phat cat review

[alex1fly]

I just put a Phat Cat in the neck of my epi lp custom... all I can say is, wow! I gave it its first test run at band practice last night and it played like a dream. It cuts through a mix w/o being harsh and can cover a lot of styles with just a little twist of the tone knob, unlike my fender noiseless SCS which just get muddy. Definately a player's pickup, especially if you play live. It handled everything from clean jazz chording to full-on Mesa DR distortion and sounded great for everything! And its so clean... but has TONS of character and mojo. Punchy palm mutes, huge chords but still vintage, jangles when you want, is smooth when you want, it was INCREDIBLY responsive to different styles of picking and strumming. It picked up on nuances in my playing that I didn't even know I was doing (psychic Phat Cat?). Very round sound, really nice mids that help your parts be heard without having to play a certain way, or EQ a certain way. A real treat. I recommend this pickup to anyone wanting more "vibe," especially for rhythm. The lead tones were great as well, I got a dark jazz lead tone very easily as well as a screamer. It also added a lot of clarity and character to the middle position (C5 in bridge).

My only complaint is that the Phat Cat has SO MUCH tone and mojo, my C5 sounds weak and lacking by comparison... I like the C5 but the Phat Cat has that something 'extra' that the C5 doesn't. I'll be swapping magnets on the C5soon to see if a Custom will better round out the guitar.

The hum isn't even all that bad, even with high gain... just a tad louder than my humbuckers.

What else can I say? The Phat Cat will never leave the neck of my LP. Ever. They may have been designed for Hamer guitars but they really sound at home in the neck of an LP. I've had Fender noiseless SCs, a Hot Rails, a C5, a Jazz Bridge (in the neck), and the Phat Cat has blown them all out of the water. Perfect. Hope this helps anyone wondering about the Phat Cat or debating whether or not to take the plunge into P-90 territory.

Alex

 

[greco]

Re: phat cat review

Nice review Alex. Thanks

I have a Phat Cat waiting to go into the neck of a 335 copy.

This has me enthusiastic to get the swap done sooner...just need to find the time to do the work.

Dave

 

[alex1fly]

Re: phat cat review

I was just wondering, what other guitars have people had Phat Cat success in?

I'm so stoked about this pickup its unreal. I really feel like it has THE TONE that I've been searching for in my guitaring career. Thanks to all you forum goers for expanding my knowledge and helping me get into the "real deal tone" crowd!

 

[DesertRat]

Re: phat cat review

I was just wondering, what other guitars have people had Phat Cat success in?

I'm so stoked about this pickup its unreal. I really feel like it has THE TONE that I've been searching for in my guitaring career. Thanks to all you forum goers for expanding my knowledge and helping me get into the "real deal tone" crowd!

Les Paul studio with Phat Cats is my favorite sound ever!

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: phat cat review

Nice review Alex. I have been tempted by swapping the '59 in the neck of Epi LP classic for a phatcat. But know that I have a AIV magnet in it, I don't thing it is gonna go out of the neck cavity of this guitar ever!

In a way your review of your phatcat reminded meof my '59 AIV: no muddyness, really nice lead sound. I didn't play too much clean with it yet. But I'm sure I won't be disappointed either.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: phat cat review

I just dropped one in the bridge of my Squier '51. it's freakin amazing.

see this thread. I give my own short review of this sucker.

seriously, get a bridge model for that guitar. you will be happy.

 

[stonabus]

Re: phat cat review

i have one in the neck of my tele. its hotter/louder than the bg1400!

 

[BigDaddy]

Re: phat cat review

I use one in 2 of my partsocasters in the bridge position.

They are very quiet for a single coils and just sound really good.

Louder than you would think and clean when you turn down the volume control, really roars when it's up.

Not a real pure P-90 sound kind of more like a fat humbucker with hints of a strat.

 

[Artie]

Re: phat cat review

Great review. I love reading about the Phat Cat. My only surprise is that you found the C5 "weak and lacking". Even with the qualifier "by comparison" [to the Phat Cat]. Still . . . it goes on my list. I gotta try one of those 'cats.

 

[SonofaMitch]

Re: phat cat review

had a PC Set.....AMAZING TONE as you said from the Neck...I still Gots that 1...soon 2 go back into a guitar.....the bridge I found lacking...for the style I play....but deffinatly the best Pickup Purchase I've made glad you're happy with them as well!

~Mitch~

 

[marvar]

Re: phat cat review

I recently put a set of PC's in my Korean Hamer Flametop- I won't go back to HB's in it, it is now my go-to main guitar- the tones I've been looking for all these years.
I'll still keep my Les Paul with humbuckers, and my PRS Soapbar II will keep it's P-90s, but it sure sounds thinner than the Hamer.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: phat cat review

Great review. I love reading about the Phat Cat. My only surprise is that you found the C5 "weak and lacking". Even with the qualifier "by comparison" [to the Phat Cat]. Still . . . it goes on my list. I gotta try one of those 'cats.

You really do! I think the C5 sounds great when cranked, but can be kind of thin at lower, practice volumes. The Cat can be very ballsy at any volume... or smooth, clean, jangly... whatever I threw at it it handled with flying colors. Sweet sweet. I should really learn to control my raving

 

[chris.goth]

Re: phat cat review

I actually got a Swamp Ash Les Paul Studio, with a C5 in bridge pos.
Iwas and I'm still thinking about swapping the stock 490R gibson neck pickup for a Phat Cats, but I'm owndering if the middle position will sound as good
as it did with the stock gibson (great poppy rockabilly sound).

I'd like to know if the C5/PC balances well as a combo.
And as the C5 sounding weak... ?? Maybe height adjust. Mine sounds
alive and punchy, very muscular almost bright (bright guitar+ bright amp).

Could you review the pickup combo oyu have to give me an idea please?

Thanks

 

[Corbic]

Re: phat cat review

How would a Phat Cat neck sound with something like a GFS Dream 90 in the bridge? I hear a lot of praise for them around here and elsewhere.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: phat cat review

I actually got a Swamp Ash Les Paul Studio, with a C5 in bridge pos.
Iwas and I'm still thinking about swapping the stock 490R gibson neck pickup for a Phat Cats, but I'm owndering if the middle position will sound as good
as it did with the stock gibson (great poppy rockabilly sound).

I'd like to know if the C5/PC balances well as a combo.
And as the C5 sounding weak... ?? Maybe height adjust. Mine sounds
alive and punchy, very muscular almost bright (bright guitar+ bright amp).

Could you review the pickup combo oyu have to give me an idea please?

Thanks

Putting the Phat Cat in the neck really opened up my middle position. I got a lot of awesome tones just by little tweaks of the tone knob... mainly tweaking the phat cat and keeping the C5 on 10. Also, the Phat Cat has made my middle position more useful in terms of adjusting my tone to whatever venue my band is playing in... last night we played a show outside and I used my middle position instead of my neck and it worked better. The Cat just added a lot of versatility (but accessible versatility) to the whole guitar. I'm very pleased with the mid position now.

 

[Sleeping Martyr]

Re: phat cat review

Still gotta try a phat cat. I have an Armstrong P-90 hb in the neck of my SG and I LOVE IT!!!! basically all of the review applies to these too. Still should try a Phat Cat for curiosity sake. Also I notoced the tone improved DRAMATICALLY with a tone pot (as I usually have all my tone pots disconnected to get that tad extra punch)

 

[LesStrat]

Re: phat cat review

They work quite well in my Ibie semi-hollowbody.

I'm still trying to get used to teh s/c hum, though.:smack: