Phat Cats

[MartinCollyer]

Hi all,

Having recently played a 56 Les Paul Goltop re-issue (through a Hiwatt 20 watt combo), fallen in love with the tone, but pulled up short on the asking price, I'm considering putting Phat Cats into my Ibanez Artist (1980 build ... when they were built really well). Same basic construction as LP (only double cut away) ... mahogony body and set neck, maple top, rosewood fretboard, currently 2 humbuckers, 3 way toggle. Just wondering if anyone has put Phat Cats into a similar guitar (ie LP style) that could give me some opinions on suitablity to this kind of guitar ... and even whether I'd get anything similar to the tone of a 56 Goldtop.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Phat Cats

I think Flank put one at the bridge of his Lester. I have a set of them in my Epi Sheraton (335 style) and they sound great. id you dig P-90's, you'll like the Phats.

 

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Phat Cats

In my opinion, they are not very much like a real p-90. They are closer to something between a P-90 and a PAF. They have the growly mids of P-90, but more punchy low end and chimy top end than you usually see from a p-90. The basic character of the tone is close to a P-90 though. They aren't as noisy as most normal p-90s too, which is cool.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Phat Cats

In my opinion, they are not very much like a real p-90. They are closer to something between a P-90 and a PAF. They have the growly mids of P-90, but more punchy low end and chimy top end than you usually see from a p-90. The basic character of the tone is close to a P-90 though. They aren't as noisy as most normal p-90s too, which is cool.

Sounds about right, about halfway between P90 and humbucker. This might be in part because it has a metal cover while real P90's have plastic covers.

Also, to my ear, the neck model is overwound which makes it more humbucker-like and even a little muddy. If you get one and it turns out you agree with me, just open it up and take about 600 to 700 turns off the coil and it will be about 7.4-7.5k and it will be about right. If it's still a little too hot, take a few hundred more turns off (7.0k turned out to be just right to my ear).

 

[Stevo]

Re: Phat Cats

I had one in the neck of my Les Paul for a while. It's glassy and articulate. It's not as fat as a typical neck humbucker.