups that are in there. I like the sound of Mike Ness' goldtop with P90's, for instance..
Thanks.
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Mike V. said:
Sorry to just sorta jump in here as a lurker-turned-poster.
I was looking to change out the bridge pickup of my '06 Epiphone LP Standard to a p90.
Would it be worth it to just swap the bridge, or best to swap both?
Looking to keep that more classic rock sound, just something a little different than the stock pickups that are in there. I like the sound of Mike Ness' goldtop with P90's, for instance..
Thanks.
Click to expand...

It's all up to personal tastes.

With the hotter GFS ones I can see where I might easily consider putting a 59' in the bridge or even something a touch hotter than that. Aesthetically the tonal appeal would be to lose some of the snap in turn for something a little rounder sounding.

With teh Vintage Vibe's I think they would be VERY out of place sounding with a different pickup in the bridge. But I can see where some folks would want that.

Mike Ness has a great sound but it's not what I immediately think of with P-90's. I'm a huge Social D fan and I can say that his tone could pretty likely be gotten with a humbucker.
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

PUCKBOY99 said:
ALSO: for the Brobucker users out there....how do you think a Phat Cat in the neck would jive with a Brobucker?
Click to expand...


Though I have not tried it yet, that combo has always interested me too. I think that it would sound incredible.
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Skarekrough said:
It's all up to personal tastes.

With the hotter GFS ones I can see where I might easily consider putting a 59' in the bridge or even something a touch hotter than that. Aesthetically the tonal appeal would be to lose some of the snap in turn for something a little rounder sounding.

With teh Vintage Vibe's I think they would be VERY out of place sounding with a different pickup in the bridge. But I can see where some folks would want that.

Mike Ness has a great sound but it's not what I immediately think of with P-90's. I'm a huge Social D fan and I can say that his tone could pretty likely be gotten with a humbucker.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the fast answer.
I think the bottom line really is that I need to swap out those pickups for better ones.
I was looking at that guitar fetish web page. These might make the best sense for updating a 400 dollar guitar, you know?
I think I should get a matched set. Trying to figure out if I want to go P90 or PAF. Different sound, I know.. :)
I play on a Peavey Delta Blues 210. No pedals or outside effects. Just like that natural overdrive and a more classic sound.
Great board here.
Peace.
 
Re: Let's Talk P90s

Mike V. said:
Sorry to just sorta jump in here as a lurker-turned-poster.
I like the sound of Mike Ness' goldtop
with P90's, for instance..
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Mike Ness actually uses a hotter version of the P-90 (SP90-2) made by Seymour Duncan (of course). His tone is quite unique and you pretty much have to have an aged mahogany body with a set-neck to get that kinda warmth mixed with that kinda grit. I'm pretty sure Ness is still playin through a tube Marshall these days although it's been a few years since I was a punk rocker that paid attention to their equipment.

The nice thing is if you roll some gain away from the Ness sound you pretty much have the PERFECT rock guitar tone. I love those hot P-90's from Duncan and one day I'd like to get a 56 re-issue Gibby Goldtop to throw them into.

Of course those are soapbar sized, to get that sound in a humbucker size... well, you just can't. You can come close though, like it was said eariler in the thread by someone... I REALLY REALLY LIKE THOSE GFS ONES!! My buddy threw those into his Stagg (PRS copy) and that guitar was sounding SICK!!
 
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