Stacked vs Regular P90s

[Maguchi]

I'm not really sure whether or not to get a stacked P90, because I've heard that they typically lose a lot of their grit and sparkle, and sound more like humbuckers.

Just sayin', IMHO anything "stacked" is not a P-90. It may be a P-100 or something, but the P-90 magic comes from being a single coil. The true Firebird pickups ARE humbucking, and IMHO the best reason for playing a Firebird.....that "clang" sound is unique . Personally, I've never experienced excessive noise from single coils.....not sure why your church would. (?) I suspect your Chinese-made Firebird will not have authentic pickups, but why not wait and see how they sound? Might be pretty good.

If you like the basic tone of the P-90s, you can't get that tone with a stacked humbucker. Physics won't allow it.

I had a P100 once. The most sterile pickup I've ever played

If you get a guitar with two P90 and reverse polarity, middle position will sound like P90s and won't be noisy. As said before, I never encountered a P90 that sounded bad, different form each other yes, bet never in a bad way.

IME P90 pickups sound great, and the P100s I've tried sound bland. The Firebird is an awesome pickup too, but less versatile than a P90. The P90 is an old design, so some model P90s can be noisy especially with a lot of amp gain. I have RWRP between the 2 pickups and shield the control cavities, pickup cavities and back of the pickguards and turn the guitar volume down between songs. It is worth it because P90s sound so good.

 

[boxocrap]

I have 2 vintage Epiphone Coronets - one with original P90 and one with a P100 (stacked humbucker)
they sound different, but I can adapt
you should try a mini HB and P90 in your rig before deciding

good idea

 

[brookdalebill]

I’m going against the grain here.
I have never liked P90s.
Get the P100s.
I cannot tolerate noisy, humming pickups.
You could also try installing dummy coils, if you keep the stock pickups.
Lastly, you could get an Electro-Harmonix Hum Debugger.
They work beautifully.
They’re $150-ish new, but you can sometimes find em’ used for less.
Good luck!

 

[Wallaby]

If noisy pickups is known to be a problem in the environment I think I'd go with something other than P90's. Just my 2 cents.

 

[trev333]

My P90's don't hum down here.... I've used my 2xP90 teles at home here with different amps, under a flouro, fridge, TV, computer, solar inverter going.. and they're quiet.. regular teles and strats don't hum either...

used them at school rooms/halls and street fair concerts,,, no hum...

leave them Vol up sitting next to a tube amp and you forget it's on....

the odd cheap single pickup is noisy, but most aren't...

must be our 240V power here?...

 

[CCK1]

In my strong, but humble opinion, a P-90 with more than one coil is not a P-90. Yes, they buzz, but to me, the buzz is easily managed on a live stage by technique, turn down the guitar volume between songs, muting etc. That "pissed off chainsaw" sound is well worth the measures I implement to mitigate the buzz.

 

[Wallaby]

Might be, hard to say.

IME their susceptibility to RF interference is a bigger problem.

I have a guitar with P90's and love the sound, but it's challenging.

My P90's don't hum down here.... I've used my 2xP90 teles at home here with different amps, under a flouro, fridge, TV, computer, solar inverter going.. and they're quiet.. regular teles and strats don't hum either...

used them at school rooms/halls and street fair concerts,,, no hum...

leave them Vol up sitting next to a tube amp and you forget it's on....

the odd cheap single pickup is noisy, but most aren't...

must be our 240V power here?...

 

[Happy Enchilada]

Beautiful guitar man! On stage, all the other guitarists have expensive Gretsches, USA Teles, or Gibsons. I'm stuck with my Epiphone LP and knockoff Stratocaster. I'm trying to shake things up a bit with this new acquisition. I will say that yours is much prettier than theirs.

I've never run into an amp on stage yet, we try to keep 0 stage volume. Lead guitarist has a Vox AC30 that he keeps in an isolation box under the stage. When he cranks it, it's incredible to feel the vibrations under the floor. I think another guy runs into a Revv G20 head into DI. I don't have any equipment like that, so I was using a POD I borrowed from the lead guitarist (who has a Murphy-aged Gibson SG R0 he plays frequently), and it's a great interface for basic work on stage. Right now, I'm working with a Digitech RP1000 (top-of-the-line in 2005 lol), mainly because I don't want to be a bother and keep asking to borrow the POD. It's working great so far!

Get your own POD. They range from $100-$200 on Reverb every day. I'd recommend the POD 2.0 or the POD XT.

It's funny, now that I'm no longer doing worship music, I get a kick out of the church guitarists who spend boocoo bucks on CS guitars and boutique amps. If I was to saddle up and do it again, I think I'd stick with Linda Lou (Thinline I built with Bootstrap P90 in the neck and Bootstrap Pretzel in the bridge) and my Quilter Aviator Cub and maybe an OD pedal to spice things up. My church is mostly fat housewives trying to be hip in torn jeans warbling gooey love songs to Jesus, and the poor guitar and bass and drums are way backstage in the shadows playing softly. Part of it is the PA is run by folks who know nothing of what good sound is.

