P90 help!

M

MacDaddy

New member
Ok guys, I need a little help here; I want to change the stock pups in my PRS SE Semi Hollow soapbar but don't know what to choose.

The problem is that the guitar is quite bright sounding so I want something that's a bit darker sounding. I'm not into modern music and prefer the vintage vibe so I'm all in a muddle over wire gauges, magnets and dc output :s

Would I be right in thinking that an overwound pup with A2 magnet would be a good starting point, or do I have all my assumptions bassackwards?

Currently looking at SD, DMZ, Fralin, Lollar, Bare Knuckle, Tonerider etc but I wish there was a lot less choice, lol.

Cheers!
 
Re: P90 help!

The Gibson soapbars are much fuller sounding than most. They will do.

Be warned that if your PRS SE is like mine US-made soapbars will not fit with the cover on into the routes.
 
Re: P90 help!

Sensates: thanks, I'll try the treble cap tip but the pups aren't high at all, I should probably have said that the guitar sounds bright even acoustically which obviously comes through when amplified.

uOpt: yeah, I used to have an old P90 Les Paul, they did sound much darker in character but I attributed that as much to wood and construction as the pups. The SE is quite jangly sounding even unplugged. What sort of mods should I expect to have to do to drop in new pups?

Frogman: you're welcome to my old pups as and when I replace them but I'm in the UK so shipping might be a bit more expensive. Oh, and yes, they're cream. :)
 
Re: P90 help!

MacDaddy said:
uOpt: yeah, I used to have an old P90 Les Paul, they did sound much darker in character but I attributed that as much to wood and construction as the pups. The SE is quite jangly sounding even unplugged. What sort of mods should I expect to have to do to drop in new pups?
Click to expand...

It is just the covers that don't go into the routes. The baseplates of the pickups themselves fit.

The easiest would probably be to sand off the bottom of the cover so that it sits on top of the top, as opposed to inside it. Obviously that requires that you decide on height first.
 
Re: P90 help!

MacDaddy said:
The problem is that the guitar is quite bright sounding so I want something that's a bit darker sounding.
Click to expand...



Very simple and inexpensive, change magnets. P-90 each have 2 magnets, laying side-by-side, almost all of them have A5's, which are bright and midscooped. Swap out one of the bridge A5's and put in an A8: more mids, less treble. In the neck, put in an A4. Done, for under $10 and no soldering. Only takes a few minutes.
 
Re: P90 help!

I'm with Blueman. Save a lot of money and swap those mags.

Start with an A8 in the bridge, but be open to swapping out the other A5 for an A4 or even an A2.

Same for the neck...start with one A4, but you may need to swap out the other A5 for another A4 or an A2.

(Blueman doesn't particularly like A2s in neck pups, but I love 'em...soft, warm, and syrupy).
 
Re: P90 help!

Trust me, if you want some low and low-mid push, use the Gibbo soapbar first.

soapbars.png
 
Re: P90 help!

My PRS SE singlecut Soapbar sports Lindy Fralin +5% overwound P90s. I used the stock pickup covers because they were black whereas the LF pair were cream. I upgraded the pots and selector switch to US-made components. Hence, no treble bleed network. Never looked back.

Another manufacturer to check out is TV Jones. They make P90-sized replacement pickups à la Filter'Tron
 
Re: P90 help!

^ Yep, following on from above, just reuse the covers that come with the guitar and put the new pickups in them. That way any pickup set will 'work'.
 
Re: P90 help!

AlexR said:
^ Yep, following on from above, just reuse the covers that come with the guitar and put the new pickups in them. That way any pickup set will 'work'.
Click to expand...

My SD vintage soapbars did not fit the soapbar SE covers.
 
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