Why don't more players use P90's?

[bloodswords]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

i've recently developed a preference for P-90 pickups for high gain settings (hence the acquisition of the above guitar). the noise is inevitable but that's what a noise gate's for...

 

[fullfistrock21]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

i LOVE P90'S ! I had a junior and it got really raw blues sounds that were totally awesome....you dont have to use that much gain to get a great tone. its also great for rock rhythms, like ac/dc and 70's punk rhythms like the sex pistols, or leslie west solos.I like feed back so i never really cared, if u play small venues with a trio its great!

 

[fullfistrock21]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

oh ya iommi used p90's on some classic sabbath albums before getting custom p90 shaped humbuckers in his old boy and other sg's

 

[veryhungrycaterpilla]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Noise is the only reason to avoid P90's. They do have a chainsaw grind in the bridge and a woodiness in the neck with sensitivity in all selector positions that no humbucker can match.

fixed. :smokin:

 

[sosomething]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Simple answer from me. I don't have a guitar to slap any in and can't afford to get one with 'em right now.

There's only 2 guitars I'd want with a P-90:

1 - Gibson SG Jr. (like the one I had 12 years ago...I miss that one)
2 - Gibson Les Paul Jr.

Given a choice between the 2, I'd probably grab the SG Jr. every time. The one I had looked just like Jake E. Lee's white one, only mine was cherry red and it was from the 80's. I cannot find any info on the 80's models anywhere, not even on EverythingSG.com. Part of me wants to say it had a TOM/Stop Tail on it but I can't remember for sure. That was one great sounding guitar.

I freakin' love my '63.

It's definitely the one "from my cold, dead hands" guitar on my wall. I like all my guitars - they all sound good and play well, but that one is the one that INSPIRES me. It's 100% responsible for making me a P-90 convert in the 1st place.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

i've recently developed a preference for P-90 pickups for high gain settings (hence the acquisition of the above guitar). the noise is inevitable but that's what a noise gate's for...

Noise gates work for some players, but I've never been able to get along with that artificial cut-off sound that they seem to have.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

I freakin' love my '63.

It's definitely the one "from my cold, dead hands" guitar on my wall. I like all my guitars - they all sound good and play well, but that one is the one that INSPIRES me. It's 100% responsible for making me a P-90 convert in the 1st place.

Something in the back of my mind told me that you were gonna post that while I was typing up that post.....LOL. Damn that is beautiful. I've been trying to hunt down more info on the ones made in the 80's but no luck. There's no way the one I had was a 60's model from the price I paid. Can't remember what the serial number was unfortunately and I never documented it.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Something in the back of my mind told me that you were gonna post that while I was typing up that post.....LOL. Damn that is beautiful. I've been trying to hunt down more info on the ones made in the 80's but no luck. There's no way the one I had was a 60's model from the price I paid. Can't remember what the serial number was unfortunately and I never documented it.

:chairfall

Okay, so I can be a little predictable sometimes.

FWIW I found that guitar 1 1/2 years ago in a music store on a total fluke... I did not pay the 1.5k - 2.5k they're going for on the 'Bay these days. I didn't have that kind of scratch at the moment anyway... I actually played it, drooled over it for a long time but left without it since I was broke. 30 minutes after I got home, I was on the phone with the store, having them hold it for me for three days while I got the money. Best gear choice I've made so far.


Didn't the 80's Juniors have humbuckers in them? Or am I thinking of the SG X, SG-I, and their various permutations....?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

:chairfall

Okay, so I can be a little predictable sometimes.

FWIW I found that guitar 1 1/2 years ago in a music store on a total fluke... I did not pay the 1.5k - 2.5k they're going for on the 'Bay these days. I didn't have that kind of scratch at the moment anyway... I actually played it, drooled over it for a long time but left without it since I was broke. 30 minutes after I got home, I was on the phone with the store, having them hold it for me for three days while I got the money. Best gear choice I've made so far.


Didn't the 80's Juniors have humbuckers in them? Or am I thinking of the SG X, SG-I, and their various permutations....?

The one I had I found in a once small shop in San Jose, CA for under 5 bills. Before getting mine I played it a few times. Then I just snagged it and put it on layaway.

The SG-X and the various other takeoffs had/have the humbucker, and those are fairly recent.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

The one I had I found in a once small shop in San Jose, CA for under 5 bills. Before getting mine I played it a few times. Then I just snagged it and put it on layaway.

Well... we can get close, I think.

Did it have a pickguard like mine, or did it have the big batman one?

Did it have "Made in USA" stamped on the back of the headstock?

 

[greendy123]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Noise gates work for some players, but I've never been able to get along with that artificial cut-off sound that they seem to have.

