One set of pickups out...a new set in...PRS SE Soapbar

Lewguitar

Old Know It All
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
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Location
Paonia Colorado
My MIK SE Soapbar Singlecut had real Gibson USA P90's in it when I bought it used.

Score!

Gibson uses the same 8K A5 P90 as the neck and bridge pickup in a set. They are not calibrated for the neck or bridge position.

Love the bridge pickup but the neck pickup gets muddy when I lower the volume of the guitar to play chords.

180 pf. treble bleed cap helps but doesn't cure.

Besides, these Gibson P90's HUM too much for me. That's why Gibson invented the humbucking pickup.

Saturday the Bare Knuckle Nantucket set arrived, and Sunday night they went in.

Finished up around 10:30PM. Too late to give them a real work out.

Anyway, here's a couple of photos of how she looks with the new cream BKP's.

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Tone Report!
I have high hopes for the BK's.

Today i spent time adjusting pickup and polepiece height.

The BK's are quieter than the Gibsons and more articulate.

The improvement and range of clean tones now is really special.

I kind of miss that ballsy Gibson P90 bridge pickup though.

Leslie West's Mississippi Queen tones came easier with the Gibson P90.

Makes sense. It's what Leslie used.

More later.
 
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Are the BK's noiseless? I put a set if Lollar mini humbuckers in my Soapbar II. Actually bought the Soapy because I liked the Lollars so much but didn't care for the SG I had them in. The Lollars have a unique sound. But then I got a set of Gibson P90'S and put them in the SG. I like it again. Much better than when it had the Gibson mini humbuckers in it.
 
Are the BK's noiseless? I put a set if Lollar mini humbuckers in my Soapbar II. Actually bought the Soapy because I liked the Lollars so much but didn't care for the SG I had them in. The Lollars have a unique sound. But then I got a set of Gibson P90'S and put them in the SG. I like it again. Much better than when it had the Gibson mini humbuckers in it.
I almost bought some Lollars. Almost bought some Sanfords too. Got a good deal on the BK's and I liked the sound clips and reviews.

No, the BK's are not noiseless. They're single coils.

They are quieter than the Gibsons, and maybe whatever BK has done to quiet them might also make them feel and sound a little tighter...in a GOOD way.

They seem to be more articulate than my Gibsons.

The BKP's invite me to strum some cowboy chords. But so do the Rotosound strings BKP suggests using and provides a set of.

The Gibsons feel ballsier and hit my amp harder. I like that sound too.

But they can also get "wooly" sounding when I lower the volume control on the guitar to play chords and rhythm and I don't like that.

The BK neck pickup retains treble and stays clear.
 
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If I didn’t have an amazing experience with Wolfetone for P90’s I would have gone with BKP for my Mira

LNRSwU0.jpg
 
If I didn’t have an amazing experience with Wolfetone for P90’s I would have gone with BKP for my Mira

LNRSwU0.jpg
Classy guitar!

I've heard only good things about Wolfetones.

Too bad I only have one guitar routed for P90's.

P90's have so much personality and variation in sound.

Some sound more like a humbucker, some a little like a Strat...

Today's small pickup winders are coming up with some great sounding P90's

Sanford Magnetics in Canada makes some especially succulant sounding P90's.

Longish waiting list though.
 
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My 594 Soapbar came with Duncan Antiquity pickups stock. I like the way they sound quite a bit.

I have a 1965 SG special with original pickups, and while the SG is all mahogany and the 594 has a maple top, I get pretty much what you’re describing re the BKs in terms of tone, though overall they remind me a lot of the old SG.

I had attributed the extra articulation to the maple top, but maybe it’s the pickups or both.
 
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