interesting humbucker sized pups [Archive]

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JimH

12-20-2006, 05:09 AM

THinking about pups for a Hamer Monaco Super Pro. I like vintage stuff and articulate sounds with character. I'm intrigued by the fralin P-92s - are they humcancelling 90s? What's the dealy? Phat cats?

I'm replacing pretty generic sounding Seymourt Duncan custom and custom custom. I don't have any major complaints with the pickups - all the frequencies are there, which is maybe the problem, a little boring.

enharmonic

12-20-2006, 05:35 AM

They're split single coils...look like a domino. Dunno how Lindy does it, but it's all P-90 without the P-90 hum

JimH

12-20-2006, 05:59 AM

That sounds a remarkable pup. Don't really call it a p-90 on the website.

Mrgearguy

12-20-2006, 06:02 AM

Ive got Phat Cats in my Newport and they are awesome with that guitar. Not really P90, more chime and clarity. Of course they were designed by Duncan/Dantzig specifically for that guitar so I would expect that they'd sound good.

enharmonic

12-20-2006, 08:20 AM

That sounds a remarkable pup. Don't really call it a p-90 on the website.

They're the business. I like his humbuckers, but I like others (like Holmes, Lollar, and HD) more.

His P-92 is a home run IMO. I have them in my Ian Anderson and in the Delia. They're just super pickups. All of the raunch/grind/cut of a P-90 with none of the RF or 60-cycle hum nightmares. Haven't found anything that sounds quite like them. The HD Z-90's are close, but they have a small amountof noise. The Fralins are dead quiet.

No more P-90 dance when playing live or recording! :D

JimH

12-20-2006, 08:26 AM

what sort of output? I'm a jazz through to classic rock sort of guy, want a pickup with plenty of blusey character.

enharmonic

12-20-2006, 09:11 AM

You can specify your own wind. If you don't like it, Lindy will rewind it for you until it's right.

I have an 8.2 and 9k set in my Delia, an 8.4 and 9.2 set in my Ian Anderson (went slightly hotter for the solid body). Both are excellent.

JimH

12-20-2006, 09:28 AM

Thanks for the info, you know of any clips?

mainsale

12-20-2006, 10:43 AM

+1 For the P-92's. Since I discovered them I have installed them into a LP Florentine, 336, and two Tele's with outstanding results. They are currently my favorite pickups. Lindy Fralin described them to me as "noiseless" P-90's and he was telling the truth. They work really well in the neck of a Tele and eliminate all of the mud associated with pickups in that position. Give them a try. You won't be sorry.
Merry Christmas!
:BluesBros
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/Mainsale/336-P-92s002.jpg

Jim Soloway

12-20-2006, 10:56 AM

Are you talking about the Superpro Elite with the 25.5" scale length? If so, I thought that was a great sounding guitar with the stock pickups, so I'd probably leave them in there, but if I made any change it would be to another set of low output humbuckers. The longer scale length and the chambered body give it a huge acoustic presence that prevent the guitar from every getting boomy or swamping out. It's a guitar I'd love to own if I had a few bucks to spare.

enharmonic

12-20-2006, 12:24 PM

Mainsale and I should have a P-92 endorsement deal! :p

Larry

12-20-2006, 12:39 PM

My biggest problem with humbuckers is I don't like the way they sound on the wound strings. The P-92's are great in that regard. They have excellent clarity and a little twang. Mine are wound low at 8000/9200 turns. Because of that, they are a little more balanced than standard P-90's. If you are looking for more mid's you can have them wound hotter.

I have not tried the Phat Cats, but I know they are not humbuckers.

DualRectifier

12-20-2006, 01:55 PM

Let me know if you want to get rid of the Duncans... I love the Customs

JimH

12-20-2006, 02:51 PM

Thanks guys, excellent responses.

Thanks, Jim (yes the 25.5" superpro) too, it's good to hear the 'leave them in there' side of the argument. And in alot of ways I agree, I can't really fault the choice of the duncans, all the frequencies are there, I just find it all a bit bland as I've heard it so many times before - not least from myself and think I'm maybe a bit more of a single coil guy, so fat single coil sound with hum cancelling sounds like the perfect pup. (I know it seems strange to get this guitar if that's the case - why not get a monaco3 right? - I hate trems and see the electronics as more customisable)

Thought about the phat cats, but the fralins seem like a better option - great to have knowledgable guys chipping in, thanks to everyone. Any cons to the fralis?

