Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
- Thread starter Scott_F
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Re: Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
I've got a Custom P-90 installed in the bridge of my alder Strat, and I love the sound. The cleans definately won't work for all types of music, but it gives me a very good ska tone. (Kind of quacky on the upstrokes).
Under a little gain, the pickup preforms VERY well, giving off a nice vintage tone (very close to the King of the Hill theme song :laugh2: ). Notes are fat but clear, and very touch sensitive.
Add some more gain, and the pickup responds admirably. It is a little more prone to feedback with the gain cranked (more so than a normal humbucker, but it's managable). The notes just seem to fly off the fretboard. It's still pretty clear under gain though.. so it'll show if your a sloppy player. Not a super high output pickup, but harmonics come very easily.
In case you couldn't tell, I like it :dance:
I've got a Custom P-90 installed in the bridge of my alder Strat, and I love the sound. The cleans definately won't work for all types of music, but it gives me a very good ska tone. (Kind of quacky on the upstrokes).
Under a little gain, the pickup preforms VERY well, giving off a nice vintage tone (very close to the King of the Hill theme song :laugh2: ). Notes are fat but clear, and very touch sensitive.
Add some more gain, and the pickup responds admirably. It is a little more prone to feedback with the gain cranked (more so than a normal humbucker, but it's managable). The notes just seem to fly off the fretboard. It's still pretty clear under gain though.. so it'll show if your a sloppy player. Not a super high output pickup, but harmonics come very easily.
In case you couldn't tell, I like it :dance:
cheezemaster
New member
Re: Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
Cool - here's my chance to rave on about the greatest rocknroll pickup of all time, the Duncan Hot P-90! Have 'em in the bridge pos of both my Gibson LP Special and my Epi Popa Chubby V. They basically give me the sound I've always been searching for in my head. Nice and thick and loud (louder than your classic humbucker), but they also have a nice earthy, growl-y grind in the low end and a clarity/bite that a humbucker can't deliver. I've always found most humbuckers to get kind of muddy in live situations (although the JB and CC are pretty cool). I play in a power trio though so I need a big sound and Hot P-90's got it - musically I'm shooting somewhere between classic hard rock and early punk rock and I get it. Tone wise - well think a mix between George Thorogood and Tony Iommi with a bit of Billy Gibbons, Angus and Social D thrown in. Fat and rockin' but not too metallic/crunchy. It has mids by the truckload!
For an amp, I'm primarily an old Peavey Butcher which rocks - but I've also played through Fender, Marshall, Randall, Boogie and even Guitar Port and the Hot P-90 doesn't sound bad through ANY of them. (It actually compliments a Fender amp really well - I imagine it would sound killer through a real Bassman - it' sounds pretty damn good thu the "bassman" amp model on Guitar Port)
www.electricboogiedawgz.com - for links to some cheaply recorded songs featuring the Hot P-90. New record in the works.
Rocknroll
- Bret aka Cheeze
Cool - here's my chance to rave on about the greatest rocknroll pickup of all time, the Duncan Hot P-90! Have 'em in the bridge pos of both my Gibson LP Special and my Epi Popa Chubby V. They basically give me the sound I've always been searching for in my head. Nice and thick and loud (louder than your classic humbucker), but they also have a nice earthy, growl-y grind in the low end and a clarity/bite that a humbucker can't deliver. I've always found most humbuckers to get kind of muddy in live situations (although the JB and CC are pretty cool). I play in a power trio though so I need a big sound and Hot P-90's got it - musically I'm shooting somewhere between classic hard rock and early punk rock and I get it. Tone wise - well think a mix between George Thorogood and Tony Iommi with a bit of Billy Gibbons, Angus and Social D thrown in. Fat and rockin' but not too metallic/crunchy. It has mids by the truckload!
For an amp, I'm primarily an old Peavey Butcher which rocks - but I've also played through Fender, Marshall, Randall, Boogie and even Guitar Port and the Hot P-90 doesn't sound bad through ANY of them. (It actually compliments a Fender amp really well - I imagine it would sound killer through a real Bassman - it' sounds pretty damn good thu the "bassman" amp model on Guitar Port)
www.electricboogiedawgz.com - for links to some cheaply recorded songs featuring the Hot P-90. New record in the works.
