Need Advice: P90 in Humbucker size

[Stratosfear]

I'm looking for some general advice on P90s that are meant to drop into guitars with humbuckers....

back story: I'm basically looking to make a stand-in, cheap, back-up (epiphone SG, G-400) version of my guitar that I love (Gibson SG), so I can get a similar sound at times without having to worry about babying it too much. This guitar I love has P-90s in it, not sure of the brand, but I never got the impression they were extra-fancy, and the pick guard was changed so they're regular shaped/sized P90s.

I should note it is mainly the bridge position I am concerned with, I'm not much of a neck guy, and can leave the humbucker in there.

In the cheaper guitar I have put a Rio Grande Fat Bastard, as they recommend it for bridge position. However they seem to be too "fat" for me, and the guitar sounds much thicker than desired. Especially on palm-mutes my Gibson is borderline thin sounding, mainly accenting the attack, while on the Epiphone the Fat Bastard is full, accenting the chunk.

So.... I'm looking for a drop-in humbucker-sized P90 that I guess is on the thin/clean side, if that makes sense. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[KBR]

GFS Dream 90 is ok, or get a low powerd HBer, Lollar, Voodoo make good ones

 

[big mike]

I'd look into either a Duncan Phat Cat, or a HB Sized P90 from Pete at Vintage Vibe.

Also the split single from Lindy Fralin.

 

[Stratosfear]

thanks for the suggestions guys, can you elaborate on how these sound at all? I will google, but personal experience is always important as well!

 

[Caretaker]

The Blues Bucker from Dimarzio looks like a regular bucker, but it`s a P90 and dummy coil.

 

[Tone_Terrific]

GFS Mean 90. Middier, more punch than the Dream but not honky.
Cheaper is always better, right?

 

[Gargoyle]

+1 on the Vintage Vibe, email Pete with what you're after and he is great with advice on what may suit........

 

[Bill Brasky]

I've got a Kent Armstrong HB sized P-90 with a chrome cover that fits the bill. The only problem is I had to drill out the screw mounting holes to accommodate another guitar's screws/pickup ring and now it might be kinda tricky to mount. Works fine though, sounds great. You can have it for $22.00 shipped. LMK

 

[rcl]

Check out the P-Rails from Duncan. P90 and hot rails in a humbucker package. You can set it up to switch from one-the other-or both.

 

[JimmyR]

Fralin makes one and it's very good. He also makes a P92 which is worth a try.

 

[Jet Age Eric]

a HB Sized P90 from Pete at Vintage Vibe.

I plan on picking up one of these. -E

 

[Stratosfear]

GFS Mean 90. Middier, more punch than the Dream but not honky.
Cheaper is always better, right?

Is it bassy? I lot of the P90 sales pitches I'm reading are telling me how full or deep they are, which is really not what I'm after.......

 

[echale3]

I stuck a set of GFS Mean 90s in my SG and compared it head to head with the P-90s in my LP Double Cut.

The Mean 90s were a little darker, which is probably due to my not changing out the stock resistance pots in the SG. The Mean 90s have great P-90 tone played clean or dirty. They did not sound precisely like the P-90s in the LP DC (how could they--I was comparing two fairly different guitars, with different resistance pots to boot), but they were very close....

They didn't strike me as too bassy. They bottom end is solid, but not overwhelming, and the top end is not shrill or thin. Strong mids, lots of growl to them.... Plenty of punch....

 

[Mudder]

I've been looking at doing the same thing with a humbucker guitar and I've narrowed my search down to two models.

Duncan Phat Cats
Harmonic Design Z-90

 

[RvChevron]

I've been looking at doing the same thing with a humbucker guitar and I've narrowed my search down to two models.

Duncan Phat Cats
Harmonic Design Z-90

The Z-90 doesn't sound like p-90 at all.

Z-90 is a great pickup with it's own sound. More full range, deeper lows and higher highs with great punch.

But if you're looking for a p-90 sounding humbucker size pu, look elsewhere.

 

[Jon Silberman]

Rv, are you using 500 or 250K pots with your Z90s? HD recommends 500K pots. I use those with mine, too, and agree with your assessment but wonder if, with 250Ks, those bad boys wouldn't sound a heckava lot more like real P90s.

Also agree on the GFS Mean 90s: amazing value for few bones. And don't even compare the Dream 90s to 'em, the Mean 90s are built like true P90s, the Dreams are single coils hiding beneath a 'bucker-sized cover.

No more from me, I've posted on this same subject here many times before as have hundreds of others - do a search.

 

[RvChevron]

Rv, are you using 500 or 250K pots with your Z90s? HD recommends 500K pots. I use those with mine, too, and agree with your assessment but wonder if, with 250Ks, those bad boys wouldn't sound a heckava lot more like real P90s.

Jon, I'm using 500K pot. I just don't think Z-90 was designed to sound like p-90 at all. Even his VP-90's are more hi-fi, in a good way, then p-90's.

 

[rustneversleeps]

This thread is actually very interesting. I don't mean to hijack the OP's thread, but after reading this I'm curious as to any pitfalls in combining a neck P90 with a regular bridge humbucker?