If you need more power and bite, try alnico V or even ceramic. Also, if your pickups are wax potted and wound hot, they might not have enough treble content to make cover swapping worthwhile. They had all the right curves and contours, and the ageing was impressive, but they had a detrimental effect on clarity and harmonics. They aren’t vintage spec, but old isn’t necessarily best. The December 2020 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! Why? Available immediately. Most pickup parts suppliers don’t specify the grade of their pole screws, so you can ask before buying or find a supplier that does. One of my earliest mods was swapping magnets and leads on an Antiquity P-90 neck to get hum-canceling with the bridge. With its terrifying stories of murder, vengeance and grotesque brutality, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds’ ninth album is tough going. You have done what is similar to a "Peter Green" Mod. Remove the cover screws on the bridge pickup (doesn't matter which, but the bridge seemed to have a bit more wire slack. Lindy Fralin P-90 Soap Bar £155/$200. Tip: If the center position is hum-free, but sounds thin and nasaly, the magnets are not installed correctly. A new one to me. For more upper mids, punch and percussiveness, try 1018, 1020 or even 1022. Output . Age also can make the wire difficult to remove in one continuous piece. Each magnet gets rotated like a propeller so that the poles are swapped (note that the poles are on the long sides, not the short sides like you would think). Put the switch in the middle position, and I get what is essentially a huge humbucker and it does have humbucker characteristics. Covered humbuckers are a stumbling block, but once you know how to remove and refit them, it’s game on for all of our mods. Like in PAFs, it’s still the convention for the magnet’s south pole to face the screw side, which means the P-90 magnets will try to repel each other when they’re installed in the assembly. 1. This is caused sometimes by dirty power or even something in your signal chain. Compared to other single coil designs, such as the ubiquitous Fender single coil, the bobbin for a P-90 is wider but shorter. I've decided that two vol and two tone knobs have the advantage of giving you more tonal options, but the disadvantage of changing them quickly on stage. Not all steel is created equal, and it’s graded by carbon content, but we’ll leave the academic treatise on metallurgy for another occasion. And if you want the Peter Green in-between tone, you need to flip the neck magnet so north is facing the screw side. My apologies as this is slightly off subject. Changing the component parts can dramatically change tone and output, and it will cost you far less than a new set of pickups. What it does is gives me some versatility. The "humbucker" theory works, even with single coil pickups, if they're arranged properly. As always, there was some degree of crossover, with short magnets documented on 1950s PAFs and long magnets being used beyond 1961. Rock players began doing it in the belief that they could get more output and therefore more overdrive, and reduce squeal. Swapping them for some cheap nickel covers that were nearly identical to the vintage ones in weight, thickness and tap tone was a huge improvement. The vintage screws were brass, but to make this work you need steel. Also, I just bought my daughter a Squier mini-strat, and I notice that when it's switched to neck/middle, or bridge/middle, the hum goes away, although it's there in the other positions. Sorry there is no way around this. There are MANY, MANY, http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-center/techtips/d--10/03/2007.   You cannot paste images directly. These were mass-produced pickups, so it’s easy to find second-hand P-90s of 50s and 60s manufacture. Recommended Reading: 7 Budget Overdrive Pedals That Don’t Suck Humbucker Pickups. You will need to desolder the hot and ground leads from the braided shield at the base of the pickup, then separate the ground lead from then shield, then swap the hot and ground leads where they exit the pickup, the solder the braided shield back to the ground lead at that point. Flipping it would. For our purposes, there are three factors to consider – smooth and rough (sand cast) magnets, magnet length and the type of alloy. Me Unner-Stand, now! This pickup eventually evolved into a rectangular-shaped, diagonally-slanted single coil unit with adjustable pole pieces. All it will do is make the pickup Out-Of-Phase while still being Not-Hum-canceling. All of my main guitars have different pickups than the stock ones. could still have 3 way toggle but use a pot of some