Hey I guess I´d better start off by saying Im not a Pro.. And maybe there´s been alot of discussions about p90s for gretsch guitars. But I got a heart set on rockabilly type off music. Been playing for less then a year, started late playing the guitar, since I´m 25 years old, look young, but hey.. Im a student and love every moment I got time for playing.. Anyways I´ve been looking for some P90´s to put in my gretsch. And I´ve played the new P90 gibson pups ,but in my opinion they sounded a bit too "hot" and a bit noisy. Maybe because they were in a wrong type of guitar, not a semi hollow body type of guitar. The early 50´s P90s in guitar feels a bit less "hot", sorry for my poor english..
http://www.harmonicdesign.net/allpages/gibsons.html found theese, maybe someone have tried them on a gretsch???

or theese
http://tomshortshandmadepickups.com/sweet_90_s.html

HAve any one tried out the Seymour duncan PHAT Kat 90´s or maybe even The Tv jones p90´s on a GRETSCH 5120, for getting that Eddie Cochran... feel.. i guess.. to it.

I guess I´d like to know a bit more about the difference in wiring for getting less hot distorted sound. cant find the words for it,only but perfect sound in my mind..you know;)

Got a video I made with my guitar that has a Rockin bar bridge,:p, I had to order it from Usa because its a rip off to buy them in sweden;X, I made this only for fun, since everyone is doing it, I hope to get better. NO P90´s, just some things I made up, that I started play that sounded kinda cool..Im Inspired by Chuck Berry.. who used double notes.. Dont mind my mistakes

Gretsch G5120 Mberthold - YouTube

Hope to get some tips from you Gretsch Guys out there
Cheers //Morgan

Welcome to the forum. Nice jams. I think if you're looking for that classic rockabilly sound, you may be better off leaning more in the direction of filtertrons or TV Jones or maybe some dynasonics. Although I should say that I'm really not that familiar with P-90s.

Thanks! Yeah I´ve been looking at the tv jones p90s they doesnt seem to have the dogear version though. the have the soapbar, to the guy in the demo doesnt play rockabilly;P they had some kind of T-armond to, answer for dynasonics, but they were so expensive. dont know about the newer gretsch dynasonics if they´re any good.

For classic rockabilly sounds, Lollar vintage wound P90s. You have to remember filtertrons were NOT invented during the early rockabilly days. Classic rockabilly are single coils. And 95% of the original rockabilly guys did not play Gretsch. Brian Setzer is the only reason modern guys play a Gretsch hollowbody with filtertrons.

Once again filtrons were not invented yet. Single coils is the only way to nail the classic rockabilly sound.

Spooky your absolutley right, and I knew they had single coils. the tv jones filtertrons are in my opinon a bit "boomy" (not bad) or too bassy their dual coils right? Gotta have them singlecoils;) I´ll check out them Lollar vintage wound P90´s, saw they had some great alternatives http://www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=p90-pickups
maybe they could do;). the 50´s wound lollar p90s could fit some blues too, freddy king it said on the webpage, that would be great

Thanks Spooky

Yes TV Jones are in fact humbuckers. And you gotta have single coils. The Lollars are as close to 50s sound as you can get for P90s.

Yes P90s will do blues very well.

Spooky ,How about the wounding, how does that affect the sound in particular? You know like what does in mean Neck 8.2K, Middle 8.73K, Bridge 9.1K sort of stuff. I guess you want a lower number on them to achive less hot sound? or.?
Since the P90´s is single coils, and they dont seem to have the same adjusting options like a humbucker for the height, with screws.. getting them closer to the strings, but maybe some extra "rings" around, the pickups would make it work. getting them set on a good distance so to speak.. have you tried any guitar with P90´s you could tell me about the humming and etc for a specifik guitar.
Thanks/ Morgan

Look into the Phat Cats. They are drop in replacement for those pup cavities, and sound decent. My OPINION on pickups that are too hot... Turn down your master volume on your guitar till they dont sound as driven.

Lizardkinged
Yeah I´ve heard of the Phat cats p90, but not in a semi hollow guitar, only a solid fender and gibson type of guitar, I´d like to hear them in a gretsch hollow guitar, cause different type/sort of guitar sound completly different, due to constrution.. Have you had any experience in them, installing them etc?
Master volume down ok it works, but its not perfect in that way ;)
Thanks
/
Morgan

An other thing is that the Seymour duncan in humbucker size kills the look of an possible dog eared p90 you know. maybe theres a dogeard version out there, the Lollar pups seems cooler in that way.

I just put a set of GFS surf 90's in my 5120 and like them allot. There are quite a few guys here that use these and they are a great affordable solution. They are also drop in humbucker sized. If you use the rings that come with them they are a direct swap. Also if you plan to put dog ear style pickups you will need to make or find some sort of dog ear shaped spacers and the will need to be quite tall to get them close enough to the strings.

