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{{Short description|Guitar pickup}}
{{Short description|Guitar pickup}}
⚫
{{Other uses|P90 (disambiguation){{!}}P90}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
⚫
{{other uses|P90 (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox Guitar Pickup
{{Infobox Guitar Pickup
| title=P-90
| title=P-90
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| period=1946–present
| period=1946–present
| type=[[single-coil]]
| type=[[single-coil]]
| magnettype=[[Alnico 3]] (early), [[Alnico 5]] (later)
| magnettype=[[Alnico 3]] (early), [[Alnico 5]] (later); ''aftermarket pickups with other magnets are available''
| outputrms =241.1 [[Voltage|mV]] at 6.405 [[Hertz|kHz]] resonant frequency{{cn|date=September 2022}}
| outputrms =241.1 [[Voltage|mV]] at 6.405 [[Hertz|kHz]] resonant frequency{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
| outputpeak =
| outputpeak =
| outputnoise =
| outputnoise =
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| resonantfreq =6.405 kHz
| resonantfreq =6.405 kHz
}}
}}
The '''P-90''' (sometimes written '''P90''') is a [[single coil]] [[electric guitar]] [[Pick up (music technology)|pickup]] produced by [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] since 1946. Gibson is still producing P-90s, and there are outside companies that manufacture replacement versions. Compared to other single coil designs, such as the ubiquitous [[Fender Musical Instrument Corporation|Fender]] single coil, the [[bobbin]] for a P-90 is wider but shorter. The Fender style single coil is wound in a taller bobbin but the wires are closer to the individual poles. This makes the P-90 produce a different type of tone, somewhat warmer with less edge and brightness. As with other single-coil pickups, the P-90 is subject to [[mains hum]] unless some form of hum cancelling is used.
The '''P-90''' (sometimes written '''P90''') is a [[single coil]] [[electric guitar]] [[Pick up (music technology)|pickup]] produced by [[Gibson Guitar Corporation]] since 1946, as well as other vendors. Compared to other single coil designs, such as the [[Fender Musical Instrument Corporation|Fender]] single coil, the [[bobbin]] for a P-90 is wider but shorter. The Fender style single coil is wound in a taller bobbin, but the wires are closer to the individual poles. This makes the P-90 produce a somewhat warmer tone with less edge and brightness,{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} As with other single-coil pickups, the P-90 is subject to [[mains hum|AC hum]] unless some form of cancellation is used.


== History ==
== History ==
Around 1940 Gibson offered a new bridge pickup cased in metal for the ES-100/125 series as an alternative to the classic [[Charlie Christian pickup]].
Around 1940, Gibson offered a new bridge pickup cased in metal for the ES-100/125 series as an alternative to the classic [[Charlie Christian pickup]].


Officially, P-90 pickups were introduced in 1946, when [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] resumed guitar production after [[World War II]]. The name refers to the part number as designated by Gibson.<ref name=Carter>{{cite book |last1=Carter |first1=Walter |title=The Gibson Electric Guitar Book Seventy Years of Classic Guitars |date=2007 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=9780879308957 |pages=20, 72}}</ref> They were initially used to replace Gibson's original "bar" or "blade" pickup, also known as the Charlie Christian pickup, on models such as the [[Gibson ES-150|ES-150]], and by the end of the 1940s it was the standard pickup on all models.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Duchossoir |first=A. R. |title=Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years |publisher=[[Hal Leonard]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-7935-9210-0 |page=29}}</ref> The soapbar-style P-90 debuted with the [[Gibson Les Paul|Les Paul electric gutiar]] in 1952.<ref name=Hunter>{{Cite book |last=Hunter |first=Dave |title=The Guitar Pickup Handbook: The Start of Your Sound |date=2008 |publisher=Backbeat |isbn=9780879309312 |pages=57–58, 60, 69, 78}}</ref>
Officially, P-90 pickups were introduced in 1946, when Gibson resumed guitar production after [[World War II]]. The name refers to the part number as designated by the company.<ref name=Carter>{{cite book |last1=Carter |first1=Walter |title=The Gibson Electric Guitar Book Seventy Years of Classic Guitars |date=2007 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=9780879308957 |pages=20, 72}}</ref> They were initially used to replace Gibson's original "bar" or "blade" pickup, also known as the Charlie Christian pickup, on models such as the [[Gibson ES-150|ES-150]], and by the end of the 1940s it was the standard pickup on all models.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Duchossoir |first=A. R. |title=Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years |publisher=[[Hal Leonard]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-7935-9210-0 |page=29}}</ref> The soap bar-style P-90 debuted with the [[Gibson Les Paul|Les Paul electric guitar]] in 1952.<ref name=Hunter>{{Cite book |last=Hunter |first=Dave |title=The Guitar Pickup Handbook: The Start of Your Sound |date=2008 |publisher=Backbeat |isbn=9780879309312 |pages=57–58, 60, 69, 78}}</ref>