sort as a blender for the middle position, or if there is a volume for each pick up then you have two pots as a blender anyway. I've tried to create replacement P90 pickups & sets that both chime with certain sounds & periods in music whilst also offering more modern & truly custom designs for those who are looking for something a little different, a little less traditional in a P90 size & style. There are differences in brightness, bass response, output, sustain and sensitivity but for vintage PAF tone, alnico V and alnico II seem to be the most convincing. Hi, im changing the bridge position humbucker of my les paul for a P-90 pickup. Others claim the surface texture makes no audible difference, and point out that for humbuckers, the thin edges are ground smooth to make a proper physical contact with the slugs and keeper bar. A balance knob in addition to the pup switch would be a nice touch, although not necessary. You can never have hum-cancelation between two coils if they are the same current flow/wind. As the discussion concerns P-90s I have a question. The screws are a component that only pickup-makers tend to talk about. You may need to retract the pole screws too. In the first of a new series, we examine how this simple and common system for learning the guitar contains hidden depths that could be the key to unlocking your potential as a musician. P90 pickups have more output than a single coil pick up and because of this they generally sound hotter and have a little bit more bite about them in terms of tone. They're set up for this, if you get a matched pair. I love the guitar in every way, except that the 60 Hz hum is excessive (I am unlucky to have power lines close enough to my house that seem to get picked up quite well by the pups). The look was definitely "not an accident.". Both of these pickups are ideal for modifying because their modular construction means there are several things you can try, and for the most part all you need are a couple of screwdrivers and a pair of pliers. Removing and replacing P-90 and PAF magnets is an almost identical procedure, but P-90s only have two bobbin screws. The earlier pickups sound brighter, softer and sweeter with lower output. Gibson changed the length of the magnets around 1961. As ever, it depends on your priorities. Probably not helpful in this thread, but the Seymour Duncan Phat Cats behave this way on my SG. Carefully lift the pickup out of the hole. This doesn't take the heart and soul out of the P90 sound at all, unless I choose both pickups. It should be waxed together, so nothing should fall out. P90 pickups are Gibson’s answer to the single-coil. Try an electric screwdriver because it takes forever with a manual one. Swapping magnets is easy. Flipping a Magnet, yes. Joined Nov 13, 2009 Messages 21,678 Reaction score 15,200. Carefully lift out the pickups and place them to the side. Whether they’re soapbars or dogears, using P-90s without covers isn’t really an option. These P-90 magnets are aligned but they can be deliberately offset to alter the tone and you may notice a more ‘vintage’ quality. (You started in a blue box, and swapping one pickup's magnet moves it to an orange box). Before you throw money at the problem and install a new set of pickups, try these simple modifications first. But be aware that even in the PAF replica world, vintage looks can be prioritised over tone. Couldn't see starting another thread while those participating in this one seem very knowledgeable on the subject of P-90s. The gate (built into my Zoom multi unit) and the '56 GT thru a good '59 Bassman modeler is pretty much "tonevana" for me. When humbuckers are too microphonic, try attaching a large piece of masking tape to the inside of the cover or apply a few small dabs of silicone sealant between the slugs to dampen the covers down before replacing them. You may find your existing pickups can be tweaked to sound better than you’d ever imagined. Simply loosen off the four screws under the baseplate by a few millimetres to free the bobbins, gently grip the exposed end of the magnet with fine nose pliers and pull it out. cutting and/or resoldering) on the pickups. Also mark the top of the bobbin. The magnet’s south edge should be marked but if it isn’t, use a compass to determine which edge is south. I recently tested some highly regarded vintage repros that weighed 32 grams and at 0.7mm, were 0.25mm thicker than vintage covers. P90s are also about the same size as humbuckers, and often, you can swap out one for the other. Rory Gallagher was a pioneer with a sound and style as unique as his battered Fender Strat. Guitar.com Live — THE WORLD'S LEADING VIRTUAL GUITAR SHOW —, Tom Morello reveals