soapbar p90 Archives - Mr Glyn's Pickups

Posted on June 15, 2023November 6, 2023 by mrglynspickups — Leave a comment

P90 Pickup Height

Setting P90 Pickup Height is an essential part of your tone. More than any other pickup they really do like being up close to the strings. In this blog post I’m going to give you some measurements and info on how to measure pickup height. And there’s help for you dogear P90 players too. I’m going to give you some free dogear P90 height spacers.

How to measure P90 Pickup Height

The pickup height is measured from the top of the pickup pole (or cover) to the underside of the string when fretting the highest fret. Not easy to describe in words so here’s Roboguy demonstrating to clarify:

how to adjust P90 Pickup Height — Pickup Height Adjustment

Here is the P90 Pickup Height I suggest but I’d like to emphasise these are not set in stone, just a guide. P 90’s do like to be close to the strings but if you prefer the sound of them further away that’s fine – up to you and your ears. The closer a pickup is to the strings the louder it is. More importantly, the more dynamic and touch sensitive it is. So with the pickup further away, your sound is more compressed and less dynamic. There is no right or wrong here but especially for lead playing a P90 close to the strings gives a great sensitivity.

There’s also the matter of sustain. If the pickup is too close the magnetic field it produces can inhibit the vibration of the strings and reduce sustain. So it really is all about finding that sweet spot for you and your sound.

So start with this measurement and then find your sweet spot. I think the other important factor is that when you find what works for you, stop fiddling. It’s all about playing guitar . It’s easy to spend all your practice time adjusting things instead of playing – I’m as guilty as anyone of this.

What about dogear P90’s?

Now, that’s all well and good for soapbar or humbucker size P90’s but if you have a Les Paul Junior or an SG Junior with dogear P90’s it’s not as easy. Dogears aren’t height adjustable but don’t worry I have a plan.

As you can see below I’ve drawn some height adjustment shims for 3D printing. They have a few different heights and the taller ones are angled at 3 degrees to match Gibson neck angles. That way your pickups are kept parallel to the strings. A set of these should be all you need for a 2 pickup guitar. So this set should have you covered.

We don’t all have 3D printers but here in New Zealand larger libraries have 3D printers or there are many businesses offering printing services. I’m not sure how it is where you are but in most places it’s pretty easy to get things printed out. And, of course, having a Mate with a printer is ideal. It’s very easy to get done and it’ a way I can help you out without the delivery costs. I’ve sent this file to players all over the World for all brands of Dogear P90’s.

Dogear P90 height shims for free

If you want the file just get in touch with me and I’ll send it to you, no charge. You don’t have to buy my pickups (though that would be nice), I’m just happy to help out. simply email me at mrglynspickups@gmail.com

P90 Pickup Height

For pickup demos head to YouTube

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Humbucker side P90 by Mr Glyns Pickups — Black Sand – humbucker size P90

P90 by Mr Glyns Pickups — Black Sand – humbucker size P90

updated 3 April 2023

Posted on October 21, 2022April 1, 2024 by mrglynspickups — 1 Comment

Cool 90

Single – Cool 90 P90 NZ$189 for NZ customers, if you’re overseas it’s GST free; NZ$164.35

Pair – Cool 90 P90 NZ$369 for NZ customers, if you’re overseas they’re GST free; NZ$320.87

Neck- 6.4 KOhms, 5.45H, Alnico II. Bridge 7.25 KOhms, 6.42H, Alnico II

Buy Cool 90 set

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Buy Cool 90 single

The Cool 90 is a P90 based pickup available in both Dogear and Soapbar. Designed with Jazz and Blues players in mind it produces a clear, full, well balanced tone. Never harsh, always full and musical.

The bridge pickup has an organic sound with a lower mid push ideally suited to dynamic lead lines and tight rhythm playing.

The neck pickup is clear and chiming with enough clarity to always be heard in the mix. It has that lovely woody tone especially in an archtop.

Cool 90 Guitar Pickup from Mr Gyn's Pickups

For ‘full fat’ P90 tones have a look at our “Sassy” P90 pickup set.

Demo

Here’s a demo of the Cool 90 sent to me by one of my customers. Go check out his band – The Bull Kelp Surfers

The Cool 90 Story

Like many of my pickups the this one started with a repair job. A customer sent be a faulty Gibson P90 out of a 1955 Les Paul Junior. Naturally, I took measurements and completely analyzed every detail of it. Unlike the information in the books (and internet) it had less windings and Alnico II magnets instead of Alnico V.

And what a great sounding pickup it was.

I decided to make my own version of it to compliment the ‘Sassy” P90 pickup I was already making. The Sassy has the classic “full fat” P90 tone, plenty of growl and cut through.

The idea was to make a lower powered version for the cleaner player. Still keeping the classic P90 character but with less grunt.

I experimented and tested and eventually came up with this design.

Cool 90 P90 dogear Alnico 2 by MrGlyns Pickups

Cool 90 soapbar P90 set with alnico 2 magnets

Buy Cool 90 set

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Buy Cool 90 single

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I also make a humbucker size P90 set – the “Black Sand” if you need some P90 goodness in your humbucker guitar, here’s a link to them: https://mrglynspickups.com/2020/03/29/black-sand-humbucker-sized-p90-neck/

For a full range of demo videos of Mr Glyn’s pickups go to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/MrGlynsPickups/featured

Posted on June 19, 2021March 15, 2024 by mrglynspickups — Leave a comment

Sassy P90

Single – Sassy P90 NZ$189 for NZ customers, if you’re overseas it’s GST free; NZ$164.35

Pair – Sassy P90 NZ$369 for NZ customers, if you’re overseas they’re GST free; NZ$320.87

Alnico V, Neck- 6.7 KOhms, 4.42H, Alnico V, Bridge 7.55 KOhms, 5.23H

Buy Sassy set

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Buy Sassy single

Sassy Demo

Description

The Mr Glyn’s “Sassy” P90 is a pickup set influenced by the Gibson P90’s of the late 50’s. The “Sassy” have a distinctive woody aggressive tone, full of character. The highs are smooth yet punchy, there’s a chiming bottom end and a very obvious mid range that pushes through the mix. If you tickle the strings they’re clean and clear but dig in and there’s no shortage of power to drive the front end of your amp.

I’ve grown to love P90’s over the years, it’s the sound of those early Gibson Les Paul Juniors. It’s a pickup that needs no extras, just straight into a good amp. They’re happy to power pedals but there’s a fullness and balance that seems to need nothing else.

I think the Sassy is best served through ’50’s wiring – it really gives you the dynamic, touch sensitive range that made this style of pickup famous.

Philosophy behind the Sassy

Here’s a short video explaining my thinking behind the Sassy P90 pickup set.

The Sassy P90 story

I wanted the Sassy P90 set to live up to its name and have the dynamic range that I love about P90’s. The wide flat coil of a P90 gives a richer, less percussive tone than other single coil pickups and this is where the full tone comes from. I’ve sat both neck and bridge pickups on top of a pair of Alnico V magnets to give the power this pickup needs and help add that bit of grit when played hard.

I’ve made the neck pickup smooth and fat but with clarity and chime enough for jazz. The bridge pickup has the dynamics, pushy mids and aggressive highs when pushed but cleans up when you ask it to.

This is a pickup set that would be happy in almost any situation, blues, rock, punk, reggae… If it’s a full bodied, dynamic P90 you’re after look no further. I have extensively gigged with a Sassy P90 loaded guitar and loved the woody mids and high end clarity. Back the volume off a tad and there’s a single coil chime, crank it and you have full fat lead tones.