NGD P90 Upgrade..

[mihcmac]

My Explorer kit was routed for humbuckers and I intended to use P90's. I started with black Dream 90's, then Nickel Mean 90's and settled on Nickel framed Dream 90's.

The black Dream 90's ended up in a LP Special II, the Nickel Mean 90's got swapped a few times with the framed Dream 90's between the Explorer and my G400. Each landing in the guitars they worked the best in.

I have been using GFS Humbucker sized P90's going back aways in a few of my earlier guitars I wanted to convert and had  great success.

Edited September 27, 2020 by mihcmac

[jdgm]

So in your opinion what is the best P90 / P90 in HB housing / noiseless P90 of your impressive stash?

[mihcmac]

2 hours ago, jdgm said:

So in your opinion what is the best P90 / P90 in HB housing / noiseless P90 of your impressive stash?

They are True P90's

They are all produced by GFS which provides them in sets with the neck position in reverse polarity for hum cancelling when your selector switch is in mid position. The Mean 90's tend to have the lowest amount of noise from the start, possibly because of the silver plated chassis and have the highest output.

Neck Position - 7.8K - KPH77

Bridge Position - 8.6K - KPH78

GFS Mean 90's

GFS Dream 90's

Edited September 26, 2020 by mihcmac

[Notes_Norton]

When playing with the Mean 90s I noticed they were a little brighter than the soap bars in my ES330 and my Casino. No big deal, a tweak of the tone knob fixed that, and at times that extra edge was actually good.

I use a FX/Amp-mod pedal instead of an amp. Playing sax, flute, wind synth and guitar and my partner playing synth and guitar, we wanted to lighten the schlepping load. So it might be different with an actual amp. I rarely had to put the switch in the 'both pickup' position to cancel noise, but in those rare instances, I'm glad I had that option.

My Parker has Duncan P-Rails in it. I can have P90, rail, series humbucker or parallel humbucker sounds. The rail is the weakest of the bunch, but if I put both pickups in the rail mode and crank the volume up a bit to compensate, they do sound similar to a strat.  But probably 97% of the time I use them in the P90 position, 2% humbucker and every now and then rail.

Once you play P90s exclusively for a year or so, everything else just sounds dull.

Insights and incites by Notes

[mihcmac]

The  Mean 90's are very responsive to how much pressure is put on them, playing soft you get one sound playing hard you get something completely different and a whole range of sounds in-between.

When you use the HB style case it is easy to adjust them too close to the strings that will create a kind of warbling string distortion. If this happens lower the Mean 90 till it stops, with the bridge PU is usually about an 1/8" from the string or slightly lower.

With the Bridge PU adjusted for optimum and with the selector switch in mid, I lower the Neck PU to balance and clean up the mid position sound. In most cases the Neck position tends to be inherently louder location, so on my guitars the Neck PU is usually noticeably lower than the Bridge PU.

These Mean 90's are a little bright and I typically set the Tone control to about 7 and forget about it, unless I need to penetrate more.

For me, Strat sound usually starts at about 1/2 volume, getting more driven as you increase and morphing into the P90 scream.

With the controls on 10 they are sensitive, but do not tend to be microphonic.

There are several Mean 90 demo's on YouTube, I picked a couple at random..

 

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by mihcmac

[mihcmac]

Mean 90's in a PRS into a Frenzel 5E3 Deluxe Head with a Marshall 4x12..

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by mihcmac

[mihcmac]

No more goldfish, but a G400 with Mean 90's like mine.. Neck pickup only demo..

Same guitar, Rain Song..

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by mihcmac

[sparquelito]

I rescued a Korean-made Ibanez SA120 from a local pawn shop last year, cleaned it up, waxed it down, restrung it, and absolutely loved it. 

Got into a bind with space, and needed a bit of cash, so I ended up selling  it to Guitar Center, for a nice profit (which is rare). 

Kind of wishing I had kept it. 

😞

[mihcmac]

Another nice guitar to be missed, I have had several Ibanez over the years, they were all good but I don't think I fully appreciated them till they were gone.

This one started out as just something to do to save me from boredom, but the way it sounds, its beginning to look like I may have to hold on to it for a while.. 🙂

Edited October 7, 2020 by mihcmac

[sparquelito]

5 hours ago, mihcmac said:

Another nice guitar to be missed, I have had several Ibanez over the years, they were all good but I don't think I fully appreciated them till they were gone.

This one started out as just something to do to save me from boredom, but the way it sounds, its beginning to look like I may have to hold on to it for a while.. 🙂

Mihcmac, 

You got me inspired, sir. 

