P90's

[oldun]

Can anyone tell me if the Gibson P90's would fit my SG copy ? any reply appreciated.

Oldun.

[ZMAN]

We will need a little more information. First what are you looking for in the guitar. Do you want the tone or do you want the look. The next thing is what type of copy is it. Does it have the full PG or the half like a 61 Reissue. If it has a full pg and you want Gibson P90s you will have to replace the pg. The P90s are longer and narrower, and you may have to route out the cavity. Also you will need a mounting plate for the P90 and they are hard to find.
If I were you and you have an existing HB guitar and want the sound with less hassle I would go with an HB sized P90. If you want to go gibson the P94 is the answer, but the GFS Mean 90 has some good reviews, and are about 1/4 the price.
I would not pay a lot of money to put pickups into an SG copy. You will never get your money back.
Let us know what direction you are going and I am sure we can help.
I wanted to go the other route with a guitar and I was looking at replacing my P90s for Mini HBs, on a Les Paul copy. I ended up not doing it.

[DeanEVO_Dude]

If I may chime in here... Seymour Duncan makes a P90 pickup in a humbucker package, it's call a Phat Cat (or something like that), another alternative. I have routinely eyed the Mean 90 from GFS over, and over... I did eventually pull the trigger on some GFS Fat Pats and put them in my EVO Exotic Burl, no regrets, especially at about $65 or so for the pair.

[Duffy]

I have gfs, guitarfetish.com, fat pats in my Xavier xv 500 - probably the best part of the guitar. I think Agile AL2000's are way better quality.

Also I think the extra money paid for Seymour Duncans is well worth it if you plan to keep the guitar. They usually sound much better than most cheap pups like gfs that I have used a few sets of. I think with gfs you have to know which pups are outstanding, because the descriptions yammer on gloriously about even mediocre pups that I have bought.

I'd definitely get full sized humbucker sized P90's and realise they are very noisy, especially with overdrive or distortion when you stop playing your amp gets very loud humming. A noise gate or turning down the volume squelches this. A volume pedal would be good for controlling this when you stop playing. Noise gates often suck a lot of the great P90 tone.

[Duffy]

What SG copy do you have, Oldun?

[oldun]

[QUOTE=ZMAN;204157]We will need a little more information. First what are you looking for in the guitar. Do you want the tone or do you want the look. The next thing is what type of copy is it. Does it have the full PG or the half like a 61 Reissue. If it has a full pg and you want Gibson P90s you will have to replace the pg. The P90s are longer and narrower, and you may have to route out the cavity. Also you will need a mounting plate for the P90 and they are hard to find.

Thanks for your time Zman, a brief run down, I bought a cheap SG copy kit off ebay, was looking for what I think most guitarists want, that beautiful mellow tone, hard to describe other than to say it sounds somewhat like some of the best tones I've heard from a good violinist, maybe could be described as a nasally tone, when you hear it you know straight away. My SG copy has to be from China I'm sure, and as far as looks no, it could look like a slab of knotty wood, it's purely the tone, the PG is the 1/2 style, it's a set neck, the sustain seems a bit better than my Strat Copy, in fact I was even thinking about changing them also, failing all of that if I can make enough progress on my come back trail to guitar playing I could even get rash enough to look for a genuine Gibson, it's just that I seem to hear a better sound from Gibsons with P90's than Strats generally, I must respond to the other replies also, I've been missing for a few days and it's near midnight now, I'm going to quit at this stage and get back here tomorrow, those other suggestions sound very interesting also, so thanks again Zman.

[ZMAN]

[QUOTE=ZMAN;204157]We will need a little more information. First what are you looking for in the guitar. Do you want the tone or do you want the look. The next thing is what type of copy is it. Does it have the full PG or the half like a 61 Reissue. If it has a full pg and you want Gibson P90s you will have to replace the pg. The P90s are longer and narrower, and you may have to route out the cavity. Also you will need a mounting plate for the P90 and they are hard to find.

Thanks for your time Zman, a brief run down, I bought a cheap SG copy kit off ebay, was looking for what I think most guitarists want, that beautiful mellow tone, hard to describe other than to say it sounds somewhat like some of the best tones I've heard from a good violinist, maybe could be described as a nasally tone, when you hear it you know straight away. My SG copy has to be from China I'm sure, and as far as looks no, it could look like a slab of knotty wood, it's purely the tone, the PG is the 1/2 style, it's a set neck, the sustain seems a bit better than my Strat Copy, in fact I was even thinking about changing them also, failing all of that if I can make enough progress on my come back trail to guitar playing I could even get rash enough to look for a genuine Gibson, it's just that I seem to hear a better sound from Gibsons with P90's than Strats generally, I must respond to the other replies also, I've been missing for a few days and it's near midnight now, I'm going to quit at this stage and get back here tomorrow, those other suggestions sound very interesting also, so thanks again Zman.

