P90 differences

suspiciousminds · May 2016

I recently picked up a gibson junior with a single dog ear p90.
It needed some work - a new nut, wiring sorting etc - originally with the intention being to sell it on/trade it as i already have a junior special with p90's, but thats changed now to the point i'll hang on to it.
Anyways, whats surprised me is that the dogear p90 sounds very very different to the soapbars in my special.
In fact, i'm amazed how different they actually sound.
The special has quite a smooth sound completely different to the raw sound of the dogear.
I've fitted russian paper in oil caps in both to the same spec but are there normally such a difference in gibson p90's?

SteveRobinson · May 2016

Does the junior special definitely have P-90s and not perhaps P-100 pickups?

suspiciousminds · May 2016

P90's

crunchman · May 2016

There is an article in this month's Guitar & Bass. Early P90s had Alnico III (I think - may have been Alnico II) magnets whereas the later ones had Alnico 5. Apparently the later Alnico 5 magnet ones are more in your face. That was talking about original 50's ones. I don't know the specs on your guitars so they may or may not have the same type of magnets,

The other thing that might affect it is the actual acoustic sound of the guitars. Do they sound the same unplugged? I had a Les Paul that sounded really bright and toppy unplugged and it was very bright plugged in. My current one sounds a lot fuller unplugged and a lot fuller plugged in. While pickups do make a difference they do reflect the native sound of the guitar.

olafgarten · May 2016

The Second P90 also makes a difference as it adds string pull which dampens the vibrations.

Creed_Clicks · November 2020

Resurrect an old thread ?
Leaving aside the guitar construction like woods etc , a single coil p90 in the bridge of a tele will sound very different to a soap bar p90 in a tele? I am guessing because the single coil size will be angled as opposed to the soap bar being at straight?
In theory they should be sounding pretty similar ?

Danielsguitars · November 2020

Dog ear p90s are bloody fantastic, they seem much more raw, they're like a bare Knuckle fighter, the soapbar Is a boxer

I've been using my coronet style the last few weeks in a band and it'll do everything I want, just volume and tone and haven't missed a neck pickup either

Funkfingers · November 2020

SteveRobinson said:

Does the junior special definitely have P-90s and not perhaps P-100 pickups?

P-100s were the stock equipment. I replaced them with true single coils.

Another difference is that the Junior Special has separate Tune-o-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece compared to most Juniors having a combined wrapover type.

Henrytwang · November 2020

I prefer the sound of dog ears they just seem to have a rawer tone. I wonder if the real reason they sound different to the soap bars is because they are mounted directly to the body whilst the soap bars aren’t.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

P90 differences

Comments