# P90's in humbucker form



## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

My recent lusting for an SG with P90's has been tough to deal with but I'm not giving up. If I can't find a guitar with a neck I like the whole thing is a no go. I'm wondering if expanding the field a bit to include guitars that have humbuckers, that could be swapped in the future, may come up with better results. I see Fralin, Lollar, Gibson and several others offering replacements. I'd like to know what people have to say about P90 pickups made to fit the humbucker mold?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Quite a few years ago, I had a set of Seymour Duncan "Phat Cat" humbucker sized P90's in an MIJ 335 copy. I thought they were good sounding pickups.

Cheers

Dave


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Maybe the railhammer offering can fit you bill! 

Railhammer Pickups


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

greco said:


> Quite a few years ago, I had a set of Seymour Duncan "Phat Cat" humbucker sized P90's in an MIJ 335 copy. I thought they were good sounding pickups.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Dave


I found the "Phat Cats" not to my liking. No idead bro as the "Phats Cats" are the only ones I used and didn't like them.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I have phat cats in my end-all be-all tone monster. 

I'll say this again though - It doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever to care about your pick-ups without having perfectly functioning pots.

How can you truly know what the pup has to offer, if you're only seeing a setting or two. It's like being satisfied with an amp that's a one trick pony.

Emerson CTS pots (500K) work fantastically. I have my neck pup volume at 3 and get tone to die for, but it's useful the whole way up the scale. I'm playing an average of 3 hours a day, since I got everything together.

I a/b'd them against the pups Matt arrivee hand wound on Gibson's old winders from the 50s and the Phat Cats were just better. 

I also think that your whole rig will have an impact, so ultimately, it'll be hard to truly know.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

If you don't mind spending the money, Bare Knuckle has a few (HSP90) models...

Bare Knuckle Pickups, UK - Hand Wound Guitar and Bass Pickups


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

I'm keeping an eye on this thread.
I've been seriously considering trying some P90's in my Godin FlatFive
Cause if you ain't playin', ya might as well mess with it right ?
I haven't tried them ,but GuitarFetish gets some good revues for their P90s


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I have a fralin p92 which is a humbcker made to sound like a p90 (or close to it)


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

The Harmonic Design Z90's are very good. I just sold mine to a guy in the States but there is another pair on Ebay if anyone is looking. Guy is in Kenora.


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## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

+1 more for the SD Phat Cats.
I had these in a guitar for a while and thought they sounded very good.


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2016)

How about SD P-Rails with the Triple Shot ring?


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## ZeroGravity (Mar 25, 2016)

I went swapped out the stock HB's on my Epiphone Special II for Ebay HB-sized P90's (Warman). They were cheap, appropriate for the guitar, but sound surprisingly decent. However, I am not that discerning either...


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Humbucker-Sized P-90 Review Roundup | Premier Guitar

most of the humbucker p90's are in this review. With sound clips


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

knight_yyz said:


> Humbucker-Sized P-90 Review Roundup | Premier Guitar
> 
> most of the humbucker p90's are in this review. With sound clips


This was one of the first thing I came across when starting to read on the topic. Good info.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

My friend has swapped out for Lollar, including the humbucksize.

Claims the HBsize P90 has alittle less hum than the other Lollar he tried.

He's fussy. I am not. I think most of it is his imagination.

Thats my two cents. You certainly got a lot of great input from your post!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Harmonic Design were talked about positively on the Gear Page for many years.

Gibson Type Pickups Page


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

The demon double post


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

vadsy said:


> This was one of the first thing I came across when starting to read on the topic. Good info.


Note that the phat cats' pro is string definition. That's huge to me. If you want muddy shit, keep your HBs.

The con was the highs. I don't have that issue.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

laristotle said:


> How about SD P-Rails with the Triple Shot ring?


Meh. Jack of all trades, master of none.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Roryfan said:


> Meh. Jack of all trades, master of none.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I love mine--I have one in the neck of a LP copy--and it's great for slide--whether it's on the P-90/Rail or humbucker setting...


