The P90's fit the pickup routs so well because the "mounting ring"s for the mini's ARE P90 covers that have been modified to let the mini fit into a true P90 cavity. So putting P90's into the cavities that are sized to exactly fit P90's is no surprise. Just for general edification for viewers that it's not some excellent dumb-luck that they just happened to fit! :-)
@@maxpeck4154 P90's are having a big resurgence in popularity lately. There are lots of players that have been enjoying them for a long time. There is a real beauty in what they can do. That said, I do really like the mini-humbucker in the neck spot. That doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy a 90 there either. :-) Good luck with your change. If you do some research, you can find a stacked P90 that reduces hum and interference while doing a great job retaining the classic P90 tone. IF you find the right one.
@@haytguugle8656 I agree! I've always liked p90s but never realized how much until I got the guitar of my dreams...an SG standard with maestro... and was underwhelmed by the muddy humbuckers. Replaced them with humbucker sized p90s and I'll never go back.
I was glad that it was built well because, unfortunately I have worked on many guitars that say they are routed for certain pickups but I still have to modify the pocket to make them fit correctly.
Hi. I watched in the hope of finding an answer to a question that clearly no one asks. Those P90 have the magnets offset. IE there is more magnet toward the end farthest from where the cable exits. The bridge is more exaggerated than the neck, at least in the pair I have. So which way around were they intended to go? I'd assume that you'd get more top or bottom from the more magnet pole. Is it simply that the cable goes toward the pots. That's what I've done previously and their humbucker with the logo do obviously go that way. This would mean the magnet is offset toward the low E Anybody??
Listend to many cheap and expensive p-90s, never could see 100 dollars worth of difference in price, granted there are cheap ones out there that are terrible ! But i have found there are many much cheaper alternatuives out there that are very close to the botique pickups...just sayin.
Just the video I needed. I'm assuming this is proof that p90s will fit into any guitar routed for mini-humbuckers? I want a larger hollow-body guitar with p90s, and I'm looking at buying an Epi Riviera... but want to know that I can switch out the pickups for soapbars. The rings for mini-humbuckers on the new Rivieras look a little more 'squared-off' than this Les Paul one, but it seems do-able
To be honest I don’t remember, I usually i just measure the center of the screw shaft and use the same size bit. You want just the threads of the screw to go in to the wood. Different brands use different screw sizes. I hope that helps.
Hi nice video 👍 Question, you talked about the neck p90 being a little difficult or problematic slightly installing. I’m experiencing the same issue. Was it a tighter fit? Did you need to use springs on the neck pickup? Any tips? Thanks
Great vid, thanks. I'm thinking of doing precisely this mod but am very nervous about drilling the holes for the pup mounting screws. How do you set the drill bit length so you don't come out the back of the guitar?
Don’t over think it, a piece of tape around the bit is a great way to mark depth. Just measure how deep you want the hole and put the piece of tape around the drill bit. There are also a few companies make a depth collar that you can set around the bit
I am planning on getting a bridge SD, but mostly because the p90 that comes with lp standard is making a shit tone of noise that I haven’t been able to get rid of. Does thr position of the pick up affects the noise? Just asking as I have no idea if it was possitioned the right way from factory.
Usually no, more than likely there’s a bad ground especially if the neck pick up isn’t as loud. The bad ground could be in the bridge pick up itself or there’s a cold solder joint somewhere in the system. Finding problems like this is never fun, you could have the control pot for the bridge could be bad or even the tone pot. Unless you have a good multimeter I would say you’re probably going to start replacing parts on the bridge pick up half of the system until you find the problem. I would usually suggest changing out the volume pot or the tone pot before the pick up just cause they’re cheaper and see if that fixes the noise.
I’m thinking of buying a bridge for my Epiphone. Do you think it’d be alright to just solder the exposed wire to the appropriate lug and then ground the braiding to the same pot? Rather than looping them with a wire and grounding it? Thanks. Great vid btw! Very informative!
TeleCaster Guy that’s how it’s usually done soldering the Braided wire to the pot, I just did the wrapped wire because that’s how it was originally done on this guitar,
The most important thing to understand about grounding is that there should be only ONE path to ground for the entire circuit. This applies to ALL audio electronics. Having more than one way for the circuit to reference ground 'can' create noise. That's why those pickup shields were done that way - so they both have the same connection to the circuit ground. That said, I agree - I've not seen that technique before.
