Lew, question about Fralin P90s

[Alvin Lee Fan]

I see Fralin makes a P90 that has alnico magnet polepieces. But on the Fralin website, it says it's only available as a dog-ear mount. Can these be had in soapbar version too?

I'm looking for something a little different for my LP Pro Deluxe. I want something with a great, musical clean tone but still retaining some P90 punch and growl. You have any experience with these pickups?

FWIW, I'm currently using Duncan P90s, a Vintage neck and Antiquity bridge. I've got a severe volume imbalance and the bridge pickup lacks any real character. It sounds kind of thin and two-dimensional compared to the neck pickup. I like the neck pickup, but it's very loud and midrangy, even backed down as far as I can lower it.

Thanks!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Lew, question about Fralin P90s

The alnico pole P90's have a bt more of a Strat tonality. That's about all I know about them.

I like the Fralin -10% neck/+5% bridge set...that's the one I used in my Hamer USA Gold Top.

It came with Duncan P90's. I believe a Hot bridge and Custom neck...or maybe vice versa? Those were terrific pickups but I wanted a set with a more vintage tone but just a little clearer neck pickup tone and a little ballsier bridge pickup tone than vintage but not quite as strong as the Duncan Hot bridge P-90.

But for you, I have a feeling you'd really like that Duncan Hot P-90 or the Duncan Custom P-90! Great for slightly overdriven ZZ Top type boogie and bluesy rock tones.

I'd just swap out that Antiquity for something hotter: Duncan Hot or Custom P-90.

Lew

 

[Alvin Lee Fan]

Re: Lew, question about Fralin P90s

I initially had a Duncan Custom P90 in the bridge and swapped it for the Antiquity because it too didn't show a lot of personality. It matched very well volume-wise to the neck however. Maybe that's just the nature of bridge P90s?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Lew, question about Fralin P90s

I dunno. P-90's are not really my cup of tea I guess. It does seem to me that the neck pickup needs to be about a 15% underwound compared to the bridge pickup for them to sound balanced though. I don't own any guitars with P-90's at the moment, though I have nice '56 Les Paul with P-90's staying at my house right now. I never play it though. I'd rather go much cleaner and play my Strat or Tele or go much hotter and play my guitars with humbuckers. Lew