The P-90's reign as the Gibson standard pickup was short-lived, as a new design of pickup, the [[humbucker]], was introduced in 1957. Equipped with double coils, the new pickup boasted greater output and less [[Hum (sound)|hum]], although with less high end response. This new pickup, occasionally named [[PAF (pickup)|PAF]] (or Patent Applied For), very quickly took over as the preferred choice for all Gibson models, relegating the P-90 to budget models such as the [[Gibson ES-330|ES-330]], the Les Paul Junior and Special, and the [[Gibson SG|SG]] Junior and Special, such as those used by [[Pete Townshend]] and [[Carlos Santana]]. This trend continued throughout the 1960s and particularly in the early 1970s, where the P-90 all but disappeared from the entire Gibson range. By the 1970s, smaller single-coil pickups, mini-humbucking pickups, and uncovered humbucking pickups began replacing the P-90 pickups on Gibson's budget and lower-end models.
The P-90's reign as the Gibson standard pickup was short-lived, as a new design of pickup, the [[humbucker]], was introduced in 1957. Equipped with double coils, the new pickup boasted greater output and less [[Hum (sound)|hum]], although with less high end response. This new pickup, occasionally named [[PAF (pickup)|PAF]] (or Patent Applied For), very quickly took over as the preferred choice for all Gibson models, relegating the P-90 to budget models such as the [[Gibson ES-330|ES-330]], the Les Paul Junior and Special, and the [[Gibson SG|SG]] Junior and Special, such as those used by [[Pete Townshend]] and [[Carlos Santana]] for their brighter, rawer, sound. This trend continued throughout the 1960s and particularly in the early 1970s, where the P-90 all but disappeared from the entire Gibson range. By the 1970s, smaller single-coil pickups, mini-humbucking pickups, and uncovered humbucking pickups began replacing the P-90 pickups on Gibson's budget and lower-end models.


In 1968, Gibson reissued the original, single-cutaway Les Paul, one version being a Goldtop with P-90 pickups.<ref name=Carter /> In 1972, they produced Limited Edition reissues, called the "58 Reissue" though actually based on the 54 Goldtop Les Paul, with a stopbar tailpiece; and the 54 Custom, the "Black Beauty," equipped with a P-90 in the bridge and an Alnico 5 pickup at the neck. Total production of these guitars was quite small. In 1974, Gibson put the P-90 pickup in their Les Paul '55, a reissue of the Les Paul Special from that era. It was followed in 1976 by the Les Paul Special double-cutaway (DC) model and in 1978 by the Les Paul Pro (which had an ebony fingerboard with trapezoid inlays). Since the 1970s, the P-90 pickup has seen some success in various models in the Gibson line, mostly through reissues and custom versions of existing models. Currently it is featured most prominently on the [[Gibson Les Paul Doublecut#Les Paul Faded Doublecut|Les Paul Faded Doublecut]], and certain models in the Historic range.
In 1968, Gibson reissued the original, single-cutaway Les Paul, one version being a Goldtop with P-90 pickups.<ref name=Carter /> In 1972, they produced Limited Edition reissues, called the "58 Reissue" though actually based on the 54 Goldtop Les Paul, with a stopbar tailpiece; and the 54 Custom, the "Black Beauty," equipped with a P-90 in the bridge and an Alnico 5 pickup at the neck. Total production of these guitars was quite small. In 1974, Gibson put the P-90 pickup in their Les Paul '55, a reissue of the Les Paul Special from that era. It was followed in 1976 by the Les Paul Special double-cutaway (DC) model and in 1978 by the Les Paul Pro (which had an ebony fingerboard with trapezoid inlays). Since the 1970s, the P-90 pickup has seen some success in various models in the Gibson line, mostly through reissues and custom versions of existing models. Currently it is featured most prominently on the [[Gibson Les Paul Doublecut#Les Paul Faded Doublecut|Les Paul Faded Doublecut]], and certain models in the Historic range.
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== Varieties ==
== Varieties ==
⚫
[[File:P90 soapbar.jpg|right|thumb|Gibson P-90 soap bar]]

