P90 VS Staple

[audiocheck]

Can some one give me a general comparison in tone on these models? If possible the Duncan Vintage P90 neck VS Duncan Custom Shop Staple Neck?

I know the construction is more like a Single Coil on the Staple, so does the Staple have a brighter characteristic over the P90?

Also do the same generalizations on the above two pickups follow suit in the Phat Cat and Phat Staple?

Do either or both take high gain well, or better than the other?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[jeremy]

Re: P90 VS Staple

the staple has a sharper attack (more like a strat) and more clarity than a p90 which has more mids and rougher texture. the staples sounds great clean and with a little dirt, i prefer a p90 in the bridge if you are going into classic rock territory. the staples have a surprising amount of output for such a clean sounding pup

 

[Mincer]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Yeah, I always thought the Staple (at least the ones I tried) were more scooped than a P90.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: P90 VS Staple

If you end up wanting the Staple, make sure your guitar is deep enough. They are a tall set of pickups.

 

[jeremy]

Re: P90 VS Staple

yes and yes. the staple is more scooped than a p90 for sure and they are very tall pups due to the magnets

 

[audiocheck]

Re: P90 VS Staple

yes and yes. the staple is more scooped than a p90 for sure and they are very tall pups due to the magnets

So I am looking for a real articulate neck pup for a Les Paul. I use pre-amp gain for my tone, so you think the Staple would hold up and cut through better than a P90 in the neck?

I am even thinking of trying a Phat Staple in place of a standard HB in one of my other LPs.

 

[blueman335]

Re: P90 VS Staple

I have a neck Duncan Staple. Very bright, clean, & clear. Lots of treble. No mud at all. I think Staples would probably be shrill & piercing in the bridge slot.

 

[AlexR]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Think of 'fat strat' with a staple pickup, and 'slightly more wooly humbucker' with a p90.

 

[Mincer]

Re: P90 VS Staple

I am not as familiar with the design of the Staple and how it gets its unique sound. Do you think it would be possible to build one (just a neck one) with a regular humbucker mount, or does it need that whole contraption as part of the sound?

 

[blueman335]

Re: P90 VS Staple

The key to Staple P-90's is individual magnets for each string, like Fender single coils. Seymour made them much more complicated, and expensive, by having the magnet's height adjustable, which didn't help the overall PU height. I imagine that few have sold at the $225 price, and those that did were mostly neck models.

I'd love to see a basic model with fixed magnet heights, that sells for substantially less.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: P90 VS Staple

The key to Staple P-90's is individual magnets for each string, like Fender single coils. Seymour made them much more complicated, and expensive, by having the magnet's height adjustable, which didn't help the height. I imagine that few have sold at the $225 price, and those that did were mostly neck models.

I'd love to see a basic model with fixed magnet heights, that sells for substantially less.

I've always thought version of the Phat Staple with A5 under the E and A, UOA5 under the D and G, and A2 under the B and e would sound neat on a wound G hollowbody. That would cost more than I would want to spend on a "risky" pickup though.

 

[AlexR]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Seymour made them much more complicated, and expensive, by having the magnet's height adjustable, which didn't help the height. I imagine that few have sold at the $225 price, and those that did were mostly neck models.

I'd love to see a basic model with fixed magnet heights, that sells for substantially less.

Seymour's staple is a copy of the Gibson staple, so of course he is going to make them the way the original was done.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: P90 VS Staple

I've always thought version of the Phat Staple with A5 under the E and A, UOA5 under the D and G, and A2 under the B and e would sound neat on a wound G hollowbody. That would cost more than I would want to spend on a "risky" pickup though.

The defining feature of the Staple is the its poles are themselves magnets- no bar mag underneath. [EDIT- Oh, did you mean A5/UA5/A2 pole pieces? That hadn't occurred to me...]

A less pricey alternative would be one of the pickups that has a P90 type coil & cover but uses alnico magpoles; they have faster attack and less bark than a regular P90. I have one like that which Jerry Sentell made. To my ear, it sounds similar to a Quarter Pound.

 

[blueman335]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Seymour's staple is a copy of the Gibson staple, so of course he is going to make them the way the original was done.

Problem is that added to the cost and put them at a price point where few players are going to lay out that kind of money. There's a limited demand for Staple PU's to begin with, and paying $225 to have adjustable mag heights is going to shrink that demand considerably. From an artistic point-of-view, Duncan's Staple P-90 is great. From a practical view, it's way more than the vast majority of players are going to pay for a novelty PU. Fender SC's have fixed position magnets, so why not make a basic affordable Staple with fixed heights too?

As far as "Of course he is going to make them the way the original was done" doesn't really hold up, as Duncan has a number of PAF's all of which are calibrated, and none of which have unbalanced coils, or the crazy winding patterns that many of the originals had. Not to mention that the original Staples weren't made in a humbucker size. So much for the authenticity argument.

 

[Mincer]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Well, I would think if there was a huge demand- we would have both: A vintage accurate recreation, and something easier to assemble & sell (cheaper) that would fit a wider variety of guitars. I just think it might not be that popular.

 

[blueman335]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Well, I would think if there was a huge demand- we would have both: A vintage accurate recreation, and something easier to assemble & sell (cheaper) that would fit a wider variety of guitars. I just think it might not be that popular.

Agreed, and the $225 price tag reduces the popularity that much more. However I think there's definitely more potential for Phat Cats if they had a couple standard upgrades (baseplate that screws into the coil and a 3rd ground wire) and came in different magnet configurations. To me, A2's aren't the best choice, especially since most players are expecting a more traditional A5 P-90 sound. They'd probably outsell the Staple PU's, as would Customs with A8's and UOA5's.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: P90 VS Staple

And people thought me silly for suggesting T-Tops on the grounds that no one would want to buy them...

 

[audiocheck]

Re: P90 VS Staple

Problem is that added to the cost and put them at a price point where few players are going to lay out that kind of money. There's a limited demand for Staple PU's to begin with, and paying $225 to have adjustable mag heights is going to shrink that demand considerably. From an artistic point-of-view, Duncan's Staple P-90 is great. From a practical view, it's way more than the vast majority of players are going to pay for a novelty PU. Fender SC's have fixed position magnets, so why not make a basic affordable Staple with fixed heights too?

As far as "Of course he is going to make them the way the original was done" doesn't really hold up, as Duncan has a number of PAF's all of which are calibrated, and none of which have unbalanced coils, or the crazy winding patterns that many of the originals had. Not to mention that the original Staples weren't made in a humbucker size. So much for the authenticity argument.

The cost is probably the reason Gibson stopped making Staples years ago. It may be an an acquired taste, but I am glad Seymour makes one as close to original as possible. To also offer it as a retrofit in a regular HB configuration is awesome too. I see myself putting out the money to get one one day.