Best P90 Pickups Currently on Market?

[MikeMurray]

BG Pups in my opinion :)

[JTM45blues]

Fralins all the way. His neck and bridge pickup were what Sean Costello had in his 56 Les Paul Reissue, not the Lollars. This was straight from Sean at a gig that he played locally.

I have Fralins with an RS guitarworks upgrade kit, and its fabulous, sounds like old Chess Records tones on the neck and Freddy King on the bridge pickup. Awesome, awesome tone. I've also used it for playing rockabilly, and it does really well at that too, for some Carl Perkins flavor.

[SpaceyBen]

I put in a set of Lollar's in my R6 and a wiring kit from RS and it is phenomenal. Best pup's ever IMHO.

[benbo]

Originally Posted by Arthur Dent

Anyone tried these from Shed Pickups?

Attachment 28919

Spence is the MAN!!!!! You wont go wrong with anything from Spence. Tell him Ben sent you and to leave the sheep alone

[jumpnblues]

Lots of great pu suggestions here and some of the best pu builders in the world posting on this very thread. I have 3 standard Lollar P-90s in my Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster and they sound luscious. I also have the David Plummer (Cherrick wind, I think) P-90s in my '54 Chambered LPGT and they sound equally killer. Big, juicy, fat, and yet clear sounding. Also, the clips of David Stephens' SD Design P-90s on his website sound superb.
That said, based on Mark Norwine's assessment alone, I'd like to hear clips of the Fralin noiseless P-90s. A little 60 cycle hum doesn't bother me much if the pu sounds stellar...like the Lollars and Plummers. So, any noiseless pu I try had better have "the tone" first and foremost. Being noiseless is just icing on the cake. I've only tried a Fender (Tele if I recall) with their noiseless single coil pu and, no offense, but I thought it really sucked. So my opinion of noiseless pu's is a little jaded.


Tom

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Sheptones!

[marc sosnoff]

thorn guitars makes P-90 staples they are the best of the best. just like his guitars

never can go wrong with fralin

and klein maybe the best bang for the buck

[Jason Lollar]

Zang could be he patented it I dont know-just because its patented doesnt mean its new it just means it hasnt been patented before.
Anyone care to know about sean costello- look at this old thread where stephant 2 who says he never installed my pickups has to say way back when http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pick...pickups-3.html
its 9 post down from the top. Later on stephen2 claims they never were in seans guitar.
I dont know why people think I lie about it. Its hard to prove now that hes gone and who knows why he said what he did at times?

[909one]

Jason, I just ordered some of your 50's Wind p-90s.
I am really excited to get these in my reissue 330.
I was playing it last night with the stock Gibson pickups, through my Tweed Bandmaster clone, and it sounds likes total garbage to me right now.
Its such a beautifully playing guitar, but I just hate the way it sounds.
Output is way too hot. The bridge pickup way too honky and even a little shrill. The neck is too overbearing in the low mids.
I put a TV jones in the bridge position and it sounded great, but I already have a vintage Gretsch for that duty.
Looking forward to getting your pickups in there.
I have your Tele pickups and they are wonderful.

[Jason Lollar]

Thanks boss. I do not want to take that any further as it could be considered spam.

[JTM45blues]

Originally Posted by Jason Lollar

Anyone care to know about sean costello- look at this old thread where stephant 2 who says he never installed my pickups has to say way back when http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pick...pickups-3.html
its 9 post down from the top. Later on stephen2 claims they never were in seans guitar.
I dont know why people think I lie about it. Its hard to prove now that hes gone and who knows why he said what he did at times?

Jason,

I'm in no way trying to "lie" or "get in an argument" with you. However, I heard this straight from Sean's mouth on 2 occasions, when playing our local club, Blues on Grand. The claim he made both times, was that he never received his pickups from you. Obviously I didn't take his guitar apart to find out, and then photograph the evidence but that's what he claimed to me and a couple of my friends.

I've heard nothing but praise about your P90 pickups, and I'm sure they're wonderful. I was just speaking from my experience of having 2 seperate conversations with Sean.

[Jason Lollar]

I talked to Sean many times on the phone. Dont know why he said that to you- who knows? People do and say odd things, I cant speak for Sean.
Simple twist of fate- what a killin version he did on that Dylan tune- amazing.

[JTM45blues]

Originally Posted by Jason Lollar

I talked to Sean many times on the phone. Dont know why he said that to you- who knows? People do and say odd things, I cant speak for Sean.
Simple twist of fate- what a killin version he did on that Dylan tune- amazing.

Indeed sir, indeed.

[Mr. E]

Talking about P90s. Has anyone tried out the BG T90 pickups? I know they are not a "real" P90 but P90 tele bridge pickup, but how is it?

[Escondido Bound]

Hoping not to hijack the thread for too long, but for those of you who know them, would the Fralin noise-canceling P-90 fit under the cover for a neck position pickup on an early-'50s Gibson ES-125? The original P-90s on these guitars stand shorter because there is less clearance between the strings and the body; I think these neck pickups are similar to the original LP Jr. rounded-cover P-90s.

I hope so because these pickups look very interesting to me.

EB

[mistermullens]

Wow, this thread couldn't have come back up at a better time. Just scored a Squier Tele Custom II, and the pups are pretty good, but I'm looking for better. The neck pup is kind of dull sounding. Its got plenty of punch, but its just not lively. Its not muddy, but it just ain't right. The bridge pup is pretty darn good, but its its too hot for me. I've already got them both lowered almost flush with the pickguard, and the volume down. I play a lot of blues (mostly Chicago style), slide, and some classic rock. I'd like to be able to go from Muddy Waters, Freddie King, to Allman Brothers, with a touch of Zep. I don't play clean, but these P90s have opened me up to the sweetness of a clean P90. Can I have it all? I need them to be just right. This guitar is a keeper for sure.

[denizen69]

you guys should check out http://www.lokiguitars.com

no doubt about it that these are the best. Pretty Versatile and dynamic as heck, they hum-cancel too.
should check them out!

[Nathan]

Why didn't I think of that???

I did think of that years ago. Too bad Lindy beat me to it... It's the same design Lace used on their PS900 series soapbars, but they add the little combs and use a triangular coil. I thought: drop all the fancy stuff and wire up a P90 with the coils rotated 90 degrees. I sure want to hear them now.

[Stratburst]

Originally Posted by MikeMurray

BG Pups in my opinion :)

Mine too. I have an overwound BG soapbar in my lap steel and it sounds stellar. Bryan Gunsher is a joy to deal with as well. I have an underwound humbucker and an overwound SC from BG that's going into my partstele.

I also really like Rio Grande's P-90's.

Talking about P90s. Has anyone tried out the BG T90 pickups? I know they are not a "real" P90 but P90 tele bridge pickup, but how is it?

Never tried them, but I've heard really good things about them.

[SouthpawGuy]

I have a set of Fralin noiseless P-90s in my Heritage 137, stock wind. I like them a lot.