Okay, I like P90s. Now how do I quiet them down?

[ProfRhino]

If you've ever played a clean passage, or sustained a clean sound on P90s, you'd hear the hum very obviously. The only real option is to simply change what you play when using a P90 guitar, and use something else for those more sensitive moments.

that's exactly why I always say gates or turning down pots won't help you any.
finally somebody who understands ...
and make no mistake, it gets worse as you increase gain, not better !
your only chance is to eliminate noise right at the PUs, and that's where it gets tricky.

limiting my playing is not an option, I'll rather use a more silent guitar instead - as unfortunate as this may be.

Rhino

 

[Roe]

The illitch backplate does help but it is not 100% effective, more like 80+%. I'm anxious to try the new fluence active p90s, which are noiseless.

 

[ProfRhino]

The illitch backplate does help but it is not 100% effective, more like 80+%. I'm anxious to try the new fluence active p90s, which are noiseless.

have you got one ?
and if so, in what guitar / which P90s ?
I'm asking since I'm honestly curious ...
thanks,
Rhino

 

[Valves-R-Us]

Nice Special image. I have a Lindy Fralin single P90 in a Jr. that is very noisy where moving the guitar around (rotating position) will increase/decrease noise like an antenna. This was a dog-ear normal wind, 7.8K model.

I had a Yamaha Revstar with their 7.8K Soapbar P90's. It had metal P/U covers that were grounded. It also had shield paint in the P/U and control cavities. That one is very quiet compared to the Fralin and dead silent with both pickups on. They have the RW/RP rejection trick in the two-pickup mode.

So, new to P90's, I found the Fralin unmanageable. Sold the Junior. The Yamaha was tamed by changing to 50's style wiring where like a treble bleed, highs are retained when rolling off the volume knob. It takes the edge off yet sounds full. The Revstar still is noisy for recording (with a single pickup) but the noise level is quite pleasant and tolerable for playing. It, as well, is directional where rotating its position will increase/decrease noise. But the noise level is far lower than the Fralin. I think it may have to do with shielding in the P/U cavity and the metal P/U covers?

 

[Rhomco]

24 hours ago, I received a Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute that I'd ordered, with P90s. I already had the humbucker version, and I loved it, and I've been doing well with low-end Gibsons lately, so I ordered the P90 version - my first P90 guitar. The first few minutes with the pickups were touch-and-go, but now, a day later, I love the guitar and I want to know who makes the quietest P90s. I love the cleans, in particular, which are as advertised, somewhere between single-coils and humbuckers - warmth with definition. Unfortunately, I prefer the single-position tones (neck or bridge, not both), which means that I get some noise, although it's very variable (seems to depend on what other electronics are around).

Is this noise just something that P90 players put up with? I want more P90s, but I'd like a little less noise. Do higher-end Gibsons with P90s (Specials, I guess) employ superior wiring/parts in order to get a little less noise? (The Tributes, in general, are a little noisier than the Studios and Standard SGs I've played.) Are there P90 brands which are known for being a little quieter, that I might want to drop into a guitar? Any suggestions?

This will be unpopular but the source of the noise is that thing to the right of your guitar. P-90s are actually not noisy when used without a long signal chain full of mismatched buffers and such. Let the pedal board lovers loose!
Rob

 

[Roe]

have you got one ?
and if so, in what guitar / which P90s ?
I'm asking since I'm honestly curious ...
thanks,
Rhino

Yes, in a LP special (LSS195) with ordinarly lollar p90s.

 

[Roe]

the best alternative seems to be the MM silent circuit for MM90s. OR Suhrs similar device.

 

[daacrusher2001]

I have a Reverend with P90s. We play a club where the noise is soooo freakin' bad if I dare to click in any kind of OD. It's bad with any single coil, not just P90s.

I got an ISP DECI-MATE and it definitely works. I can even use the Hoof Fuzz with the DECI-MATE on. It's small, one dial, and really does work pretty well.

