P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

[Empty Pockets]

I have been wanting to try the Super Distortion soapbar since I got my Les Paul Special. Have any of you experimented with it? Is it that classic SD tone? How's it handle series / split / parallel?

I loved the SD in my Strat and have been wanting to try it again... maybe move the Phat Cat from the bridge to the neck, drop an SD in the bridge, then have a pair of guitars with P-90s in the neck and SDs in the bridge :smokin:

Feedback and opinions are appreciated.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

I had a SuperD P-90. They are loud and punchy.
IMO , there is nothing like a real P-90. Not a humbucking P-90, or a P-90 in a humbucker or mixed format and there never will be.if you want P-90, better make sure its a real P-90.
Actually, I want a BFG. The mix of a Invader bridge with a hot P-90 neck, like SP90'2n, is deadly; its got massive punch in the middle position unlike anything Ive ever heard, and I love it!

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

Loud and punchy sounds good. I don't expect it to sound like a P-90... I was thinking P-90 neck with classic 70s riffbucker and a couple of push-pulls would make for a good rocknblues axe.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

i have one and really like it.
i've played a few super distortion humbuckers but they've almost always been in other guys' gear, so I'm not an expert on them but i'd say yes. it's definitely close enough for me, anyway

were you going to get one for your strat or LP? i've tried a heap of pickups in a prs se soapbar II and it's my favorite so far. the virtual P90s, DLXs, P90 tone zone etc don't come close. i preferred it in series in the bridge, but even in parallel it was too loud and too warm for me in the neck. could work for you though?
it's difficult not to carve out excellent metal riffage with it, and if you're into tuning down it can handle it.

i thought it sounded bright and thin in a friend's ibanez, but to be fair it had a floyd and a thin body, 008s, and an amp set-up i didn't like. and at the time i was used to playing 012s in standard on my LP to tighten up the JB/russian muff/supertwin set-up i had.
i made many mistakes in my youth.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

Not tried the DiMarzio but I do have a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop JB90. As you can probably imagine, this amounts to a JB humbucker squeezed into a soapbar sized cover. Of necessity, the polepiece screws are set off-centre. Looks kinda ugly but absolutely rips.

The downside is that this is/was not what I really wanted of a Junior or Special style guitar. I wanted the traditional Blues/Rock tone and dynamics. I reverted to an SD Antiquity.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

I have the DLX plus in the bridge of a USA Hamer Special. I like it a lot. It is plenty hot but doesn't come off as over the top hot as the specs indicate, and it cleans up very well. Also has a great clean tone. Punchy, hot but not over the top hot, bright without being harsh, and very clear sounding. It's designed a lot like a Steve's Special humbucker with a mid scoop that makes it sound articulate and clear in spite of the power, and I think that is the reason it does clean sounds so well and sounds so clear. It's an excellent choice if you want to keep some P-90 ish clarity with something hum free and more powerful. I mixes surprisingly well with the Lollar Firebird in the neck position, where the specs would make you think it would be far too hot for that.

If the super D P-90 accomplishes what it was designed to do anywhere near that well, I'm sure it would be a good pickup for getting that tone.

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

Not tried the DiMarzio but I do have a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop JB90. As you can probably imagine, this amounts to a JB humbucker squeezed into a soapbar sized cover. Of necessity, the polepiece screws are set off-centre. Looks kinda ugly but absolutely rips.

The downside is that this is/was not what I really wanted of a Junior or Special style guitar. I wanted the traditional Blues/Rock tone and dynamics. I reverted to an SD Antiquity.

Any pics of the JB90? That sounds cool & weird all at once.

 

[Frogman]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

Do you want a HB or P90 tone?


I have a custom wound P90 in my SG jr that is fatter than most humbuckers, but is rauunchy and cuts more like a P90.


It was wound by Don Smith at Iconix pickups and is an authentic P90 with two oversized A5's (had never seen them before this).
It's ~22k wired with 45g wire (which equivalates to something like 14-15k with 43g wire)


Super fat, musical, sustains forever, but is still a true P90 with all it's wonderfulness.
He only charged me $75 shipped. Custom wound to my specs.


If you want to go through Duncan, I would try the SP90 2 or 3 with 2 A8's. It'l give you more warmth, be high output, yet still be a classic P90....


...which is the BEST! Raunchy like a $2 hooker

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

Any pics of the JB90?

Main SD website. Products>Custom Shop>Specialised>P90 Humbucker

 

[blueman335]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

I would try the SP90 2 or 3 with 2 A8's. It'l give you more warmth, be high output, yet still be a classic P90.

+1. Try either one of those Duncan ceramic P-90's stock, as they're wound pretty hot, an see what you think. You can swap out mags for A8's if you want.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: P-90-sized Humbuckers... Super Distortion?!

The Hamer Special I have the DLX plus and the Firebird in now had SD SP90-2 and 3 stock. The DLX plus and the firebird own the living F out of the stock Duncans for tone and clarity. I always found the Duncans very muddy and with thuddy, resisitive pick attack. The DLX plus is both more powerful and more clear and articulate, and the lollar Firebird is clear and complex in the neck.