First, thank you for this video and sharing knowledge!!! Excellent!! Hopefully you will not mind a couple of question (novice modder here). I have a humbucker sized P90 (Arcane). It has a metal braided sheath and is 2 wires (white and black) inside the metal braid. I assume white is hot and black ground. Since it has 2 wires, guessing I do not have to worry about soldering the metal braid to the pot or a ground wire which you show in your video? Also, my tone pot is a push/pull, can this be used as a regular tone pot or would I need to change that out for this application? I know the P-90 isn't going to split like the humbucker that is currently installed, but was hoping I could still use the push/pull pot. Thanks!!!
No problem, check for a Diagram with the pick ups. Some you won’t need to ground a braid,But others you will. What brand of pick up are you using? As far as the push pull pot You can run as a normal tone knob no problem. The push pull just won’t do anything.
@@lukeheatonatwhittlesticks1711 Thank you! I'm having trouble finding a diagram. It's an Arcane PX-100 (a Phil X P90 in humbucker housing). The only description on the website says "Two Conductor vintage Style Braided metal push back wire is used for the leads." One lead is black, the other is white. Guess I have a 50/50 shot! : )
I just looked too, not much out there for that pickup. My guess is don’t ground the braid. If it makes more buzzing than you think it should, then try grounding the braided part. Good luck I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you, let me know how it sounds.
50s Gibson Les Pauls with P90s actually used 500K audio taper pots for volume and tone. The ES guitars used a 500K volume and 250K tone pots. Just because it is a single coil, doesn’t mean it needs 250K pots. Most 70s guitars that I have worked on had 300K pots, due to the ownership at that time. Not because they were the right pots for the pickups.
Black and Gold are a great combo!
It's great to see how a pro does it. Just bought a Phat Cat and I'm about to install it.
The pro removes the pots before cleaning them out..
Then does the install.
The P90's fit the pickup routs so well because the "mounting ring"s for the mini's ARE P90 covers that have been modified to let the mini fit into a true P90 cavity.
So putting P90's into the cavities that are sized to exactly fit P90's is no surprise. Just for general edification for viewers that it's not some excellent dumb-luck that they just happened to fit! :-)
Bingo. Thinking about putting p90s in an Epiphone Crestwood that has mini hums in it. Don't like humbuckers in general and I'm not liking the minis
@@maxpeck4154
P90's are having a big resurgence in popularity lately.
There are lots of players that have been enjoying them for a long time. There is a real beauty in what they can do.
That said, I do really like the mini-humbucker in the neck spot. That doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy a 90 there either.
:-)
Good luck with your change.
If you do some research, you can find a stacked P90 that reduces hum and interference while doing a great job retaining the classic P90 tone. IF you find the right one.
@@haytguugle8656 I agree! I've always liked p90s but never realized how much until I got the guitar of my dreams...an SG standard with maestro... and was underwhelmed by the muddy humbuckers. Replaced them with humbucker sized p90s and I'll never go back.
I was glad that it was built well because, unfortunately I have worked on many guitars that say they are routed for certain pickups but I still have to modify the pocket to make them fit correctly.
Hi.
I watched in the hope of finding an answer to a question that clearly no one asks.
Those P90 have the magnets offset.
IE there is more magnet toward the end farthest from where the cable exits.
The bridge is more exaggerated than the neck, at least in the pair I have.
So which way around were they intended to go?
I'd assume that you'd get more top or bottom from the more magnet pole.
Is it simply that the cable goes toward the pots.
That's what I've done previously and their humbucker with the logo do obviously go that way.
This would mean the magnet is offset toward the low E
Anybody??
Who are you. Your knowledge is staggering for young man. Awesome
Do you think disturbing the solder on a 70's Deluxe guitar devalues it in any way assuming you keep the original Mini's?
The mini-humbuckers go in the garbage - wonder if this was Mike Ness's guitar
LOL! Exactly what I was thinking!! From "Pursuit of tone"
Are the cream covers easily removed? I want to buy these but I want to relic the cream plastic.
Thanks.
Don't know these exact models but you can usually pull them apart without worrying about everything falling apart like some gold foil pickups.
Listend to many cheap and expensive p-90s, never could see 100 dollars worth of difference in price, granted there are cheap ones out there that are terrible ! But i have found there are many much cheaper alternatuives out there that are very close to the botique pickups...just sayin.
Just the video I needed. I'm assuming this is proof that p90s will fit into any guitar routed for mini-humbuckers? I want a larger hollow-body guitar with p90s, and I'm looking at buying an Epi Riviera... but want to know that I can switch out the pickups for soapbars. The rings for mini-humbuckers on the new Rivieras look a little more 'squared-off' than this Les Paul one, but it seems do-able
Probably, They also make a P90 in a humbucker spacing,
look up phat cats pickups from Seymour Duncan
What I really need to know (not shown) is how to keep the springs from slipping of the screws when trying to screw it down
Patience
Very nice
Would've loved to hear the difference between the pickups. Oh well, great tutorial nonetheless!