 

[ProfRhino]

Yes, in a LP special (LSS195) with ordinarly lollar p90s.

thanks - those upmarket Tokais are beasts !
easily on Gibson CS level ...

the best alternative seems to be the MM silent circuit for MM90s. OR Suhrs similar device.

agreed, unfortunately none of them is available.
I'm not looking to buy a random new guitar, as noiseless as it might be - I have two fantastic sounding Gibsons (a '60 Jr DC that is a real screamer, and a '90s Hysteric DC Special TV w. Barfuss A2 P90s, which is a little bit more mellow), both have fresh 6100s and would be ready to rock - if it weren't for the noise.
I tried to order from Ilitch, several times, from various mail accounts - never got a reply.
and they cut off all EU distributors.
oh well,
Rhino

 

[ProfRhino]

I got an ISP DECI-MATE and it definitely works. I can even use the Hoof Fuzz with the DECI-MATE on. It's small, one dial, and really does work pretty well.

sure, I have the guitar level half of the Decimator ProRack G first in the chain, and the (superior ) Behringer SNR 2000 post- RL - noise in breaks is absolutely not an issue.
plus, I'm not afraid of my volume knob.
all that doesn't help against noise that is present while I'm playing, messing with the purity of the tone - especially annoying as it "ramps up" behind long sustaining notes, as @Timbre Wolf rightfully pointed out above.
trust me, I have the AB comparison with F styles (various dummys or not), and the tonal improvement is huge !
P90s are worse, due to the bigger footprint.

Rhino

 

[Roe]

The fluence soapbars look promising

 

[ProfRhino]

The fluence soapbars look promising

thanks, just DL'ing a few clips, will check them out tonight.

Rhino

 

[daacrusher2001]

I think if I was going to do anything more for the noise, I'd get the Fralin Noiseless P90s

 

[ProfRhino]

thanks, just DL'ing a few clips, will check them out tonight.

Rhino

ok, listened to about 10 clips ...
Greg Koch's playing is funny and ... unique, as always !

the PUs, well - when building a partscaster they would be serious candidates. They sound good in their own way - it's not their fault that the reviewers seem to prefer somewhat trashy amps (mushy bass, harsh treble).
I bet in person I could make them work well, through one of my amps.

however :
compared to really good P90s they failed to impress me ...
the attack is different, less upper mids, more high treble, most obvious with crunch tones.

that's just me though, and it was a fun and educational listen !
ymmv,
Rhino

 

[Roe]

ok, listened to about 10 clips ...
compared to really good P90s they failed to impress me ...
the attack is different, less upper mids, more high treble, most obvious with crunch tones.

yes, a more general worry with the fluence pickups is that the attack seems wrong

 

[NailedIntoBarrels]

A smart noise gate that targets the hum. TC Sentry gets well recommended and is multiband rather than just an on/off gate.

 

[timbuck2]

the best alternative seems to be the MM silent circuit for MM90s. OR Suhrs similar device.

I DONT think that circuit is sold.I have an mm90 and its dead quiet

 

[timbuck2]

Noiseless P-90 - Kinman or Mojotone?

Title says it all. Who tried both (prefereably in the same guitar and in the same position)? Which one is closer in tone and feel to a 50s type P90? I am planning to put one in the neck spot of one of my teles and might build a dual P90 partscaster in the future. Thanks, Stephan

www.thegearpage.net

 

[dewey decibel]

All you noise gate people; I’m sure it’s a fine solution for some gigs but it’s simply not for others. For instance, not in a jazz duo in a restaurant where you’re letting a chord decay and the hum is buzzing like a bees nest while the couple in front of you are trying to enjoy their steak tartare.

I have an EH Humdebugger, and it does work. But yes, it changes the sound and adds a slight modulated echo sort of effect, which becomes more pronounced with more gain. It works for me on those jazz gigs but I wouldn’t recommend it for most rock gigs. That said, on a loud stage I can usually get by just rolling the volume off on the guitar.