Thats the same guitar I have. I love using it for high gain, only thing is that it need more gain than my strat with humbuckers to get the same amount of distortion. I think the tone is just awesome and noise isn't really a problem cause I'm used to it from using a high gain amp, mainly noise may affect you if you stop playing. Another problem I see is a smaller variety of pickups to choose from, but with humbuckers you have a larger variety to choose from. Maybe if more companys put out some guitars with higher output p90s it might interest more modern artists.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Well... we can get close, I think.

Did it have a pickguard like mine, or did it have the big batman one?

Did it have "Made in USA" stamped on the back of the headstock?

Yup, pickguard just like yours, dog-earred pickup cover, volume, tone, jack all on the front of the body like yours. Made in USA on the back of the headstock (I made sure of that since it said "Gibson"). The only thing I'm not 100% sure on, from memory anyway, is if the bridge was a wraparound or a STOP/TOM. I wanna say wraparound. It was back in 1994-ish when I had it. It was definitely a Junior.

 

[WGTP]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Gibson has been making a Les Paul Melody Maker the last few years that is very primatively finished. It is thin like a MM, but shaped like a Les Paul Jr. The single pickup is a P-90 and it ROCKS. Turn the volume up and the tone down and you get a fat Humbuckerish tone. Turn the tone up and the volume down and your in single coil territory. Got mine new at GC for $250. They came in Vintage yellow, red or black.

Also, standing at different angles to you amp greatly effects the hum.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Yup, pickguard just like yours, dog-earred pickup cover, volume, tone, jack all on the front of the body like yours. Made in USA on the back of the headstock (I made sure of that since it said "Gibson"). The only thing I'm not 100% sure on, from memory anyway, is if the bridge was a wraparound or a STOP/TOM. I wanna say wraparound. It was back in 1994-ish when I had it. It was definitely a Junior.

Ok. The "Made in USA" means that it was made after 1970.

The small PG means...Well, that gets tricky. Gibson introduced the big guard on all the SGs in 1967.

Now I'm really curious. I was unaware of Gibson making small-guard P-90 Juniors any time after 1967.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

If it had a stop-tail / TOM it could be from around 1991.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1991-Gibson-SG-Jr_W0QQitemZ290077817537QQihZ019QQcategoryZ47073QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[ErikH]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Ok. The "Made in USA" means that it was made after 1970.

The small PG means...Well, that gets tricky. Gibson introduced the big guard on all the SGs in 1967.

Now I'm really curious. I was unaware of Gibson making small-guard P-90 Juniors any time after 1967.

Exactly what I've found myself. I could be wrong about the "Made In USA". I had LP Studio shortly afterwards that definitely had the stamp. It was so clean and new looking. Barely any fret wear.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

Gibson has been making a Les Paul Melody Maker the last few years that is very primatively finished. It is thin like a MM, but shaped like a Les Paul Jr. The single pickup is a P-90 and it ROCKS. Turn the volume up and the tone down and you get a fat Humbuckerish tone. Turn the tone up and the volume down and your in single coil territory. Got mine new at GC for $250. They came in Vintage yellow, red or black.

Also, standing at different angles to you amp greatly effects the hum.

That is the guitar I brought to the jam. I love it!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

I think alot of it has to do with availability.

it seems like in the past few years there's been an explosion of them in the market. Previously I think the offerings were also typically very vintage-sounding. There were some "hot" models here and there but typically the market was mostly vintage.

I've owned two sets, Vintage Vibe and GFS'. The Vintage Vibe were fantastic sounding but the hum drove me utterly bat****. The GFS' are DAMNED quiet and a little bit hotter than I'm used to. I find with some work of the volume knob I can cover more ground that just about anything else in my arsenal.

It's a great time to be a player....

That last part is a real important point. As far as pickups or guitars or just gear in general, we're living in the 'good ol' days' right now. There is so much to choose from in every price range that if you can't find a pickup/guitar/rig right now that fits you and makes you sound your best (and is more or less within your budget), you have to really suck as a player.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

If it had a stop-tail / TOM it could be from around 1991.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1991-Gibson-SG-Jr_W0QQitemZ290077817537QQihZ019QQcategoryZ47073QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

OMG!!!! THAT'S IT!!! You rock, bro!

If I could I would so jump on that. But I can't have it right now. Saving for a new house. But yep, that is it. Same color and everything.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Why don't more players use P90's?

P-90's have a cool tone...but it's not a tone that I want to use all the time. They're fun for a change of pace but that's it as far as I'm concerned.

In a way, they're right in between a Fenderish single coil and a Gibsonish humbucker while not delivering the tones of either. P-90's are not quite strong enough to push an amp the way a Duncan 59 can, and not not quite clear enough to do the Strat or Tele neck pickup thing.

They're right in between in limbo...

Just not my favorite style pickup.

Lew