How are P-90s mounted?

[Lazarus1140]

I'm G.A.S.ing to build something that would cover some tonal territory where my other guitars won't go.

The title says it all ..... for the style without dogears ..... how are the soapbars mounted?

Do they require a rout?

Would an SPH90-1 Phat Cat in the bridge be hot enough to balance well with a SP90-1 Vintage Soapbar?

This would be in a single cut tele style body.

[DesertRat]

Real P90s are screwed right into the body, usually with some foam or something underneath. They require a thinner and wider route than a humbucker. Can't help you with the balance issue, I've never done those 2 together.

[blueman335]

I'm not thrilled with the foam rubber mounting method, although it's widely used and obviously works. I have a P-90 SG with soap bars, and I used cedar shims (from Home Depot) to build a small platform to direct-mount the PU's on. I used screws & glue to hold the platforms together, and then screwed the P-90's onto them. Notched a little path with a file for the PU wire. I get more sustain & low end this way.

I find the bridge Phat Cat a little anemic with the stock magnets, as do a few others here. It's overwhelmed by the neck Phat Cat in my guitars. So I use a couple magnets with higher output, and the problem's solved. I like an A8/A4 magnet pair for warmth & muscle, although Gibson uses a pair of A5's. All are an improvement over twin A2's in my opinion.

But, if you putting a soapbar in the neck, why the heck not put one in the bridge too?

[Lazarus1140]

But, if you putting a soapbar in the neck, why the heck not put one in the bridge too?

There are two reasons. First, I like the look of two different style pickups. Secondly, I want to retain the option to experiment with HBs in the bridge position.

[blueman335]

There are two reasons. First, I like the look of two different style pickups. Secondly, I want to retain the option to experiment with HBs in the bridge position.

Fair enough. Then any HB-sized P-90 will work. There's a lot of them out there. If you're not into mag swapping, I'd avoid a Phat Cat.

A '59B would be a good choice.

[Lazarus1140]

Regarding the mounting .... I still don't understand. Where are the tabs that the screw go through?

[DesertRat]

Regarding the mounting .... I still don't understand. Where are the tabs that the screw go through?

The screws go right through the pickup itself, they're btween the A & D and the B & G polepieces.

[DesertRat]

Here's a pic of a p90 cover.

[FuelGTRX]

On my Les Paul Special, the P-90's are mounted via 2 screws going though the pickup itself. Unlike the direct mounting method, my LP has to screw ferrals at the bottom of the pickup route in the body and there is a tension spring for each screw between the pickup and the body. This allows for easier height adjustment.

I'm not sure how a Phat Cat might stack up with a SP90-1n. They are pretty close in output, with the Phat Cat just being a bit higher.

[Lazarus1140]

That helps. Thanks, guys.

I've played guitars with P-90s in them and listened intently to them but never really looked at them.

[Bludave]

I did the same thing as blueman. Except I used a strip of mahogany. What I did was cut a piece out of the center and ran the wire in that strip. I had bought a Schecter tempest special without pickups. It originally had EMG P90's in it. I put a set of Duncan Antiquities in it. The install was pretty straight forward. I still have one minor issue with it. The pickuo cover on the bridge pu doesn't sit level, but it plays and sounds awesome. I had bought this "cheap" guitar for slide, but once i got the pickups in, it sounded too good to just leave for slide. So I use it for a few different things.