I thought about that after I got the pickups in, oh well next time.
P90s are hot hot hot
I will be doing this very job soon on my goldtop. What size is the drill bit you are using? thanks in advance.....Bob
To be honest I don’t remember, I usually i just measure the center of the screw shaft and use the same size bit. You want just the threads of the screw to go in to the wood. Different brands use different screw sizes. I hope that helps.
Hi nice video 👍 Question, you talked about the neck p90 being a little difficult or problematic slightly installing. I’m experiencing the same issue. Was it a tighter fit? Did you need to use springs on the neck pickup? Any tips? Thanks
Great video. Thanks!
Great vid, thanks. I'm thinking of doing precisely this mod but am very nervous about drilling the holes for the pup mounting screws. How do you set the drill bit length so you don't come out the back of the guitar?
Don’t over think it, a piece of tape around the bit is a great way to mark depth. Just measure how deep you want the hole and put the piece of tape around the drill bit. There are also a few companies make a depth collar that you can set around the bit
@@lukeheatonatwhittlesticks1711 Thanks! Is there a reasonable chunk of wood under the pickup cavity then?
I am planning on getting a bridge SD, but mostly because the p90 that comes with lp standard is making a shit tone of noise that I haven’t been able to get rid of. Does thr position of the pick up affects the noise? Just asking as I have no idea if it was possitioned the right way from factory.
Usually no, more than likely there’s a bad ground especially if the neck pick up isn’t as loud. The bad ground could be in the bridge pick up itself or there’s a cold solder joint somewhere in the system. Finding problems like this is never fun, you could have the control pot for the bridge could be bad or even the tone pot. Unless you have a good multimeter I would say you’re probably going to start replacing parts on the bridge pick up half of the system until you find the problem. I would usually suggest changing out the volume pot or the tone pot before the pick up just cause they’re cheaper and see if that fixes the noise.
I’m thinking of buying a bridge for my Epiphone. Do you think it’d be alright to just solder the exposed wire to the appropriate lug and then ground the braiding to the same pot? Rather than looping them with a wire and grounding it? Thanks. Great vid btw! Very informative!
TeleCaster Guy that’s how it’s usually done soldering the Braided wire to the pot, I just did the wrapped wire because that’s how it was originally done on this guitar,
The most important thing to understand about grounding is that there should be only ONE path to ground for the entire circuit. This applies to ALL audio electronics. Having more than one way for the circuit to reference ground 'can' create noise.
That's why those pickup shields were done that way - so they both have the same connection to the circuit ground.
That said, I agree - I've not seen that technique before.
First, thank you for this video and sharing knowledge!!! Excellent!! Hopefully you will not mind a couple of question (novice modder here). I have a humbucker sized P90 (Arcane). It has a metal braided sheath and is 2 wires (white and black) inside the metal braid. I assume white is hot and black ground. Since it has 2 wires, guessing I do not have to worry about soldering the metal braid to the pot or a ground wire which you show in your video? Also, my tone pot is a push/pull, can this be used as a regular tone pot or would I need to change that out for this application? I know the P-90 isn't going to split like the humbucker that is currently installed, but was hoping I could still use the push/pull pot. Thanks!!!
No problem, check for a Diagram with the pick ups. Some you won’t need to ground a braid,But others you will. What brand of pick up are you using? As far as the push pull pot You can run as a normal tone knob no problem. The push pull just won’t do anything.
@@lukeheatonatwhittlesticks1711 Thank you! I'm having trouble finding a diagram. It's an Arcane PX-100 (a Phil X P90 in humbucker housing). The only description on the website says "Two Conductor vintage Style Braided metal push back wire is used for the leads." One lead is black, the other is white. Guess I have a 50/50 shot! : )
I just looked too, not much out there for that pickup. My guess is don’t ground the braid. If it makes more buzzing than you think it should, then try grounding the braided part. Good luck I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you, let me know how it sounds.
Hello! Are the covers on these p90s able to be changed out with another?
Yes, you can choose the color when you order them. But you can change them later if you want.
For flux sake man use some flux to remelt the solder blob. Good video though.
Are the pot values good for the single-coils?
Dave Skowron they were actually 250k pots
50s Gibson Les Pauls with P90s actually used 500K audio taper pots for volume and tone. The ES guitars used a 500K volume and 250K tone pots. Just because it is a single coil, doesn’t mean it needs 250K pots. Most 70s guitars that I have worked on had 300K pots, due to the ownership at that time. Not because they were the right pots for the pickups.