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P-90 sound.


Sancho Panza

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My '66 Casino with it's stock pickups, sounds "Grittier," than any of

my more recent Gibson P-90 equipped guitars. It may be the hollow body,

though, that's the biggest contributor, to that fact? OR, it may be the

age, of the '66 pickups? I don't really know. They All sound Great,

even if slightly different.

 

CB

 

Greetings, CB.

 

I have noticed the same phenomenon with P-90s having metal covers. Do you think the shielding afforded by the metal covers could have something to do with it, or does your '66 have plastic dog-ears?

 

J/W

[cool]

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Greetings, CB.

 

I have noticed the same phenomenon with P-90s having metal covers. Do you think the shielding afforded by the metal covers could have something to do with it, or does your '66 have plastic dog-ears?

 

J/W

[cool]

 

My Casino has the stock "metal" coverings. So, you may be right. I noticed the P-90's on

my (now departed, but will be replaced) Riviera P-93LE, were "darker" than the Casino's

in tone, as well. IT had black plastic covers. So..."could be!"

 

CB

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Plus 1 for the P-90 fan club. I have Lindy Fralin P-90's in my '66 ES-330, and they're fantastic. Worth every penny. But I also have GFS P-90's in my '62 ES-120/125TD conversion - and they sound fantastic, too. Less airy and detailed than the Fralins, but hotter and more aggressive. And they cost about 1/3 the price of the Fralins. Well worth looking into, IMHO.

Would I part with either guitar? No way - there are enough differences in the character of their sounds that I have to have both.

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Thanks for all the answers!

 

The reason why I ask is because I've been thinkin' about buyin' a Les Paul 60's Tribute. I know that Mike Bloomfield used on the East-West album, along with a Tele, and that Danny Kalb of The Blues Project used on also, though I don't know if he used it on Projections, but also Jerr Garcia and that's the sound I want, primarily the Bloomfield sound, and I know that a guitar can't replicate the same sound, there are other factors; amp, cords, etc. But it's a step in the right direction!

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P-90s are P-90s..........A P-90 made the SAME WAY a P-90 made in 1956 will sound the same as one made in 2011.........

 

There are many makers of P-90s.....They can and do vary a lot.......I prefer Lollars and genuine Gibson P-90s...................

 

Buying "vintage" pickups of any kind is buying vintage.......IMHO, nothing special, just expensive and old...........................

 

 

This. [thumbup]

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Thanks for all the answers!

 

The reason why I ask is because I've been thinkin' about buyin' a Les Paul 60's Tribute. I know that Mike Bloomfield used on the East-West album, along with a Tele, and that Danny Kalb of The Blues Project used on also, though I don't know if he used it on Projections, but also Jerr Garcia and that's the sound I want, primarily the Bloomfield sound, and I know that a guitar can't replicate the same sound, there are other factors; amp, cords, etc. But it's a step in the right direction!

 

Mike's tone, was in his fingers, stylings, and from his heart! He used whatever guitar, he wanted, or had

access to, from Fender Mustang's, to ES-345's, as well as his Gold-Top 56, Les Paul, and later, his

"bust" Humbucker Les Paul Standard, to his white Fender Telecaster. MOST went into Fender amps

(usually a Twin Reverb, or Dual Showman). It's not a "Marshall/Gibson" tone, though I suppose, with

the right amp settings, you could get close...especially, with the "Plexi" versions, of Marshall amps.

 

But, his guitar(s), with a Fender amp, at it's "Sweet Spot," was crucial, to his basic guitar sound.

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Mike's tone, was in his fingers, stylings, and from his heart! He used whatever guitar, he wanted, or had

access to, from Fender Mustang's, to ES-345's, as well as his Gold-Top 56, Les Paul, and later, his

"bust" Humbucker Les Paul Standard, to his white Fender Telecaster. MOST went into Fender amps

(usually a Twin Reverb, or Dual Showman). It's not a "Marshall/Gibson" tone, though I suppose, with

the right amp settings, you could get close...especially, with the "Plexi" versions, of Marshall amps.

 

But, his guitar(s), with a Fender amp, at it's "Sweet Spot," was crucial, to his basic guitar sound.

 

FWIW, I agree with everything except just one thing: I believe the Tele was not his. I believed it belonged to Mark Naftalin, who made sure it was always in good working shape for Michael, whose own guitars were regularly either out of commission, or in hock.

 

I could be wrong...

 

J/W

[blink]

 

[... he also played with ferocious intensity. I believe that's what we hear in his tone. It literally sizzles.]

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FWIW, I agree with everything except just one thing: I believe the Tele was not his. I believed it belonged to Mark Naftalin, who made sure it was always in good working shape for Michael, whose own guitars were regularly either out of commission, or in hock.

 

I could be wrong...

 

J/W

[blink]

 

 

The Telecaster was Mike's...he secured it, based on his (own) new recording contract, not too long

before he played on the "Highway 61" album, with Bob Dylan. He got his '56 Les Paul (Gold-Top), in

a trade of that Telecaster, to John Nuese, in or around the Winter of 1965.

 

The afore mentioned Fender Mustang, was actually a short scale Duo-Sonic.

(Basically, the same guitar, without the Tremolo arm.)

 

He did use other amps, from Epiphone, Guild, and Gibson, as well as the more commonly used (various) Fenders.

He still sounded like "Bloomfield!" [biggrin]

 

CB

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