P90+Custom 8+SG=?

majewsky

majewsky

New member
Hello

I've been roaming through this forum for a long time searching for the best pickup set for my Gibson SG. I've bought set of Seth Lovers few years ago and it was pretty good. It was lacking some things that I tried to solve by swaping mags, but now I think it's time for changes.

I've got Custom 8 in my Epi G400 and it... ROCKS! so I've decided to put Custom 8 to my gibby and make a junior with P90 from Epi, but that's not the thing I've wanted to ask for.

I want to put Custom 8 in bridge with Phat Cat in neck. I don't want to play with P-Rails because I like simplicity. I saw that neck Phat Cat has resistance somewhere around 8k and Soapbars have around 8,5k. Which would be better? The neck or bridge Phat Cat?

I'm thinking about bridge verision with A4-A4 combo or A4-A5 combo.
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Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

Right now, in my Epi, I have the Custom 8 bridge and a GFS Mean 90 neck. I really like the Mean 90 neck and always liked the Custom 8. But, after trying the Mean 90 neck, I'll probably get rid of the Custom 8 and put a Mean 90 bridge instead.
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

The other guitarist in my band has an ESP Viper with an Invader / Mean 90 combo.

I have a JB++ / Mean 90 combo in my '84 Les Paul Custom.

HB/P90 combos are my FAV! (with the exception of all P90s :headbang:)



I haven't played a Phat Cat, but I've seen very mixed reviews here on the forum. That may be because of the A2/A2 combo, or the construction/wind, etc.


But I have owned multiple Mean 90's (currently have 2), and I highly recommend them.

If if were me, I would do the Custom 8 and a Mean 90 neck model with an A3/A5 combo OR the bridge model in the neck with an A3/A3 or A3/A4 combo.

And run a 1meg neck volume pot! I can't stress this enough! It makes the neck so much more open, clear and bright. (I also disconnect the neck's tone pot b/c I see no need for it....also adds a bit more brightness)
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

The C8 is THE bridge pup for an SG. I agree with the suggestion for a Mean 90 in the neck rather than the Phat Cat. It's a great P-90 and a very reasonable cost. Try it stock with the A5/A5 mag combo first and see how you like it. Works for me in my SG, and I'm even a real mag swap freak.
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

GuitarDoc said:
The C8 is THE bridge pup for an SG. I agree with the suggestion for a Mean 90 in the neck rather than the Phat Cat. It's a great P-90 and a very reasonable cost. Try it stock with the A5/A5 mag combo first and see how you like it. Works for me in my SG, and I'm even a real mag swap freak.
Click to expand...

+1. Listen to Doc. C8's and SG's are a great pairing. GFS Mean 90's are highly regarded here (and we're notoriously picky). Phat Cats have A2 magnets (almost all P-90's have A5's). A2's make the Phat Cat neck very dark and muffled in most Gibson design guitars. It's wound too hot for those magnets. Using a bridge Phat Cat in the neck makes it even worse. Forget about having any discernable treble.

Besides using more appropriate magents, Mean 90's also beat Phat Cats on two other counts: 1) they have a (third) separate ground wire for better noise reduction, and 2) as with almost every other P-90, the base plate has screws that hold it securely to the coil. Phat Cats don't have base plate screws, and the cover holds the whole thing together, which is another design shortcoming. I like Phat Cats, but they really are overdo for a design overhaul.
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

Thanks for replies.

I've been searching for GFS pickups in mu country but they're not available in my country.

I think I will have to try P-Rails and wire it for P90 and rail. :)
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Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

C8 in your bridge would be excellent!.......... Also depending on what you are playing

As would thr Phat Cat neck. Im assuming classic rock - heavy rock?

What amp?
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

Yup, I play classic and heavy rock and sometimes metal.

P-rails can give me some extra versatility which phat cats can't. I will just wire it with push-pulls.

I play through peavey classic 30 which is pretty nice.
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Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

blueman335 said:
Phat Cats have A2 magnets (almost all P-90's have A5's). A2's make the Phat Cat neck very dark and muffled in most Gibson design guitars. It's wound too hot for those magnets. Using a bridge Phat Cat in the neck makes it even worse. Forget about having any discernable treble.
Click to expand...
Using a Phat Cat bridge in the neck right now, and while there is indeed a trouble with treble or lack thereof, this is putting it a bit strongly. It's more of a warm jazz kind of sound than muffled (but then, who plays jazz on an SG?).

Anyway, if UPS ever decides to deliver my next package, I'll be putting the Jazz N back in and swapping magnets -- I've high hopes for A3 in the neck, with a C8 or unoriented C5 (or maybe C3) in the bridge. It never quite ends, does it?

As for the OP, just buy some magnets and swap them in and out. It's good cheap fun, and it'll help develop your ears.
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

Hey guys... Sorry for resurecting this thread but... I think I've found the solution for this equation...

I've saved some money and bought Phat Cat bridge for my SG.

I'm spending so much time on this forum that I immediatly throw away A2's and put A4/A4 into the PC and just like planned I've put the Custom 8 in the bridge position.

OH MY GOD! Where have it been for all that time I was searching for THAT sound. :eyecrazy:

That PC matches great with C8 in the bridge. You really should try this out. On clean channel PC is so clear and articulate and have almost some kind of acoustic guitar vibe. I don't know how to describe it. On distortion it have that great P90 crunch and when You roll down your tone knob You can geat great fluid sounds.

Oh... And it's sounds AMAZING with Xotic EP Booster. Pure awesomness.

BTW Has anyone tried the Duncan Custom with oversized AlNiCo 8 like that one from Alternative 8? :scratchch
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

majewsky said:
I'm spending so much time on this forum that I immediatly throw away A2's and put A4/A4 into the PC...OH MY GOD! Where have it been for all that time I was searching for THAT sound.
Click to expand...

Lindy Fralin is a staunch believer in A4's; they're stock in his P-90's and PAF's.

Thanks for the update, BTW.
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

I use the Distortion and The Pearly Gates in my main SG and she's completely versatile as all get out.

The Distortion will take the Pepsi challenge against the Invader any day and the Pearly Gates will get you great rhythm and leads when you need to do the neck position thing.
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

majewsky said:
And also SD site is with me:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/dimensionpages/tb_15.shtml
Click to expand...

This is a blueprint of a Trembucker... in this drawing is NOT specified any magnet size, so... how is this drawing "with you"?

For the record, I have several trembuckers, including a '59b, a Custom, and a modded Parallel Axis set (A4 PATB1N/ A8 PATB3). All had standard-sized Alnico bars, which I've changed using the ones I sell.

HTH,
 
Re: P90+Custom 8+SG=?

The Alt 8 uses a standard size A8 magnet.

At least MINE does, and it's just a regular Alt 8...nothing special about it. So I can safely assume that all Alt 8's use standard A8 mags.
 
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