Tele and P-90's: are the P-90s "like?" the Quarter Pounders?

[Dave]

Kinda after some P-90's: Has anyone A-B'd a P-90 vs. a Tele QP?

Tele QP-rhyhtm 11.8k, A-5 mag
Hot P-90 11.8, ceramic
Vintage P-90 8.22, A-5

I have a Quarter Pound STR-3b. I've heard that they are similar to the P-90, but I've never put them face to face. From the specs, I'd imagine that the Hot would be louder, sharper, and gainier than the QP, and the Vintage a bit smoother and articulate...

Any thoughts?
Thanks,

 

[Dave]

Re: Tele and P-90's: are the P-90s "like?" the Quarter Pounders?

Bump-shameful, shameful bump... :wall:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Tele and P-90's: are the P-90s "like?" the Quarter Pounders?

OK...I'll see if I can help. IMO, P90's are a differant pickup and have a differant tone from a 1/4 pounder. The 1/4 pounder has six alnico polepieces and the coil is wound directly around them...it is basically a Strat style pickup with 1/4" polepieces.

A P90 is a differant animal. The magnets are under the pickup like a humbucker's magnet would be and the pole pieces are adjustable screws that are not magnets.

The tone of the Duncan 1/4 pounder is going to be much more Strat or Tele like...Bruce Springsteen used them for quite a while.

The tone of a P90...well, that's the tone of a '56 gold top Les Paul or Les Paul Jr. or Les Paul Special: fatter and more like a Gibson tone.

The Duncan 1/4 pounder is a great pickup...but it won't sound like a P90.

IMO, there is only one choice if you want the tone of a P90 in a Tele or Strat size: the Lindy Fralin Steel Pole 43.

It is built like a P90 and has two ceramic magnets under the coil and uses adjustable screws for the polepieces.

It is my favorite HOT Strat or Tele bridge replacement pickup...I use the Strat version in my favorite Strat. It really does get most of the tone of a 50's Gibson P90.

(BTW...the Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot CUSTOM BRIDGE pickup is my favorite bridge replacement pickup that's built like a vintage Strat pickup.)

Lew