P-90s do you like em?

[blownirocz]

Oh hell yes! P-90's into ef86 preamp circuits are one of my go-to's when I don't want to tweak anything and I just want to play -- pick up THAT guitar plug into THAT amp, and it's INSTANT gratification for me.

 

[ndavis1971]

My rig is a 55 LP jr. So I can’t comment on reissues or two pickups or what have you. I would’ve saved a lot of money if I just stopped with that one! But one guitar is never enough !

 

[bertramladner]

Me too, and having read the reviews and watched lots of vids I got a new SG Junior. I’d had P90 guitars before (an Epi Wildkat and an LP Goldtop Tribue, and really not got on with them, but that was years ago and my playing and setup has, as everyone’s does, changed. Besides, I just loved the sounds people were making with them.

I absolutely love it, but I agree wholeheartedly with this:



I’d add to that excellent advice that the fun happens when you use amps and/or pedals that have a really good dynamic response and clean up nicely with both the knobs and your touch. I’m a pedal person, and am used to stepping on footswitches for tonal and drive-level changes, but some drive pedals I really love (e.g. Emma ReezaFRATzitz, Dan side of D&M, SL Drive) don’t really do it justice, while others (ZVex Distortron, certain settings on an Expandora) do because of how they react to volume, tone and dynamics changes.

Similarly new to me was using amp drive. I found the Vox Night Train that had just been a spare amp in the rehearsal studio for years works really well on it’s Thick (drive) channel, which I’d barely used before. Since I got the SG Jr I also sold some stuff and got a Boogie Fillmore 50 specifically to use in this no-pedal, control from the guitar way (though actually I have an EP Boost always on in front of it).

Finally, I’m not used to being particularly dynamic in my playing and pick attack. I’ve spent most of my playing life in loud rock covers bands In pubs, so it’s not much of a thing. The Junior is really making trying to break this habit of playing basically flat out and relying on pedals for dynamic changes very rewarding, though it's quite a challenge for me to really consciously think about my picking for the first time in 20 years.

So, very rewarding, but benefitted hugely from a change of approach for me.

(edited to add pic, though with JC-22 from my ambient rig in background)
View attachment 297789

I am noticing with the P90s, I'm playing more dynamically as well, using volume, tone, lighter picking, digging in, letting notes ring out longer. I've only had it a day though....

 

[VintagePlayerStrat]

Yessum.

 

[WordMan]

I am noticing with the P90s, I'm playing more dynamically as well, using volume, tone, lighter picking, digging in, letting notes ring out longer. I've only had it a day though....

Boom; there ya go. There is a bit of “like going from Automatic to Stick Shift in a car” in there - in an over-powered car with a nicely-tight suspension. You are using a tool that you can stomp on, than can handle hard corners and such - but you also have to learn how to downshift, double-clutch, etc. Feeling the road and fine-tuning your tool while you are throwing it around...because you can!!

Here, you are actively dialing it in and engaging in an ongoing “dialogue with your tone.” Ha - that sounds so stupid, but I swear it is kinda true!! They ask you / give you a tool to step up your Craft.

 

[mdubya]

Great collection, I have only tried the P90 Freidman Vintage T and now a Grosh Electrajet. Which of those Gibson P90s do you like best/recommend?

Well, the Firebird is my favorite guitar for many reasons. The LP Special ALWAYS delivers, the ES 330 is indeed sublime as another poster mentioned, and the SG Classic is one of the best bargains in the guitar universe.

I think you pick your favorite shape or form factor and let 'er rip.

I mean, I play Black Sabbath on the 330 and, while I am not much of a jazzer, the LP or the SG will do jazz.

The last few years, Gibson has made an ES 335 with P-90s. That might be the best possible choice if you can't buy ALL of the guitars.

 

[Jahn]

How does it compare to a nice Strat neck pickup?

