Author Topic: Mississippi Queen for Les Paul Standard? (Read 9742 times)

Yamhammer · « **on:** November 18, 2007, 09:53:13 PM »

I was thinking about putting a MQ neck pickup in my fairly new Les Paul Standard Faded.

WezV · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2007, 10:55:10 PM »

MQ would be good but i would also consider the manhattan - its another HB sized P-90 but underwound to around 6k. Sounds crystal clear and works great with a mule on the guitar i have them in - not quite as raw as a normal P-90 though

Yamhammer · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2007, 11:00:21 PM »

I can't find any info about the Manhattan...... :roll:

Will · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2007, 11:07:46 PM »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project

:roll:

ok, so that was unrelated. But I think the manhatten is a Jazz P90, just with low output.

If you feel like trawling through Wez's guitar build thread, it has some info somehwhere in it I think.

Yamhammer · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2007, 11:25:27 PM »

I've searched for info about the Manhattan P90

machine_of_god · « **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2007, 02:50:46 AM »

I don't have an MQ (yet) but I've heard all the clips, from soft, clean picking + strumming to overdriven to lead...

The MQ is very clear, and very capable of just about any distortion you toss at it (perhaps not metal though). But to MY ears, the MQ (being a P90) has that characteristic "bite" to it that very much sets it apart from a tele-sound.

Basically, it's great on cleans, but it has an aggressive edge (which I imagine could be reigned in with the volume pot).

I BELIEVE Tim spoke of making a humbucker-sized BKP92. That might be something to consider since it isn't quite as aggressive as the MQ.

And finally, forgive me if I'm waaaaay off base here :) I'm very tired and helped myself to a few beers recently.

Henk · « **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2007, 07:40:43 AM »

I personally dont have the MQ but the P90's i have used turned to musch when opening the gain above a dirty blues tone. Best overdriven neck sound ive gotten are from the '57 Gibson Classic (alnico 2) pickup, the Stormy Mondays sound very stable also with alot of gain. The classics i have now in my '73 SG also give that singing tube sound in the overdiven highs.

I dont know if you have this, but in the 2007 marshall catalogue there is a DVD with demos of the new product line, in the new Kerry King amp demo there is this guy playing with a gibson custom with our own BKP Nailbombs, he also plays a few chords on the neck PU and they really sound supertight and chunky, no mush whatsoever. If you do have the chance to pick this catalogue up, it would be nice to check it out.

I dont want to discourage you, but in one of the chambered LP's it will be even harder to get a neck pickup that really stands out, LP's allready have a disadvantage at a clear neck tone IMO and the chambered ones sound beautyfull but tightness (woodwise) is not their strongest point IMVHO.

Maybe a bridge splitable pickup would be an option.

Good luck, i am very interested what you will find out since i also would like to get more use out of my neck position.

Greetings, Henk

WezV · « **Reply #7 on:** November 19, 2007, 09:53:52 AM »

Quote from: Yamhammer

I've searched the whole site for more info about the Manhattan P90 and probably it's far too 'warm and jazzy' for my tastes.

whilst it is very capable of jazz stuff i dont think of it as 'jazzy' - just nice and clear/defined and great mixed in with the bridge humbucker... i think calling it a jazz voiced pickup puts some people off which is a shame... you would like it, but its probably not quite what you are after in this case

Yamhammer · « **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2007, 03:02:47 PM »

Probably I'm going for a calibrated set of Mississippi Queens.

Henk · « **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2007, 03:55:18 PM »

With a calibrated set you will at least be sure the two pickups work well together.

Still i have the impression you havent used P90's much and if this is true i would definately advise you to try a guitar with P90's prior to buying a set, that will give you a general idea of how it would sound. Taking your engl screamer with you wont be that hard

To me P90's in a LP breath a countryrock kind of vibe, pretty vintage sounding really. I think that people who find the P90's very bright mostly would think that also about the burstbuckers.

Yamhammer · « **Reply #10 on:** November 19, 2007, 04:11:18 PM »

Quote from: Henk

With a calibrated set you will at least be sure the two pickups work well together.

Still i have the impression you havent used P90's much and if this is true i would definately advise you to try a guitar with P90's prior to buying a set, that will give you a general idea of how it would sound. Taking your engl screamer with you wont be that hard

To me P90's in a LP breath a countryrock kind of vibe, pretty vintage sounding really. I think that people who find the P90's very bright mostly would think that also about the burstbuckers.

Thanks for your extensive story about the P90's!

Henk · « **Reply #11 on:** November 19, 2007, 04:41:06 PM »

The specials have that specific sound, its only part the P90's.

A LP with P90's wil sound more like this, take a bit of extra prightness from your amp into account, but tha kind of sticky feel to the attack you should expect at least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr5HBaMRTXk&feature=related

Yamhammer · « **Reply #12 on:** November 19, 2007, 05:14:19 PM »

I like that sound a lot, but the recording is a bit quiet.

Yamhammer · « **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2007, 07:28:29 PM »

Henk · « **Reply #14 on:** November 20, 2007, 05:55:32 AM »

Ah youve made up your mind allready :lol:

Anyway, a good set of pickups is never a waste, just dont sell the burstbuckers right away since you might want to consider putting the MQ's in a LP special kind of guitar, or even in a semi. The only p90 i still have is in a semi and i would not ever consider to have it otherwise.