New discovery about P90 pickups...

[Lewguitar]

The P90's in my PRS SE Soapbar are pretty noisy. They're single coils and single coils hum.

I just learned this mod and haven't tried it myself yet, but I'm going to. I'll post an update after I do the mod.

Strat sets come with a RW/RP middle pickup and when that pickup is combined with the neck or bridge pickup the hum is cancelled.

RW/RP mean reverse wound and reverse polarity.

If you're using two P90's in your guitar and have a 3 way switch, and you get hum in all three settings, you can make one of your P90's RW/RP and then when the two pickups are combined the hum will disappear.

Here's how to make one of your P90's RW/RP:

You have to disassemble the pickup by loosening the two screws on the bottom of the pickup. Then switch the ground and the hot connection of the cable of one pickup. That will make it Reverse Wound.

You also have to flip the magnets of that same pickup. Just turn them around or flip them like rolling over in bed. That will make it Reverse Polarity.

It's actually pretty easy if you're handy with tools, have a good soldering tool and have a good understanding of how guitar pickups work.

Don't attempt this if you're not handy with tools or lack experience doing detailed work of this kind.

But if you know what you're doing it's pretty easy.

Maybe do a google search for P90 pickups and read up on their construction first.

You only have to alter one pickup, and when you put your P90 guitar back together it should sound exactly the same as it did before except the hum will disappear when both pickups are combined.

 

[Broseph]

Lot of makers offer hum free versions. I’ve tried Fralins. They sure ain’t bad!

 

[Lewguitar]

Lot of makers offer hum free versions. I’ve tried Fralins. They sure ain’t bad!

Generally, noiseless pickups sound a little more flat and dull to me than the noisy single coil "vintage" version.

Noiseless Strat pickups sure don't sound as lively to me as regular Strat pickups do.

Having the middle pickup in a Strat set being RW/RP give you two noiseless settings out of five with a 5 way switch without affecting the tone of a vintage style pickup.

This is just a way of accomplishing the same thing with a set of P90's.

I'm going to try it.

 

[Gtrbldr]

I have my dual P90 guitar set up with one regular and one RP. Works well in thw middle position, but humms the liveing daylight out of the neck and beidge position.

 

[László]

I can put my 594 Soapbar in the middle position and eliminate hum with no mods whatsoever.

 

[Greywolf]

my middle position on McSoapy has no hum , and not much in single pickup either.

 

[aphantomvaper]

A dummy coil with no magnet works too. Les Paul had those in that Gold top guitar that was making the news rounds a couple years ago. That's also how Alembic handles their single coils with hum cancelling.

Thanks for the rundown, Lew, it gives thought. My single P90 guitars will need something different though.

I do have a one P90 guitar with a dummy coil underneath it. You can take it out of the circuit by pulling up on the Tone pot (or is that to bring it in?)

 

[Lewguitar]

The P90's in my SE Soapbar do not cancel hum in the middle position. Those of you who do have humcancelling in the middle position probably have one pickup modded in the fashion I described already. Meaning one is RW/RP.

 

[Lewguitar]

my middle position on McSoapy has no hum , and not much in single pickup either.

Your must be very well shielded. Mine is an SE and it hums like gangbusters!

Think I'll line the insides of the control cavity with copper shielding tape before reassembing.

 

[doublescale1]

Contact Ilitch Electronics and ask them about a Cavity Silent Single Coil system for your PRS control cavity. They make them for Gibsons and can make one for the control cavity on a PRS. I have one on a 50's Tribute Les Paul w/stock Gibson P90's and it's as quiet as my HB guitars.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

Well, depending on the maker, guitars with P90's can come stock with RWRP neck pickups, so when you use both together, they are noise cancelling. In my own miniscule sample... The $800 Fender Player Mustang 90 does not noise cancel. Where my $240 HB TE 90 QM ... does noise cancel.

StewMac sells single P90 RWRP neck pickups to be added to an existing guitar for noise cancelling operation, but I have no idea what the pickup sounds like. But unlike humbuckers, I have not heard a "bad" P90 yet ! (although I'm sure there are some out there)

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

I can put my 594 Soapbar in the middle position and eliminate hum with no mods whatsoever.

Les, That is because one of the pickups, is RWRP.

As described above. I find my P90's only get noisy, when using high gain amp settings. Then the noise is quite apparent, but with the RWRP set ... when you switch to the middle position, the 60Hz line hum drops out, but the gain from the amp still roars away ...,

With high gain settings, the P90 in neck or bridge positions will do its 60 Hz noise thing

Until you blast away and the pickup noise is buried by glorious P90 distortion tone !

If friggin PRS put P90's in an S2 McCarty 594 Thinline ... I'd be a PRS junky again .. .

(and make the middle position noise cancelling)

 

[László]

Les, That is because one of the pickups, is RWRP.

As described above. I find my P90's only get noisy, when using high gain amp settings. Then the noise is quite apparent, but with the RWRP set ... when you switch to the middle position, the 60Hz line hum drops out, but the gain from the amp still roars away ...,

With high gain settings, the P90 in neck or bridge positions will do its 60 Hz noise thing

Until you blast away and the pickup noise is buried by glorious P90 distortion tone !