Rocknroll
- Bret aka Cheeze
Re: Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
I've tried all the Duncan P90s except the Antiquty version.
THe Vintage is definitely my favorite. Whether it's the stock neck version or the Phat Cat version, it's just big and fat as a single coil can be. I think it's basically a vintage strat pup on serious steroids.
The Hot has a bit more punch to it, but I only tried it in the neck of a Guild Bluesbird P90. Great tone, but just a bit hotter and punchier thant he Vintage. That same Guild has a Custom P90 in teh bridge. More output, ceramic mag, really an in your face P90.
I also have a pretty unique set of phat cats I ordered from the Custom Shop. In my PRS McCarty neck, I have the Vintage neck version of the Phat Cat that is RWRP. In teh bridge of the PRS McCarty, I have the NECK version of the Custom P90 Phat Cat. What that gives me is a very good approximation of the P90's that Duncan winds for all the PRS Soapbar guitars. Perfect match for each other.
I've tried all the Duncan P90s except the Antiquty version.
THe Vintage is definitely my favorite. Whether it's the stock neck version or the Phat Cat version, it's just big and fat as a single coil can be. I think it's basically a vintage strat pup on serious steroids.
The Hot has a bit more punch to it, but I only tried it in the neck of a Guild Bluesbird P90. Great tone, but just a bit hotter and punchier thant he Vintage. That same Guild has a Custom P90 in teh bridge. More output, ceramic mag, really an in your face P90.
I also have a pretty unique set of phat cats I ordered from the Custom Shop. In my PRS McCarty neck, I have the Vintage neck version of the Phat Cat that is RWRP. In teh bridge of the PRS McCarty, I have the NECK version of the Custom P90 Phat Cat. What that gives me is a very good approximation of the P90's that Duncan winds for all the PRS Soapbar guitars. Perfect match for each other.
Re: Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
Hey, I'm kind of new to this electric stuff. I have a '68 Casino Gibsaphone with P90 pickups. Actually, the bridge pickup is some kind of double coil humbucker. I want to replace it with the stock unit. Anyone have any recommendations as to putting a plain jane PU in there or one of the hot P90's. I'm not a rocker, but on occasion I have to play a lead or two on some tunes. Suggestions, recommendations?
TIA Ron
Hey, I'm kind of new to this electric stuff. I have a '68 Casino Gibsaphone with P90 pickups. Actually, the bridge pickup is some kind of double coil humbucker. I want to replace it with the stock unit. Anyone have any recommendations as to putting a plain jane PU in there or one of the hot P90's. I'm not a rocker, but on occasion I have to play a lead or two on some tunes. Suggestions, recommendations?
TIA Ron
Maggot
New member
Re: Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
Plain jane is the way to go for p-90s, especially if you don't play a lot of electric and have a hollow body. The regular Duncan vintage p-90 or the antiquity P-90 should be fine. They have plenty of output, and unless you have some kind of specialized need, are much more versatile than hotter p-90s.
Plain jane is the way to go for p-90s, especially if you don't play a lot of electric and have a hollow body. The regular Duncan vintage p-90 or the antiquity P-90 should be fine. They have plenty of output, and unless you have some kind of specialized need, are much more versatile than hotter p-90s.
Re: Reviews of Duncan P90's and Phat Cats
Nope, no specialized need. I'm guessing there's no need to replace both PU's at the same time because of some "balance" between the two, so, I'll get the regular P90 for the bridge. It's a sweet guitar btw. Plays jazz stuff really well.
I know this is the PU area, but does anyone have a suggestion or a link as to how to repair the finish? Had the guitar leaning against a wall on the carpet. Window leaked onto the carpet and against the guitar. The red color bled into the carpet! Must be a water soluable pigment of some kind. Never would have guessed that could happen!!
Maggot said:
Nope, no specialized need. I'm guessing there's no need to replace both PU's at the same time because of some "balance" between the two, so, I'll get the regular P90 for the bridge. It's a sweet guitar btw. Plays jazz stuff really well.
I know this is the PU area, but does anyone have a suggestion or a link as to how to repair the finish? Had the guitar leaning against a wall on the carpet. Window leaked onto the carpet and against the guitar. The red color bled into the carpet! Must be a water soluable pigment of some kind. Never would have guessed that could happen!!