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## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

I had Phat Cats in my V and loved them. That's the route I'd go.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Phat Cats are good too.
Several options here would be cool.


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

I know where theirs a 69 SG with P90's located in Windsor. He turned down an offer of $2500. Pm me if your interested.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

@vadsy, I've got a blacktop tele set up with a pair of "hum-dogs" in it. (Craig Vineham P90's in a humbucker size) You want to borrow it for a while?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

That would be awesome! Thank you for the offer. 
I'll text you.


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## GUInessTARS (Dec 28, 2007)

I have a set of Gibson's P-94's. I installed them in a Les Paul I no longer have,
I liked the way they sounded, but they were made by Gibson so they must be hated.
I sold the guitar and kept the pickups.


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## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

vadsy said:


> ... I'd like to know what people have to say about P90 pickups made to fit the humbucker mold?


Vadsy, this thread is a bit dated but wondering where you got to with your search.

I want to put a P90 HB size in the neck and a HB in the bridge of a Strat and was thinking Lollars. Having seen this thread, I'm now thinking of Vineham's "Hum Dog" and either the "Womanizer" or "Brown Noser".


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

The Hum-Dog: P90_Pickups


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

StratCat said:


> Vadsy, this thread is a bit dated but wondering where you got to with your search.
> 
> I want to put a P90 HB size in the neck and a HB in the bridge of a Strat and was thinking Lollars. Having seen this thread, I'm now thinking of Vineham's "Hum Dog" and either the "Womanizer" or "Brown Noser".


I did not pursue the search any further than some online sound samples and then gave up. I'm leaning a little more towards wide range pickups at the moment. Sorry I can't help out more.


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## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

vadsy said:


> I did not pursue the search any further than some online sound samples and then gave up. I'm leaning a little more towards wide range pickups at the moment. Sorry I can't help out more.


thanks for the reply!


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

Bubb said:


> I'm keeping an eye on this thread.
> I've been seriously considering trying some P90's in my Godin FlatFive
> Cause if you ain't playin', ya might as well mess with it right ?
> I haven't tried them ,but GuitarFetish gets some good revues for their P90s



i have a GFS Mean 90...its a solid pickup...cheap and sounds good...even got a good review in that PG article...


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

If you do mind spending the money, Guitar Madness have a set of Alnico 5 P94 for ... fifty Canadian dollars. 
P-94 Style Humbucker sized P-90 Pickups Chrome Covered (Alnico 5) | eBay

They ARE good, really. They can give Gibson P94 a run for their money. Listen to the shoot-out below.

__
https://soundcloud.com/https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fdrbgood%2Fsets%2Fp94-shoot-out


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## buyusfear (Nov 18, 2009)

If you're looking for a "P90" sound and feel, in a humbucker housing, i'd strongly suggest looking at Sanford Magnetics' AB-90. 
Nathan is a P90 guy first and foremost. 
P90


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

O


buyusfear said:


> If you're looking for a "P90" sound and feel, in a humbucker housing, i'd strongly suggest looking at Sanford Magnetics' AB-90.
> Nathan is a P90 guy first and foremost.
> P90


Oooo yeah ! ! ! Didn't know they made a P94. If it is anywhere sounding like their P90, ti must be real good, 'cause their P90 is ... just incredible.


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## BleuxMoose (Mar 21, 2017)

.


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## BleuxMoose (Mar 21, 2017)

BGood said:


> If you do mind spending the money, Guitar Madness have a set of Alnico 5 P94 for ... fifty Canadian dollars.
> P-94 Style Humbucker sized P-90 Pickups Chrome Covered (Alnico 5) | eBay
> 
> They ARE good, really. They can give Gibson P94 a run for their money. Listen to the shoot-out below.
> ...



BGood, thanks for the soundclips! I wanted to put P94's in my mahogany and bubinga Parker; but, it's not in the budget. I might try the guitar madness p94s out, or I'll,get them direct off AliExpress to save some more $$.


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## 79Deluxe (6 mo ago)

Thank you all


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