There are three major varieties of P-90 casing:
There are three major varieties of P-90 casing:


⚫
* '''Soap bar''', which have a rectangular shape and mounting screws contained within the coil perimeter, is positioned between the pole pieces of the second and third, and fourth and fifth, strings.<ref name=Hunter /> The soap bar nickname comes from its shape and proportions, and that the P-90s shape and white color on the original [[Gibson Les Paul]] as a means of distinguishing them and others sharing their basic configurations from latter generation P90 pickups.
⚫
[[File:P90 soapbar.jpg|right|thumb|Gibson P-90 soap bar]]
⚫
* '''Soap bar''' casing has a rectangular shape and the mounting screws are contained within the coil perimeter, positioned between the pole pieces, between the second and third strings and between the fourth and fifth strings,<ref name=Hunter /> thus creating an irregular and somewhat unusual pattern. Occasionally they are mistaken for pole pieces, thus sometimes the P-90 is erroneously said to have eight pole pieces. The soap bar nickname most probably comes from its shape and proportions, and that the first P-90s on the original [[Gibson Les Paul]] Model of 1952 were white.


[[File:Gibson P90 dogear.jpg|right|thumb|P-90 dog ear]]
[[File:Gibson P90 dogear.jpg|right|thumb|P-90 dog ear]]
* '''Dog ear''' is a casing type with extensions at both sides of pickup. These are extensions that hold the mounting screws.<ref name=Hunter /> Dog-ear P-90 pickups were commonly mounted on Gibson's hollow-body guitars like the [[Gibson ES-330|ES-330]] and occasionally on solid-body models like the Les Paul Junior. The same pickups were also available on [[Epiphone]] models (since Gibson was building Epiphone guitars in the 1950s) and the design is best remembered for its appearance on the hollow body [[Epiphone Casino]] of the mid to late 1960s.
* '''Dog ear''' have mounting screw extensions on both sides of the pickup.<ref name=Hunter /> These were commonly mounted on Gibson's hollow-body guitars like the [[Gibson ES-330|ES-330]] and occasionally on solid-body models like the Les Paul Junior. The same pickups were also available on [[Epiphone]] models (since Gibson was building Epiphone guitars in the 1950s).
* '''Humbucker style''' allows a P-90 to be retroactively installed on guitars that came with humbuckers. The existing routing in the guitar body must be altered to fit a standard P-90; the humbucker style casing minimizes the effort to install one and any potential alignment issues. As a result, pseudo P-90s in a humbucker style casing are common (see below).

* '''Humbucker Casing''' To install a P-90 in a guitar routed for humbucker pickups (a Les Paul Standard for example), the installer must modify the existing rout in the body. This may result in aesthetic issues, due to gaps between the body and hardware, or even structural problems, as is the case when re-routing the neck humbucker opening on a Gibson SG guitar. Because of this, pseudo P-90s in a humbucker-sized casing are common (see below).


