P90 information/history?

[plecoman]

OK... We all know quite a bit about different eras of PAF pickups. How there were Long mag types, ones that used A2 A3 A4 A5 magnets etc.... How about p90s?

I am wondering about this. DId they always have a certain Alnico mag type? Or varried like Humbuckers? DId the design change in the 60s like the Humbuckers? Or have they remained prettymuch unchanged?

I have a 65/68 SG Jr, with the baddest P90 PU in it. I might trade a Strat for a R6, but wonder if the p90s would sound different in a R6. Is the PU itself different? And do P90s in LP sound very different in SG!

Winders and all! Post what you know about these super super under-rated PUs!

[Harpozep]

I love the sound of my P90 in my R4, and I'm liking the Alnico V for clean, but it has no definition at all when dirty, and it is a super high output pickup too

They snarl quite well when combined though and I usually pull the neck alnico back a tad in vol when using them dirty and combined. Thinking of going with 2 P90s or a mini hum in the bridge and a P90 at the neck. Dunno.

One thing for sure, they pickup noise like noting I've ever played. When a woodland creature goes by my house and the automatic lights come on OUTSIDE, they pickup another dull roar. Perhaps one needs to isolate the amp completely when playing P90s, but I'm sure that's not the answer.

I had P100s in another LP, and they were nice , quiet, but no personality. The P90, dirty has so many harmonics coming through, that ''m in heaven But that dreaded noise.......that comes with it, ouch!

I hope some winders and others with P90 knowledge come to this thread. We needs to know more folks!

[plecoman]

Originally Posted by Harpozep

I love the sound of my P90 in my R4, and I'm liking the Alnico V for clean, but it has no definition at all when dirty, and it is a super high output pickup too

They snarl quite well when combined though and I usually pull the neck alnico back a tad in vol when using them dirty and combined. Thinking of going with 2 P90s or a mini hum in the bridge and a P90 at the neck. Dunno.


I hope some winders and others with P90 knowledge come to this thread. We needs to know more folks!

You using the stock Gibson p90s in the R4? WHere did you find out they were A5s? The R6 I might get in trade is from some heretic... It has a DIMARZIO Super distortion (p90 size) and some other junk put into the guitar... SO I will need to go for some after market P90s anyways!

Winders! COntribute please!

[Nugget]

P90s always had A3 or A5, no exceptions. A good balance is to use A3 in the neck and A5 in the bridge.

[plecoman]

Originally Posted by Nugget

P90s always had A3 or A5, no exceptions. A good balance is to use A3 in the neck and A5 in the bridge.

Ahha! Thanks! You use A3s on your aged stuff correct?

Was there a change though in the 60s/70s, when P90s used different size magnets, different wires, resulting in Different outupt/tone P90s?

Would a 52-56 P90 sound/be made different to my 65/68 P90?

[Nugget]

I use A3 and A5 in my aged stuff. It depends on wether the customer specifically asks for a pokier bridge pickup or not. I'd rather achieve that with a stronger magnet than a hotter wind.
Your 65-68 would have had A5 magnets. Wire colours changed through the years.

[mrkenny]

Originally Posted by Nugget

I use A3 and A5 in my aged stuff. It depends on wether the customer specifically asks for a pokier bridge pickup or not. I'd rather achieve that with a stronger magnet than a hotter wind.
Your 65-68 would have had A5 magnets. Wire colours changed through the years.

Hey Nugget, P90's are my choice for pickups. I have early/mid 50's in a couple of guitars. This discussion of A3, A5 etc. type magnets is interesting to me. Is there any way to tell visually or by an electronic reading what grade a specific magnet might be? I select a pickup because of it's reading, lets say 7.25 for the neck. I then use one around 15% hotter for the neck. This seems, to me, to balance tone and output of the guitar as a whole. As I understand your post you can achieve a similar result by using different grade magnets. Is that correct? Thanks

[Nugget]

If you slackened the bobbin mounting screws on the baseplate, you'll probably find the magnets have pushed away from each other. In the case of AlNiCo III they may even be barely magnetic. (I am referring to your 50's P90s here.)

When the strings vibrate through the magnetic field , a current is induced in the coil. A stronger magnet produces a larger current when the strings disrupt the magnetic field. So a P90 weighing in at 7.9 K dcr with A3 magnets could be weaker than a P90 at 7 K dcr with A5 magnets.

If you take the magnets out of a P90 you can measure the gauss with a gauss meter. The problem is that you need to fully charge the magnet to be able to tell the difference between a fully charged A3 and a weakened A5. Chemical analysis is a definitive way to do things.

I haven't done this but knowing the composition by element and weight by percentage in the alloy, you could arrive at a ball park figure on which grade of AlNiCo you have.

[mrkenny]

Originally Posted by Nugget

If you slackened the bobbin mounting screws on the baseplate, you'll probably find the magnets have pushed away from each other. In the case of AlNiCo III they may even be barely magnetic. (I am referring to your 50's P90s here.)

When the strings vibrate through the magnetic field , a current is induced in the coil. A stronger magnet produces a larger current when the strings disrupt the magnetic field. So a P90 weighing in at 7.9 K dcr with A3 magnets could be weaker than a P90 at 7 K dcr with A5 magnets.

If you take the magnets out of a P90 you can measure the gauss with a gauss meter. The problem is that you need to fully charge the magnet to be able to tell the difference between a fully charged A3 and a weakened A5. Chemical analysis is a definitive way to do things.

I haven't done this but knowing the composition by element and weight by percentage in the alloy, you could arrive at a ball park figure on which grade of AlNiCo you have.

Thank you for your help. I visited your site and thought your black P90 covers had a nice old look to them. I didn't see cream covered 90's. I've been searching, with no luck, for cream colored matching pickguard and covers. Theres a lot of plastic for Humbucking stuff out there but not much for P90's. Thanks again.

[thefishingline]

I have a set of diagonal screw cream P90's from the Mirabella conversion posted in another thread. These came from a 52, unbound LP and these things freakin scream..I was just looking for some time to take picks and put them in the members classifieds...I hope to get to that today..

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by mrkenny

Thank you for your help. I visited your site and thought your black P90 covers had a nice old look to them. I didn't see cream covered 90's. I've been searching, with no luck, for cream colored matching pickguard and covers. Theres a lot of plastic for Humbucking stuff out there but not much for P90's. Thanks again.

You can opt for cream if you like. That's no problem at all.

[mrkenny]

Originally Posted by Nugget

You can opt for cream if you like. That's no problem at all.

Thanks I'll contact you through your site.