Noiseless P90 ?

[gmacdonnell]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

I agree that no stacked P-90 will ever have the vibe, tenacity and sheer mojo of an original, a Duncan Antiquity, a Fralin or a Lollar, (I actually like Lollar's even better than the originals,) but sometimes, their noise is pretty problematic.

I've had singers and band leaders shoot me very dirty looks over the hum and squeal, and been "talked to" a couple times. I was almost thrown out of a session by a very well-known engineer, who simply cannot stand hum.

So while I agree about the tone of P-90's, having a viable, noiseless alternative is very important as well.

I don't use much overdrive or distortion, let alone fuzz or other effects, but for player who do, who want an alternative to regular humbuckers, some of the stacked P-90's would be a very nice choice, as well.

 

[cheezemaster]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

I'm with the "deal with the hum" camp. Hum is really only noticable when you're not actually playing - so you can do any of the following between songs - or in parts where you're not playing:

1. turn the volume knob all the way down
2. if the other pickup is RWRP, flip it into the middle position
3. get some kind of noise suppresion/gate pedal ala the Rocktron Hush and stomp on it between tunes.

 

[ugameus]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Maybe a Bill Lawrence L-610

 

[gmacdonnell]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

It's not just the hum; it's also the interference you get from bad wiring, plus the hum induced by neon light, and computer monitors in a modern studio equal up to noise that isn't just "while you're not playing." A pit orchestra on Broadway, or a club in the Village, a studio in upstate NY or NJ, or CA, these aren't the places where you want to be dealing with this noise.

For most gigs, you can get away with it.
Believe me, I love P-90's. I have a all-original '59 LP Jr. But sometimes, mostly in professional situations, they are simply too noisy. Noise gates can work wonders, but in some situations, you either have noise and buzz, or a noise gate stutter, even with a top-end unit.

Come on, there's no need to insult people because they don't like noise and hum, especially if there's a decent alternative that works in those situations.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

^_^

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

i couldn't take the hum on my soapbar guitar, so i put some of the p-sized emgs in it - an 85 and a 60a. hum gone.... ahh. however, the only thing they have in common with the soapbars they replaced is the size. if i were to swap them out for some passives, i'd go with some dimarzio DLX pups. i like that they have two rows of adjustable polepieces for your tinkering pleasure.

 

[gmacdonnell]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

no longer needed...

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

pcorn:

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

I don't know, and haven't worked with any artists, producers or engineers at Virgin, Epic, Verve or Columbia who've had that kind of attitude and lasted more than their 15 minutes.

Do they have "can't take a joke" attitudes? Or "I take myself entirely too seriously" attitudes? :doh:

maybe we need a round of kumbaya

 

[sosomething]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

I'm not mad. Sexism, arrogance, immaturity, and close-mindedness just frustrate me. Then again, they tend to go hand-in-hand with ignorance, which makes me kind of feel sorry for you.

You're free to think whatever you want, but other people are allowed their opinions without being attacked for expressing them.

This forum is for sharing information, and the original question was which stacked pickups sounded good, not whether or not they should exist.

Good luck with your career in music; I hope your talent can make up for your attitude, but that's rarely the case.

I don't know, and haven't worked with any artists, producers or engineers at Virgin, Epic, Verve or Columbia who've had that kind of attitude and lasted more than their 15 minutes. The ones who show some class, courtesy and generosity are the only ones who last.

Good luck.

I'm willing to bet those artists, producers, and engineers you claim to work with at "Virgin, Epic, Verve and Columbia" with the classy attitudes all make fun of you behind your back because you can't distinguish obvious sarcasm from serious comment.

You sit there with your fifty-seven posts and your membership so fresh it still has the plastic on it, presuming to tell me what this forum is for while calling me sexist, close-minded, arrogant, immature, and ignorant out of the other side of your mouth as if you knew anything about me at all.

This is a tight-knit and supportive community with a lot to offer - the folks here are generally friendly and pretty welcoming of new members, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't behoove you to get the lay of the land, get to know some of the different personalities here, and come correct before you start telling people how you feel sorry for them.

I'm pretty sure that's how things work out in the real world as well.

 

[Stratfan]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Here's a YouTube comparison using the same guitar and amp for both.

Epi P-90s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thR3a7wTPkk


Seymour Duncan noiseless P-90s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPUaBXLie60&feature=related


The noiseless sound pretty good on the video.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

This is a tight-knit and supportive community with a lot to offer - the folks here are generally friendly and pretty welcoming of new members.