== Sound ==
== Sound ==
Being a single-coil design, the tone of a P-90 is somewhat brighter than a humbucker,<ref name=Lawrence>{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=Robb |title=The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy, 1915-1963 |date=2008 |publisher=Hal Leonard |isbn=9780634048616 |pages=114, 184}}</ref> though not quite as crisp and snappy as Fender's single-coil pickups. The tone therefore shares some of the single coil twang, but having large amounts of midrange and often described as “thick". The reason behind the tonal difference between P-90s and Fender single-coil pickups is due to construction methods. P-90s use [[bar magnet]]s set under the polepieces, much like a humbucker, whereas Fender single-coils use rod magnets as the polepieces.{{citation needed|date=November 2013}} Popular guitars that use or have the option of using P-90s are the [[Gibson SG]], [[Gibson Les Paul]], Ernie Ball Axis series and the [[Epiphone Casino]]. [[Fender Jazzmaster]] pickups are often confused with the P-90; however, their only similarity is cosmetic, since there are many significant visual, dimensional and electrical differences.
Being a single-coil design, the tone of a P-90 is somewhat brighter than a humbucker,<ref name=Lawrence>{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=Robb |title=The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy, 1915-1963 |date=2008 |publisher=Hal Leonard |isbn=9780634048616 |pages=114, 184}}</ref> though not quite as crisp and bright as Fender's single-coil pickups.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} The tone therefore shares some of the single coil traits, but having large amounts of midrange and often described as “thick". The reason behind the tonal difference between P-90s and Fender single-coil pickups is due to P-90s using [[bar magnet]]s set under the polepieces, much like a humbucker, whereas Fender single-coils use rod magnets as the polepieces. <ref>{{cite web | title=An Extensive Guitar Pickup Primer| website=Reverb| date=September 2, 2015|url= https://reverb.com/news/daves-corner-pickup-primer-anatomy-101 }}</ref> Popular guitars that use or have the option of using P-90s are the [[Gibson SG]], [[Gibson Les Paul]], and the [[Epiphone Casino]]. [[Fender Jazzmaster]] pickups are often confused with the P-90; however, their only similarity is cosmetic, since there are many significant visual, dimensional and electrical differences.

⚫
Prior to World War II, Gibson mounted most guitar pickups nearer to the bridge to accentuate treble response in the bass-heavy electronics. The increased output and high end afforded by the P-90 design allowed the company to position the pickup closer to the neck.<ref name=Carter />

⚫
All Gibson P-90 pickups (vintage and otherwise) were machine wound on Leesona coil winding machines, although their electrical specifications may vary slightly due to operator error. In common with many other modern pickup types, there are two versions of modern P-90: neck and bridge version. Their [[Direct current|DC]] [[Electrical resistance|resistance]] tends to be around 8&nbsp;[[Ohm|kΩ]].<ref name=Hunter /><ref name=Lawrence /> Early P-90 pickups made before approx 1974 were manufactured with no difference in the bridge and neck position and were interchangeable. After winding, pickups were hung on a rack holding twenty pickups and assembled according to the model of guitar they were to be used on (Soap-Bar or Dog Ear). Earlier pickups (around 1952) had [[Alnico|Alnico 3]] magnets, but in 1957 Gibson switched to [[Alnico 5]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Price |first=Huw |date=April 11, 2022 |title=The history of the P-90, the most versatile pickup ever made |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/p-90-pickups-history |magazine=Guitarist |access-date=21 August 2022}}</ref>

== Hum-canceling and side-by-side humbucker designs ==
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[[File:P90-SD-soapbar3.jpg|thumb|P-90 Soapbar-3, made by [[Seymour Duncan]]]]
One negative aspect of the P-90 pickup is its susceptibility to 50&nbsp;Hz / 60&nbsp;Hz [[mains hum]] induced in its coil by external electromagnetic fields originating in [[Mains electricity|mains-powered]] electrical appliances, motors, lighting ballasts and transformers, etc. This susceptibility is common to all single-coil pickup designs, but the P-90, having around 2,000 more turns of wire in its coil than Fender pickups, receives a relatively large amount of mains hum. Several manufacturers now make hum-canceling pickups that resemble the P-90 but most do not have a similar sound.

There are three types of hum canceling pickups that can fit inside a Soapbar P-90 cover:
* First generation Stacks (vertically stacked coils) such as Gibson's P-100 and Seymour Duncan Stacks. These invariably require a deep pickup cavity.
* Sidewinders (1955 designed horizontal side-by-side coils) such as those produced by Gibson, Lace, Fralin and Mojotone. These compact examples install into standard pickup cavities.
* New generation buffered vertical humbuckers from [[Kinman Guitar Electrix|Kinman]] P-90 Hx (Patented). The Gen-3 versions also install into standard pickup cavities.

'''First generation hum-canceling Stacks''' such as Gibson P-100 and Seymour Duncan Stacks have two coils arranged to give the [[Humbucker]] effect, meaning there is a second identical coil below the main one and they share two bar magnets in common. Hum is effectively cancelled since the coils are connected out of phase. However, as with all crude Stacks there is a large degree of magnetic coupling between the coils which cancels string signal right along with the hum. Manufacturers over-wind the coils to recover the output loss, but this introduces a second problem: excessive coil capacitance that robs the sound of dynamics, presence, and touch sensitivity. Despite contrary marketing claims these two design flaws/issues gave these types of pickups a bad reputation among musicians.