If friggin PRS put P90's in an S2 McCarty 594 Thinline ... I'd be a PRS junky again .. .

(and make the middle position noise cancelling)

Pickups remind me of hot dogs.

I don't know how hot dogs are made, and I'm sure I don't want to know (my friend Tim, who was president of a meat products company in California, once told me that his hot dogs contained "everything but the oink." ).

When it comes to pickups, I only want to know what happens when I move the switch!

 

[Lewguitar]

I just learned this and haven't tried it myself but I'm going to. Can't guarantee it'll work until I do, but I can't see why it won't work.

Much like Strat type single coil pickups, you get a lot of hum from P90's.

Strat sets come with a RW/RP middle pickup and when that pickup is combined with the neck or bridge pickup the hum is cancelled.

RW/RP mean reverse wound and reverse polarity.

If you're using two P90's in your guitar and have a 3 way switch, and you get hum in all three settings, you can make one of your P90's RW/RP and then when the two pickups are combined the hum will disappear.

Here's how to make one of your P90's RW/RP:

You have to disassemble the pickup by loosening the two screws on the bottom of the pickup. Then switch the ground and the hot connection of the cable of one pickup. That will make it Reverse Wound.

You also have to flip the magnets of that same pickup. Just turn them around or flip them like rolling over in bed. That will make it Reverse Polarity.

It's actually pretty easy if you're handy with tools, have a good soldering tool and have a good understanding of how guitar pickups work.

Don't attempt this if you're not handy with tools or lack experience doing detailed work of this kind.

But if you know what you're doing it's pretty easy.

Maybe do a google search for P90 pickups and read up on their construction first.

You only have to alter one pickup, and when you put your P90 guitar back together it should sound exactly the same as it did before except the hum will disappear when both pickups are combined.

Well last night I did it and it worked!

I also lined the control cavity and pickup routs with copper foil.

Replaced all the pots with CTS and switched to a .02 tone cap.

Replaced all of the wiring with Gibson style braided shielded cable.

My guitar is quieter in all three selector switch setting and NOISELESS when both pickups are combined.

It seems to have a slightly different sound now.

Brighter, especially when both pickups are combined.

 

[Lewguitar]

Well last night I did it and it worked!

Last night I did it and it worked!

I also lined the control cavity and pickup routs with copper foil.

Replaced all the pots with CTS and switched to a .02 tone cap.

Replaced all of the wiring with Gibson style braided shielded cable.

My guitar is quieter in all three selector switch setting and NOISELESS when both pickups are combined.

It seems to have a slightly different sound now.

Brighter, especially when both pickups are combined.

I've often wondered if using a RW/RP pickup as the middle pickup in a Silver Sky or strat changes the tone of a guitar.

Vintage strats do not have a RW/RP middle.

Seems like there should be some difference in the way the pickups interact with the strings with three pickups having North poles (vintage) and two pickups North and the middle one South (modern).

I think I do hear that difference in this PRS Soapbar and i think I hear it in my Silver Sky and strats as well.

Could be kidding myself of course!

 

[aphantomvaper]

Pickups remind me of hot dogs.

I don't know how hot dogs are made, and I'm sure I don't want to know (my friend Tim, who was president of a meat products company in California, once told me that his hot dogs contained "everything but the oink." ).

When it comes to pickups, I only want to know what happens when I move the switch!

There is a FDA standard for "insect filth" in processed meat that cannot be exceeded.

Damn, hot dogs are still good sometimes.

 

[László]

There is a FDA standard for "insect filth" in processed meat that cannot be exceeded.

Damn, hot dogs are still good sometimes.

I f#cking love hot dogs. I could eat one for every meal if I was allowed to.

But once you've approached your time limit on the planet, they tell you the party's over, and make you eat vegetables.

That's why I have olive soup a few times a week. Some folks refer to that as a martini, but I know better.

Incidentally there's also an FDA rat poop limit in peanut butter.

 

[alantig]

Incidentally there's also an FDA rat poop limit in peanut butter.

And there's not much funnier than the expression on a rat's face when the alarm goes off mid-poop indicating he's reached his limit.

Okay, it is pretty funny watching them waddle off in search of another jar of peanut butter.

 

[Torvald]

I've often wondered if using a RW/RP pickup as the middle pickup in a strat changes the tone of a guitar.

Vintage strats do not have a RW/RP middle.

Seems like there should be some difference in the way the pickups interact with the strings with three pickups having North poles (vintage) and two pickups North and the middle one South (modern).

I think I do hear that difference in this PRS Soapbar and i think I hear it in my strats as well.

Could be kidding myself of course!

Cool stuff, Lew! Have to say I'm really digging my Lollar mini humbuckers in my Soapy. The Soapbars were great but I had the mini's and wanted to try them in this guitar. They look cool too.
20230127 090544.jpg

 

[Torvald]

That didn't work. Still learning.