A nice strat neck pickup is warm but still “flutey” I guess is the word. A P-90 even in the bridge position played clean is darker and goopier I guess you can say. But start adding some hair and you’ll want to start switching a strat to the bridge for proper grind- but not for a P-90. A P-90 has enough muscle to hold it together under duress and still sound meaty.

 

[3waytie4last]

I don't like them, I like like them!

 

[Kojack19]

Favorite pick up. Own a Jr and a 56 gold top which is my #1 and is now 25 years old. Works in all set ups and can do whatever you want it too. Volume and tone knobs respond very well. Favorite amps are a 63 Bassman, Satellite and Marshalls but also sound great with my Princeton and pedals.

 

[archelo]

Absolutely love them! Ive got a Gibson LP Jr double cut with dual P90s and it sounds killer. Just like many have stated throughout this thread. I recently built a tele with dual P90s and it growls like nothing else! Highly recommend trying them out. For strat bridge position, Dimarzio use to make a DP404 pickup that growls like a P90. Ive snagged a few used and have them in all my strats.

 

[bertramladner]

Well, the Firebird is my favorite guitar for many reasons. The LP Special ALWAYS delivers, the ES 330 is indeed sublime as another poster mentioned, and the SG Classic is one of the best bargains in the guitar universe.

I think you pick your favorite shape or form factor and let 'er rip.

I mean, I play Black Sabbath on the 330 and, while I am not much of a jazzer, the LP or the SG will do jazz.

The last few years, Gibson has made an ES 335 with P-90s. That might be the best possible choice if you can't buy ALL of the guitars.

Great style and playing

 

[skhan007]

Huge P90 fan! I’ve got a ‘58 Junior which sounds glorious through a cranked Marshall.

 

[WordMan]

How does it compare to a nice Strat neck pickup?

To be clear: it’s all in the Mids.

Strat pickups were designed to be clear with a scooped profile. No Mids. Pointless, that. Wait, did I say that out loud?

P-90s are *all* about Mids. Whatever you thought your Mid needs were, a P-90 will challenge you with more. You are operating the knobs with the purpose of taming your Highs and managing your Mids.

And that is why they rock so hard.

 

[sickboy79]

P-90s are my favorite pickups ever. I can do anything on them. Blues, rockabilly, classic rock, hard rock, punk....etc. I just LOVE them.

 

[Zenyatta Mondatta]

My favorites, the most balanced sounding pickups invented. IMO they work for everything. I use them for rockabilly, jazz, pop, country...

 

[gentlyweeping]

Want a P90 equipped guitar. Because of stuff like this,

 

[AaeCee]

All the cool kids dig P-90s.

Even if you don't like 'em, don't say so ... it'll make you look, well, square (that's right, I'm bringin' "square" back!).

That said, I truly love P-90s in the right guitar, like an LP.

 

[Mark Robinson]

How does it compare to a nice Strat neck pickup?

To be clear: it’s all in the Mids.

Strat pickups were designed to be clear with a scooped profile. No Mids. Pointless, that. Wait, did I say that out loud?

P-90s are *all* about Mids. Whatever you thought your Mid needs were, a P-90 will challenge you with more. You are operating the knobs with the purpose of taming your Highs and managing your Mids.

And that is why they rock so hard

Yes midrange content is ample, but so is clarity if you set the amp for it. Fifties wiring to my ears is essential, for holding clarity over a range of volumes, clean or dirty. I always have a guitar or two with P-90’s and stole a lot of my lead guitar vocabulary and attitude from folks like Hunter and Wagner, and Leslie West. I have also had my hand forced at small crappy bar gigs, to bail on P-90’s due to noise. But if you don’t have to be on top of the amps they are only a little worse than typical stock Fenders that way.

 

[strawberries]

My two main guitars have p90s and I also use a jazzmaster. I really don't like how strats, teles, or humbucker guitars sound at all.

Play a p90 guitar into a vintage ac30 with blues cranked up. It's amazing.

 

[PatrickE_FenderADV]

LOVE them!!