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Hey guys. I'm slowly planning out a guitar build and really want a guitar with p90s for the GRIND.

But, there's a million choices out there. My guitar right now has a GFS JM90 jazzmaster pickup in the neck and a run-of-the-mill humbucker bridge. I kind of hate the humbucker sound. It's too smooth for me. The jazzmaster pickup I've got is a little dark and mid scooped but it has a lot more treble than the humbucker.

I'm feelin like a p90 would be the best in-between for me. I've heard they hum a lot but is it any worse than your usual single coil?

So far I'm trying to find a set under $200. Possibly slightly overwound if that's an option?

The only cheap noiseless ones I've found were Kent Armstrong Stealth 90s but I can't find any demos at all of them. The output looks insanely high too and I'm not sure if that's from the noise cancelling or if they're just super super hot pickups. I am by no means a high output pickup kinda guy. I like moderate output, like slightly hotter than usual.

Phew this seems long-winded. Sorry about that.

ancientbones wrote:
I'm feelin like a p90 would be the best in-between for me. I've heard they hum a lot but is it any worse than your usual single coil?

I thought P90s were quieter than single-coils?

blakestree wrote:

ancientbones wrote:
I'm feelin like a p90 would be the best in-between for me. I've heard they hum a lot but is it any worse than your usual single coil?

I thought P90s were quieter than single-coils?

No idea. I've seen quite a few people here post about how their p90s hummed too much. Typical single coil hum doesn't really bother me much. I mean with the big muff kicked on it hisses like crazy but I just throw my tuner on when it gets to be too much.

I'm sure it might depend on how the pickup is wound too.

ancientbones wrote:Typical single coil hum doesn't really bother me much.

I love single-coil sound, but the hum does bother me, when running 'em clean. I'm considering going to a P90 in the neck, hoping it would be in between a SC and HB.

Maybe I'm not answering your question... but for your reference/consideration: I play a Jazzmaster with grey bobbin PickupWiz's and a Casino that has Lollar P90s in it, and both guitars are pretty damned quiet. I would attribute that to both the pups being well-built, and the guitar is grounded properly. Of course, there are always variables - room piping in dirty power... noisy pedal in the chain (looking at you Harmonic Perc)... but generally very quiet. I definitely wouldn't say the P90s are any noiser than the JM pups or single coils in general, but I can confirm that mine are a bit darker and less treble-y.

Hope that helps in some way.

Well I guess I probably don't need noiseless pickups then. My biggest problem with the jazzmaster neck pickup has been the lack of mids. It's nice slightly overdriven, but anymore than that and it gets really flubby.

Also does spacing matter on p90s? I know fenders and gibsons have different spacing for humbuckers but I don't know if it's the same with p90s.

In my experience, p90s are pretty noisy, even compared to other single coils. If you are used to single coil hum, you may not find them that noisy. For reference, at least in my experience, they are similar to jazzmaster pickups in the amount of noise they pick up. Compared to humbuckers, they will definitely have a noticeable (and possibly problematic) amount of noise. This is more important for home use/recording than in a band.

I had lollar p90s in my LP JR special, but changed them out for the noiseless Fralins. The tone was pretty similar, but the fralins are like 99% noiseless. I couldn't stand the amount of noise that guitar picked up in my house. So I wanted to try one of the noiseless options.

indianDYsummer wrote:In my experience, p90s are pretty noisy, even compared to other single coils. If you are used to single coil hum, you may not find them that noisy. For reference, at least in my experience, they are similar to jazzmaster pickups in the amount of noise they pick up. Compared to humbuckers, they will definitely have a noticeable (and possibly problematic) amount of noise. This is more important for home use/recording than in a band.

I had lollar p90s in my LP JR special, but changed them out for the noiseless Fralins. The tone was pretty similar, but the fralins are like 99% noiseless. I couldn't stand the amount of noise that guitar picked up in my house. So I wanted to try one of the noiseless options.

I might just go ahead with the Kent Armstrong noiseless ones. I mean I have a noisy big muff clone anyway but I don't leave that on all the time. Do the noiseless specs just show up as higher output in specs?

The fralins measure at like 8k or so, if I remember correctly. You can wind them as hot as you want, as long as the two coils are similar (to cancel noise). I'm not very familiar with the Kent Armstrong noiseless p90 design, though. I think GFS has p90 sized humbuckers.

If leaning towards noiseless p90s, I think you could just as easily consider any humbucker (full sized- if your guitar is routed to accept them). If you want to experience the full, true p90 experience you have to deal with the noise. Humbuckers can be voiced to sound very similar, and going full sized opens up a LOT more affordable options. Many noiseless p90s are just humbuckers in a p90 footprint.

Shoot a rich person and buy Kinmans.

indianDYsummer wrote:The fralins measure at like 8k or so, if I remember correctly. You can wind them as hot as you want, as long as the two coils are similar (to cancel noise). I'm not very familiar with the Kent Armstrong noiseless p90 design, though. I think GFS has p90 sized humbuckers.

If leaning towards noiseless p90s, I think you could just as easily consider any humbucker (full sized- if your guitar is routed to accept them). If you want to experience the full, true p90 experience you have to deal with the noise. Humbuckers can be voiced to sound very similar, and going full sized opens up a LOT more affordable options. Many noiseless p90s are just humbuckers in a p90 footprint.

What humbuckers are voiced similar to p90s besides like the phatcat? I've tried quite a few humbuckers but can never find one I like. The Univox Phase IV humbuckers were probably one of the betters I've heard.

I threw a set of Mojotone Hot 90 pickups in my Maton MS500. Great pickups for the price. They aren't noiseless but they are fairly quiet. More quiet than standard single coils.

PAFs are somewhat close to the p90 sound. There's probably a variety of lower wind humbuckers that are close to p90s (similar to a noiseless p90). p90s have a bit less bass and more treble than humbuckers, with a defined midrange. You'll lose some of the single-coil flavor that a p90 has, but you lose some of that in most noiseless offerings too. Usually, the higher the DC resistance, the less treble content you'll have.

Firebird pickups and mini-hums are also typically a bit brighter/more aggressive noiseless options. I really like the Fralin noiseless p90s, but they are on the pricier side.

indianDYsummer wrote:PAFs are somewhat close to the p90 sound. There's probably a variety of lower wind humbuckers that are close to p90s (similar to a noiseless p90). p90s have a bit less bass and more treble than humbuckers, with a defined midrange. You'll lose some of the single-coil flavor that a p90 has, but you lose some of that in most noiseless offerings too. Usually, the higher the DC resistance, the less treble content you'll have.

Firebird pickups and mini-hums are also typically a bit brighter/more aggressive noiseless options. I really like the Fralin noiseless p90s, but they are on the pricier side.

I've got a GFS paf humbucker in the bridge of the guitar I'm using now and it's not bad but not great either. It has a bit too smooth of a sound to me.

I'm curious about mini humbuckers but I've only seen one guitar that had a set of them ever. A bright and aggressive pickup is what I'm after. I play sludgey noise rock stuff. Maybe I'll look into mini hums but hell, who even makes a mini humbucker??

EDIT: So after searching the forum a bit I've found that firebird pickups and mini-humbuckers are different. I'll have to look up sound differences later. Very interesting.

Do you know what specific model GFS humbucker you have? That might help with suggestions for alternatives. I imagine there are a fair amount of options for brighter/aggressive humbuckers (full sized, mini, or firebirds, or noiseless/std p90s, or HB sized p90s).

These GFS WRHB-like standard sized HBs might be on the brighter/aggressive side.