P-90 Pickup Dilemma

[GuyBoden]

P90 pickup dilemma

I've been testing two P90 pickups for my latest guitar acquisition.

To my old ears:

(1) P90 pickup with Alnico 3 magnet is 5.7K, and has a better sound when playing chords/comping. (More tightly defined details.)

(2) P90 pickup with Alnico 2 magnet is 7K, and has a better sound when playing single note lines. (Rounder more larger sounding.)

I've decided to use the "(1) P90 pickup with Alnico 3", because as guitarists, we comp chords more than play single notes. And, this P90 sounds better comping to my ears.

(Swapping pickups is easy, as they both have push on electrical connectors.)

[Sigmund451]

Thats alwasys the problem when you try two pieces of gear.
For me I always want the one in between that doesnt exist (or dont have).

I love P90s Maybe if you monkey with the gain some more and make it closer to an acoustic amp you can find a happy medium.

On my floating Armstrong single coil which supposed to be a lot like a P90 its nice to have the switch that taps it to make it closer to an old Dearmond pickup. It goes from a fat chime to a really clear voice.

Of course you cant change pickups but maybe different windings?

That said, It might not fit the sound you are after at all.

I like the idea of easy to change pickups. When I was messing with them I thought that a modular system for really super easy changes would be cool. It seems to me it wouldnt be that hard for someone to make a plug system (receiver) for a floater where you just had two pins and a locking mechanism and could just press and pull to change to a different one. It would be a great way to market and sell more pickups than guitarists need haha.

[GuyBoden]

Thats alwasys the problem when you try two pieces of gear.
For me I always want the one in between that doesnt exist (or dont have).

I love P90s Maybe if you monkey with the gain some more and make it closer to an acoustic amp you can find a happy medium.

On my floating Armstrong single coil which supposed to be a lot like a P90 its nice to have the switch that taps it to make it closer to an old Dearmond pickup. It goes from a fat chime to a really clear voice.

Of course you cant change pickups but maybe different windings?

That said, It might not fit the sound you are after at all.

I like the idea of easy to change pickups. When I was messing with them I thought that a modular system for really super easy changes would be cool. It seems to me it wouldnt be that hard for someone to make a plug system (receiver) for a floater where you just had two pins and a locking mechanism and could just press and pull to change to a different one. It would be a great way to market and sell more pickups than guitarists need haha.

Yes, there is a lot of difference in sound between P90's with windings, magnets etc, to my ears at least.

I have the floating Armstrong P90 on one of my archtops, it's nice, but to my ears, they're not as nice as the thicker standard P90 with Alnico 2 or 3 magnets underneath. IMHO.

It's very simple to add an electrical connectors, so you can swap pickups. I installed that system on three of my archtops.

Edit: For information purposes, a standard P90 pickup will float with a bit of work, because they're only 18mm thick.

[andrew]

Maybe you can try swapping the magnets between the two pickups and see if you can find your Goldilocks.

[GuyBoden]

Maybe you can try swapping the magnets between the two pickups and see if you can find your Goldilocks.

Yes, thanks, magnet swapping is the easiest change. First I'll try the Alnico 3 magnets in the Alnico 2 P90.

I've done this many times with other pickups. But, I wanted to try Alnico 3 magnets, again, they have very low output.

[AllanAllen]

I like the idea of easy to change pickups. When I was messing with them I thought that a modular system for really super easy changes would be cool. It seems to me it wouldnt be that hard for someone to make a plug system (receiver) for a floater where you just had two pins and a locking mechanism and could just press and pull to change to a different one. It would be a great way to market and sell more pickups than guitarists need haha.

There’s a few options for this. None of them last long.

The Armstrong acrylic guitars being one of the first.

This company being a modern version
Reddick Guitars

There’s the GFS Kwikplug
Introducing the Kwikplug Quick Change Pickup System

[Spook410]

It's kind of a rabbit hole.

I love P90's. Hmm.. I also love 57 Humbuckers. And the clarity of a hand wound Armstrong 12 pole. And the flexibility of the Armstrong single coil with a switch.

And then there's the type/size/construction/voodoo of the guitar they're mounted on.

I'm in a Gibson archtop w/humbucker phase right now. Next week I'll be back to the Benedetto pattern with an Armstrong.

No solutions here. We all look for perfection all the time. Then our definition of perfection moves about.

[GuyBoden]

It's kind of a rabbit hole.

I love P90's. Hmm.. I also love 57 Humbuckers. And the clarity of a hand wound Armstrong 12 pole. And the flexibility of the Armstrong single coil with a switch.

And then there's the type/size/construction/voodoo of the guitar they're mounted on.

I'm in a Gibson archtop w/humbucker phase right now. Next week I'll be back to the Benedetto pattern with an Armstrong.

No solutions here. We all look for perfection all the time. Then our definition of perfection moves about.

I agree: "No solutions here. We all look for perfection all the time. Then our definition of perfection moves about"

Below is a picture of pickups fitted to my Ebony pickguards.
Another three more pickguards with P90's are currently fitted to my archtops.

[GuyBoden]

There’s a few options for this. None of them last long.

The Armstrong acrylic guitars being one of the first.

This company being a modern version
Reddick Guitars

There’s the GFS Kwikplug
Introducing the Kwikplug Quick Change Pickup System

I use standard 05-1.5mm electrical cable push connectors. I solder them onto the cable, but they can be crimped. They're unseen, I have had no problems. I'm an Engineer.

[Sigmund451]

Very cool.

And yes, its hard to nail a moving target.

Best of luck and enjoy the adventure.

[GuyBoden]

Maybe you can try swapping the magnets between the two pickups and see if you can find your Goldilocks.

I swapped the magnets (easy task) and there was not a huge difference in tone. So, my conclusion is that the windings have more influence on tone, when using these similar strength magnets, Alnico 2 and Alnico 3.

Previously on other pickups, I remember changing the magnets from Alnico 5 to Alnico 2 and that made a significant difference in sound, but lower output.

[bluejaybill]

There’s a few options for this. None of them last long.

The Armstrong acrylic guitars being one of the first.

This company being a modern version
Reddick Guitars

There’s the GFS Kwikplug
Introducing the Kwikplug Quick Change Pickup System

There's no need for complicated solutions like that. Just run a cable from the jack with a female RCA (phono) plug, and put a male one on your pick guard.

I have two pick guards for my Campellone, and that's how he did it. Phono plugs have been around forever and are bulletproof, they are just hard enough to pull apart to keep you out of trouble.

Works for me.

[Cunamara]

We all look for perfection all the time. Then our definition of perfection moves about.

LOL! That is perfect!