Can a P-90 and Humbucker sound good together?

[specflec]

Greg at BCR just installed a pair of SD P-Rails in my Classic. I can use either pickup as a P90 or HB in any combination with the push/pulls on the tone knobs. Lots of range tonally. Bright to really dark. I am just getting to the point where I can begin to dial in - and remember - all the useful sounds. Loads of fun!

 

[Tuya Customs]

Can a P-90 and Humbucker sound good together?

Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle...?

I lol'ed Awesome combo IMO very bluesy, kinda like a fusion between the neck/mid position on a strat and the middle postition on a lp.

 

[cryptozoo]

I really like the middle position when using a P90 and a humbucker... a slight OOP tone is nice to my ears, adds a little more vocal quality to the tone.

 

[geochem1st]

I kept the neck position P90 in my 61 SG Special, and replaced the bridge position P90 with a Rio Grande BBQ HB. I find the P90 in the neck gives a nice warm, clear, tone. If I need to kick it into overdrive I have my HB in the bridge to cut through the mix. A pair of Sprague PIO caps completes the package.

 

[Sin Nombre]

I kept the neck position P90 in my 61 SG Special, and replaced the bridge position P90 with a Rio Grande BBQ HB. I find the P90 in the neck gives a nice warm, clear, tone. If I need to kick it into overdrive I have my HB in the bridge to cut through the mix. A pair of Sprague PIO caps completes the package.

Yes, the P-90 in the neck and the Epi HOTCH HB in the bridge sound great together in my Dot. However I had to find out what it would sound like as a complete P-90 guitar so I ordered a Dream 90 for the bridge which arrives Friday. I have managed to release the slack bridge pup wire from a little clip inside the guitar so I will have enough wire to leave a pigtail on the bridge HB. As I am installing connectors for the new pup I will be able to put connectors on the HB also in case I want to switch back and forth.

I had an ES-330 in the 60s and with the "poly dulling" and P-90s i guess I am slowly recreating that guitar.

 

[geochem1st]

Yes, the P-90 in the neck and the Epi HOTCH HB in the bridge sound great together in my Dot. However I had to find out what it would sound like as a complete P-90 guitar so I ordered a Dream 90 for the bridge which arrives Friday. I have managed to release the slack bridge pup wire from a little clip inside the guitar so I will have enough wire to leave a pigtail on the bridge HB. As I am installing connectors for the new pup I will be able to put connectors on the HB also in case I want to switch back and forth.

I had an ES-330 in the 60s and with the "poly dulling" and P-90s i guess I am slowly recreating that guitar.

I found the bridge position P90 to be way to shrill in mine, annoyingly so. Thats what prompted me to make the changes. I first replaced it in the mid 1980's with a Seymour Duncan(?) HB, and have tried many brands looking for the right combo. BCRGreg gave me the Rio Grande BBQ, and my search is now over. This is the combo thats going to stay.

 

[mart1964]

My Blue Epi LP (as pictured ) has Seymour Duncan Phat Cat in the Neck position,
And the old stock neck pick-up in the bridge position - I didn't like the old bridge pick up it was very harsh. the Neck Pickup (incidentally the same pick up used on the dot's in the bridge position) balances better with the Phat Cat.

I don't use traditional tone controls, both tone controls are wired as passive bass cuts. Which give me Telecaster like single cut sounds - even on the phat cat.

 

[DesertWolf]

They are out of phase if the sound gets thin and "quacky" as you say.

Just reverse the hot and ground on ONE of them.

I was having the same problem with a GFS Dream 90 and a GFS Crunchy PAT. This was a huge help! Fixed it right up. Who knew it was that simple...

Well, apparently you,

Dream 90 + Humbucker = Great sound (when back in phase!)

Thanks for the awesome advice here!

 

[DavidRamey]

That advice was 6 years old.

 

[DesertWolf]

Indeed - but it still worked! Lol.

 

[ant_riv]

They are out of phase if the sound gets thin and "quacky" as you say.

Just reverse the hot and ground on ONE of them.

This!
I have a G&L Fallout that is P-90 neck and HB bridge and I love all of the pup combinations.
It also split coils the HB.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Almost any two pickups can sound good together. All that's needed is the right guitar, adjustments, context, and vision...

 

[darkbluemurder]

If I have not said it before, bridge humbucker and neck P90 is a great combination, realizing the best potential of both pickup types for the respective positions. Gibson got it right with the BFG (I kick myself for not getting one), and there should be more guitars with this pickup combination.

Cheers Stephan

 

[marc1kim]

I thought the BFG's are supposed to sound pretty wicked with the BB 3 and P-90 played together. I use the middle position extensively when I play, and have been jonesing to hear a BFG in person.

I owned a BFG and the P90 neck coupled with the chambered body was the best clean tone I've ever heard. It also didn't get muddy when used with distortion or overdrive as some neck humbuckers do.
The p90/humbucker combo on my BFG was much better sounding together than my twin P90 Gibson SG. My SGs p90 bridge sounded weak compared to the neck pup.

Regretfully I had to sell my BFG a few years back for financial reasons, but I plan on duplicating the P90/Humbucker setup on a satin Epi LP Special that I bought.

 

[marc1kim]

If I have not said it before, bridge humbucker and neck P90 is a great combination, realizing the best potential of both pickup types for the respective positions. Gibson got it right with the BFG (I kick myself for not getting one), and there should be more guitars with this pickup combination.

Cheers Stephan

I agree

 

[Kostas.]

From clean to scream is my most versatile guitar! Three useful sounds.

 

[Wraptail]

From clean to scream is my most versatile guitar! Three useful sounds.

That's bad a$$.


P90s get along pretty well with just about anything. & as was said before, and witnessed from above - all sorts of pickups can live together to make great sounds, it's up to the player.