Strat-sized P90 sound pickups?

[mbratch]

I've been reading about the S-90's made by Harmonic-Design, but these are described as being specific to the bridge position.

Does anyone make standard strat-size pickups that are P-90 sound for all positions?

[Clorenzo]

The DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Solo is supposed to sound P90ish and although recommended for the bridge position it can also be used in the neck and middle, plus it's hum-cancelling. There is a clip in DiMarzio's page.

You could probably use the S-90 in the neck and middle positions too, though of course it will sound fatter and louder as you move closer to the neck, as with any pickup, so the bridge may end up a bit too quiet by comparison. Depending on the relative levels of the S-90 and VV Solo, a possible solution would be to put the louder of the two in the bridge position and the quieter one in the neck and middle positions. To give you a reference the output level of the VV Solo is the same as a PAF type humbucker, so you may drop a line to HD and ask how the S-90 compares to a PAF outputwise.

[fjs1962]

I had a Fralin SP43 for a while in a Grosh guitar. It sounded very P90ish and you can get a matched set for a Strat.

[SLG]

Originally posted by fjs1962
I had a Fralin SP43 for a while in a Grosh guitar. It sounded very P90ish and you can get a matched set for a Strat.

+1

[rwe333]

Originally posted by Clorenzo
The DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Solo is supposed to sound P90ish and although recommended for the bridge position it can also be used in the neck and middle, plus it's hum-cancelling. There is a clip in DiMarzio's page.

Huge +1 - great pickup!

[T.Wesley]

Kinman Hx-85 is pretty close to sounding like a P-90.

--chiba

[cvansickle]

The Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounds kick butt like P90s, and they fit in a Strat pickguard.

[dzeitlin]

I tried the SD QP, but didn't think they sounded that close to P90s. I currently have a set of Rio Grande Muy Grandes in my strat, and they are close to P90.

[Bonedance]

Steve Kerstings ( of SK Guitar Specialties ) S-90 is just such a pickup. Works well in all postions and sound killer.

[cnardone]

Chapin makes one as well. ask Trisonic, he'll tell you all about it.

cmn

[angelo]

I have had no experience with any other than the Harmonic Design --- so those other options may be great.

Gotta say, though, that the HD's really rock my world on my ash Tele.

If they offer a p90 for neck or middle, I can't see you being unhappy with it.



THe one I almost went for was Fralin's Steel Pole 43. I bet a strat with steel pole 42's in the neck and middle and a 43 in the bridge would sound great. In fact, that train of thought will likely cost me some $ now that I think of it...

[mbratch]

Thanks for all the great suggestions folks. I'll research these.

The guitar I'm looking at putting these into is H/S/S configured (a Parker Nitefly SA). So I would use the suggested pickups in the neck and middle, and find a suitable 4-conductor HB for the bridge to balance with it. If anyone has any "enhancements" to their suggestion based upon this configuration, I'd be pleased to hear them.

[Bonedance]

Along with the SK S-90's, one of Steves Dualtone or Dualtone ll humbuckers would be a peferct fit. The Dualtone allows you to split between a wonderful bucker tone and a killer start tone. The Dualtone ll goes one better allowing humbucker, strat and P-90 tones. I had one in the neck of a tele and it was a fantastic pickup.

For less money, Dimarzio's hotter VV series coupled with a Bluesbucker, VV PAF or humbucker from hell would be a killer set up.

[David-R]

Originally posted by Bonedance
Steve Kerstings ( of SK Guitar Specialties ) S-90 is just such a pickup. Works well in all postions and sound killer.

+1

Steel poles with a bar magnet. This may be as close as you get in a single coil size.