HB vs P90

[rts99]

I'm looking for a new SG. I've played a few HB equiped versions but I'm disappointed in the tone. I find it very muddy. I currently have an HSS strat that's about 5 yrs old. Nothing special, just alnico SC & bridge HB. The tone suits me just fine. I'm curious if the P90 pickups will sound more like my strat. Any thoughts?

I played an HB equipped SG regularly when I was a kid. I don't remember the sound being much different than my strat, but time is a slippery thing.

Thanks.

[chill]

If the SG's you've been playing have the 490R/490T set, I understand why you'd find them muddy. They're OK pickups but I like them better in other guitars (Strat) and I like other pickups in an SG (Custom, 59). You can also do a mag swap to alnico 5 on the 490's to get them closer to a 59 set...I believe blueman335 is an advocate of changing Gibbo mags.

[uOpt]

I find that P90s are not less muddy than PAF class humbuckers, and in fact I never found P90ties as bright as the brighter PAFs.

Let's start at the beginning, which humbuckers did you try in that SG?

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Putting P90s in your SG will not make it sound like a Strat, but I don't think they're as warm (or muddy) as those stock HBs. They're an altogether different beast. No amount of forum reading will give you a clear idea of what they're about, so I strongly suggest you go to a store and hear them for yourself. One thing I can tell you: You're in for a treat!

- Keith

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Originally Posted by Pink Unicorn Horsey

Putting P90s in your SG will not make it sound like a Strat, but I don't think they're as warm (or muddy) as those stock HBs. They're an altogether different beast. No amount of forum reading will give you a clear idea of what they're about, so I strongly suggest you go to a store and hear them for yourself. One thing I can tell you: You're in for a treat!

- Keith

I agree.

P90s are like a middle ground between single coils and humbuckers. You won't sound like a strat.

[mrturtle_91]

Definitely won't sound like a strat, but will have more clarity than a humbucker on cleans, but have a nice grindy tone when distorted.

[blueman335]

Originally Posted by chill

If the SG's you've been playing have the 490R/490T set, I understand why you'd find them muddy. They're OK pickups but I like them better in other guitars (Strat) and I like other pickups in an SG (Custom, 59). You can also do a mag swap to alnico 5 on the 490's to get them closer to a 59 set...I believe blueman335 is an advocate of changing Gibbo mags.

+1. Get an A5 in that neck HB, and maybe the bridge. Whole new ballgame.

[Oceano]

I personally think you should go with the P90s. They just have something about them that makes them raunchy and sweet at the same time and its just beautiful

[blueman335]

Originally Posted by Oceano

I personally think you should go with the P90s. They just have something about them that makes them raunchy and sweet at the same time and its just beautiful

+1. An SG Classic (P-90's) is a great guitar. Think early Santana, Townsend, & Iommi.

[Invader09]

You find the SG Standards muddy ? Wowzers. I guess you wouldn't like mine with the Invader set. lol

I played an SG Classic at a local shop a few months ago. Really nice guitar ! prertty nice price tag too. Quite different from the Standard (because of the P-90s)

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Originally Posted by blueman335

An SG Classic (P-90's) is a great guitar. Think early Santana, Townsend, & Iommi.

Yes! In fact, just think of Townshend and Iommi. It hurts to think of Santana.

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[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Adam, how involved was it installing that Bigsby?

[sosomething]

About four minutes plus a string change. The Vibramate made it monkey-easy.

[Axewall]

Wow! That was a sexy SG! GAS!

[uOpt]

Originally Posted by mrturtle_91

Definitely won't sound like a strat, but will have more clarity than a humbucker on cleans, but have a nice grindy tone when distorted.

This is really not true as such.

Humbucker such as the APH1 bridge, the WCR crossroads and Antiquity neck have more clarity than any Soapbar.

There is still the single point of string movement "vision" thing which causes the humbuckers to have a little bit of a roar that the P90 doesn't have. But this doesn't directly affect clarity.

Soapbars with A5 for both magnets get more harsh and ballsy than clear, this doesn't really give you a P90 with clarity either.

The only P90 with more clarity I have heard is a P-Rails with the fat coil alone active, but that also moves you into the smooth and Hi-fi region.

[uOpt]

BTW, if you really want to move towards Fender style sounds you need pickups with rod magnets (as opposed to bar magnets on the bottom and passively magnetic polepieces).

Examples are Staple pickups (also Phat Staples), Fender wide-range humbuckers (careful, different format) and the SD Custom shop 3+3 rod and Strat-in-humbucker pickups.

[mrturtle_91]

Originally Posted by uOpt

This is really not true as such.

Humbucker such as the APH1 bridge, the WCR crossroads and Antiquity neck have more clarity than any Soapbar.

There is still the single point of string movement "vision" thing which causes the humbuckers to have a little bit of a roar that the P90 doesn't have. But this doesn't directly affect clarity.

Soapbars with A5 for both magnets get more harsh and ballsy than clear, this doesn't really give you a P90 with clarity either.

The only P90 with more clarity I have heard is a P-Rails with the fat coil alone active, but that also moves you into the smooth and Hi-fi region.

That's interesting, cause all the P-90's I've heard have been much clearer sounding than any humbucker. I guess our ears are different.

[rts99]

Originally Posted by uOpt

I find that P90s are not less muddy than PAF class humbuckers, and in fact I never found P90ties as bright as the brighter PAFs.

Let's start at the beginning, which humbuckers did you try in that SG?

I'm told 1 had 490s, 1 had Classic 57s, 1 had "Dirty Fingers" (have no idea who makes these).

[rts99]

Originally Posted by blueman335

+1. An SG Classic (P-90's) is a great guitar. Think early Santana, Townsend, & Iommi.

The early Santana sound is very appealing, 1 of the reasons I am looking for an SG.