Best Jazz Guitar Pickups?

**valriver40** · 08-22-2009, 06:31 AM

yes the pickup is almost the same as in the picture. the tone and volume knobs are clear and the pup part is chrome with a red center. thanks to bigdaddylovehandles i may have a pup worth a few bucks!

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-22-2009, 11:29 AM

The 1000 doesn't go for as much because it doesn't have adjustable pole pieces, just that red centre. And I think the top dollars are going for ones that had been gold plated.

But search the internet. Dearmond pickups are in de'mand!

**Alain77** · 10-14-2009, 01:15 PM

Hi guys, I recently purchased a fender stratosonic (mahogany chambered body / two p-90's / neck: stratocaster type).
I really like the guitar but am not so happy with the "black dove" P-90 pickups (fender stock pickups). They are too "hot" and I cannot get the sound I want whatever the amp setting. I am really looking for a cool smooth balanced dark clean jazz oriented P-90 sound (if that means something..).
I am getting totally lost with all the brands and technical stuff. So what would you recommend :
- lollar ?
- Seymour Duncan ?
- Lindy Fralin ?
- Kent Armstrong ?
- Something Else ?
Look forward to have your advices !

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-14-2009, 01:22 PM

Before you start swapping pickups, have you tried moving the pickups away from the strings? (Screwing down the pickup poles or seeing if the pickups can go further into the body.)

I'm not familiar with Black Doves, but that was my first thought.

**Russ Kapp** · 10-14-2009, 11:34 PM

I've been workin' on the railroad......

**Alain77** · 10-18-2009, 07:34 AM

I tried to move the pickup down, but it doesn't really change the sound characteristics. Of course I can decrease the guitars volume to tame the pickups. I guess these were designed to play in "crunch territory". The clean are nice on my amp but to hot for the sound I am looking for. I am thinking about ordering a Fralin p90 (or maybe a Lollar). If you have any suggestion..

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-18-2009, 10:37 AM

Search for some P-90 discussions on the Telecaster forum: Telecaster Guitar Forum - guitars, gear, amps and strings

I've seen options like:

* All P-90 pickups are pretty much the same
* Gibson P-90s are the best
* It's worth getting noiseless P-90s
* Noiseless P-90s suck.

**iim7V7IM7** · 02-06-2010, 04:49 PM

Personally, I would recommend that you consider Jason Lollar LowWind Imperial Humbucker Pickup (Humbucker Pickups). They offer fabulous clarity in your E and A strings for crisp bass runs due to their lower windings. They also have fabulous string-to-string seperation for good chord definition when comping or playing chord melody. I happen to have them in my Heritage H535, which I use to play blues with. My jazz guitar has Heritage 4-Point HRW pickup (Heritage Guitar Inc. of Kalamazoo - HRW Pickups) which is fabulous but I do not think it is sold as an aftermarket pickup on non-Heritage guitars. I also love P-90s (I think Jason winds some of the best) but prefer them for blues over jazz.

Good Luck,

Bob

**woyvel** · 02-06-2010, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

If you are going to go humbucker, it's hard to beat a 57 classic.

But here's my daydream: wouldn't it be cool if you could change pickups as easily as you change blades in a razor? What if a pickup manufacturer invented a holder that let you slide in a version of their P-90, Charlie Christian, '57 classic...

If it caught on, it could become a standard as other manufacturers made pickups that slid into the base as well.

Duncan SHPR-1 - Humbucker, hot rails single coil (strat type) and P90 all in one pickup.

**Meggy** · 02-09-2010, 07:13 AM

Seymour Duncan make the "P-rails" model which fits in a humbucker slot, and can apparently get a good humbucker tone, along with a P90, and a strat-type single coil sound. It basically combines an Alnico 5 loaded blade pickup (for the strat sound) and a P90 single coil, which together form a humbucker. Because of the different coil types, both humbucking modes (series and parallel) are said to give useful sounds (series = thick and heavy, parallel = something like a PAF sound). Might be good for a versatile jazz guitar setup?

**cosmic gumbo** · 02-09-2010, 07:22 AM

I don't know who makes them, but the 'buckers in my Hondo II Les Paul have such a sweet tone, even Wes would be jealous.

**billkath** · 02-09-2010, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

I don't know who makes them, but the 'buckers in my Hondo II Les Paul have such a sweet tone, even Wes would be jealous.

Are Hondo still going?
I remember, when I was just a chap, the posters in the guitar shops- "Hondo turn professional-Hondo II"
Many moons ago. Many, many moons ago!

**halfdim** · 02-09-2010, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by bird.land

Any comments on the P100s? I have the Gibson 135 fitted with them. I must say I get a very nice tone from them.

I also have a 135 with P100s. I get a little hum from mine, what's your experience?
Half

**mattymel** · 02-09-2010, 06:56 PM

for p90s, you cant beat lollars 50s wound for jazz. got some in my old epi sorrento. and my les paul R4. his p90s are pretty much considered the best by anyone looking for old school sounds.

**Miquel12** · 02-16-2010, 10:10 AM

Hi

I have an Ibanez 175 copy and bought 57 classic for it - now i am looking for the second one. It has to be for archtop I guess...

But for standard guitar I would choose SD SH55 by Seth Lover. I have them (customs - whatever that means) in Brian Moore custom DC1p - best jazzy sound I've ever heard...

Michal

**amusiathread** · 02-17-2010, 03:06 AM

Just purchased a P90 from Vintage Vibe for an archtop. I should get it in a week, but FYI, the customer service there is absolutely top-notch, Pete is a pro. Can't wait to hear the pickup. Anyone heard Vintage Vibe pickups?

**Gilles** · 02-24-2010, 10:28 AM

I have to be the devil's advocate :

I've been playing a ES-137 like yours for about 2 years (full time).

I changed string gauges many times and I was also looking for that "fatter" tone. I considered changing pickups...

I realized that the tone is ultimately in the fingers. There's a wide range of "sounds" you can get from the same guitar on the same settings... by varying RH and LH technique.

Good luck in your quest for tone.

**greencats** · 01-05-2015, 04:25 PM

[QUOTE=BigDaddyLoveHandles;44753]I've learned to let go of the humbuckers. Look! Over ther! A 137 with P-90's!

[/i just got that guitar last week, am trying to find out more about it, curious to what the p at the 12th fret means ...]

**mongrel** · 01-07-2015, 09:41 AM

[QUOTE=greencats;490271]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

I've learned to let go of the humbuckers. Look! Over ther! A 137 with P-90's!

[/i just got that guitar last week, am trying to find out more about it, curious to what the p at the 12th fret means ...]

"Premiere"

**Ymel** · 01-09-2015, 11:21 AM

Has anybody tried DiMarzio's Double Whammy? I bought one long ago but it is out of my guitar.
I use an old noname (I bought it as an old Gibson zebra but I cant believe it is, haha) humbucker cream+black. At the bridge I have some Yamaha humbucker but I never use that position on my hollow body guitar.

**russolonoise** · 01-09-2015, 02:05 PM

Support for Lollar charlie christian pickups and 57 classics!

**Hep To The Jive** · 01-09-2015, 03:06 PM

Did anyone mention SD '59? I love those, only rivals by Guild HB-1, the best humbucker ever IMO, but hard to find, and even harder to fit in a standard route, unless its a Guild.