Lolar P90 Review Request

[ndtced]

I have chance to pickup a set of Lolar P90's. The neck is a regular wind and the bridge is high wind. I'm thinking of putting them in a tele.
Has anyone had experience with these? How do they compare to others?

 

[Chiogtr4x]

Its 'Lollar'
My experience:
This is before Lollar offered a variety of P-90 variants, but someone gave me a very nice X-mas gift ( maybe 2009?) - an Agile '56 style Goldtop Les Paul copy.

Since the guitar was free I thought I'd treat it to either of the two best P-90 makers, as I had read fantastic reviews on either- Lindy Fralin or Lollars.
I literally did a coin flip, and promised to go with it and Lollars won
Ordered a set and has a pro install.
I don't know specs on windings, and
had no other P-90 guitar to compare,

but these pickups were outstanding, quiet in middle position ( maybe reverse wound), and dynamic.
I could go from bright clean, twangy at low volume to IMO, close to an Allman Brothers humbucker tone/that 'thick bite' but not too distorted, with pickup Volumes at "8"

Absolutely superb sound, great balanced tone

- sadly, sold guitar a few years back ( $$!!)

 

[teleman1]

I have chance to pickup a set of Lolar P90's. The neck is a regular wind and the bridge is high wind. I'm thinking of putting them in a tele.
Has anyone had experience with these? How do they compare to others?

Which Lollars are they? THe 50's wind?

 

[DrBGood]

I have yet to play a P90 that doesn't sound good. I've had Chinese no-name, Epiphone, Epiphone Pro, Rondo, Gibson, PRS, Lollar, Sanford Magnetics, Tyson Tone ... they ALL sound good. You just have to find their sweet height spot. Of all kinds of pickups, a P90 is the most sensitive to height adjustment.

So ... if the price is good, I say go for it.

 

[Wildeman]

I have one in a Epi junior and think its great, its a traditional wind and one of the best I've heard, super responsive to the vol and tone controls.

 

[schmee]

I have only had a Lollar 5% underwind for the neck position. It was fine. No better than a Gibson that I can say. To me it's Gibsons all the way, but a a couple are very similar.
I would give exactly what the Gibson's cost used I guess. ($150 a pair?) Either are sellable.

 

[Wildeman]

I have yet to play a P90 that doesn't sound good. I've had Chinese no-name, Epiphone, Epiphone Pro, Rondo, Gibson, PRS, Lollar, Sanford Magnetics, Tyson Tone ... they ALL sound good. You just have to find their sweet height spot. Of all kinds of pickups, a P90 is the most sensitive to height adjustment.

So ... if the price is good, I say go for it.

The only one's ive really not liked were early Epi one's with ceramic mags but changing mags is super easy and about 10 bux per pickup.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I ordered a set of Lollar P90s right when they were first released. Underwhelmed to say the least...

 

[ndtced]

Which Lollars are they? THe 50's wind?

No they are the regular p90 and one high wind, as I said.

 

[DrBGood]

The only one's ive really not liked were early Epi one's with ceramic mags but changing mags is super easy and about 10 bux per pickup.

What year, what guitar, I'm curious.

 

[kiwi blue]

I have the regular wind in the neck of my No 1 tele. Big, warm, thick mids, plenty of output. Great for old school gritty blues and even smooth jazz. Loves overdrive.

 

[Wildeman]

What year, what guitar, I'm curious.

Late 90s Casino and the aforementioned junior.

 

[DrBGood]

Late 90s Casino and the aforementioned junior.

Didn't you say the one in the Junior is one of the best you've heard ? What year Junior is it ? Set neck or bolt-on.

My 2006 '57 RI came with an horrible P100, stacked bobbins. One sterile pickup that is.

 

[johmica]

I pulled the P-90s out of my Casino a couple of years ago, and had Jason rewind them for me. I chose the 50s wind (just my style of playing), and I think that they may well be the best sounding pick-ups that I have (although it's not my favorite guitar, because of issues that I have with the neck size and shape).

The pick-ups are surprisingly versatile. I can crank the bridge position and get early rock-'n'-roll tones, I can use the middle position to get some sweet, rounded blues tones, and I can even coax some pretty nice jazz tones out of the neck pup.

The guitar sounded pretty nice out of the box, but I feel like it was a pretty clear upgrade when I got the Lollar's. The stock pups were fine, but the Lollar's are considerably more clear and articulate. They don't muddy up with overdrive or low volume, and they have just a little more "honk," which I guess would be a way to describe the midrange?

I think that they're worth every penny plus the hassle of installing them

 

[Wildeman]

Didn't you say the one in the Junior is one of the best you've heard ? What year Junior is it ? Set neck or bolt-on.

My 2006 '57 RI came with an horrible P100, stacked bobbins. One sterile pickup that is.

Yeah, P100's stink, had a 135 with them and they had to go. '97 Samick Junior has a Lollar now.

 

[Mpd2378]

I have p90 lollars in my Eastman t64/v, and I can't fault them.
Not sure what flavor, imperials maybe???

 

[Sax-son]

Lollars have a good reputation, but I have never owned any. For me, P-90's have to be wound just right. If they wound too hot, they sound ungodly muddy to my ears. Believe it or not, I have had better luck with the cheap Chinese versions than the boutique offerings. If you find one that sounds good, keep it.

 

[DrBGood]

If they wound too hot, they sound ungodly muddy to my ears. Believe it or not, I have had better luck with the cheap Chinese versions than the boutique offerings. If you find one that sounds good, keep it.

You're right, in my list I forgot about the Seymour Duncan I had in a Godin LG. I buried them in the body and they were still way too hot to do anything. It got sold pretty fast. Didn't like the way the whole guitar played anyway.