P90... a huge dilemma!

[dheim]

i'd like to replace the stock pickups of my old Dean Cadillac with something quite vintage and blues-rock sounding... i'm curious about P90s (in humbucker size, of course, so Mississipi Queens), but never actually played them in my life. the only MQ samples i found on this forum didn't help me much. are they similar to classic Strat single coils or not? i was thinking about a MQ in neck position and some vintage humbucker in bridge pos... riffraff, PG blues, black dog or what?
forgive my absolute ignorance... any suggestion?

[badgermark]

They are nothing like strat single coils! They have some bite, but are fat and powerful. If you want some more clips I can knock some up tomorrow using my Epi les paul and MQ set.

[Philly Q]

It's a terribly clichéd thing to say, but a P-90/MQ is in effect halfway between a typical Fender single-coil sound and a humbucker.

It is a single-coil of course, but the shallow, wide coil and humbucker-like magnetic structure gives a much fatter sound.

[dheim]

They are nothing like strat single coils! They have some bite, but are fat and powerful. If you want some more clips I can knock some up tomorrow using my Epi les paul and MQ set.

it would be veeeeery useful, and of course a veeery nice thing! :)

[dheim]

It's a terribly clichéd thing to say, but a P-90/MQ is in effect halfway between a typical Fender single-coil sound and a humbucker.

It is a single-coil of course, but the shallow, wide coil and humbucker-like magnetic structure gives a much fatter sound.

fatter but still percussive? how they react to high gain levels? are they fuzzy?

[Philly Q]

Clean they respond like a fat single-coil, much nicer than a clean humbucker sound.  With really high gain they get too mushy (IMO), unless you're going for a stoner/doom metal kind of sound. 

I think they work best for clean tones up to gritty blues-rock tones.  I've said loads of times that I don't think they have the tight crunch of a humbucker with distortion (but others, much better players than me, will probably disagree). 

I think your MQ neck plus bridge humbucker combo is a good idea, and loads of people on the forum have done that - with all sorts of different bridge HBs, from the Riff Raff right up to the Warpig.

[badgermark]

Can do, let me know what kind of amps you like and sounds, i can get some very 'realistic' sounds from my toneport.

[dheim]

Clean they respond like a fat single-coil, much nicer than a clean humbucker sound.  With really high gain they get too mushy (IMO), unless you're going for a stoner/doom metal kind of sound. 

I think they work best for clean tones up to gritty blues-rock tones.  I've said loads of times that I don't think they have the tight crunch of a humbucker with distortion (but others, much better players than me, will probably disagree). 

I think your MQ neck plus bridge humbucker combo is a good idea, and loads of people on the forum have done that - with all sorts of different bridge HBs, from the Riff Raff right up to the Warpig.

got it!  :D i'm looking for something good at blues rock AND classic doom (black sabbath over all, of course!)... anyway i'm a bit coward and i think i'll go for a MQ + humbucker set, after all...  :lol:

[dheim]

Can do, let me know what kind of amps you like and sounds, i can get some very 'realistic' sounds from my toneport.

if you can i'd like some clean, dirty and heavy lead sound... nothing too modern, something black sabbath oriented... thank you!

[_tom_]

They are nothing like strat single coils! They have some bite, but are fat and powerful.

+1, they sound so much better than any strat I've ever played or heard.

I have a Pig 90 and its really versatile, with the volume all the way up its almost humbuckery, but softer and less "sterile" sounding if that makes sense. Got a clip here - http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=870027&songID=6858331

The neck MQ is really good as well, used it for the little lead bit in that clip.

[dheim]

I have a Pig 90 and its really versatile, with the volume all the way up its almost humbuckery, but softer and less "sterile" sounding if that makes sense. Got a clip here - http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=870027&songID=6858331

very nice clip! i love in particular the sound you've got in the solo part... the neck P90 is taken. i'm still dubious about the bridge... i think i'll go for a mixed set with an humbucker in bridge position.

[juansolo]

Warpig with matched MQ is the way forward. Still my favorite BKP pairing (just ahead of the BKP-91 set). Although I went for a ceramic pig to give it more bite.

[Yamhammer]

Remember that an MQ neck is AIV...it sounds huge and big. I wouldn't pair it with a Riff Raff or other vintage/hot bridge humbucker.

Just go with an MQ/MQ set or MQ/Ceramic Warpig...

[Ratrod]

I think a Riff Raff and MQ combo would work very well.

If you're new to P90's, you're in for a surprise. P90's have been used for jazz, rockabilly, blues, punk ánd heavy metal.

It's a single coil pickup that sounds fat and clear. With the right settings you can get some nice twang and growl out of them too.

Do some searching on youtube about the p90 to get an idea of what it sounds like.

[badgermark]

I'm off to buy a bass guitar, but will have some clips done when i gets back. the bridge is a great pickup, fat yet balanced, it's my favorite bkp so far.