# Best current production P90s



## sjp (11 mo ago)

Looking for advice and recommendations on the best current single coil P90s out there. Going to put one in the neck position of a tele build and want a pickup that has some versatility.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Best is subjective, incredibly so. What dont you like about what you’ve tried?


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## sjp (11 mo ago)

actually I like a lot of what I have tried, it's just that they have always been inserted in other guitars at the time, and played through other people's gear. This go round I am building a tele and there is such a bewildering array of choices for P90s it's hard to know where to start. You're right "best" is subjective, so how about "good value" or "versatile". 

I have three Gibson guitars with humbuckers, an early 70s Les Paul with minis, a 2000 335 and a Howard Roberts Fusion - that I can't make stay in tune. Increasingly I go to the 335 when recording because of the sheer variety of sounds I can get out of it. 

I have another Warmoth tele build which has a set of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounds which are all the twang I could ever need, and a Strat Plus for doing all the strat things pretty much perfectly. What I am trying to achieve with the new tele build is a sort of dirty jazz sound that I can either warm right up to the 335 neck position or drop down into a rock/blues guitar. 

I'm taking a bit of a punt that a p90 in the neck will give me what I want, just looking for a steer on where to start


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## teleboli (Aug 19, 2009)

Duncan Antiquities are the best 'I've' heard/played.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Im a fan of the Fralins in my Novo, but that and the gibson pickups in my lp standard are my only P90 experiences.


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

Its hard to beat Lollars if you have the $$$. Nevertheless, a tech friend of mine swears by GFS P90s, and he's sampled a lot over the years!


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## sjp (11 mo ago)

Anyone tried the Kinman P90 Hx?


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

all those mentioned above plus Throback (expensive). But a great Canadian alternative is Michael Reilander out of the Vancouver area. I don't see a website for him anymore but I see he is on Instagram. Worth a look and while you're at it look at some of his reviews. I have had several of his pickups and currently have both of his P90's in one of my tele's.
look for: Reilander_pickups on Instagram


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

@nnieman likes McNelly P90's IIRC.
McNelly is also Canadian.

P-90 Pickups

Have you ever tried a Charlie Christian?


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

If the spacing permits, have you considered a SD P-Rail? There is likely nothing more versatile than that. It is a P90... but also a humbucker and a singe coil, all in one pickup. Good value too.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

ReWind 50s custom version in a Frank Signature sound wonderful to me






ReWind Electric: Retro Style Electric Guitar Pickups and Musical Instrument Accessories







re-wind.net


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Arnchagladyaasked?


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## sjp (11 mo ago)

isoneedacoffee said:


> If the spacing permits, have you considered a SD P-Rail? There is likely nothing more versatile than that. It is a P90... but also a humbucker and a singe coil, all in one pickup. Good value too.


It's a good thought. I bought this body based on the wood and nothing else, and I need to route it for a p90 anyway, so size isn't a problem. I promised myself I would have one guitar that I was merciless about chopping around. This is it. 

I'm curious with this pickup whether the p90 gets sort of pushed back towards a mid-pickup position as a result of the additional rail?


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## diyfabtone (Mar 9, 2016)

Gibson P90's for $140 each at L&M?

I've been really happy with my Lindy Fralin P90 style pickups but by the time you pay US$, shipping and maybe customs it might not be the best value.

The original Dog Ear P90's in my 67' Gibson 330 breakup very quickly with a firm touch but sound wonderfully warm and clear if you go easy - I think you're on to a good idea - good luck!


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

sjp said:


> It's a good thought. I bought this body based on the wood and nothing else, and I need to route it for a p90 anyway, so size isn't a problem. I promised myself I would have one guitar that I was merciless about chopping around. This is it.
> 
> I'm curious with this pickup whether the p90 gets sort of pushed back towards a mid-pickup position as a result of the additional rail?


Good question. For the neck pickup, the P90 side is closest to the neck itself. The "single coil" is on the side closest to the bridge. I've read that some people experiment by just flipping the pickup if they're looking for a different sound.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

isoneedacoffee said:


> If the spacing permits, have you considered a SD P-Rail? There is likely nothing more versatile than that. It is a P90... but also a humbucker and a singe coil, all in one pickup. Good value too.