Back when I was doing it, we had FUN. And it brought people in because they enjoyed it. Now it's too serious. Same with the guitars I see used - why not a Reverend? They're great guitars and NOBODY uses them in worship. Yet.

 

[BoomTexan]

Get your own POD. They range from $100-$200 on Reverb every day. I'd recommend the POD 2.0 or the POD XT.

It's funny, now that I'm no longer doing worship music, I get a kick out of the church guitarists who spend boocoo bucks on CS guitars and boutique amps. If I was to saddle up and do it again, I think I'd stick with Linda Lou (Thinline I built with Bootstrap P90 in the neck and Bootstrap Pretzel in the bridge) and my Quilter Aviator Cub and maybe an OD pedal to spice things up. My church is mostly fat housewives trying to be hip in torn jeans warbling gooey love songs to Jesus, and the poor guitar and bass and drums are way backstage in the shadows playing softly. Part of it is the PA is run by folks who know nothing of what good sound is.

Back when I was doing it, we had FUN. And it brought people in because they enjoyed it. Now it's too serious. Same with the guitars I see used - why not a Reverend? They're great guitars and NOBODY uses them in worship. Yet.

The PODs are great, definitely. However, the Digitech RP1000 I currently have is also great, and has a lot more options in my opinion. I have like 10 different presets that I've made so far with everything I need on there. The tone is great, and it has a lot of really cool amps and speaker arrangements that I doubt I could find on a POD. For instance, I'm running a Sunn Solarus into a Fender 2x15 cab. On another preset, it's a Laney Supergroup into Treble Booster with a Fuzz Face attached. I don't feel any need to upgrade yet, but I'll keep those in my mind for when it happens.

Well, the main church band is definitely like that. We actually have an incredible lead guitarist, so they're kinda forced to put him in most songs. Comes out for the occasional solo and all, and since he's like miles ahead of any other guitarist, they use him constantly. However, it's mostly the typical arrangement: two worship pastors with acoustics, two female singers, and backing accompaniment.

But the youth band is really cool. That's where all the players on Sunday who are available come to experiment, and where all the younger musicians play. We play on Wednesday nights and it's always really fun. The bassist bring a 6-string bass to get super low notes, and me and other guitarists are always trying something new. I brought a Fender FM100H on the stage to use as a clean preamp once. The lead brought a super beat up Digitech RP7 to get a 90's sound. He kept the phaser on all night. I bought an Acapulco Gold pedal to get a super heavy sustain tone on the slower songs, so that I could just do a chord drone along with the bass.

The drummer, keyboardist, and singers are student musicians, and we have another prospective student rhythm guitarist and bassist auditioning this year. It's really fun seeing everyone mature musically and get so much better so quickly.

 

[uriah1]

If not going with firebird pu or mini humbuckers not sure the route with fit a bigger p90.

 

[Peegoo]

I have an ES135 with P100s and they sound great. Do they sound like a P90? They're close, but they lack that clang associated with a good P90.

I also have a Les Paul Junior with a Kent Armstrong Stealth 90 (noiseless P90). This pickup sounds a whole lot closer to a P90 than the P100, but it's not an exact match. It's very close; just slightly darker. When cranked up, it does sound virtually identical to the bridge P90 in my goldtop Les Paul.

 

[schmee]

P90's with a good shielding etc can be fine.
I have a chrome P100 Gibson noiseless soapbar. I think it sounds fine actually. Haven't A/B'd with a P90 much though , but sounds P90 to me.
I had it mounted in the soundhole of an acoustic. Not using now though.

 

[CCK1]

My church is mostly fat housewives trying to be hip in torn jeans warbling gooey love songs to Jesus, and the poor guitar and bass and drums are way backstage in the shadows playing softly.

Best quote on here in a L O N G time. Much of what gets classified as "praise music" regardless of having the purest and most holy spirit and intention is just not good music.

 

[Deaf Eddie]

Firebird humbuckers and Firebird P90s are not interchangeable without some woodworking...

 

[Happy Enchilada]

The PODs are great, definitely. However, the Digitech RP1000 I currently have is also great, and has a lot more options in my opinion. I have like 10 different presets that I've made so far with everything I need on there. The tone is great, and it has a lot of really cool amps and speaker arrangements that I doubt I could find on a POD. For instance, I'm running a Sunn Solarus into a Fender 2x15 cab. On another preset, it's a Laney Supergroup into Treble Booster with a Fuzz Face attached. I don't feel any need to upgrade yet, but I'll keep those in my mind for when it happens.

Well, the main church band is definitely like that. We actually have an incredible lead guitarist, so they're kinda forced to put him in most songs. Comes out for the occasional solo and all, and since he's like miles ahead of any other guitarist, they use him constantly. However, it's mostly the typical arrangement: two worship pastors with acoustics, two female singers, and backing accompaniment.