I hear ya. I have three SGs One Ephphone G400, and 2004 Standard, and a 1968 Special with the original P90s.
The Epi is a pretty nice guitar. I picked it up for 200 used and had to do a Fret level, and a new nut but that only cost me 100 bucks. The SG is probably my favourite style of guitar. I like the neck postion and just the over all feel. I have Strats, LPs and 335 sytle but the SGs are the ones.
I am not a big fan of P90s. I hate anything to do with hum. I think with a decent set of pickups you could get that tone you want without the inherent hum of a P90. If you still want to try the P90s the HB sized one would be the best fit. You have pickup rings now, and the pickups would fit right in and be an easy change. IF you go with the soap bar style you will need a mounting plate and routing out the cavity. But the top and bottom of the holes will be too large.
Seriously though. If I were you I would sell the copy and go out now and buy this. I think this would solve your problems.
They come with a gig bag and It is a real Gibson. I have heard great revues on them.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-SG-Special-60s-Tribute-Electric-Guitar?sku=H71136

[oldun]

If I may chime in here... Seymour Duncan makes a P90 pickup in a humbucker package, it's call a Phat Cat (or something like that), another alternative. I have routinely eyed the Mean 90 from GFS over, and over... I did eventually pull the trigger on some GFS Fat Pats and put them in my EVO Exotic Burl, no regrets, especially at about $65 or so for the pair.

Always good to hear a few opinions, the hardest part is getting what I call that "SOUND", if I had enough cash to throw around it would be a very interesting exercise to start with something like my SG cheap copy, test various pups for tone, then upgrade to a big amp, maybe a Marshall or fender, swap those pups around again, and see where the turning point is, and can you actually get a good tone from a cheap SG by cross matching components, or do you finish up buying a new Gibson and run it thru one of those nice amps, thanks Dean for your input.

[oldun]

I have gfs, guitarfetish.com, fat pats in my Xavier xv 500 - probably the best part of the guitar. I think Agile AL2000's are way better quality.

Also I think the extra money paid for Seymour Duncans is well worth it if you plan to keep the guitar. They usually sound much better than most cheap pups like gfs that I have used a few sets of. I think with gfs you have to know which pups are outstanding, because the descriptions yammer on gloriously about even mediocre pups that I have bought.

I'd definitely get full sized humbucker sized P90's and realise they are very noisy, especially with overdrive or distortion when you stop playing your amp gets very loud humming. A noise gate or turning down the volume squelches this. A volume pedal would be good for controlling this when you stop playing. Noise gates often suck a lot of the great P90 tone.

Yes I have heard lately in my search that those P90's do induce hum, which I hate, I'll do a bit more research on pups, and I appreciate your thoughts on this Duffy, I'm getting good info from you all, thanks a lot.

[oldun]

What SG copy do you have, Oldun?

No idea Duffy, a cheap kit from Ebay, you can bet your boots it's Chinese.

[oldun]

[QUOTE=oldun;204283]

I hear ya. I have three SGs One Ephphone G400, and 2004 Standard, and a 1968 Special with the original P90s.
The Epi is a pretty nice guitar. I picked it up for 200 used and had to do a Fret level, and a new nut but that only cost me 100 bucks. The SG is probably my favourite style of guitar. I like the neck postion and just the over all feel. I have Strats, LPs and 335 sytle but the SGs are the ones.
I am not a big fan of P90s. I hate anything to do with hum. I think with a decent set of pickups you could get that tone you want without the inherent hum of a P90. If you still want to try the P90s the HB sized one would be the best fit. You have pickup rings now, and the pickups would fit right in and be an easy change. IF you go with the soap bar style you will need a mounting plate and routing out the cavity. But the top and bottom of the holes will be too large.
Seriously though. If I were you I would sell the copy and go out now and buy this. I think this would solve your problems.
They come with a gig bag and It is a real Gibson. I have heard great revues on them.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-SG-Special-60s-Tribute-Electric-Guitar?sku=H71136

Had a look at those guitars on that link, great price, but 2 problems, 1st they don't ship international, gotta look after their international agents I reckon, they'll ship used gear ok, next handicap for me is I suffer from Jimi's problem, I'm a lefty, not always easy to find a lefty Guitar, I swapped the strings around on the Strat, it plays quite ok, but the SG just didn't like being converted, so now I play the SG as a righty but using the right hand as the fret hand, not easy, maybe I should try Jimi's around the back style. that same Gibson here in Australia is around $1600 currently, I assume Gibson is trying to slow down those Chinese copies getting into USA, although having said that I have heard from owners of Chinese copies who say dress the frets change the pups and then you have got a good sound, I've also heard others regretting buying Chinese guitars, luck of the draw. Yes I can't tolerate hum problems, looks like those P90's are losing their appeal. Thanks again Zman.