I picked up an Ibanez RGA32 today (10 years old, and as dusty and neglected as any guitar I have ever seen) from a pawnshop near here,  for a hundred bucks. 

I hope to have as much fun (and success) as you have in restoring and upgrading her. 

She's got some Ibanez versions of EMG active pickups in it (LoZ3's they are called). 
The neck is really nice, just needs a lot of fret polishing and some love. 
I picked up some black switch tips to replace the missing pickup selector switch tip. 

Fun times!!

😝

[mihcmac]

Looks like a great guitar, something worthy of NGD.. One thing I really like is the sliding door on the nut plate..

And the way direct sunlight changes the color of mine...

Looks like this is becoming an Ibanez rebuild thread.. 🙂

Edited October 7, 2020 by mihcmac

[Retired]

Nice guitars posted. 

[mihcmac]

3 hours ago, Retired said:

Nice guitars posted. 

Thanks Mr R....

I noticed that with with all the pics I put on this tread I didn't have any showing the back of my NGD Ibanez.

 

Edited October 9, 2020 by mihcmac

[Retired]

3 hours ago, mihcmac said:

Thanks Mr R....

I noticed that with with all the pics I put on this tread I didn't have any showing the back of my NGD Ibanez.

 

Never owned a Ibanez guitar, Always wanted to get one.  I would love to try a Carvin guitar also.  I know Joe Walsh speaks great of Carvin. 

[mihcmac]

15 hours ago, Retired said:

Never owned a Ibanez guitar, Always wanted to get one.  I would love to try a Carvin guitar also.  I know Joe Walsh speaks great of Carvin. 

 These are built in Indonesia like the Fender Modern Players and G&L's. My RG421 sells new for 399 but has an almost exact twin the RG562 built at Fugi Gen that sell for around 1500.

My G&L ASAT Junior was built in Indonesia. This one used about 1 +1/4" thick blocks of mahogany laminated horizontally for the body, making the wood grain look pretty nice.

Edited October 9, 2020 by mihcmac

[Retired]

On 10/9/2020 at 1:00 PM, mihcmac said:

 These are built in Indonesia like the Fender Modern Players and G&L's. My RG421 sells new for 399 but has an almost exact twin the RG562 built at Fugi Gen that sell for around 1500.

My G&L ASAT Junior was built in Indonesia. This one used about 1 +1/4" thick blocks of mahogany laminated horizontally for the body, making the wood grain look pretty nice.

I started playing at 13. Then, I had a lot of unusual guitars, One was a 6 string electric that looked like McCartneys's base. I played that one a-lot. I had a all red with white trim that I have not been able relocate the brand name for decades. It goes back to 63. It was very thin,  American always comes up on the brand name in my mind but those look a bit different when I have checked. Haha, Age doesn't do the mind justice. The only 2 guitars I really remember were the Gretsch silver jet and the Ovation 12 string celebrity. 

[mihcmac]

On 10/10/2020 at 12:00 PM, Retired said:

I started playing at 13. Then, I had a lot of unusual guitars, One was a 6 string electric that looked like McCartneys's base. I played that one a-lot. I had a all red with white trim that I have not been able relocate the brand name for decades. It goes back to 63. It was very thin,  American always comes up on the brand name in my mind but those look a bit different when I have checked. Haha, Age doesn't do the mind justice. The only 2 guitars I really remember were the Gretsch silver jet and the Ovation 12 string celebrity. 

My first electric guitar, a Teisco Del Rey, I bought in 63 I think..

This web image is what I had, I got a 63 Wilshire in 64 that was lightyears away from this one..

Edited October 12, 2020 by mihcmac

[Retired]

4 hours ago, mihcmac said:

My first electric guitar, a Teisco Del Rey, I bought in 63 I think..

This web image is what I had, I got a 63 Wilshire in 64 that was lightyears away from this one..

Wish I could have picked out my first one. I was 13 and my cousin who played in a good band taught me to play. My parents bought the guitar for Christmas. It was a beautiful red guitar with the strings about 1" or so above the tail bridge. I couldn't even press them down at the 12th fret. It was a really cheap guitar no one could play. Even Fred told her it was a piece of junk. That's when I got to go shopping and bought the Silver Jet. That was my main guitar growing up. 

[mihcmac]

On 10/11/2020 at 5:04 PM, Retired said:

Wish I could have picked out my first one. I was 13 and my cousin who played in a good band taught me to play. My parents bought the guitar for Christmas. It was a beautiful red guitar with the strings about 1" or so above the tail bridge. I couldn't even press them down at the 12th fret. It was a really cheap guitar no one could play. Even Fred told her it was a piece of junk. That's when I got to go shopping and bought the Silver Jet. That was my main guitar growing up. 