why he never cuts his string ends, Brian May and Eric Johnson demo the new BMG Arielle signature, Happening this weekend: NOT The Guitar Show, The Guitar Show’s virtual equivalent, Fender removes “misogynistic” Instagram post criticised for taking a sexualised view of Brazilian women, My Guitar Story: George Glew on his battle-scarred Fender Stratocaster, The Collection: Bob from Rockbeare Guitars and his 20th-century toys, Meet Sophie Burrell: Britain’s rising star of instrumental guitar. If you can't stand the quiet, you can always change it back! With the right amp settings, it can produce a detailed and pretty tone. How to mount a p-90 pickup, or at least how I did it. I installed a Gibson P90 in my Orville Special, just unscrewed the old and plopped in the new so at this moment the height is somewhere around … flipping the bobbin changes the winding direction of the coil. The Bristol-based songwriter details the story behind his beloved American Deluxe Strat, from swapping it online to why he'll never use gig bags again. If the stock covers are brass, you’ll really notice a difference. when done to HumBuckers - involves reversing polarity of Magnet. Sustain, output and sensitivity impress too. In a nutshell, steel screws give P-90s and PAFs a little more bite, edge and midrange push. P-90 magnets are the same size as PAF magnets, but you’ll need two magnets for each pickup. September 30, 2010 in Epiphone Electrics. Go. The best p90 pickup can be your and can transform your budget guitar’s sound at a much less substantial price tag than an entirely new instrument. this poor, brain-dead git player understand better? There have been mods before to reverse the magnet the same way but many change the wiring to reverse the winding which can cause problems if there's a safety ground and a signal ground on the same wire. Whether you’re a total beginner or lapsed player, these are the best apps and websites to help you learn how to play guitar. If you’ve ever investigated pickup construction, you may have noticed that most are made with exactly the same ingredients. Check out the thread sometime - 100 entries, 5400 views so far. But for now, i'm beating the buzz/hum by a really groovy 99% with a simple noisegate, not set high enough to "suck my tone", just enough to clean it up a bit. Strat pickups are suspended from the pickguard and Tele neck pickups are often screwed into the body. You need to have either both factors Magnet Polarity and Current Flow (wind) to be the same, or both be opposite for the two pickups to sound In-Phase when combined. Remove the pickup by turning the two mounting screws counterclockwise with a screwdriver. But it doesn’t have quite as much bass or heft as alnico V and can get harsh. Position: Bridge. In this video we talk about how to set the height of both your overall pickups and the individual pole pieces of the Porter Pickups P90s. Noiseless P90 Pickup for Electric Guitar. I modded my LTD-fauxLP so it has one vol and one tone knob, and I find I use them a lot more than I do on either my Gibson or my Epiphone. I use Kinmans in one of my strats, very authentic single coil tone that sound as good as other guitars with Fralins and other nice single coils. For more DIY workshops and guides, click here. In another case, I used some foam rubber under one end of the pickup..that was on a P90 that screwed into the body directly. Sorry guys, this is nothing but the Peter Green mod done on a P-90. If yours are too edgy, try alnico III. P90 pickups consist of a coil of wire wrapped around a plastic bobbin, 2 AlNiCo bar magnets, a spacer (for the magnets), 6 pole screws (one resting below each string on the guitar), a metal base plate, and a plastic pickup cover. Actual lengths varied, but for our purposes ‘long’ magnets measure around 2.5 inches and they were shortened by between 0.125 and 0.25 inches. Put the magnets back in between the bobbin and the bottom plate, making sure that the edge that you marked is now on the inside against the pole plate. Output: Vintage. :). The Jetstream is a 390, so center pup is RW/RP, not sure how they made them hum cancelling on the other two. You can remove your filters and start again or use the previous filter you selected. Maybe it even explains why Duane Allman insisted on hanging onto his pickups when he swapped his ’57 Goldtop for a ’59 Burst. TEXT description you provided leaves many questions unanswered for me. Top 5 Options FLEOR Alnico V Single Coil Soapbar P90 Neck/Bridge Pickup . The January 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! to. It's a bad idea to remove polepieces completely if they touch the wire because there's a good chance of breaking the wire when