P90s - what's the difference

[bamboofrog]

Hi All

I have picked myself up a Melody Maker from ebay (2006 model) and am thinking about changing the stock pickup.

What is the difference soundwise between the P90, P91 & P92?

Would there be a noticable difference between the stock P90 and a BKP P90 (I am guessing, Yes - more sounf clarity)

I will be using the guitar for Blues, a bit of punk, Classic Rock both lead and rhythm work.

Cheers

[PhilKing]

You'll definately notice the difference between a BK and the stock pickup.  The BK will clean up better, have more note definition and overall have a jaw dropping sound!  As to the differences between the pickups, the BKP-90 is like the early P-90's which had a slightly cleaner, more polite sound (think Kansas as a example), the BKP-91 is the AV version which came out later in the 50's and is a ruder, more raw sound, think Mountain, Bad Company, Alex Harvey Band.  The BKP-92 is like the hottest stock P-90 you ever heard, think Humble Pie, early Black Sabbath, Wild Turkey.   I like the BKP-91's and find them really versatile, but the 92's are good for the raunchy end of blues and classic rock (remember with BK's you will find that the volume pot suddenly works a lot better!!).

[bamboofrog]

Cheers Phil

That is exactly the sort of information I was after, really helpful.

Rich

[PhilKing]

Thanks, I hope the bands were ones you know, it is still early in the morning here to be thinking up examples!!  Wild Turkey was because they interviewed Tweke Lewis in Guitar and Bass mag (I think) recently, and that had me thinking about their sound (I saw them live a couple of times).  I have always liked Zal Cleminson's sound (SAHB), and again saw them live quite a few times.  Mountain, Bad Company and early Black Sabbath, I'm sure you will know, and again are bands I have seen live, Mick Ralphs used to play a Les Paul junior (with Mott the Hoople it was his only guitar I think), and Tony Iommi used an SG Special on the early stuff.  Leslie West was famous for taking humbukers out and replacing them with just a bridge P-90 (he used to use a Flying V that he had done that to).  Humble Pie is the only band in the list that I never saw live, but Steve Marriott used to use Epiphone Coronets which are like a cross between a double cutaway Les Paul junior and an SG Junior.

I have BK P-90's (2 BKP-90, 3 BKP-91's and a Pig-90), in 4 guitars, with MQ's in a couple more, and I also have quite a few guitars with P-90's.  I like the sound they have, that push of a Gibson with some of the clarity of a Fender.

[Philly Q]

Thanks, I hope the bands were ones you know, it is still early in the morning here to be thinking up examples!!  Wild Turkey was because they interviewed Tweke Lewis in Guitar and Bass mag (I think) recently, and that had me thinking about their sound (I saw them live a couple of times).  I have always liked Zal Cleminson's sound (SAHB), and again saw them live quite a few times.  Mountain, Bad Company and early Black Sabbath, I'm sure you will know, and again are bands I have seen live, Mick Ralphs used to play a Les Paul junior (with Mott the Hoople it was his only guitar I think), and Tony Iommi used an SG Special on the early stuff.  Leslie West was famous for taking humbukers out and replacing them with just a bridge P-90 (he used to use a Flying V that he had done that to).  Humble Pie is the only band in the list that I never saw live, but Steve Marriott used to use Epiphone Coronets which are like a cross between a double cutaway Les Paul junior and an SG Junior.

Blimey, those were the days!  Makes me wish I was just a few years older so I could have seen those bands.

I must admit that until that G&B interview I had never heard of Tweke Lewis, even though he's from my home town.  :oops:

[bamboofrog]

I knew most of the bands you used as examples except humble pie and Wild turkey but I will look them up and expand my musical education :D

I think the P91 sounds the way to go.

[Philly Q]

I forgot to say, I have a BKP-91 in my LP Junior and it definitely nails the Leslie West tone (in so far as my rubbishy playing allows).

It's a pretty powerful pickup - I haven't tried the other two but I think the BKP-92 might be almost too much.

[AndyR]

Am I right in thinking then that the MQ is in the BKP-92 ballpark?

Certainly sounds like it from your descriptions and what I'm getting out of it :D

[Twinfan]

Am I right in thinking then that the MQ is in the BKP-92 ballpark?

Certainly sounds like it from your descriptions and what I'm getting out of it :D

That was my impression too.  I think Tim told me it's somewhere between a BKP91 and a BKP92.  I certainly found mine pretty damn hot, way hotter than my BKP90s.

[PhilKing]

My original MQ was labelled 'Black Dog wind', which makes me think that perhaps the gauge of wire is a bit different.  My other is a neck pickup (but it keeps up with a bridge Warpig with no problems!).  The Pig-90 is pure heavy Black Sabbath, with a lot more bass than P-90's usually have but still including some of the snarl.