It is not a P90, can't be just because the size of the bobbin doesn't permit the same kind of winding. A P-Rail is a fat single coils coupled with a thinner single coil, none are P90 size.

Look at the difference between a P90 bobbin and a P94 (humbucker size) bobbin

P90
















P94
















There is physically no space at the end of a P94 to get the massive P90 winding. The P-Rail has the same bobbin as a P94.

As for what P90 is the best. I will say without hesitation, a Sanford Magnetic. Unfortunately, he's not making them anymore. One that still make great ones is Tyson Tone.
​I have to say though, I have yet to play a P90 that sounds bad. Even a $38 Chinese set. Epiphone are really as good as Gibson.

One more thing, with whatever P90 you buy, if it is set too high, it will sound bad. It is one of the most height sensitive pickup. In all my guitars with them, the neck P90 is always adjusted as low as it will go, that where the magic resides.

Have a good hunt


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Any p90 is already 95% the best pickup. You can only ever make it so much better by fractions of a percentage lol.

See more done can is the best starting point for any kind of pickup.

From there prices balloon and the improvement percentage shrinks. It’s worth it sometimes to dive into the most fancy stuff.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

sjp said:


> It's a good thought. I bought this body based on the wood and nothing else, and I need to route it for a p90 anyway, so size isn't a problem. I promised myself I would have one guitar that I was merciless about chopping around. This is it.
> 
> I'm curious with this pickup whether the p90 gets sort of pushed back towards a mid-pickup position as a result of the additional rail?


The rail is narrow and it can be inverted


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## CDWaterloo (Jul 18, 2008)

this


P90_Pickups


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## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

McNelly and vineham both make fantastic p90s.
Both in Canada so will be way cheaper than ordering anything from the us right now.
Tim McNelly can do an a2 p90 - which is very very similar to a Duncan antiquity.
I have a lollar 50s wind in the neck position of a guitar- it sounds great but I bought it used.
The new price is ducking nuts for poplar pickups.

I don’t think Reilander is around any more - he disappeared at the start of the pandemic.
It’s too bad he made some seriously good pickups.

Mjs pickups does regular p90s and some really cool variations too - including an alnico pole p90. It’s a little more fendery.

I think any vintage wind (not overwound) p90 set would get you the sound you are going for.
My personal favourite is McNelly a2 bridge with a5 neck.
Followed closely by Vineham old dog.

Nathan


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I have a Wolfetone "meaner" P90 in my Heatley Jr and sounds really good to my ear. My buddy recorded a comparison of his real '58 Jr and my Heatley, and they weren't that far apart in sound.

I've had Lollars in other guitars and liked them as well.


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## bluehugh2 (Mar 10, 2006)

I like Tyson Tone


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

bluehugh2 said:


> I like Tyson Tone


I ordered one to try, but don't know if I'll ever get it. Of course I found a bunch of negative posts about his business practices after ordering  Oh well, was only $110.00 US if I remember right.


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## bluehugh2 (Mar 10, 2006)

I have ordered lots from Tyson and I found that it was a real struggle getting him to “front burner” the work unless I bought off Reverb from him … and I guess the fear of bad feedback meant he was always prompt. I do love his pickups!!!


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## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

BGood said:


> One more thing, with whatever P90 you buy, if it is set too high, it will sound bad. It is one of the most height sensitive pickup. In all my guitars with them, the neck P90 is always adjusted as low as it will go, that where the magic resides.
> 
> Have a good hunt


I respectfully disagree.
I use vintage wind p90s and I like the bridge pickup very close to the strings.

Nathan


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

Yeah, close to bridge works for me too. Glad I saw this thread, I'm in the market for a P90 too.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

nnieman said:


> I respectfully disagree.
> I use vintage wind p90s and I like the bridge pickup very close to the strings.
> 
> Nathan


I agree for a bridge P90, but my comment was for *sjp *who's looking for a neck P90.


sjp said:


> Going to put one in the neck position of a tele build and want a pickup that has some versatility.


And I did write that in all my guitars, the neck P90 is always adjusted as low as it will go..