you put them back in; but if they're not directly touching, should be a good mod. The two guitarists take two different approaches. × Privacy Policy | There is, and it's easy. When you want to keep your P90 pickups but use them in another guitar. Too much margin for error, pulling bobbins out etc ect is something I'd leave to a Tech. Neat huh? The bridge pickups of three-pickup Les Paul Customs and Varitone-equipped semis are oriented with the north magnetic pole on the screw side. If you explore this route, it might be advisable to buy from a reputable dealer. Guitar Pickups - Swapping or Replacing Humbuckers: Swapping out pickups is one of the easiest ways to drastically change the sound of your guitar. The screws are in the middle of the pickup housing on soap bar pickups, and on either side of the pickup on dog ear pickups. A set of six screws should cost you £5 or less. The Veronicas’ bassist Camilla Charlesworth was one of many users who chimed in on the post. Try 1010 screws for a sweet, smooth and more ‘vintage’ tone with a rounded attack. P-90s have pole screws and PAF-style humbuckers have screws and slugs – none of which are permanent magnets. Welcome to the forum gaz0, and thanks for your post. Dirk Wacker lives in Germany and has been a guitar addict since age 5. Magnet Polarity and Current Flow (wind) are two independent factors. You can cut through some of the remaining solder while it’s still hot using a single-sided razor blade, or once it has cooled, a veneer saw. Wiring . 2. This can also work the other way around as well. This item is in stock and can be dispatched immediately. If you’re ever looking at purchasing one of our P90‘s, chances are, you might have a Dogear Style P90.Dogear P90 Pickups have a few different qualities to them that might be confusing for some. Knowing how to do this could save you some money and unlock some authentic shoegaze tones into the bargain. The P-90 (sometimes written P90) is a single coil electric guitar pickup produced by Gibson since 1946. Remove the last selected filter. Vintage PAF covers weigh around 24 grams and were pressed from very thin nickel. Alnico II isn’t as scooped and it’s a tad more rounded and forward in the upper mids. Since everything is waxed together, gently pry apart with a small screwdriver. If you swap the hot and ground without separating the shield wire, it will introduce noise into the signal path. 1 of 2 Go to page. Let’s dive into some of our favourites. Previous 1 2 Next. Unhappy with your tone? Auch wir lieben den Gibson P-90, einen der ganz großen Pickup-Klassiker der Geschichte. The March 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! Take off the strings by any method you want (I just loostened them and removed the tailpiece from the bolts). I wish I had known your mod when I had my Epi Les Paul Special DC with p90's, that thing hummed horribly(I think the pups were actually p100's, didn't keep it long enough to find out though). Top 10 P90 Pickups for Your Guitar. It’s a dark and complex art, but part of the alchemy is understanding how to combine those ingredients and make seemingly minor changes that can elevate your guitar’s performance from the mundane to the sublime. Don't worry about having to bump this one - it's in the EPI Lounge DIY thread under the. If you have chrome-plated covers and like the metal look but need greater clarity, nickel-plated covers might help. Humbucking pickups tend to be suspended from plastic surround rings; you need to remove the four screws holding the ring to the body before removing the pickup height adjustment screws. It would have to be wired so that in either extreme position it would select only one pickup. By the way, if you ever need to remove this special pickup-coil tape, you can easily do this without damaging the pickup. £121. Most of us swap pickups from time to time, but have you considered modifying the pickups you already have? After coming through a challenging time in his personal life, album six finds the Brooklyn band’s founder and sole remaining member asking the big questions. Deactivate filters . 