To P90 or not to P90

[dogrocketp]

Did someone say P-90’s? They rawk!

 

[Rod/]

I did all that with my Gibson P90 set, shielded the control cavity and pickup cavities and made one pickup RW/RP.

When I combined the pickups I had humcancelling - very nice! But the shielding didn't seem to reduce noise and hum when each pickup was used by itself.

You're right. Noiseless just isn't the same and I've never heard a noiseless P90 I would use.

I love the way the Gibson bridge pickup sounds flat out though!

I agree. I love the Gibson bridge P-90, the neck though can be muddy, and those buggers do hum a lot….
. The Wolfetones I mentioned above don’t seem to have much hum. I have no idea why. They look just like a Gibson P-90. Maybe it was the particular guitar they were in. Big mystery

 

[Gtrbldr]

The hum of a p90 is also very much dependend of electro magnetic interference in the surroundings. So that might explain the difference?

That being said, has ainybody ever tried the Illich system with a PRS P90?

 

[Andi]

I personally love P90's. I replaced the stock ones (made by Seymour Duncan if I remember correctly) with Lollar 50's Wind, and I really love them.
Noise and hum? Yes, definitely, but with a decent noise gate pedal I solved (a low-ish threshold is enough, and to be honest I don't really notice any significant difference or problems in terms of sound and "dynamics").

 

[GADonis]

I don't currently use a ISP Decimator II G-String, but I have in the past. It's the "four cable" version. Works great. Kills the noise but does not impact the overall tone. But since it is a gate, it can kill volume swells and delay trails. Doing the four cable thing also tends to turn a pedal board into a bit of a spaghetti monster. I'm not using it currently because I'm not doing real high gain stuff at gigs. So between songs I just turn the guitar volume down and that quiets things up enough.

I've only ever had one time where the noise was noticeable while playing. Many years ago I played a bar that I could not use single coils. No matter where or how I oriented there was massive hum. I think is was due in large part to the huge array of neon signs surrounding the stage. Luckily I had my VG Strat that had a Roland pickup system in it to model various guitars/tunings. It didn't sound great but it was good enough to get the job done.

 

[Sonic Blue 55]

Gibson Type Pickups Page

Since 1983 Harmonic Design USA has supplied over 14,000 replacement pickups to professional players and guitar makers all over the world

www.harmonicdesign.net

They replaced the Duncans that came with my
McCarty Gold top double cut.
Smoother, cleaner, more articulate and precise with more volume.
I have the Z90s in my SG. They replaced the ThroBak Humbuckers and are a major improvement. Fatter, warmer, rounder, more better.
I played a Collings 290 wi5h a Lollar Staple in the neck position througha Carr Sportsman at Gryphon Strings in California.
OMG!
Best sound ever.

 

[Lewguitar]

I agree. I love the Gibson bridge P-90, the neck though can be muddy, and those buggers do hum a lot….
. The Wolfetones I mentioned above don’t seem to have much hum. I have no idea why. They look just like a Gibson P-90. Maybe it was the particular guitar they were in. Big mystery

I don't think Gibson has changed the P90 design much in the last 50 years...if at all.

Maybe the magnets, which could be anything in the 50's. They've settled on Alnico 5 it seems.

If it's the old time P90 sound a player is after the Gibson has it.

Without improvements.