Why are P90 pickups worth it?
Although you might not think you need a P90 pickup for your sound—trust us, it’s worth it.
This even balance between a humbucker and a Fender-style single coil is a great tool to use if you’re looking to produce a bright and thick sound.
That warm tone comes equipped to play quality, mid-bass response, even if you’re looking to put the volume lower.
P90 pickup shapes to consider
Although there are not a whole ton of differences in the sound with the P90 guitar pickups, there IS a whole lot of shape variety.
It helps to have an idea of the guitar you want or to actually have a guitar already before you go and get a pickup—that’s because not all guitars fit with certain pickups, and not all pickups fit with specific guitars.
Before you buy, make sure your guitar is compatible with the pickup.
Getting into the shapes, the three types of P90 pickups:
The Humbucker Casing: If you’ve seen a humbucker, you’ll know where the design was inspired here. Although the P90s are designed in a thinner way, as well as much longer, this is a great pick since most guitars don’t require any type of modifications to be able to play with it.
The Soap Bar: – Do you remember the original Gibson P90? Well, this shape is basically the same—except a little bit more rectangular. If you’re worried about your pickguard, don’t be—the screws are actually located in the middle of the pickup so they don’t interfere at all with it.
The Dog Ear: Branching off of the Soap Bar design, the dog ear is rectangular, with the triangular extension located on the ends of the pickup. If you invest in this type of pickguard, you’ll definitely need to be open to modifying it.
Price tag
Of course, although you want quality, you should still try and adhere to your budget. There are a variety of P90 guitar options, like the Loar LH-301T-VS, which is budget-friendly and won’t break the bank.
If you do your research, you’ll definitely be able to find a P90 guitar pickup that fits your style and your bank account.
Features to consider while buying the best P90 guitar
Before you choose your favorite, make sure to take a look at the finer details of the various models. Here are a few specific features to take a look at when looking at each guitar. Checking them out with the model you want to buy can help you make a better-informed decision.
Pickup material
Getting to the foundation of things, the material your model is made out of can make a huge difference when it comes to quality and sound. Some of the materials are pretty good at canceling out noise while others are stronger at delivering those clean, crisp, and clear notes.
The various magnet materials can make all the difference. The magnet types that are used across the board are generally Alnico and ceramic. Since ceramic is a cheaper material, the Alnico is used for the more expensive types. Ceramics are also normally much brighter in tone—so to help you choose which is best for you, make sure you’re aware of what the materials produce.
Guitar body type and shape
Between a hollow or a full body, you’ll have to consider how heavy the guitar will be (the hollow body type is much lighter), and the type of wood its made out of—which can make a difference in the weight and the type of sound.
Although a hollow body is lighter, like the Loar LH-301T-VS, a semi-hollow body or a solid body, like in the Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin II will be less likely to experience feedback while you’re playing.
The shapes of the guitar can dictate how comfortable it is to play. However, if you’re investing in a hollow body, a change in shape can also make a difference.
Fretboard and frets
Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced guitar player, you might want to consider how long the frets and fretboard are. No matter if you have smaller or larger hands, you should choose a guitar where you can reach the higher frets.
Scale the neck
If you’re a true beginner—you can probably skip this section. However, the more advanced you are, the more you should pay attention to the neck, scale, and nut.
The plastic nut is responsible for keeping your strings aligned and supported. This part of the guitar also controls the string spacing on the guitar, keeping it at a proper height.
If you are new, just be aware that most necks will feel uncomfortable at first. However, as you continue to play, you’ll see which necks are more comfortable in your hands, specifically—and perhaps will develop a preference.
A description of the neck can be divided into four key dimensions: width, profile, depth, and fretboard radius.
If you have smaller hands or are a beginner, you’ll want to try and aim for a slimmer neck, making it much easier to grab. However, a wider neck gives you more space to play—if you have big enough hands.
With profile and depth, you’ll be choosing between a U-, V- or C-shape. Most guitars are designed with the C-shape, which is the most shallow of the three.
Bridge
The bridge of a guitar gives support to the strings and uses its location to transfer the vibration to the rest of the guitar.
Just like how vibrations work, if your bridge has a lot of contact with the body, the better it will sound and resonate. However, if you’re working with non-vibrato bridges, you’ll get an anchoring point but won’t have much control over tension and pitch.
Warranty
Especially since you’re making an investment—in your musical life and in your skill growth, you’ll definitely want to think about investing in a guitar that has a good warranty.
For example, these guitars can come back by as little as a 1-year limited warranty, like the Yamaha RevStar RS502 or can have a lifetime limited warranty, like the Epiphone WILDKAT.
Maintenance tips for the P90 guitar
You’ve already made the investment in a guitar—now you’ve got to take care of it. Fortunately, if you’ve had a guitar before, you’ll see that maintenance doesn’t change very much from a P90 to the rest of them.
Here are some basic maintenance tips to take care of a P90 guitar:
First and foremost, make it a tradition (and a habit) to go have your guitar checked every year by a qualified technician. That way, even if the smaller details need to be tuned, they’ll be done on a regular basis. This will help extend the life of your guitar.
Try to perform the basic maintenance tips on your own on a regular basis. For example, investing in a proper case for the guitar can be a great first step.
Some other simple tips that don’t take much from your side of things would be to just make sure that you’re not storing your guitar in an area where it can reach extremely hot or cold temperatures. The guitar should be stored in a dry and cool place.
Not only should you invest in a case for traveling, but a stand is also a great product to buy—especially if it’s going to be sitting at home.
On a regular basis, try to clean and polish the wood of your guitar. You can also run a dry piece of cloth to wipe the neck.
Change your strings when they need to be done, monitor your tuning machines, and play regularly so it won’t get too far out of tune. Just like with any machine, it has to run every so often so it won’t get worn out from minimal use.