That’s why we have the P90 Stack! Both single coil but totally different sounding. Lives for gear . Joined: Sep 29, 2009 One more data point to consider is that my "P90's" are actually pickups made to sound like P90's even though they are the shape of humbuckers. Based on our original ‘Stack’ single coils, this pickup’s got the same powerful, dirty P90 tone with all the … The P-90 is an electric guitar pickup comprising single coil manufactured by Gibson. Even after years, Gibson is still producing these high-quality pickups, and many outside firms are also producing replacement versions. If I needed a silent guitar, I'd just put either a mini humbucker or Firebird pickup in it. P90's are single coils, correct? Thanks. 21st December 2012 #6. cinealta. That is often the case, though when single-coil and humbucker were played side by side. But as a true single coil, there is a certain degree of background noise. Jun 22, 2012 #2. copperheadroad Tele-Holic. P90 vs Single-Coil – Differences The single coil design has largely been unchanged since they were introduced in the 1930s. This causes them to sound like a cross between humbuckers and single coils. Split coils lose DB's and sound thinner. Personally I am just using noisy single coils at this point. The P90 sound is quite nice as is the final single-coil sound, but without the punch of the humbucker. They offer you the brightness you get from a single-coil pickup together with the warmth and noise reduction from a humbucker. Today, the P90’s traditional combination of high output and brilliant tone is still considered a favorite among many top musicians. The mismatched coil configuration delivers a thick and full sound. They can be clean and jazzy, to down right gritty. Share Reply Quote. P90 pickups consist of a single coil, however, they have a wider bobbin than standard single coil pickups. A lot of famous guitars, like the Les Paul (humbucker pickup) or the Strat (single-coil) depend upon these two types of pickups to produce their sound. Sure folks are making advances in these draw backs (like PRS on their 408), but you certainly dont get the warmth the p90 puts out. Posts: 525. First introduced in the early 1950s, Gibson’s legendary P90 single coil pickup produced a raw powerful tone that helped define the blues and rock and roll in their formative years. We get it. So, I'm considering getting a set of strat single coils that sound like my P90's. They have a balanced sound, and have more power than standard single coils… A P90 pickup provides users with a sound that sounds a bit like a single-coil pickup, a little bit like a humbucker pickup, with a vintage low output sound thrown into the mix. For P90 size hum canceling, I'd be curious to try the Dimarzio Virtual P90s which are essentially tuned mini humbuckers I believe. Yes, you get the 60 cycle hum with them, but that's part of the single coil world. P90 Stack You love the P90. I've never played a guitar with real P90's and I suspect that what I like about them is the output with the magnets. Traditional strat pickups have that, or should have that, distinctive bell-like sound. You should be … Initially, it was produced in 1946. Love single coil pickup's, but really love P90's I realize that they are both single coil pick up's, but you know what I mean. P90 pickups are the perfect hybrid pickup. Single coils use 6 pole pieces wrapped around 8000 turns of copper wire between two metal boards. This is the original P90. Hi, I'm trying to figure out how to wire up a single coil in the bridge and a P90 in the neck of a guitar I'm building, with just a basic three way switch. P90's are the definitive single coil. 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