Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: LynchBeard on August 29, 2012, 11:39:15 AM

Title: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: LynchBeard on August 29, 2012, 11:39:15 AM
...to pair with a Holydiver bridge. Which ones should i consider?
Not looking for anything especially hot, just looking for the right balance. Clean tone is most important, looking for something warm and clear. Rounded bass without the flub and smooth highs... a guess a balanced and even tone?


Also, is it possible to order a P90 in a HB size case? rather than a specific HSP90? (i hope that makes sense!)

Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Deafcat64 on August 29, 2012, 12:42:11 PM
I don't have experience with the other BKP P90s, but I have a Mississippi Queen neck paired with an Abraxas bridge in my SG. It has all the qualities you mentioned. I would have to say that it's among the best neck pickups I've ever owned. It also has plenty of output. I can't say enough about the clean tone. It responds incredibly well to the volume control. And has a clear, even response, with sweet highs and a clear open sound.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: LynchBeard on August 29, 2012, 04:01:19 PM
I don't have experience with the other BKP P90s, but I have a Mississippi Queen neck paired with an Abraxas bridge in my SG. It has all the qualities you mentioned. I would have to say that it's among the best neck pickups I've ever owned. It also has plenty of output. I can't say enough about the clean tone. It responds incredibly well to the volume control. And has a clear, even response, with sweet highs and a clear open sound.

Thanks alot, it certainly sounds like something to consider.

It's not too treble-y then? the EQ chart (https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=p90s&sub=humbucker_sized_p90s&pickup=mississippi_queen) makes it look very treble biased.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Deafcat64 on August 29, 2012, 04:44:34 PM
Not at all "trebly". It's got a great balanced sound. Beautiful mids and fast bass response. Very dynamic as well. It responds to tone and volume controls much more  readily than most pickups I've used, including other maker's P90s. I don't think the tone chart really reflects the neck pickup well. The A4 magnets seem to have a much more even tonal response than other magnets. Very open, dynamic pickup.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: LynchBeard on August 29, 2012, 05:14:27 PM
Yeah, i've just checked out a bunch of samples and they don't sound particularly bright at all... in fact, just as you described - balanced and open.

Comparing the Nantucket, they both have exactly the same tone chart. To my ears the MQ seems a little brighter but also more open sounding.

I'm not a fan of those tone charts.

Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Mr. Air on August 29, 2012, 08:12:22 PM
I big thumbs up for the MQ neck here. I is just lovely and sweet. You can't go wrong with this one.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on August 29, 2012, 11:38:21 PM
I could be wrong but I'd be surprised if the Nantucket (sleighride) sounded any different from the MQ as they both aim for the Leslie West (Mountain) tone.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Kiichi on August 30, 2012, 01:42:00 AM
I'm not a fan of those tone charts.
It is important to know that the tone charts are only for the bridge model, the neck is usually vastly different.

And yeah, the MQ neck is bloody amazing. Have it in a all mahagony semihollow guitar made by Feline and it is beautiful. Those cleans man....IŽd call em balanced too, they kinda even have an acoustic guitar quality to them. Very  beautiful.
Use it mostly for folk things. Straight, with echo, with delay,...all great.

Most of all love the bass response, it is the best I ever heard (for my taste). It is the purest amplification of what I hear from the string I have ever witnessed.
So warm, tight and just pure and lively (talking about clean that is).

Thing can scream too though xD
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: LynchBeard on August 30, 2012, 09:14:38 AM
I could be wrong but I'd be surprised if the Nantucket (sleighride) sounded any different from the MQ as they both aim for the Leslie West (Mountain) tone.

Well, just from listening to the clean samples on the site... they seem a little different to me. The Nantucket has an Alnico V whereas the MQ Alnico IV, maybe that's the difference?

It is important to know that the tone charts are only for the bridge model, the neck is usually vastly different.

They should have tone charts for both positions... or at least make it obvious that they are just for the bridge.  :)

And yeah, the MQ neck is bloody amazing. Have it in a all mahagony semihollow guitar made by Feline and it is beautiful. Those cleans man....IŽd call em balanced too, they kinda even have an acoustic guitar quality to them. Very  beautiful.
Use it mostly for folk things. Straight, with echo, with delay,...all great.

Most of all love the bass response, it is the best I ever heard (for my taste). It is the purest amplification of what I hear from the string I have ever witnessed.
So warm, tight and just pure and lively (talking about clean that is).

Sounds utterly perfect! Thanks!

Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Deafcat64 on August 30, 2012, 10:15:48 AM
Well, just from listening to the clean samples on the site... they seem a little different to me. The Nantucket has an Alnico V whereas the MQ Alnico IV, maybe that's /quote]

Sounds utterly perfect! Thanks![/quote]

I'm pretty sure that the MQ bridge is A5 and the neck is A4. To me, A4 lends a more open and balanced response, with very fast bass tracking. I don't think it's  as "tight" as A5s bass, but that is one of the things I absolutely love about my MQ neck, and the Abraxas bridge as well.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Telerocker on August 30, 2012, 09:11:19 PM
My Mules are pretty tight and they are AIV. The MQ will serve you well and should pair nice with the HD.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: add4 on August 31, 2012, 09:23:38 PM
i'd say MQ too
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: HTH AMPS on September 01, 2012, 12:55:56 AM

Rounded bass without the flub and smooth highs... a guess a balanced and even tone?


I have a MQ neck in my LP and its clear, but is quite bright - thats what I like about it.  A Stockholm neck would probably do you better.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Toe-Knee on September 01, 2012, 01:05:14 AM
I really miss my old A5 MQ neck. it matched up perfectly with the miracle man that I had in the bridge.

At the time I was playing very noisy amps though so the hum really bugged me so I moved it on.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: Deafcat64 on September 01, 2012, 05:08:28 PM
If the 60 cycle hum is a problem, get some copper foil and shield the control and pickup cavities. My strat, and other guitars with single coils are dead silent. Just make sure you ground the shielding.
Title: Re: Recommend a P90 neck...
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on September 03, 2012, 02:24:29 PM

Rounded bass without the flub and smooth highs... a guess a balanced and even tone?


I have a MQ neck in my LP and its clear, but is quite bright - thats what I like about it.  A Stockholm neck would probably do you better.


I actually think this is the way to go. I would think the HD and MQ are just too different to work well together, especially EQ wise.