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I have Vineham Old Dogs in my korina Monty Rockmaster (LP Special) and they sound fantastic. I used a set of his Rabid Dogs in an SG a few years back and they rocked, although it was a while ago. Whatever the Gibson Custom Shop put in my R6 sound great with sort of a “vocal” quality to them. Vineham has very reasonable prices and the pickups sound great.


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

More Canadian content - MJS Pickups are another excellent pup brand based in Ontario. 
Mike will also do custom winds. He made me a P90 in a Dynasonic mount that I wanted to be less growl-like and more like a Guild Franz P90. Hit it out of the park!
MJS Custom Handwound Guitar and Bass Pickups – Handwound Custom Guitar & Bass Pickups


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I think my capsule jazzmasters had MJS and they sounded great.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

@Roots-Picker , sold me some Lollar soapbars, ( about 8 in the neck, 9.2 in the bridge ) that I put in my " Evil-Ex" Gibson 2015 DC Special. Sounds great to me. I found the Alnico stock set a bit bright for me.
Could I have just left it alone? Posibly, yes. But I think it sounds warmer.
What do you mean, turn down the tone knob a smidgen?!?........


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## p90s (Dec 25, 2009)

Ron Ellis are my favourite, closet to p90s from the 1950s, but expensive and you have to wait. I also really like Throbaks. I was going to build a tele with a p90 in the neck but then I got an R4 and decided not to build it. So I do have a neck Thorbak p90 for sale. If you are interested PM me. 
Throbak KZ-90 SB 7.3 Long A4


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## Vally (Aug 18, 2016)

I had Vineham wind me a set of T-Dogs. P90’s on traditional tele bobbins


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

I really like the Throbak I have in the neck position on a 3 p90 strat. The other two are Fralin (middle) and a Wolftone mean (bridge). They all have their own thing going on but work well together. I like the lighter wind p90s best. I find some p90s try way too hard.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

There's such a thing as a mediocre P-90. The Fender variety that was in my Aerodyne Tele was pretty anemic, and I'm not even sure it was really very close to the right design. And it wasn't paired with another P-90 which is where P-90s shine in my opinion. Sure, good ones are great as a stand alone neck pickup, but if they're paired with another P-90 they'll sound better than when paired with something else. A great comparatively inexpensive P-90 is the Seymour Duncan. There's a pair in one of my Godin LGs and I haven't found a reason to replace them. Mind you, overall height is crucial, as others have mentioned, and tweaking the poles can help too.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Mooh said:


> There's such a thing as a mediocre P-90. The Fender variety that was in my Aerodyne Tele was pretty anemic, and I'm not even sure it was really very close to the right design. And it wasn't paired with another P-90 which is where P-90s shine in my opinion. Sure, good ones are great as a stand alone neck pickup, but if they're paired with another P-90 they'll sound better than when paired with something else. A great comparatively inexpensive P-90 is the Seymour Duncan. There's a pair in one of my Godin LGs and I haven't found a reason to replace them. Mind you, overall height is crucial, as others have mentioned, and tweaking the poles can help too.


LOL .. to me the SDs in my LG were by far the worst P90s I have ever played. Way way too powerful. I buried both in the body and they were still crazily overpowering anything.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

BGood said:


> LOL .. to me the SDs in my LG were by far the worst P90s I have ever played. Way way too powerful. I buried both in the body and they were still crazily overpowering anything.
> 
> View attachment 402803


To be fair, maybe SD has made various P-90s, and maybe mine were designed for Godin.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Mooh said:


> To be fair, maybe SD has made various P-90s, and maybe mine were designed for Godin.


What year was yours ?


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

BGood said:


> What year was yours ?


2007


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Mooh said:


> 2007


2003 for mine. It would be surprising that they'd had two different pickups for that "budget" guitar. When I had it, I remembered asking Godin what the pickup were in it and there was no question about what year it was, got a straight answer. They are SP90-3 with ceramic magnets, the highest output version SD makes.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

BGood said:


> 2003 for mine. It would be surprising that they'd had two different pickups for that "budget" guitar. When I had it, I remembered asking Godin what the pickup were in it and there was no question about what year it was, got a straight answer. They are SP90-3 with ceramic magnets, the highest output version SD makes.


Well, there you go. You see, we hear differently.


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