Soapbar time

[VikingBlues]

This is just a quick sample of the ToneRider Vintage P90s - an Aeolian BT in E (yes - it's a Wallimann). Just total improv - no planning and there's a few changes in pup selection in the recording. Playing through the Vox Tonelab - can't use the amp this late at night - so the sound may not be at its best.

I'll try and do some more structured sound samples and a proper musically thought out recording as soon as I can. I'm totally mentally drained and don't have a lot of time just now. Any playing is more for therapy and release of stress.

After adjusting the pups a bit away from the strings, and moving the neck pup most to balance the volume I do like the sounds I'm getting - but I have the feeling I'm going to need to adjust the polepieces slightly to bring up the signal from the top E string a bit.

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[DeaconBlues]

I'm baffled by how unpopular P90s are as evidenced by the lack of P90 equipped guitars in the guitar shops near here.

It's much the same here. Given the amount of internet chatter concerning P-90's, you would think there would be more of a selection.

[vancouverois]

This Alnico V and P90 combination is something I really appreciate.
I wonder why these Alnico V PUs were later replaced by Gibson's P90 or P100.

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[VikingBlues]

Liked the video vc. There's some nice guitars in his collection of videos!

I particularly like a loaned 1954 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop he demos - ah-hah P90 pups again. The clean tones in the section from 2:55 to 5:00 are beautiful. I'm interested in how far his bridge pup polepieces are screwed out (at 4:17).

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Makes me wonder if I should have switched the pups in my ex Tokai LC85 for P90s instead of selling it! Still my back should thank me for not going that route.

Then, I also suspect that this guy could make any guitar sound really good - but for me his playing on any P90 equipped guitars tickles my ears in a way the non-P90s don't.

[weelie]

Makes me wonder if I should have switched the pups in my ex Tokai LC85 for P90s instead of selling it! Still my back should thank me for not going that route.

Well, the P90s are not same size as humbuckers, so you'd need to get some made to humbucker size, which then might not sound right, who knows? Did you see the £700 Gibsons with p90s. I think it was tribute series or something. Light bodies, and vintage appointments. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electri ... ibute.aspx

The reason P90s are not that popular is the hum, I feel.

[VikingBlues]

Well, the P90s are not same size as humbuckers, so you'd need to get some made to humbucker size, which then might not sound right, who knows? Did you see the £700 Gibsons with p90s. I think it was tribute series or something. Light bodies, and vintage appointments. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electri ... ibute.aspx

The reason P90s are not that popular is the hum, I feel.

I'd seen that some of the pup manufacturers make P90s in humbucker size as an option - like Bareknuckle Mississippi Queen and Iron Gear Alchemist 90s for example. I can see why these have become a standard option as there are so few guitars with P90 size pups being made and having to do routing to put P90s in a former humbucker pup guitar will put a lot of people off.

I know what you mean about the hum Weelie. I used to be put off all single coils because of that - the older I get though the less i'm bothered by it, and I now find I'll happily trade having hum if I get the extra clarity.

On the subject of P90s I was interested to see an article in the UK "Guitarist" magazine out today about the SG. It has a section on 10 greatest SG players of which at leadt 3 (Townshend, Iommi, Kreiger) used P90 SGs. They then have 6 current "pick" of Gibson / Epiphone SGs - number of these with P90s - just 1 - which confirms again the reduced popularity. For variety of tone from 1 guitar and no effects in a live situation I've heard nothing close to matching Townshend's SG on the Who Live at Leeds.