Stay away from a P 100! It's not even close to a P 90 except in appearance.
I have an ES 135 that came stock with P 100s and it always sounded lame and the tone compressed somewhat and lacked dynamics. I swapped them for Gibson P 90s and there was everything I was missing: dynamics, grit and responsiveness. AFAK the winds on the bobbins of a P 100 is different (number of turns of both coils combined) and if I'm not mistaken, P 100s have a ceramic magnet which to me makes a big difference.
Ah, after doing a little research, I figured out the confusion. As you say, the original J-160E had a P-90 above the soundhole at the end of the fretboard.Originally Posted by Kap'n
The original Gibson "Lennon" J-160E reissue maintained these specs, as well as the ladder-bracing and laminated top of Lennon's actual J-160E.
The newer J-160E "reissues" currently available through Musician's Friend and other retailers have X-bracing and a solid spruce top, and a P-100 pup (apparently all considered superior features to the original specs).
To confuse things further, the Epiphone EJ-160E reissue uses a "mini-humbucker". "Reissues" are a tangled world!
No, no, no, no!!!
A single P90 SG is a glorious thing.:yay
Kinda has that free breathing quality an Esquire has.
Plus you can try just one P90, to see if you like 'em.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
my Fender TC-90 Thinline carries 2 Seymour Duncan P-90 stock... I love them!
Have any of you P-90 fans heard the Fender Black Doves, and if so, how do you feel they compare to a traditional P-90-type thang?
Also, has anyone played the Squier Tele Custom II with the "Duncan Designed" P-90s? I've been thinking about buying or building a guitar that I would use primarily as a rockin'-bangin'-hardtail rhythm geetar, and have been thinking primarily about a Tele with P-90s. This looks like a real cheap way to get into the territory (considering how often I would use such an axe, cheap would be good). But if the pups stink, I'll pass.....
Jim,
I've had my Squire Custom II for about a year now and I just love it. I was sceptical about the Duncan Designed P-90s when I first picked up the guitar but was pleasantly surprised that they actually sound like P-90s. I've never owned an expensive guitar but this one is all that I need. Being a Squier, I thought I have some switching out to do (pots, caps, switches) and some fret trimming, and I did have to file the fret ends down a bit because they were a little ragged, but all in all, I like the guitar and the noise it makes.
Give one a try, you might be surprised as well.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
Jim, BTW, you may want to shoot Frank johnson a note. I think he has a Custom II for sale cheap.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
If the neck is anything like that of the Squire 51, it could be a pretty feely geetar for low dough.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Cool! Thanks, Mikey. Seriously, I just want a Tele with a maple board and P-90s that I can just beat the livin' pretzels out of. I've never liked the looks of the Customs, but I do dig the tonal flexibility, so I guess I don't care what it looks like, eh?
I'll definitely see if Frank still has his....
Or should I go check out a '51 and put a Phat Cat in it?
I think I'd tend more towards sticking with the Custom II. I also have a 51 and I like it as well but the Custom II is more towards a traditional tele body thickness which lends itself to less problems doing mods. The 51 is pretty thin and I know the 51 modder guys are having fits over replacement switches etc, due to the body thickness. Also, thicker body, better sustain?
Heck the difference in price is only $30 (if I'm guessing Frank's price correctly), I'd go with the more traditional tele body.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
I saw Duke Robillard play a whole set using a Squier Tele Custom II (he had just bought it on a whim that day, apparently). It definitely sounded fine to my ears, and "the folks dancing got all shook up". Obviously the Duncan Designed P-90s met their approval.
Jim,
I have an Aerodyne Tele with the Black Dove in the neck position. I think it sounds quite good. Would a vintage Gibson P-90 sound better in there? Yes, I'm sure it would, but I don't want to sink a lot more cash into a guitar that is essentially a backup. BTW - the term "Black Dove" is an inside joke at Fender. P-90=Soapbar=Dove Soap=Black colored P-90 style pickup=Black Dove.
pc - I just had a chance to listen to Oye. Nice version!
Knowledge is the small part of ignorance that we arrange and classify. -- Ambrose Bierce
Dove! Soap! Heee-yuk! Clever.... :)
I played the Stratosonic with the Doves in it, and the guitar left me cold... not the fault of the pickups, though, which I barely noticed; just an odd feel. I didn't like the wacky bridge, and something just felt unresponsive about the guitar, so I didn't pay that much attention to the pickup sound... since I didn't like the feel, I didn't play it long.
Jesse, if it's good enough for Duke, then it should be perfect for my purposes. Just hafta get over my headstock snobbery. :) I'll just keep reminding myself that a lot of really hot studio tracks got cut using cheap guitars....
It's funny. I have a set of SD P90 Stacks which are not held in high regard by many, but absolutely rock in one of my guitars. I have since attempted to use them in other guitars but have not liked the sound at all.
This guitar is the one I always grab first on my way out the door to a gig. The P90 Stacks in it totally rock and I have no idea why. I accept it though!
If you're bored, you're not groovin'.
The Duncan P-90 Stacks sound great in my Melancon. I think the secret is to have a mahogany body topped with some other kind of wood. The Melancon is mahogany with a koa top. Tele-Bob's carved top Tele is mahogany with a maple top. It's just a theory. Given that the SD P90 Stacks all have identical construction and characterics, it's the simplest answer.
Knowledge is the small part of ignorance that we arrange and classify. -- Ambrose Bierce
Thanks Mike. :)
ABSOLUTELY!
http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL514.../116939024.jpg
www.whitemolasses.com
Just spent a bit this afternoon getting reaquainted with my Yamaha AEX-502.
Like this:
mine's brown-burst.
only with Pete Biltoft (Vintage Vibe) pickups and bigsby. This thing has rude in spades, with a bit of hollow 'plunk.' Think I'll be using this instead of the Godin for a while.