Unfortunately for me I picked out my Teisco, I do remember it looking better than those pic's, it was difficult to get in tune. Fortunately a year later I got a Kalamazoo made Wilshire like the one below.

Edited October 13, 2020 by mihcmac

[Notes_Norton]

My first guitar was a used GIbson ES-330

Years later, not wanting to play outdoor gigs with it I bought an Epiphone Casino

http://www.nortonmusic.com/pix/GuitarCousins2.JPG

For some reason it won't let me insert the image. ;(

 

Edited October 13, 2020 by Notes_Norton

[mihcmac]

6 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

My first guitar was a used GIbson ES-330

Years later, not wanting to play outdoor gigs with it I bought an Epiphone Casino

http://www.nortonmusic.com/pix/GuitarCousins2.JPG

For some reason it won't let me insert the image. ;(

The link doesn't work for me, perhaps the access rights for the  /pix/  directory isn't set for sharing..

My Hawks have been my favorite for sound, versatility, ease of playing and hum cancelling. When I realized that my Gibson Blues Hawk needed be upgraded to be able to keep up with the Epiphone Blueshawk, I decided to leave it stock and let it go. It was a sad day.. But I use the Blueshawks as a model for building my guitars.

Edited October 14, 2020 by mihcmac

[Notes_Norton]

On 10/13/2020 at 5:40 PM, mihcmac said:

The link doesn't work for me, perhaps the access rights for the  /pix/  directory isn't set for sharing..

<...snip...>

My bad. Probably the only picture I don't have in the pix folder. It was from a long time ago, when I was new at being a "webmaster".

BTW,  I really like your Hawks. It's one guitar I'd really like to try but they don't make them anymore.

Edited October 14, 2020 by Notes_Norton

[mihcmac]

3 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

BTW,  I really like your Hawks. It's one guitar I'd really like to try but they don't make them anymore.

 

A very nice pair to draw to. Also I notice you have the more rare 330 with the 335 style neck length, very cool.

The Blueshawk's 25.5" scale neck is part of the formula with the longer string, I think giving it a clean deep sound, maybe...

Below the winner of my personal Blueshawk contest, the 2015 Epiphone version. Generally a better build than the Gibson version with slight improvements. Like the P90 Pro's sound more like real P90's than the watered down Gibson Blues 90's, the hum-cancelling is better, the neck is mounted about 1/16" farther out board and the Tenon is shaped slightly different allowing for easier access to the high notes.

The only flaw with the Epi version is that the bridge is mounted in too short of a position, making it hard to intonate the low E. If necessary the fix is simple, just take off the bridge, plug the holes an move farther back about an 1/8", while still covering the old holes. Then the saddles have plenty of space for intonation.

If you look closely you can see that the Gibson Blues Hawk bridge is mounted farther away from the PU than on the "Epiphone with the saddle spring fully compressed", making for better intonation adjustment on the Gibson.

The most common upgrade on the Gibson Blues Hawk is to replace the Blues 90s with standard Gibson P90's, with the neck position having a reverse coil.

The wiring on the Epi (top) and Gibson (below) make all the same connections, in addition all of the components are spec'd exactly the same.

The Epi does tend to have a little more excess wire.

Edited October 15, 2020 by mihcmac

[Notes_Norton]

I like 25.5 scale better. I like to play high a lot and my fingers must be fat or my technique in need of improvement ;) so it's much easier with the longer scale.

I don't like Fenders because they tend to have a shorter radius. I have no trouble with barre chords, and I like to bend strings a lot so a 14" radius is perfect for me.

My compromise is my custom shop Parker Dragonfly/Maxxfly DF522NN (NN for Notes Norton). The pickups are Duncan P-Rails with triple shot rings. They give me very good P90 tones, decent rail tones and very good series or parallel humbucker tones. Plus there is a pizeo under the bridge so I can blend it with the magnetic pickups. It's a 'swiss army knife' of guitars. I've posted this picture before.

It's my gigging guitar. At least 90% of the time I use the P90 setting. It's a little brighter than an soap bar but close enough for rock and roll.

BTW, how much do your hawks weigh?

Insights and incites by Notes

 

 

[mihcmac]

One of the main things I like about my RG421 is the flat finger board, it is supposed to have a 25.5" scale neck but mine is actually 25.625". I think the longer 25.5" scale provides a deeper thicker and perhaps cleaner tone, which I also experience with my Blueshawks and the G&L Tele. But, possibly the real magic is the way P90's respond to long scale strings.

I really enjoy the way it sounds through Valves..

I seem to be finding P90's and Tubes really go well together.

Edited October 17, 2020 by mihcmac