When and Why P-90 Pickups?

[Guitar Toad]

I have never played P-90 pickups When would you choose a P-90 pickup over a SC's or HB's. My understanding that they generally have higher output.

When do you like to use P-90's over SC's or HB's?

 

[Falstaff]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Well, it varies with each user, but I find that the P90 gives a bigger, fatter sound than traditional single coils (sounds great with distortion) and has more rawness than humbuckers. I think P90 are the ideal pickups...sort of a best of both worlds kind of thing. A good Les Paul Junior can go from country to UFO. YMMV, of course. IMHO, P90s sometimes get labeled as one trick ponies because people always answer "Mississippi Queen" when folks ask what P90s sound like.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

I've been surprised at where I've heard P-90's. I 've heard the Tom Scholz record Boston's debut with 'em. I've heard David Gilmour used them on TheWall. I hadn't heard that about Mississppi Queen. I saw John Fogerty on Austin City Limits. His LP had P-90's.

Are they a noiseless pups? I'm guessing they're not and that must be why HB's are used more widely live.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

No...they are generally pretty noise-ful. Some companies make noiseless soapbars, but other than the Gibson P100 (not that great) I don't have any experience with them.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

No...they are generally pretty noise-ful. Some companies make noiseless soapbars, but other than the Gibson P100 (not that great) I don't have any experience with them.

Why don't you try them, Falstaff? You'd prolly look good playing some P-90 axe grinder.

BTW is that Freddy Fender in your avatar?

 

[Falstaff]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

I have two P90 guitars, I meant that I haven't tried any noiseless ones other than one guitar with a P100 in the neck.

And I look and sound like an ass no matter what I play.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

BTW is that Freddy Fender in your avatar?

LMAO!! It looks like David Crosby to me.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Oh yeah, don't ever think ya can't rock out like hell with some P-90's. Here's something I recorded with my P-90 loaded Gibson SG Junior.

http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/VirtualStudios/Listen/detail.php?eltid=29457

 

[twoheadedboy]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

I like P-90s because they are pretty much inbetween a single coil and humbucker tone. You get a nice midrange growl, that roars when you send it through a hard driving amp, and you get a very articulate, sweet clean sound with just a bit of glassiness when you turn down the guitar's volume a bit. Style wise I'm all over the map, but with a nice amp, a nice OD and a nice guitar with a P-90 in the bridge, I can cover any style I have to.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

LMAO!! It looks like David Crosby to me.

What's David Crosby doing trying to look like Freddy Fender? :jester: I'm not sure that I've ever seen a pic of David Crosby to know him if I saw him.

P-90's are for some serious rocking cool. l'll check out your clips.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Yeah that pic is the Cros, when he was in the Byrds.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Yeah that pic is the Cros, when he was in the Byrds.

I should crawl under a chair now...it would be way uncool to have a Freddy Fender avatar around here. What what I thinking? :chairfall: :butkick:


Jolly, you definitely make those P-90's rock. That's heavy duty clip. Rock on.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Freddy Fender is cool!

 

[twoheadedboy]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

The amount of noise you get with P-90s really depends on your surroundings. If you play in decent rooms with well set up power, you'll be fine. I really don't like that most people's first experience with P-90s is Mississipi Queen. I think that tone really sucks.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Jolly, great clip...I am almost afraid to post one of my own but here goes--it was a quick take on a jam in another forum.

http://home.comcast.net/~mdm0027/fortysecondsofclams.mp3

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Jolly, great clip...I am almost afraid to post one of my own but here goes--it was a quick take on a jam in another forum.

http://home.comcast.net/~mdm0027/fortysecondsofclams.mp3

That sounded great to me Falstaff. You need to be posting more clips.

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrhhhhrrrr! :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: Jolly- I just went and listened to your clips. Wow. I need a whole CD of that. Too bad my computer speakers don't go to 115db....

 

[MattPete]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Jolly, great clip...I am almost afraid to post one of my own but here goes--it was a quick take on a jam in another forum.

http://home.comcast.net/~mdm0027/fortysecondsofclams.mp3

my god man! Not only was that great playing, but it was a great demonstration of the P-90 sound. It's thick, yet thin.

 

[Bombay]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

Not only Leslie West, but anything Neil Young has done. Not to mention Keith Richards had some great moments with a P90 as well.

Who else ? Van Halen's slide work on "Dirty Movies" was done with a SG Junior w/P90's and let us not forget Freddie King.

Good enough for them, good enough for you tough guy....

 

[Mike M.]

Re: When and Why P-90 Pickups?

I bought a PRS SE Soapbar II this past summer. Took the stock P90's out, installed Lollars P90's and for overdriven/distorted sounds this is fast becoming my favorite guitar. Much more so than my humbucking equipt guitars. Great snarl and growl with an amazing clarity, and I love the punch I get from the high end. In my very humble opinion I'm finding P90's to be the most versatile pickups out there.