But the youth band is really cool. That's where all the players on Sunday who are available come to experiment, and where all the younger musicians play. We play on Wednesday nights and it's always really fun. The bassist bring a 6-string bass to get super low notes, and me and other guitarists are always trying something new. I brought a Fender FM100H on the stage to use as a clean preamp once. The lead brought a super beat up Digitech RP7 to get a 90's sound. He kept the phaser on all night. I bought an Acapulco Gold pedal to get a super heavy sustain tone on the slower songs, so that I could just do a chord drone along with the bass.

The drummer, keyboardist, and singers are student musicians, and we have another prospective student rhythm guitarist and bassist auditioning this year. It's really fun seeing everyone mature musically and get so much better so quickly.

PODs have like 100+ patches you can tweak, and another like 32 or so you can create from scratch. Been a while since I got mine out. PODs also have cab simulations you can combine with amps and effects. Once I started using it, the POD XT became an incredible help. I tweaked patches at home, and then took a red Sharpie and wrote the key signature and the POD patch that I wanted to use right on my sheet music - and it worked like a charm. The POD also can go direct into a PA, so you can do your slient stage thing. And for $100, it's a no-brainer. I saved tweaking patches for at home so I was ready to go on Sunday and I just had to push a button and switch sounds. Beats the heck out of a pedalboard in "real time."

I used my POD XT to do a Saturday night service and at the peak 3 back-to-back Sunday services about twice a month for like 8 years. NEVER had an issue. EVER. Had more trouble with the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe I ran it through. Today I'd run it through the Aviator Cub or some similar SS amp and all would be swell. Alas, I rock too much and am too old to do this all over again. They always say "We need someone to work with the youth band," but after 9 years as a Scout leader, I am really REALLY tired of dealing with other people's kids, so no.

Good Luck!

 

[Happy Enchilada]

Best quote on here in a L O N G time. Much of what gets classified as "praise music" regardless of having the purest and most holy spirit and intention is just not good music.

Yeah. And if you try and do something that even rocks a little, the biggest fattest housewife in the bunch goes full psycho on you. Had that happen at practice once. I had been playing lead for the biggest big box church in the valley for 6 years, came to a rehearsal at the church we go to (smaller, but still "modern"). Between the guitar player with his sunburst CS Strat and boutique amp he had to turn up and drown me out with (short guy, probably felt threatened) and that big mamma telling me what to do, I packed up my rig and left halfway through rehearsal and haven't gone back since.

Gooey love songs to Jesus. Not my cup of tea. As a normal guy, I don't want to be his "bride" or long to snuggle with him, thanks. I don't watch Hallmark movies either. There are plenty of up-tempo and more fun worship tunes, but they seem to like the same ones over and over. All those new California transplant trophy wives and their henpecked hubbies waving their arms around trying to flag down a ride with Jesus. No thanks. They have a new "worship leader" now at our church. Looks like a hedgehog, barely a guy at all. Plays a Taylor. And the housewives run roughshod over him constantly. Sad. But when the weather's decent, I normally try and go fishing on Sunday mornings anyway - better for my soul.

 

[CCK1]

California transplant trophy wives and their henpecked hubbies waving their arms around trying to flag down a ride with Jesus

@Happy Enchilada I'm laughing my butt off! I really like your descriptive writing style! Keep it up!

 

[Happy Enchilada]

@Happy Enchilada I'm laughing my butt off! I really like your descriptive writing style! Keep it up!

I've been writing advertising and marketing materials for companies and ad agencies nationwide in a virtual freelance space for more than 25 years, and this is how I get to write for "me," within their guidelines. You can check out my business website at www.copychef.com.

 

[DisharmonicDark99]

I generally agree with the sentiment that a stacked "noiseless" P90 is just not going to sound truly like a proper P90.
Which doesn't mean it'll sound bad, not at all. I've used the SD Noiseless P90 stack and gotten a great tone out of it.
But the tone is definitely different, and I'd say that the noise you get from a true P90 really is a part of the tonal character.
While this suggestion doesn't completely remove the problem at all times, I once played a Firebird with a reasonable amount of gain from a Marshall and used a noise suppressor pedal with it and that worked fairly well. Took a bit of trial and error to get it set just right to eliminate a lot of noise while not clipping my notes too much.
Also bear in mind as others have mentioned, dropping in a P90 is likely going to require some modification to the guitar itself to fit.
And the stacked P90s are taller and might be problematic in that regard too.

 

[65 Champ Amp]

If the problem is the church soundman, just get into the habit of turning the guitar volume to 0 when you're not playing. He'll never hear the hum.

If?
Let me just say that “problem”, and “church soundman” belong in the same sentence.

If you can’t roll the volume knob down between songs, or dampen your strings, just buy a used Boss NS-2 and it will make that sound **** go pick on someone else.

P90s are worth the trouble.