Which P90's for my Jaguar?

[Mitch T]

Yes, that's right, P90's :D I have a '90's CIJ Jaguar which has been modded by one of the previous owners to carry a pair of P90's. Point is, they're not that great and I want something different in them. Bear in mind, this is not your usual Mahogany, fixed bridge guitar to have P90's so i'm trying to find something that specifically suits this guitar.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg117/mitch_tripper/guitars/100_6975.jpg

It has a maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, most likely alder body. Acoustically, it's a little shy in the lower register, G and B strings really stand out and in the medium priced Jaguar tradition it's not that dynamic in volume.
What I'm looking for is enough 'beef' without mud, hot enough to make up for it's lack of natural dynamics and the possibility to have a RWRP set.
Shoot!

[jumpnblues]

I'm not sure but I think there's some kind of law prohibiting the changing of original single coil pu's in Jaguars to P-90s. However, provided that there's not, I'd recommend any P-90 made by Jason Lollar, David Stephens (SD Design Pickups), or David Plummer (Shuangbucker Pickups). I wish Don Mare made P-90s from scratch. I've heard his rewinds are killer sounding. But, I've also read somewhere on this forum that he's not doing the rewinds now. Not sure about that. Anyway, all make superb P-90s. Just in case I'm right regarding the law...I won't tell.


Tom

[Mitch T]

Sssshhhh, we don't want to wake up the cops!

Anyone else who tried P90's on non-mahogany guitars?

[PRSOPHILE]

Mitch, before you go swapping pickups, first check the pot & cap values and make sure they're 500K on the volume (audio taper) and 250-500K on the tone (audio taper) with a 0.022 ufd value tone cap.

I replaced the pots & cap on a couple of Fenders (Stratosonic, strat shape & ergos, gibby scale length, p90's) and by changing these, I didn't have to change out the pickups................really made my day!

Even though the P90 is considered a single coil, they perform better with a "humbucker electronics rig". I guess it's the sound we grew up with........?

[JES1680]

I like Lollars in LP's and Fralins in Fender style guitars myself.

[Mike9]

If you do change out the pickups Jon Moore has wound some stellar P-90's for me. There are so many great winders out there now - just hook up with one in your price range and email/call them to tailor a wind to your guitar's specs and the tone you're looking for.

http://tonefordays.com/

[Mitch T]

Mitch, before you go swapping pickups, first check the pot & cap values and make sure they're 500K on the volume (audio taper) and 250-500K on the tone (audio taper) with a 0.022 ufd value tone cap.

I had the guitar electronically overhauled already and everything's fine in that department now. Just didn't change the pups rightaway to see if it was the electronics, just like you advise. But thanks for the input, very useful!

I like Lollars in LP's and Fralins in Fender style guitars myself.
Could you tell me more about that? You like the highs better, or the mids?

If you do change out the pickups Jon Moore has wound some stellar P-90's for me. There are so many great winders out there now - just hook up with one in your price range and email/call them to tailor a wind to your guitar's specs and the tone you're looking for.

http://tonefordays.com/
Interesting, didn't know that one and he happens to have a Dutch dealer (I'm from the Netherlands myself). Might check that out, thanks!

[Dale]

I am not sure the price range has much to do with it. Jags have a ringing quality in their design. A bit of Ric vibe in them in ways. The bass cut engaged makes this even more pronounced to me. I have always assumed it is due to the bridge.

What is manufacture and model of the P-90's that are in it now? This would give me a better reference point on what to try to move in the direction you desire. The electronics for P-90's varies quite a bit and the manufacturer of the pups may have some thoughts. I have found that 300K pots are often nicer in the P-90 tradition than other options. I have found them not as bright as the 500's and not as dark as the 250's. I tend to like .047 caps with this myself. I actually have like Gibson's and Duncan's which are readily available. The SD Custom Soap Bar III or II may fit the bill, but the soapbar II actually seems like the wrong direction. I also like Harmonic Design's (VP-90) (http://www.harmonicdesign.net/allpages/gibsons.html). I hear a lot of positives about Lollar's and actually GFS as well (http://store.guitarfetish.com/p90pickups.html).

[Mitch T]

It does have the 'ring', it just lacks a bit of dynamics/resonance. And that's something I associate with a medium priced guitar. Good, but not great if you catch m drift. I don't mind, I have a very resonant Tele, a lovely semi hollow with an attitude and a great sounding custom guitar so this is really the odd ball. Bit of a show guitar :cool: but I do want to enhance it's electric sound, I'm basically using it as my rehearse-unplugged-at-home guitar now and that's just plain silly with a great looker like that!

Anyhow, there's a terrible sounding Duncan stacked P90 in the bridge, very thin despite any kind of setup and a pretty high output no-name pup at the neck. It sounds good on it's own, but it overpowers the bridge pup now and I really want a RWRP set for bars with poor power supplies.

[Dale]

Hum ... mine seems as resonant as any jag. Certainly as with any guitar there are variations on this. You may have a less resonant one. The bridge mass is very different with them compared to a tele, strat, jazz, or LP and that makes them pretty bright and may be what you are picking up with that as well. I love mine so I am a bit defensive about them I suspect. Factor that in here.

Given what is in it now I would say any of them will be an improvement. I have 2 p-90 guitars now but neither a jag. I actually think that a HB in a jag is very nice so that is what is in mine. I could see a nice p-90 in one though and I think it would growl nicely.

[mwhy]

I just received a sweet P-90 from Tom Short -- all his pickups are wonderful, and he'll make sure he understands your guitar and the sound you're after. Check him out: http://www.tomshortshandmadepickups.com

[PRSOPHILE]

So if it's not your electronics, then it definitely is the pickups.

My suggestion?


Get some Thorn GT-90's in there, and you'll never look back. AWESOME pickups. They will turn your Fender into a Total Beast but with the ability to get the clearest, fullest single coil tones I've ever heard from a p90 type pickup.

[Mitch T]

Both look very good, but I'm looking for something in the $140-$190 area, budgetwise, as I'm secretly still jonesing for a Mastery bridge :o

[Targ]

zzz

[lifeinsong]

I'd suggest trying the Fralin P90's. Grosh uses them in the ElectraJet, which is kind of a cross between a Jaguar and a Strat.

[Mitch T]

That's the second vote for the Fralins on Fender style guitars. I justed checked them out a bit more and I see they have two different ones: the normal version with adjustable poles and one with non-adjustable Alnico poles, which should be more clear. Anyone experience with those?

[Mitch T]

I went with the Fralins, the regular P90s. I have some great experience with the Bareknuckle humbuckers and was close to try their P90's but one of the techs I know best loved it, the other one hated it. Combined with the advice over here, I went with the Fralins and will report back when they're installed. Thanks for the heads up everyone!

[Mitch T]

Follow up!
Fralins installed and they are a great match with the guitar. Nice growl, just the right amount of mids. Full bodided tone at the neck, no mud at all and a nice bite on the bridge. A bit of a gamble, but definitely a winner! Thanks for the input guys.

[Jim S]

Lollar 50s wind get more high end and chime from that type of wood and guitar. ...?

[Mitch T]

It already had plenty of higs and harmonics, I wanted a nice full bodied P90 to tame the highs a little. I love and use low output pickups on other guitars (a Nordstrand Vintage set on a Tele and TV Jones powertrons on a custom guitar) but I wanted something slighly beefier on this particular guitar.