Merry christmas dudes.

matte

12-20-2006, 02:53 PM

dominic ramos charlie christians. throaty yet open neck pickup and nuclear tele from hell twang from the bridge

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL898/463210/13007863/214961914.jpg
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL898/463210/13007863/214961903.jpg
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL898/463210/13007863/214961898.jpg

enharmonic

12-20-2006, 03:02 PM

Those pickups are gorgeous in that JG. Has me jonzing for a P-90 guitar just to drop a set of 'em in :D

Jim Soloway

12-20-2006, 03:06 PM

JimH

12-21-2006, 02:22 AM

dominic ramos charlie christians. throaty yet open neck pickup and nuclear tele from hell twang from the bridgemy word! that is a stunning guitar, do those pups fit a standard humbucker route?

If you really want ot make the change, then my suggestion is to talk to Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe about his blade pickups. They are incredible cool.

Thanks Jim, as ever a different and knowledgable slant on things - out of interest you don't seem too impressed with the fralins or phat cats - any reason? Amazing work by the way. I think I'd love one of your guitars.

Jim Soloway

12-21-2006, 10:04 AM

my word! that is a stunning guitar, do those pups fit a standard humbucker route?

Thanks Jim, as ever a different and knowledgable slant on things - out of interest you don't seem too impressed with the fralins or phat cats - any reason? Amazing work by the way. I think I'd love one of your guitars.

I've never tried the Fralins, so I can't comment, but I was pretty unimpressed by the Phat Cats. They did the P90 vibe well enough, but I thought they over powered the character of the guitar and with a really cool instrument like the Superpro, I want something that makes the character shine, not hide it.

Dajbro

12-21-2006, 09:27 PM

If you really want ot make the change, then my suggestion is to talk to Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe about his blade pickups. They are incredible cool.

I checked out his site and would like to know more about your experience with the blade pickups if you wouldn't mind sharing. Anything you can tell me about noise, tone clean vs. dirty, even frequency response or does it have a spike or dip somewhere, touch sensitivity, etc. I would appreciate it. I've been contemplating some Z-90s forever, but these look very interesting.

David

JimH

12-22-2006, 04:47 AM

They did the P90 vibe well enough, but I thought they over powered the character of the guitar and with a really cool instrument like the Superpro, I want something that makes the character shine, not hide it.

Well said

Jim Soloway

12-22-2006, 11:12 AM

I checked out his site and would like to know more about your experience with the blade pickups if you wouldn't mind sharing. Anything you can tell me about noise, tone clean vs. dirty, even frequency response or does it have a spike or dip somewhere, touch sensitivity, etc. I would appreciate it. I've been contemplating some Z-90s forever, but these look very interesting.

David

We use them quite a bit, so obviously I like them a lot. Pete has done a lot of different things with P90 style construction and he seems to have a really good understanding of how to use the basic design in a lot of different ways.

They do have some single coil hum, but less than almost any other P90 style pickup that I know of. I've used them to record quiet jazz and in a room full of electronic equipment I was able to get rid of pretty much all the hum just by stepping a couple feet from the recorder.

The pickups are extremely touch sensative. Dig in and they have serious drive. Lay back and they're warm and clear, a difficult combination to achieve. But probably the best evidence is simply listening to recordings with them. Here are a couple clips that I recorded with them followed by a couple very different clips recorded by Jere Mendelson using the same guitar. Jere's final clip is with some gain so you can get an idea of the contrast.

http://www.jimsoloway.com/TascamDemos/E095-1.mp3

http://www.jimsoloway.com/TascamDemos/E083-1.mp3

http://www.jimsoloway.com/Clips/JereMendelsohn/soloway-neck-mid-bridge-clean.mp3

http://www.jimsoloway.com/Clips/JereMendelsohn/soloway-neck-mid-bridge-dl4-chiken.mp3

http://www.jimsoloway.com/Clips/JereMendelsohn/soloway-neck-mid-bridge-fulldrive.mp3

riffpowers

12-22-2006, 12:20 PM

I have a les paul custom I've never liked the sound of, but it was my 1st Gibson so I've kept it.I took the stock HB's out, put KA P90's in, didn't like them either.
After trying a set of Bulldog P90's, I ordered an HB sized set for the les paul.

They are absolutely amazing.They have transformed this guitar from something that gets played for 3 minutes every 6 months to something I just can't put down.I can honestly say I cannot believe the amazing tones I'm getting out of this guitar, I never knew the guitar would ever sound this good!!
Its even made me put the Hamer Korina Jr back in its case for the 1st time since I bought it!!!

I reckon they'd sound absolutely outstanding in any guitar.

Dajbro

12-22-2006, 04:19 PM

I'm sure that your guitar plays a major role in how good the clean clips sound, but it looks like I have found what I'm getting myself for Christmas this year. Thanks for the info and for posting the clips.

David

JimH

01-03-2007, 09:42 AM

Sorry guys - been away form the 'puter over christmas.
Thanks Jim for the great clips - love that style of playing. Very enticing pups. Seem to have everything I look for - depth, girth and definition.

Think I'm being thicker than a whale omlette here Riff, but what are Bulldogs?