Just went back and checked out Pete's soundclips. Pete, if you want to sell any pickups, tune your guitar! :lol
Last edited by Kap'n; 11-01-2005 at 02:20 PM.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
A lovely photo of a box that says, "REMOTE LINKING FORBIDDEN This host does not support remote linking of images or files for FREE accounts. PLEASE UPGRADE YOUR ACCOUNT."
Sheesh Kap'n, I think they mean it. :lol
Worked for me.
hold on, let me refresh.
OK, I'll fix it.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
I tried a P90 in a humbucking shell
NOT the same as a true P90!!
No routing needed if you use a P90 dogear for the bridge position, just a small amount of cutting in the cavity
I've done it myself, I repl a SD J Beck pup with a P90! no comparison the P90 rules!!
You can always shim the dogear for the right height
Wasn't trying to sell anything, just trying to help "edumacate" Mark on sound examples. Sorry it bothered you.
I have the Squire Custom II and I'm happy with it, especially for the price. I'm going to turn it into my five string open G guitar. I really didn't 'need' another guitar but the deal was too good, plus I always wanted an open G guitar. The pickups are pretty noisy but they sound really nice...no need to upgrade, at least for now. According to Duncan they are pretty close to their standard P90.
My other P90 guitar is a Historic TV Junior, which is very nice and the stock pickup and electronics are pretty perfect. When I'm playing with some distortion and I turn the tone knob down, you can hear the thing start to growl with corpulent girth. Nice. :)
This is the bitterest pain to human beings: to know much and control nothing.
No, not you, Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe. Great pickups, but he's got some of the crappiest soundclips ever on his website. If he's wondering why he doesn't sell more pickups, that's it, right there.Just went back and checked out Pete's soundclips. Pete, if you want to sell any pickups, tune your guitar!
Here's an example.
[PC, I sincerely hope I didn't offend you. That assuredly was NOT the intent. You rock!
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Anyway, I resurrected the P90 Yamaha, fixed the switch, cleaned the pots , plugged it into the Mojo-Box (reverb, trem, gain and all around Swiss-Army box) and the Deluxe, and then....
That's what Neil Young said describing his tweed deluxe. I was there today. Using that Bigsby like it was part of my hand.Took it home, plugged in this Gretsch guitar, and immediately the entire room started to vibrate. The guitar started vibrating, and I went, "Holy shit!"
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
I like mine.
On SmartPhones:
"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But That only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." Frank Herbert.
Anyway, I resurrected the P90 Yamaha, fixed the switch, cleaned the pots , plugged it into the Mojo-Box (reverb, trem, gain and all around Swiss-Army box) and the Deluxe, and then....
That's what Neil Young said describing his tweed deluxe. I was there today. Using that Bigsby like it was part of my hand.
Kap, I have always wanted to try one of the AES1500B, the sort of Gretsch looking one...the pickups aren't P90 but they could be. :) Did yours come with a Bigsby or did you put it on yerself?
TT, I like yours too. :)
This is the bitterest pain to human beings: to know much and control nothing.
Oops... sorry Kap'n!!! I did get your reference to the other Pete, and I was trying to do a play on the joke with my own name, and I swear I thought I put not one but two smilie icons in there. These two:
:lol
I edited right after I posted it to fix a spelling error and I must have yanked those two by mistake.
Sorry!!! I really didn't think you were being mean to me, or I would have been far more brutal. :bwa
Now, the bass in that track is a little off, but... ;)
I get there with my m77t and the deluxe...That's what Neil Young said describing his tweed deluxe. I was there today. Using that Bigsby like it was part of my hand.
Nope, did the hack job myself. It's a flat-topped guitar, so I bought a horseshoe-style "Vacarro" bigsby off of Ebay for $20. Got the V V pickups for $50 used. The guitar was supposed to be $200 new, but through some wierdness it ended up being free.
With the gig bag, I've got $100 into it.
The AES1500Bs are cool looking instruments. Never played one, though.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Very slandy!I get there with my m77t and the deluxe...
http://www.lilypix.com/photos/showpi...=531&pid=36295
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Stop it guys! Reading this thread is giving me extreme p90 gas. I don't need a new guitar. Really! I don't need another guitar. I have enough guitars. I have more than enough guitars. I don't need another guitar...
-Mark
... but I'd really _like_ an SG with P90s...
Ouch. It hurts.
-Mark
You mean... like this?
One of the best deals in guitarland... here.
At least it was when I bought it last year for $849...
I know this is more of a Gibson in general question.. but how come they usually put single p'90 in the bridge postion ?
I wouldn't mind a single neck postion melody maker
My sentiments exactly Constellation80!
Look for a P90 Tele version in the future.
They got it right with the Musicmaster, but it's just too small. This Strat is "adult size".
If you're bored, you're not groovin'.
Gibson's done the single P90 in the neck spot on hollobodies.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Okay, here's another P-90 guitar question... who owns and loves a current model Casino? I know, you can't slam it like you can a Tele....
I think I might seriously buy one of those SGs today for $800... but for over a grand? Must give us pause....
And my jealousy over that goldtop knows no bounds. Dang, that's the sland.
I had a Sorrento, which is functionally pretty close. I never really wound it up though. I used in a plonky, mildly Marc Ribot sorta way.
It was a cool guitar, but the neck was too slim for me. My only real nit against it. I kninda' wish I kept it. It really had character, and I haven't come across another.
The Casinos I've tried had fuller necks though.:yay
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Talk about Casino's.. Last Sunday. "Breakfast with the Arts". Joe Perry playing slide on a Casino.
I guess it was a rerun. It ran on 5/22/05 the first time.
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