Combining a P90 neck and Humbucker bridge pickup

ewal

My Reverend Manta Ray is currently dismantled following a respray, and I'm thinking about taking the Irongear Alchemist P90 neck pickup out of one of my partscasters and combining with the original Reverend bridge humbucker. Not sure how well they'll balance, not being an expert at these things - the humbucker is 42 gauge wire, Alnico 5, 8.5k ohms, and the Alchemist is 42 gauge, Alnico 2, 6.3k ohms. Am I right in thinking that the Rev humbucker might be a tad hot for the Alchemist? Or is the only way to find out, to give it a try?

Of course it would mean that the Rev neck humbucker would also have to go in to the partscaster... Might just go the whole hog and put both the Alchemist P90's in to the Rev.

earwighoney

I've got no idea about the resistances but I have a P90 and a HB in my guitar and I really like the combination.  I have the P90 in the bridge though.  

ewal

I have read some recommendations of putting the P90 at the bridge and the humbucker at the neck - I just thought of doing it the other way round, although not sure why.

earwighoney

Most of the guitars I've seen with the P90/HB configuration have been with the HB at the bridge, and the P90 at the neck.  

My guitar had Tonerider Alnico 2's and I didn't really get on with the bridge HB.  I had a old Kent Armstrong HB sized P90 lying around and wired it in and much preferred the sounds it gave me.  The main reason I went for it, is that the P90 was a bridge pickup!  

entee

I have a Zoot Les Paul, which has a AV 9.1 P90 at the neck, and 498T AV 9.0 hot HB at the bridge - sounds perfect to me    Bit more matched than your setup but you'll love the P at the neck - mellow and warm  

crunchman

I've got a Bare Knuckle Manhattan (6.6kOhm) in the neck of my SG with the original neck humbucker (around 8.5kOhm if I remember correctly) in teh bridge position.  They seem to balance reasonably well.

ewal

That's an idea. The Rev neck pickup is slightly underwound (7.5K) so might balance better with the P90. Or I could put the P90 bridge pickup (7.6K) in to the neck position.

KingSub

I've fitted a Warman's HBP90 in the neck position of my PRS SE. I also added (and potted) a slotted cover on the bridge pickup - partly for sound and also I don't like the look of the zebra pickups! Sound is nice and balanced, I play mostly in middle position, and the mix of the P90 and HB is spot on.