[Tig]

"I was used to playing humbuckers, but after putting in a pair of custom Seymour Duncan P-90's into one of my '70 Deluxes, the resulting tone was a bit brighter, a little warmer, and more transparent than the humbuckers.
But what I really like about them was there solid midrange, distorted creaminess, and their ability to still hold definition when put through an over-driven tube amp. I'll put with the hum any day to have my current tone." -Mike Ness (Social Distortion)

However, for those who want hum cancelling P90's, here's a Google search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=P-90+hum+cancelling&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS373US373&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS373US373&sa=X&ei=Z5eZTe6TL4SDtge78MyGDA&ved=0CBMQBSgA&q=P90+hum+cancelling&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=c4f9bf7f64efb33f) to get ya going.

[oldun]

"I was used to playing humbuckers, but after putting in a pair of custom Seymour Duncan P-90's into one of my '70 Deluxes, the resulting tone was a bit brighter, a little warmer, and more transparent than the humbuckers.
But what I really like about them was there solid midrange, distorted creaminess, and their ability to still hold definition when put through an over-driven tube amp. I'll put with the hum any day to have my current tone." -Mike Ness (Social Distortion)

However, for those who want hum cancelling P90's, here's a Google search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=P-90+hum+cancelling&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS373US373&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS373US373&sa=X&ei=Z5eZTe6TL4SDtge78MyGDA&ved=0CBMQBSgA&q=P90+hum+cancelling&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=c4f9bf7f64efb33f) to get ya going.



Thanks Tig, interesting links.

[ZMAN]

[QUOTE=ZMAN;204287]

Had a look at those guitars on that link, great price, but 2 problems, 1st they don't ship international, gotta look after their international agents I reckon, they'll ship used gear ok, next handicap for me is I suffer from Jimi's problem, I'm a lefty, not always easy to find a lefty Guitar, I swapped the strings around on the Strat, it plays quite ok, but the SG just didn't like being converted, so now I play the SG as a righty but using the right hand as the fret hand, not easy, maybe I should try Jimi's around the back style. that same Gibson here in Australia is around $1600 currently, I assume Gibson is trying to slow down those Chinese copies getting into USA, although having said that I have heard from owners of Chinese copies who say dress the frets change the pups and then you have got a good sound, I've also heard others regretting buying Chinese guitars, luck of the draw. Yes I can't tolerate hum problems, looks like those P90's are losing their appeal. Thanks again Zman.
It is funny, I always think that posters on here are either from USA/Canada or Sweden. LOL there are afew Aussies on here as well. I did not realize you were from Aus. I do know how expensive guitars are over there, and I see where you might be paying a barrel full of money for one of those. I had one friend who played a guitar strung RH, upside down, another one was Albert KIng. The funny thing was that when my buddy played chords they didn't look wierd.
I guess your best bet is still the HB size P90s.
Hope it all works out.

[oldun]

[QUOTE=oldun;204319]
It is funny, I always think that posters on here are either from USA/Canada or Sweden. LOL there are afew Aussies on here as well. I did not realize you were from Aus. I do know how expensive guitars are over there, and I see where you might be paying a barrel full of money for one of those. I had one friend who played a guitar strung RH, upside down, another one was Albert KIng. The funny thing was that when my buddy played chords they didn't look wierd.
I guess your best bet is still the HB size P90s.
Hope it all works out.

Thanks Zman, I'll give this a bit more thought, the way prices are going here, one day it might be feasable to visit USA buy a Gibson and pay import duty at customs back here, LOL, I don't know if you knew Albert King personally, but what another great player, he looked so relaxed puffing away on that pipe and playing at the same time, just wish these Pro guitarists had lasted longer, thanks again for your time.

[mrmudcat]

The new 50/60's p90 tribute studios look good for budget minded peeps!! If I were going to buy a new guitar I would be on it!!:dance