'''The Sidewinder''', otherwise known as a "Center or Middle Point Humbucker" since there are two side-by-side coils and the six pole screws are positioned between the coils. The Sidewinder is the product of [[Heuristic (engineering)]] and originated by Gibson in the mid-1950's. Nowadays it is used as an attempt to overcome the drawbacks of the crude stacked design and because its compact size conveniently does not require pickup cavities to be deepened, unlike crude Stacks which are far deeper. It does this with both coils reoriented from vertical to horizontal configuration but using a similar magnetic circuit to that of a P-90. Unlike stacked coils where common-mode string signals are canceled thereby reducing output level, output of Sidewinders is slightly better. Unfortunately, unlike a side-by-side humbucker, due to electro-magnetic shortcomings of the Sidewinder design a great loss of mutual inductance between the two coils exists which ostensibly means one coil produces most of the string signal output while the second coil is present just to cancel hum. This means over-winding with finer wire is still necessary to attain sufficient output and the maker faces a precarious balancing act of achieving sufficient output and avoiding excessive coil capacitance and thus Sidewinders generally can not match the high output of a regular P-90. Sonically, sidewinders sit somewhere between a regular P-90 and a stacked pickup. When played clean, they do not chime and they are not lush like a single coil P-90, but they are not nasal or completely lifeless either. The Sidewinder finds a place in over-driven sounds where a loss of sparkle and dynamics is less important than avoiding amplifying hum. These type of pickups, when put in a Soapbar cover, have the same outward appearance of P-90s but the insides are very different.

Examples of Sidewinders are Lace Holy Grail, Lindy Fralin, Gibson P-90H and the Quiet Coil by Mojotone, and although the magnets and magnet wire found in regular P-90s are present in the Quiet Coil, unlike a real P-90 which has a single coil, there are two coils. Mojotone claim their Quiet Coils attempt to match the inductance and resonant peak frequency of a true single coil P-90 but without the hum. However that is an objective of all competing Sidewinder P-90 pickups. The Sidewinder design allows less deviation from P-90 sound than crude Stacks. All Sidewinders avoid the need to modify the guitar with extra routing of the pickup cavity, unlike common Stacks and is a strong reason for the sudden explosion of Sidewinder pickups appearing in the market place circa 2018.


⚫
The placement of the guitar pickups by Gibson before World War II emphasised the treble response to compensate for the low frequencies of the electronics in the bass. The increased output and high end afforded by the P-90 design allowed the company to position the pickup closer to the neck.<ref name=Carter />
There is a fourth type of pickup sometimes found under a P-90 Soapbar cover, it is known as a mini-humbucker. These, however, are not intended to mimic the sound of a P-90, although Kinman's "Mini P90-Bucker" comes very close. Like all side-by-side humbuckers, they have much lower hum levels. This configuration operates in the same way as a humbucker: both coils respond to string vibrations, but since the two coils have a reversed magnetic polarity, the signal from both coils is summed, while the hum is effectively canceled. Most brands of these pickups sound more like a humbucker than a P-90.


⚫
All Gibson P-90 pickups (vintage and otherwise) were machine wound on Leesona coil winding machines, although their electrical specifications may vary slightly due to variations in the winding. In common with many other modern pickup types, there are two versions of modern P-90: neck and bridge. Their [[Direct current|DC]] [[Electrical resistance|resistance]] tends to be around 8 [[Ohm|kΩ]].<ref name=Hunter /><ref name=Lawrence /> Early P-90 pickups made before approximately 1974 were manufactured with no difference in the bridge and neck position and were interchangeable. After winding, pickups were hung on a rack holding twenty pickups and assembled according to the model of guitar they were to be used on (Soap Box or Dog Ear). Earlier pickups (around 1952) had [[Alnico|Alnico 3]] magnets, but in 1957 Gibson switched to the stronger [[Alnico 5]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Price |first=Huw |date=April 11, 2022 |title=The history of the P-90, the most versatile pickup ever made |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/p-90-pickups-history |magazine=Guitarist |access-date=21 August 2022}}</ref>
Around 1970, Gibson replaced the P-90 on several models with a downsized side-by-sided mini-humbucker. This pickup was originally used on Epiphone models such as the Sheraton and with suitable Soapbar mounting shrouds became interchangeable with the P-90. In later years, in response to a resurgence of popularity of the P-90, Gibson issued the P-100, a flawed, stacked, hum canceling version of the P-90 (see above). Gibson also made a newer noiseless P-90 called the H-90, which is found in [[Billie Joe Armstrong]]'s Signature [[Les Paul Junior]]. The H-90 has two crudely stacked coils and Gibson erroneously claimed that it does not lose the sonic and feel characteristics of a P-90, however many players disagree, perhaps contributing to its lack of favor and use in other guitars.


