P90s or Firebirds

[ftbtx]

I wasn't looking for another guitar, but I found a deal on a Blueshawk body/neck that I couldn't turn down.
It is routed for soapbars and has controls for a fender style switch with two volumes and a varitone.
I'll probably wire it up as a 5-way with two tones and master volume.

My question is, since I have sopabar P90s and classic style Firebird pickups sitting on my bench, which should I try? The P90s are BG Pups overwound and the Firebirds are RC pickups.

I'm kind of leaning towards getting a sopabar ring for the firebirds, mostly just because I've never heard firebird pickups in a semi-hollow body before.

What do you think?

Thanks

 

[elelpe]

How about this?

 

[brookdalebill]

I’d put the Firebirds in.
Great sounding pickups!

 

[ftbtx]

How about this?View attachment 462330

That would be interesting, great idea! A P90 bridge and Firebird neck, I bet that's a good combination and would cover a lot of tonal ground.

 

[Fenderflame]

Hi

I think the Epi Blueshawk has a dummy single coil wired underneath the soundboard in between the two P-90s this gives you hum cancelling if either neck or bridge pickup are selected in isolation. If you are in the middle position the neck and bridge work together to give you hum cancelling.

This may make your wiring slightly more complex if you change things.

My preference would be a tappable firebird pickup (Seymore Duncan do one I think).

A hollow body with a tappable humbucker gets you quite close to a thinline tele, especially with the strings through the body and the cast bridge.

Never like P90s anyway...

 

[boredguy6060]

I really like both, so having the two together would be ideal.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I love P-90's, I love the Firebird mini-humbuckers. The idea of both in one guitar sounds fabulous to me.

 

[GearHund]

Just finished a build earlier this year with RC Firebirds. Those pickups are a great humbucker for people who love single coils. I was going to use P-90's but decided to try the Firebirds after hearing Joe Bonamassa's Epi Firebird video. SO glad I did. RC Pickups got them built fast and were very reasonably priced too. (not affiliated)

 

[elelpe]

It is. I assure you of that. This guy has opposite approach that works for him.

 

[src9000]

Just finished a build earlier this year with RC Firebirds. Those pickups are a great humbucker for people who love single coils. I was going to use P-90's but decided to try the Firebirds after hearing Joe Bonamassa's Epi Firebird video. SO glad I did. RC Pickups got them built fast and were very reasonably priced too. (not affiliated)View attachment 462331

Love your guitar here.

@ftbtx I'd go with the firebirds.

 

[ftbtx]

Thanks for all the ideas!

 

[Lefty Addams]

How about this?View attachment 462330

Tell me about that neck P90 in the Tele!

 

[Jakeboy]

Can’t go wrong with either, but I love ‘birds! Try ‘em.

 

[elelpe]

It's a generic hb-sized P-90 that sounds darn good in my #1. I love tele bridge and P-90 combo. Personally they make for a 'perfect' pair in a tele.

 

[Zepfan]

That a hard choice between P90's and Firebirds. My avatar guitar is a hollow body with GFS mini-buckers. A5 Fat Mini Bridge is great, wanted better sound from the Minibird neck and I think changing the ceramic magnet to A5 may do it justice. Mini-buckers are the HB's that sound closest to single coils and P90's are fat toned singles, so there may not be a lot of difference.

 

[Tommy Gereg]

I love P90's but I have two guitars with RC pickups Firebird pickups in them and they sound absolutely incredible. RC nailed the '63 sound for sure.
Tough choice you have there

 

[Lefty Addams]

It's a generic hb-sized P-90 that sounds darn good in my #1. I love tele bridge and P-90 combo. Personally they make for a 'perfect' pair in a tele.

Yes i think you're right, I am planning a neck HB-sized p90 with a cavalier huge lion in the bridge.

 

[Xavs]

How about this?View attachment 462330

Wow! What model and brand is that red guitar? I loved it

 

[Zepfan]

That a hard choice between P90's and Firebirds. My avatar guitar is a hollow body with GFS mini-buckers. A5 Fat Mini Bridge is great, wanted better sound from the Minibird neck and I think changing the ceramic magnet to A5 may do it justice. Mini-buckers are the HB's that sound closest to single coils and P90's are fat toned singles, so there may not be a lot of difference.

Old thread, but I ended up changing the neck minibucker into a Firebird and it turned out awesome.
Then I put a Firebird in the neck of a Strat that also has a Cavalier Fat Lion Tele bridge pickup in the bridge and Gold Foil in middle.
Have to say that the Firebird neck with a P90 or Tele bridge pickup make an awesome combo. FYI-Cavalier Pickups make great Tele pickups and real deal Firebirds.

 

[Zepfan]

Wow! What model and brand is that red guitar? I loved it

That looks like a cross between a Firebird(Raised center) and wings that look like a Jazzmaster/Jaguar.