P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

[MikeS]

I'm considering all options. I'd like to get in that tonal neighborhood without using a soapbar shaped pickup.

I know Rio Grande makes the Dirty Harry and the Dirty Harry, Jr. I posted a while back but got no responses regarding those pickups. I assumed no one here had any experience with them. Without emailing Rio Grande, I have zero idea what to expect from that pickup, as they do not mention any specifications on their website.

edit: Just realized I didn't read the entire website...both are ceramic, one at 13K and the other at 11.8K DC resistance.

I understand that the Dimarzio SDS-1 is another P-90-like pickup on a strat bobbin. At least Dimarzio tells us that it's a ceramic magnet with a DC resistance of 8.68K ohms and an output of 200 (I assume mV).

AFAIK, the closest I'd get with a Duncan is the Quarter Pounder, but that's still not quite where I think I want to be.

Any help? I know the custom shop might be able to whip something up for me, but I don't know that I'm prepared to go that far yet.

Thanks.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

fralin steel pole

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

The Fralin Steelpoles are also ceramic, as are all such pickups. They have to be because the space limitations are such that they have to use extremely narrow bar magnets (about 1/4" - 5/16"), one on each side of the adjustable poles on the bottom of the pu.

Ceramic magnets are unaffected by such narrowness but Alnico magnets will often demagnetize themselves if the two poles (N and S) are that close together. So it's ceramic or fuhget about it...

But I've heard the Fralin Steelpoles are pretty good so I'd give them a try.

 

[MikeS]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

That's the kind of info I'm looking for, guys. Thanks!

And good info on the the magnet, Zhangliqun. I had no idea.

 

[jeremy]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

i have a sds1 and have heard both the 42 and 43 steel poles from fralin. all are very cool pups, none are all that p90 like but they all sound and have a little of that fatter p90 tone.

 

[J Moose]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

I understand that the Dimarzio SDS-1 is another P-90-like pickup on a strat bobbin.

AFAIK, the closest I'd get with a Duncan is the Quarter Pounder, but that's still not quite where I think I want to be.

I've had both an early 80s SDS-1 and a newer Quarter Pounder in the bridge of Strats at various points, and without a doubt, the QP is much closer the P90 vibe then the SDS. Bigger, fatter... SDS had output but still has a "single coil" vibe & snarl to the upper mids. The QP comes off as more of a mini-bucker.

 

[MikeS]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

Thanks again. FWIW, I'm looking to place this pickup in the neck position of a H-X-S guitar. The bridge pickup is thus far unselected, but will likely be A5 and PAF in nature, hopefully a little hotter. I'm considering calling the CS and ordering a Brobucker.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

I was going to suggest an SDS-1 Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan's own QP for Strat, but J Moose beat me to it! Both great underrated pickups.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

The Quarter Pounder is about the closest you can get to the P90 sound of the pu's I've tried, but I haven't tried the Fralins. There's a guy named Steven Kersting who makes "S-90's" and "T-90's" for Teles and Strats. Never tried one of those either and they're the same basic idea as the Fralins, if I remember right, but I've heard a lot of good things about them.

 

[MikeS]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

Hmm, OK, so maybe the QP for strat should remain an option.

I do own a QP set in my 50s tele, and they can get in the neighborhood, but I suppose I assumed I could get a little closer.

 

[jeremy]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

part of the problem is the wide short coil that a p90 has. there is no way to do that in a strat sized pup which have narrow tall coils

 

[alkeys]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

I recently called DiMarzio and asked about a modern equivalent to the SDS-1 or a P90 type sound. I like the SDS-1s but hear they have horrible 60 cycle hum to them. That right there means no SDS-1s for me.

Dimarzio two singlecoil sized humcancelling P90-ish models, the virtual vintage solo and the virtual vintage solo pro. The guy suggested the solo over the solo pro.

The solo is a bit hotter with more treble whereas the solo pro is a bit tamer.
Since it's going in neck I'll take the extra treble of a VV Solo

I'm about to order up some VV solos for my HSS adter hardtail.

If you wanted to go humbucking size, I hear people like the SD Phat Cats and also the DiMarzio BluesBucker. I'm researching them right now as well.

 

[J Moose]

Re: P-90 sounds on a strat bobbin

Thanks again. FWIW, I'm looking to place this pickup in the neck position of a H-X-S guitar. The bridge pickup is thus far unselected, but will likely be A5 and PAF in nature, hopefully a little hotter. I'm considering calling the CS and ordering a Brobucker.

Years ago I owned a H/S/S Guild Liberator... neck through super-strat type loaded with a '59 & two quarter pounders w/cheese.

Nobody, and I mean nobody could ever believe the QP's were "true" single coil pickups.