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Guitar is tuned-down to drop Bb, two humbuckers (500t, 490r) soooooo.....

A: Are there better or worse humbucker-sized p-90?
B: The other humbucker will remain in the guitar and is pretty high-gain, so....high gain p-90?
C: Neck or bridge? I really like the sound of a big muff on that bridge pickup.....what would a p-90 do in its place?
D:Would changing a HB out for the p-90 be a pain in the ass for any reason?

thanks, doods

A: Yes.
B: Yes. Harmonic Design Z-90.
C: Neck. It will be easier to match output with a HB in the bridge and P90 in the neck.
D: No.

I've no experience with 'em, but Bare Knuckle also makes humbucker sized P-90s that gots lotsa output.

Duncan Phat Cats are pretty damn good also.

MEC wrote:A: Yes.
B: Yes. Harmonic Design Z-90.
C: Neck. It will be easier to match output with a HB in the bridge and P90 in the neck.
D: No.

Agree on A, B, and D. Proviso on B. that it isn't the truest P-90 sound, but it is awesome. really awesome.

As to C, the 490R isn't very hot as things go, so you could do a Z-90 bridge model. Either bridge or neck model sound great. I'd say the bridge model might actually get more useful contrast with a 'bucker in the other position.

Gone Fission wrote:

MEC wrote:A: Yes.
B: Yes. Harmonic Design Z-90.
C: Neck. It will be easier to match output with a HB in the bridge and P90 in the neck.
D: No.

Agree on A, B, and D. Proviso on B. that it isn't the truest P-90 sound, but it is awesome. really awesome.
As to C, the 490R isn't very hot as things go, so you could do a Z-90 bridge model. Either bridge or neck model sound great. I'd say the bridge model might actually get more useful contrast with a 'bucker in the other position.

Well then it's settled ...Z-90s in the bridge AND neck.

Gone Fission wrote:

MEC wrote:A: Yes.
B: Yes. Harmonic Design Z-90.
C: Neck. It will be easier to match output with a HB in the bridge and P90 in the neck.
D: No.

Agree on A, B, and D. Proviso on B. that it isn't the truest P-90 sound, but it is awesome. really awesome.

As to C, the 490R isn't very hot as things go, so you could do a Z-90 bridge model. Either bridge or neck model sound great. I'd say the bridge model might actually get more useful contrast with a 'bucker in the other position.

So keep the 500t in the bridge and put a z90 bridge model in the neck? I think I'm set on replacing the neck pickup.
One of my concerns is that the bass I get out of the 490r I have in the neck position right now kind of overwhelms some of the fuzz I've been using. I'd ideally like to get more bass out of the neck, but without letting it turn to indescribable mush as soon as I use fuzz.

The z90s look sweet, but just for good measure, any other reccomendations? Any other opinions on the Phat cats? Mayyyybe a bridge Phat Cat in the neck?

or maybe this?
https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/p ... =stockholm

The neck Z-90 is pretty huge sounding bass-wise but I haven't run into problems with it swamping my fuzzes. Can't vouch for how it'll do with your fuzzes.

One solution that may save you the cost/joy of a Z-90 would be a bass-cut control on your guitar. Lookie here for some circuit stuff: http://www.seymourduncan.com/tonefiend/ ... p-awesome/ (You could do a dual-volume/ master tone/ master bass instead in what I'm assuming is a 4 knob Gibson.) For a lot of players a bass-cut knob would be more handy than a standard tone control, which is usually parked at ten for years anyway. Being able to tune the low end to the given dirt pedal or amp is a damned useful thing for tone chasing.

gunslinger_burrito wrote:So keep the 500t in the bridge and put a z90 bridge model in the neck?

No, If you're going to replace your bridge pickup, use a "Bridge Z-90", if you are going to replace your neck pick up, use a "Neck Z-90".

In my epi V I use a gibson iommi humbucker in the bridge and a GFS mean 90 in the neck with great results. P-90's in the neck tend to have a nice bass synth kinda tone to em that i love for leads. GFS mean 90's get mixed reviews but i like mine alot and they're pretty darn cheap (40$). I've also used the mean 90 in the neck with a gibson 500t in the bridge with great results, that's exactly whats in my jagmaster right now, they balance out well output wise and the tones complement each other well. Both guitars are setup for drop B as well.

Bridge HB neck P90 is a pretty common configuration, Gibson even does them themselves on some models like the BFG LP. If you're going to use a regular P90 you'll need to rout, but a HB sized P90 or variant like a P94 should be painless. I'm a big fan of BKPs but haven't played their P90s. MEC seems to know his stuff on things like this so you might give his recommendations a try.

bridge mini-hum (Firebird PU) with neck P90 is the Neil Young configuration; a bridge 500-R with a P90 in the neck should be delightful. i know several people who use one of the GFS 90s or another and like them a lot, but to me they don't have the same SNAP and dynamics as "real" P90s and get overcompressed easily with fuzz. i have no experience with the other PUs mentioned, but have seen all of them mentioned positively in other places on the net as well.

Ancient Astronaught wrote:In my epi V I use a gibson iommi humbucker in the bridge and a GFS mean 90 in the neck with great results. P-90's in the neck tend to have a nice bass synth kinda tone to em that i love for leads. GFS mean 90's get mixed reviews but i like mine alot and they're pretty darn cheap (40$). I've also used the mean 90 in the neck with a gibson 500t in the bridge with great results, that's exactly whats in my jagmaster right now, they balance out well output wise and the tones complement each other well. Both guitars are setup for drop B as well.

Seeing as how your guitar setup (and music, if I'm not mistaken...) is similar to mine, do you have a place I could hear an example of said tones? I AM attracted to the price range of those GFSs....

Necro-bumping this one too..... i think a p90 in the bridge is actually what i want, unless any of you can think of a reason why it would be a bad idea for a low- tuned guitar. Just saw Old Man Gloom and Aaron turner's guitar is HB in the neck and some kind of single-coil or p90 in the bridge..... And he tunes down to F# sometimes......