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:Guitar pickups]]
[[Category:Guitar pickups]]
[[Category:Gibson Guitar Corporation]]
[[Category:Gibson Brands]]

Latest revision as of 00:20, 9 October 2024

For other uses, see P90.

P-90
ManufacturerGibson Brands
Period1946–present
TypePassive single-coil
Magnet typeAlnico 3 (early), Alnico 5 (later); aftermarket pickups with other magnets are available
Output specifications
Voltage (RMS), V241.1 mV at 6.405 kHz resonant frequency[citation needed]
Impedance, kΩ7.5 kΩ to 8.5 kΩ[1]
Sonic qualities
Resonant
frequency, Hz		6.405 kHz

The P-90 (sometimes written P90) is a single coil electric guitar pickup produced by Gibson Guitar Corporation since 1946, as well as other vendors. Compared to other single coil designs, such as the Fender single coil, the bobbin for a P-90 is wider but shorter. The Fender style single coil is wound in a taller bobbin, but the wires are closer to the individual poles. This makes the P-90 produce a somewhat warmer tone with less edge and brightness,[citation needed] As with other single-coil pickups, the P-90 is subject to AC hum unless some form of cancellation is used.

History

[edit]

Around 1940, Gibson offered a new bridge pickup cased in metal for the ES-100/125 series as an alternative to the classic Charlie Christian pickup.

Officially, P-90 pickups were introduced in 1946, when Gibson resumed guitar production after World War II. The name refers to the part number as designated by the company.[2] They were initially used to replace Gibson's original "bar" or "blade" pickup, also known as the Charlie Christian pickup, on models such as the ES-150, and by the end of the 1940s it was the standard pickup on all models.[3] The soap bar-style P-90 debuted with the Les Paul electric guitar in 1952.[1]

The P-90's reign as the Gibson standard pickup was short-lived, as a new design of pickup, the humbucker, was introduced in 1957. Equipped with double coils, the new pickup boasted greater output and less hum, although with less high end response. This new pickup, occasionally named PAF (or Patent Applied For), very quickly took over as the preferred choice for all Gibson models, relegating the P-90 to budget models such as the ES-330, the Les Paul Junior and Special, and the SG Junior and Special, such as those used by Pete Townshend and Carlos Santana for their brighter, rawer, sound. This trend continued throughout the 1960s and particularly in the early 1970s, where the P-90 all but disappeared from the entire Gibson range. By the 1970s, smaller single-coil pickups, mini-humbucking pickups, and uncovered humbucking pickups began replacing the P-90 pickups on Gibson's budget and lower-end models.

In 1968, Gibson reissued the original, single-cutaway Les Paul, one version being a Goldtop with P-90 pickups.[2] In 1972, they produced Limited Edition reissues, called the "58 Reissue" though actually based on the 54 Goldtop Les Paul, with a stopbar tailpiece; and the 54 Custom, the "Black Beauty," equipped with a P-90 in the bridge and an Alnico 5 pickup at the neck. Total production of these guitars was quite small. In 1974, Gibson put the P-90 pickup in their Les Paul '55, a reissue of the Les Paul Special from that era. It was followed in 1976 by the Les Paul Special double-cutaway (DC) model and in 1978 by the Les Paul Pro (which had an ebony fingerboard with trapezoid inlays). Since the 1970s, the P-90 pickup has seen some success in various models in the Gibson line, mostly through reissues and custom versions of existing models. Currently it is featured most prominently on the Les Paul Faded Doublecut, and certain models in the Historic range.

In the early 1970s, punk rock guitarists such as Johnny Thunders of The New York Dolls began using Les Paul Juniors and Les Paul Specials equipped with P-90s because of the cutting overdriven sound and the inexpensive nature of the guitars. In both The Dolls and The Heartbreakers, Thunders influenced younger punk rock guitarists who adopted his look and choice of guitar. Mick Jones of The Clash and Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols both owned Les Paul Juniors, and the double-cutaway Junior became the first choice for punk rock guitarists.

