Ever tried CERAMIC magnets in a P-94 neck?

[blueman335]

The P-94 just stinks. And given how high it is it is unlikely that you problem is that the magnet is too close to the strings.

The beauty of twin magnet PU's is that you can shape their tones in far more ways than a HB. I've been able to get what I wanted with all of my P-90's & Phat Cats, whereas I haven't always been able to with my HB's. I thought Phat Cats were mediocre at best, until I swapped magnets. Now I have them in a bunch of guitars (PC/PC andHB/PC). I'm confident I could get P-94's sounding the way I want them to.

[uOpt]

The beauty of twin magnet PU's is that you can shape their tones in far more ways than a HB. I've been able to get what I wanted with all of my P-90's & Phat Cats, whereas I haven't always been able to with my HB's. I thought Phat Cats were mediocre at best, until I swapped magnets. Now I have them in a bunch of guitars (PC/PC andHB/PC). I'm confident I could get P-94's sounding the way I want them to.

Dunno. I have/had both P-94s and Phat Cats and the P-94 was about the worst pickup I tested so far.

[LtKojak]

Dunno. I have/had both P-94s and Phat Cats and the P-94 was about the worst pickup I tested so far.

Can you define "worst"?

What should it have done that it didn't?

In my case, it's only the neck p'up I'm having trouble with. It has no definition, specially playing jazz chords. Playing single notes is a bit better, but it still sounds like having cotton in my ears. That's why I think it's either assembled with the wrong magnets or it's gotten de-magnetised due to poor storage.

The bridge one though is just the opposite. Clear, open sounding and very articulate. Very good for solos, both clear and overdriven.

[uOpt]

Right.

My notes on this thing (neck position) say "like being hit on the head by Gimli's axe, but never fulfilling the sweet promise of death". Quoted from memory, but something like that.

I don't think this has to do with magnets, although I wouldn't rule out you have a defective one with a magnet flipped or something.

[blueman335]

In my case, it's only the neck p'up I'm having trouble with. It has no definition, specially playing jazz chords. Playing single notes is a bit better, but it still sounds like having cotton in my ears. That's why I think it's either assembled with the wrong magnets or it's gotten de-magnetised due to poor storage.

That's how all my PC's sounded with the stock A2's in them. Too dark, no treble. Getting at least one A5 in there changes that and lets them sound like a single coil. Maybe those twin A2's work in a maple or ash body, but not in mahogany or in 335's.

After I swapped magnets & got my neck PC's dialed in, I decided to tackle my bridge PC's, which were weak & thin (Zhang noted this too). I wanted more body, more output, some punch and bite, & that raw P-90 tone. Wasn't getting anything near that with those puny A2's. I settled on an A8/A4 pair, and that's worked great.

Any tone issues I've had with P-90's and Phat Cats have been completely resolved with the liberal use of magnets. If you haven't done that, you're not tapping into the PU's potential.

[LtKojak]

Right. My notes on this thing (neck position) say "like being hit on the head by Gimli's axe, but never fulfilling the sweet promise of death". Quoted from memory, but something like that.

Oh, that REALLY explains everything!

[LtKojak]

Maybe those twin A2's work in a maple or ash body, but not in mahogany or in 335's.

They didn't work for me in an all-maple neck-through-body semi-acoustic either.

The best sound I got from that P-94 (still unusable, mind you) is in an Epi G-400 Custom. It sounds like a Jazz box with the tone control all the way down.

As a set, they have the same problem as the 490R/498T.

[blueman335]

The best sound I got from that P-94 (still unusable, mind you) is in an Epi G-400 Custom. It sounds like a Jazz box with the tone control all the way down.

As a set, they have the same problem as the 490R/498T.

+1. Yes, very mismatched. Overly dark neck; thin bridge. How on earth do you set your amp's tone controls? Whatever you do, one PU is probably going to be a disaster.

[Luke Duke]

I've got a Godin LG with P90s too. I LOVE the Custom, especially in the bridge.

[LtKojak]

+1. Yes, very mismatched. Overly dark neck; thin bridge. How on earth do you set your amp's tone controls? Whatever you do, one PU is probably going to be a disaster.

Hey, Blueman... if you were in my shoes, what would you try first?

Twin A5s, twin ceramics or one of each?

Inquiring minds would like to know (and because this one's really hard to assemble/disassemble) ...

[blueman335]

Hey, Blueman... if you were in my shoes, what would you try first?

Twin A5s, twin ceramics or one of each?

Inquiring minds would like to know (and because this one's really hard to assemble/disassemble) ...

I'd do an A5/ceramic pair, to try to get the best of both. If that's isn't quite what you want, determine what it needs, and swap out one of them. If you have to cut & resolder the cover, you might want to hold off on resoldering until you have the ideal magnet pair in there.

[LtKojak]

I'd do an A5/ceramic pair, to try to get the best of both. If that's isn't quite what you want, determine what it needs, and swap out one of them. If you have to cut & resolder the cover, you might want to hold off on resoldering until you have the ideal magnet pair in there.

Thank you, Blueman335! Thinking about it, that's definately the best way to go, really good advice.

I'll be doing this in a couple of weeks time and you bet I'll be bragging about it!