P90 height

[spauldingrules]

Do P90's sound best relatively close to the strings (compared to HBs), or a little further off?  Please don't say "whatever your ears prefer", I'm just interested in the prevailing opinion at this time.

Thanks!

 

[neilium]

P-90's have a wider magnetic field than strat pickups, so you can get pretty close without wolf tone or stratitis. I'd say get them as close as you can.

 

[tfarny]

I'd say whatever your ears prefer.

 

[spauldingrules]

Thanks tfarny!  What about a switch to put the middle and bridge in series?  Anyone try this?

 

[neilium]

I like neck and bridge in series. Sounds huge.

 

[spauldingrules]

How do I do that?

 

[DiMitriR33]

on a p-90 you start by changing the cable to one with 3 conductors on one p/u. two for the pickup and a sheilding conductor for the back plate.
then find out if the magnetic polarity is the same or oposite. (is the pair supposed to be hum cancelling in the #2 position) if they are the same flip the magnets on one.

now did you need to flip magnets on a pickup? if yes also switch the polarity on the pickup with 3 wires.

now you're ready, find a schematic for a tele with  a 4way switch that has series/parallel

make sure the pickup w/stock cable is the one that's always grounded.
i think it could be done with a seperate toggle also but only with some 3way p/u selectors.
i could draw a diagram or if you need it.

 

[spauldingrules]

My guitar has 3 p90s - and the middle is RWRP.  Only one cable coming out of them with the metal sheathe for grounding.  How does this look?

http://www.deaf-eddie.net/drawings/Strat-all-series.jpg

I would like to use 1v, 1t, and a switch rather than push-pull. 

I would probably choose to get the middle and bridge pickups in series rather than neck.  Can you help a bruva out?  A diagram would be appreciated - I cannot read schematics.

- TS

 

[DiMitriR33]

thats one i haven't seen before.

were did you find it?

yeah just get different cables for the bridge and mid pups with an extra wire. i was counting the metal sheath as a conductor.
maybe cut up a pair of head phones if you need to. the sheilding wire will go from the back plate to ground and the pickup wires should no longer attach to ground directly. the two sheathed conductors will go to the p/u.

i just put a p-90 in the neck of my korina/koa hollow tele and it alerady sounds "huge" i'm not sure there ar ewords for what this will sound like.

for 1 tone just forget one side of the switch. take the red wire on the diagram that goes from the switch to the volume and run it to the tone as well in the same location as the dark gray wire. any dpdt switch with 6 posts wiil replace the one in that pot. same wireing arangement.

 

[m4rk0]

ok, I have another silly question about P90 height...

what is the best material to use to get it to the right height? some foam, which is I guess is easier for tweaking the height, or a piece of wood?

 

[GoDrex]

this is what I do: I raise the pickup up very close to the strings and I play some signal notes without vibrato and listen carefully to see if there's any weird modulation going on. If there is I back them down until it clears up.

 

[-CB-]

All the P90's I've ever tried, including Phat Cats (not really P90 but built similarly), tend to get middy when you get em away from the strings, and more edgy and better tighter bass when they're close.

So.... on a guitar thats bright to start with, you might want then set in a bit, and on a hollow body too, if you want that smooth tone.  For something more grindy/edgy... crank em close.

I've never had a wolf tone with a P90 - yes its a wider field than strat/tele pickups, not as wide as HB's

 

[Orpheo]

All the P90's I've ever tried, including Phat Cats (not really P90 but built similarly), tend to get middy when you get em away from the strings, and more edgy and better tighter bass when they're close.

So.... on a guitar thats bright to start with, you might want then set in a bit, and on a hollow body too, if you want that smooth tone.  For something more grindy/edgy... crank em close.

I've never had a wolf tone with a P90 - yes its a wider field than strat/tele pickups, not as wide as HB's

good to know I wanna have a p90 in the middle position of a les paul, but with the sound of a bridge p90. I guess I need a very, very bright P90 setup high, right?

 

[-CB-]

You'll never get the exact sound - the string harmonics are different - part of why a bridge and neck pickup are so different in tone.

I'd probably consider a P90 with AlNiCo 5 magnets, 42 gauge wire, wound to about 7.5 and set it high.  That should snarl a bit.

This can be a tricky thing I might warn... P90s can be light and sweet, or muddy or "just right with an attitude" and it depends on the position, the winding, the elevation, the wood, the strnigs...  Given all that, on a Lester... you might get away with a hotter wind than on a Tele thinline or other hollow body which is more "mellow" by its nature.

 

[Orpheo]

You'll never get the exact sound - the string harmonics are different - part of why a bridge and neck pickup are so different in tone.

I'd probably consider a P90 with AlNiCo 5 magnets, 42 gauge wire, wound to about 7.5 and set it high.  That should snarl a bit.

This can be a tricky thing I might warn... P90s can be light and sweet, or muddy or "just right with an attitude" and it depends on the position, the winding, the elevation, the wood, the strnigs...   Given all that, on a Lester... you might get away with a hotter wind than on a Tele thinline or other hollow body which is more "mellow" by its nature.

true, true, but this les paul will have a rosewood back and a wenge top...

 

[m4rk0]

sooooooo, since the p90's are screwed directly in the body,  how do you set the height ??

 

[Orpheo]

sooooooo, since the p90's are screwed directly in the body,  how do you set the height ??

with a spring between the bodywood and the pickup itself. just like with a normal humbucker.

 

[blue313]

Dont own a set, but my buddy's I worked on had springs around the screws similar to a traditional HB.  You could probably use foam or tubing instead.

 

[Orpheo]

Marko, this is a little paint-mockup for you.

 

[jackthehack]

The hard foam that typically comes with P90s is the best thing to use.