Well, you've certainly given the guy a warm welcome. Well done! How about showing some of that "tight knit, supportive" community. He certainly knows more than a lot of the members & we can use his knowledge & experience. And having a lot of posts here doesn't make anyone a genius...you, me, or anyone else. Just means we spend too much time on the computer.

To gmacdonnell: Things got off to a bumpy start here, but don't let that scare you off. We're normally friendly. Glad you're here.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Well, you've certainly given the guy a warm welcome. Well done! How about showing some of that "tight knit, supportive" community. He certainly knows more than a lot of the members & we can use his knowledge & experience. And having a lot of posts here doesn't make anyone a genius...you, me, or anyone else. Just means we spend too much time on the computer.

To gmacdonnell: Things got off to a bumpy start here, but don't let that scare you off. We're normally friendly. Glad you're here.

I'll second that. If you remember changing schools when you were a kid, you'll know that the bullies and losers show up to greet you first. Once you make it through that, you'll find some decent friends.

This post shows the difference between someone who is making a living with his craft, and someone living on Kraft and his inflated sense of ideals.

An amateur is someone who does what he wants, and a professional is someone that does what the music wants.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

It's already been established that you're a dick with more mouth than sense, so I suspect you'll all become fast friends.

Indeed. Have you always been this clever?

 

[sosomething]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Indeed. Have you always been this clever?

That depends on who you ask. I find my wit to be so sharp that I poke myself with it sometimes.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

I've always found stacked P90's leave a lot to be desired. I don't know if Duncan has any plans to add the technology from their Classic Stack Plus to the P90 arena, but that might be a nice idea.

I've found P90's respond fairly well to a complete shielding. There's usually enough room under the cover to simply wrap the pickup in shielding tape. It's far less tone-altering than a bottom coil, and it usually makes the P90 more manageable.

Good tip --- I may try that at your recommendation, my PRS Soapbar is so noisy that my band complains about it

 

[lyongraulty]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Good tip --- I may try that at your recommendation, my PRS Soapbar is so noisy that my band complains about it

I'm glad some of us are staying on topic. I'm mean really - c'mon kids.

I personally don't mind the P90 hum when I'm playing. I think it adds character and I mute my guitar when I'm not playing it anyway.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Actually, you're not on topic. The OP asked if people knew of noiseless P-90s, not if we all agreed that the noise was bothersome. Now he has paid dearly for it, and got a good education about the wonders of sharing on online forums.

I haven't shared anything valuable, so really, I am way off topic. But I have been in his place, where the butter brigade shows up to smear themselves all over a decent thread.

So in the interest of adding something, everyone I know with P-100s does not like them. A friend of mine rigged up a dummy coil in his guitar that is not near the strings, and he can control the amount of bucking with a pot. He likes it.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

Actually, you're not on topic. The OP asked if people knew of noiseless P-90s, not if we all agreed that the noise was bothersome. Now he has paid dearly for it, and got a good education about the wonders of sharing on online forums.

I haven't shared anything valuable, so really, I am way off topic. But I have been in his place, where the butter brigade shows up to smear themselves all over a decent thread.

So in the interest of adding something, everyone I know with P-100s does not like them. A friend of mine rigged up a dummy coil in his guitar that is not near the strings, and he can control the amount of bucking with a pot. He likes it.

I don't know what the hell the "butter brigade" means but it sounds like the kind of club I'd like to be in.

Do we have a Brigade Charter? If not I'd be willing to draft something up.

Also, did you know that dipping your P-90s in fabric softener makes them smell fresh for days?

 

[The Usual]

Re: Noiseless P90 ?

I don't know what the hell the "butter brigade" means but it sounds like the kind of club I'd like to be in.

Do we have a Brigade Charter? If not I'd be willing to draft something up.

Also, did you know that dipping your P-90s in fabric softener makes them smell fresh for days?

Good for you. Again my thoughts about you have been validated. Enough time to go through all of my threads to find something to hit me with, and drag into somoeone elses thread.

I don't have to go anywhere to sum you up. Your first post on this thread, was no doubt enough to encapsulate your other 7K posts. You must be a fine musician, with all that spare time. Is your amp orange tolex? Or is that from all those cheetos you eat, watching Zena Warrior Princess and the Price Is Right?