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P 90's verses Humbuckers?


MikeThomasmusic

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Just was curious about p90's. I've never owned an ax with p90's although I've tried them before, I have friends who have them. Trying them for a little bit isn't like really taking the time to experience them once you own them. Based on what I remember despite p90's being single coils they definitely have a big bite to them almost as big as a hum bucker but with an added clarity. I have been playing Humbuckers forever and I was thinking of switching to p90's.

 

I play a lot of styles everything from a little bit of blues and jazz to original rock. The original rock I play is a sort of Indie/Alternative rock with a heavy Beatles influence. I know that p90's will obviously sound great playing that style,however we sometimes play some songs with much higher gain settings,some of which have some drop D crunch to them. Think heavier Weezer or Foo Fighters type high gain. Do you guys think I would be happy with P90's? Would they sound ok and be able to handle some of the higher gain crunchy sounds? Obviously hum buckers have traditionally kicked A@# when it comes to higher gain settings, but one thing I like about P90's is you get that cool old school sort of Muddy blues tone.

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I have 4 Gibbies.. Two with Hummers and two with P90s...

 

And I think the P90s are amazing... The only down side "much talked about" is the hum they produce (as do most single coils) in fact that the whole point of a humbucker, two coils and you get no hum.

 

But then all you have to do is turn your volume down when not playing and thats the problem solved (as far as im concerned)..

 

As for the sound of them, the bridge as you say is clear, but the neck is PHAT!!! and its quite a dark sounding guitar (a dark growl I say).. I LOVE it.. But I love my Hummers too so.. I think if you like the sound you gotta have both...

 

Heres a quick vid I made that compares my guitars..

 

And give the P90s some overdrive and it roars like a good Gibson should

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXAJoN6huWI

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Many guitarists wax lyrical about P90's for good reasons...

 

Personal opinion would be to have representatives of each of the main P/U options

 

H/B...Strat/Tele single coils...P90's...

 

IMX P90's can have a 'fat' concentrated frequency range...worth exploring for it's usability in certain situations

 

I have had much fun using a single bridge P90 LP Junior type guitar with very hi gain...

 

The 'fatness' can be compressed and levelled to approach a typical H/B sound

 

V

 

:-({|=

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