The P-90 was also marketed by Gibson in the 1970s as the "Laid Back" pickup, as part of a line of "named" pickups.[4][page needed]

For the 2014 model year, the Les Paul Melody Maker featured a variant of the P-90 pickup called the P-90S, inspired by the original pickup of the Gibson ES-125. This variant possesses six rectangular Alnico-slug pole pieces with no individual height adjustment.

Varieties

[edit]
Gibson P-90 soap bar

There are three major varieties of P-90 casing:

  • Soap bar, which have a rectangular shape and mounting screws contained within the coil perimeter, is positioned between the pole pieces of the second and third, and fourth and fifth, strings.[1] The soap bar nickname comes from its shape and proportions, and that the P-90s shape and white color on the original Gibson Les Paul as a means of distinguishing them and others sharing their basic configurations from latter generation P90 pickups.
P-90 dog ear
  • Dog ear have mounting screw extensions on both sides of the pickup.[1] These were commonly mounted on Gibson's hollow-body guitars like the ES-330 and occasionally on solid-body models like the Les Paul Junior. The same pickups were also available on Epiphone models (since Gibson was building Epiphone guitars in the 1950s).
  • Humbucker style allows a P-90 to be retroactively installed on guitars that came with humbuckers. The existing routing in the guitar body must be altered to fit a standard P-90; the humbucker style casing minimizes the effort to install one and any potential alignment issues. As a result, pseudo P-90s in a humbucker style casing are common (see below).

Sound

[edit]

Being a single-coil design, the tone of a P-90 is somewhat brighter than a humbucker,[5] though not quite as crisp and bright as Fender's single-coil pickups.[citation needed] The tone therefore shares some of the single coil traits, but having large amounts of midrange and often described as “thick". The reason behind the tonal difference between P-90s and Fender single-coil pickups is due to P-90s using bar magnets set under the polepieces, much like a humbucker, whereas Fender single-coils use rod magnets as the polepieces. [6] Popular guitars that use or have the option of using P-90s are the Gibson SG, Gibson Les Paul, and the Epiphone Casino. Fender Jazzmaster pickups are often confused with the P-90; however, their only similarity is cosmetic, since there are many significant visual, dimensional and electrical differences.

The placement of the guitar pickups by Gibson before World War II emphasised the treble response to compensate for the low frequencies of the electronics in the bass. The increased output and high end afforded by the P-90 design allowed the company to position the pickup closer to the neck.[2]

All Gibson P-90 pickups (vintage and otherwise) were machine wound on Leesona coil winding machines, although their electrical specifications may vary slightly due to variations in the winding. In common with many other modern pickup types, there are two versions of modern P-90: neck and bridge. Their DC resistance tends to be around 8 kΩ.[1][5] Early P-90 pickups made before approximately 1974 were manufactured with no difference in the bridge and neck position and were interchangeable. After winding, pickups were hung on a rack holding twenty pickups and assembled according to the model of guitar they were to be used on (Soap Box or Dog Ear). Earlier pickups (around 1952) had Alnico 3 magnets, but in 1957 Gibson switched to the stronger Alnico 5.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Hunter, Dave (2008). The Guitar Pickup Handbook: The Start of Your Sound. Backbeat. pp. 57–58, 60, 69, 78. ISBN 9780879309312.
  2. ^ a b c Carter, Walter (2007). The Gibson Electric Guitar Book Seventy Years of Classic Guitars. Backbeat Books. pp. 20, 72. ISBN 9780879308957.
  3. ^ Duchossoir, A. R. (1998). Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years. Hal Leonard. p. 29. ISBN 0-7935-9210-0.
  4. ^ Brosnac, Donald (1983). Guitar Electronics for Musicians. New York: Amsco Publications. ISBN 0-7119-0232-1.
  5. ^ a b Lawrence, Robb (2008). The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy, 1915-1963. Hal Leonard. pp. 114, 184. ISBN 9780634048616.
  6. ^ "An Extensive Guitar Pickup Primer". Reverb. September 2, 2015.
  7. ^ Price, Huw (April 11, 2022). "The history of the P-90, the most versatile pickup ever made". Guitarist. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
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