5. This may be the nerdiest mod of all, but dogear P-90 fixing screws and PAF bobbin screws (number two diameter, 0.5-inch length) can function as extra polepieces. Take a Sharpie and mark the outside edge of the two magents above the bottom plate. I put GFS Mean 90s on my ESP-FauxLP and one of the pups is RPRW. Ratings (39) (6) (0) (0) (0) Price Range . Instead, magnets are located under the bobbins and because the screws and slugs are ferric, the magnetic field passes … I edited this and added a few tips on rotation/flipping of the parts that I describe. This is obviously a fantastic solution to the problem that affects single coils but does alter the characteristics of the sound. Can anyone offer advise on how to adjust the pickup height on these P90 style pickups so that I can get a better ballance with the neck pickup. But when it comes to vintage Gibson pickups, they all have magnets with rough appearance, so that’s what the vast majority of boutique replicas come with. wrapping my brain around exactly what was done - "flip the Bobbin"? At present the pickup screws directly to the body. Everything said about the tonal characteristics of the various grades of alnico magnets in PAFs applies to P-90s. I AM both Mechanically AND electrically inclined, but reading the. If you’re not trying to retain the original wire or determine the number of winds on a specific coil, the quickest and easiest way to remove the coil windings is to cut through them with a sharp hobby knife. Humbucker covers are fixed with a couple of solder blobs and you have to break those joints. Whether they sound different is somewhat contentious, but some argue that rough magnets sound warmer in the treble and have a softer bass response. You don't need very much to stop the cover from moving, so one pack will definitely do. Carefully take out the magnets. According to Jon Gundry of ThroBak Electronics, vintage screws varied from 1006 to 1018 grade steel. I think this is a better alternative than replacing the P-90s with humbucking replacements. If this has piqued your interest, check in again soon for some Fender and Gretsch pickup mods. Lots of P90s ended up that way and you might hear a quackier vintage tone. Custom Handwound Replacement P90 Pickups from The Creamery. Quite probably. Hopefully this makes it more clear. Next Last. If it’s wax potted or wound to 8.5K or above, the pickup has probably been re-wound. Disadvantages of P90 pickups. having a P-90 pup in hand to look at regarding electical connections. While uncertainty remains about vintage PAF magnets, most agree that alnico III was used in P-90s from their debut in 1946 until Gibson began the transition to alnico V around 1957. Available immediately. My method is to use a soldering iron set to 450°C to melt the solder as quickly as possible, then I use a solder sucker to remove the majority of it. It took me about 15 minutes (minues the re-do because I had the magnets wrong; see Tip). That would give me a lot more choices than bridge, neck or both but I could have mostly bridge with a little neck or any other variation. The very first PAFs had steel bobbin screws, but Gibson very quickly changed to brass. With unpotted humbuckers, the cover should simply ease off. Replacements Standard Size Humbuckers. To this end, I'm inserting a PIC of a P-90 expanded. My disadvantage was not. Is the P90 one of the pickups where the polepieces are directly touching the coil wire or not, and is it the same for all manufacturers. Can anyone help. It's quick and easy and can be fine tuned while playing - much easier for me anyway. What I would really like to see is a guitar with a "balance" potentiometer instead of a switch. Brickster, for some ODD reason, I'm having a heck of a time. This video was hastily made for one person who found it helpful years ago. Changing the pole screws is as simple as unscrewing the old ones and screwing in new ones, and you don’t need to remove the pickup cover. They are pricey but if you love the tone and hate the hum it's a consideration. Much depends on the covers themselves, because if they are thick and heavy, you may struggle for clarity and chime, and string-to-string separation suffers. Magnets are mysterious, especially among the guardians of PAF lore. The strings interact with the entire coil/magnet system, so reversing the magnets reverses the phase once again, resulting in a zero phase reversal, just like the original. That’s the essence of what makes the P-90 perhaps the finest all-round pickup ever created. The south edge goes on the screw side, but there are exceptions. Link is in the "Do-it-yourself" Thread in the Epi Lounge, under, "How to change out a Humbucking Bar Magnet", http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/barmagswap.htm. Fortunately, the P-90 covers just come right off and the only tool required is a Phillips screwdriver and perhaps a small blade screwdriver to pry out the magnets. Should I put some packing under the pickup to raise its height or raise the individual pole pieces ? The P-90 and PAF-style humbucker mods covered here are entry level stuff, but some care will still be needed. But those who detect tonal differences suggest that short alnico V magnets are sweeter in the highs and have stronger mids than the longer equivalents.