Here is my 5120 with surf 90's

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt72/fgibford/2011-09-06_08-10-26_911.jpg

Notice the height of the pickup this would be difficult with a dog ear P90 or a soap bar without allot of modification.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt72/fgibford/2011-09-06_08-11-10_902.jpg

http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-Surf-90-Alnico-II-Rockabilly-Pickups_c_259.html Theese must be want you meant, they are so much cheaper than many other pickups

Hey classicrock nice guitar!! looks good with them pickups.The P90´s fit the holes after taking out the stock pups in a 5120, but they arent wide enough.. put I´ve seen the dogear spacers. but maybe you´d have to use two of them since the p90s so "flat", do they sound good your pickups, got any demo;) heres the spacers I meant:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...m=300571122312
mayber they would do it? ALLPARTS got them..

I have the GFS Mean90's in a Hollowbody. They're pretty dang cool!

A GFS Mean90 in the neck and a Surf90 in the bridge would be cost effective, great sounding and all Eddie Cochraney.

While Spooky is more or less correct in his assessment of early rock, Filter'tons did appear on Gretsch guitars in 1958. This makes them perfectly viable for period correctness. So, if you like the sound of them, rock them. They're great. If you like that sound, the Gretsch HS Filter's are supposedly less boomy than the Jones.

One would have to admit that the Les Paul, Strat and Tele played the biggest rolesin early rock. However, us real Gretchies do have Chet, Eddy and Cochrane. And a lot of early Beatles has an early rock vibe. George Harrison was a Gretschie.

And while Spooky is not a fan, Brian Setzer kicks butt and has great tone. You could do worse for twang and honky tonk than looking at how he get's his sound.

I will agree that single coils have the "real" vintage vibe.

And like as mentioned, there are plenty of cool "P90's" that drop into a standard humbucking route. So, unless part of what your doing is for the cosmetics, it'll be much less headache to drop in some HB sized pick ups.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Damn on the other hand, a humbucker p90 would be easier... but not dog ear cool:
http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_60&products_id=164


http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=p90s&sub=humbucker_sized_p90s&pickup=mississippi_queen

Anyone have any tips about theese puppies?

http://www.thomann.de/se/lindy_fralin_p_90_hum_cancelling_dog_ear_bk.htm

http://www.fralinpickups.com/p90s.asp

and
http://www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LGP&Product_Code=251&Category_Code=P90-pickups

SO theese are so called hum cancelling P90´s, they seem to solve a lot of issues with hum... Their pretty expensive perfect quality, but I havent found that much info about the wounding etc, comparing to the lollar so called 50´s that has a wounding Neck 7.1K, Middle 7.2K, Bridge 7.4K.
The Lindy Fralin has 6 K - 10 K
Anyy tips about those?

MegaButter: How do they sound in the neck playing the bass thick strings? I want them to sound bright but still have a deep sound to them. They sure sound like a great less expensive alternative;)

For a neck pickup, the GFS Dream 90's sound great. I would pair it with a Mean 90 or Dream 180, in the bridge position. Surf 90's sound good for both neck and bridge.

I did a quick recording on this thread:

http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/other-cool-guitars/47661-npud-90s-broadway.html

It's pretty terrible though. No making fun. :D

+1 on the Surf 90s. i put a set in my white trash falcon and the sound wonderful. They really nail that early rock'n roll/Rockabilly sound.

http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww18/nad-100/bridgecloseup.jpg

Nadles: You really got a good looking guitar there man!;) nice in white, and the pups looks like dynasonics almost, a bit thicker.And I think the surf 90´s has fake adjustment screws too, so I´m kinda thinkin they wont sound like dynasonics, just have the look.. I´ve read about the Seymour duncan Phat p90 too, but they are just chrome plain, look almost like a regular humbucker, gotta get a good sound clip difference between Surf 90´s and the Phat cats.

Thanks

http://www.thomann.de/se/seymour_duncan_shpr1_prail_set_black.htm
Why not, make it a split coil type of thing:)

I did a quick recording on this thread:

http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/other-cool-guitars/47661-npud-90s-broadway.html

It's pretty terrible though. No making fun. :D


Hey Megabutter, it sounds realy twangy i love that sound.

BTW, very nice playing. I try to learn this Pigat DVD also, i stuck with that Hornsection part this week:eek:.

Matt

http://www.thomann.de/se/seymour_duncan_shpr1_prail_set_black.htm
Why not, make it a split coil type of thing:)

I put those in a customers guitar. Didn't do it for me, personally. It fits in a standard HB mount. So the '90 bobbin has to be smaller to fit. Which means a thinner guage wire has to be used to get the number of winds.

Even more so on that little single coil with the blade pole. It's so far off the Strat formula that it's a pretty different animal.

Anyway, I didn't find it as cool as a straight '90. Personal opinion of course.

Megabutter: Sound´s a bit complicated thanks for the answer. It´s probaly not the pups Im looking for eather. Seymour duncan p90´s of some kind, dogeared ones will do it;) P90 spacers etc it all a question of when I hope;)

The P90s I think you would like are Seymour Duncan SP90-1 Vintage Soapbar. If you get a P90 with high output ceramic magnets they get extreme in the midrange. Think George Thorogood "Bad to the Bone". That's a cool sound and works for some people. I like the lower output alnico magnet type P90s that retain some chime. Basically in a p90, the hotter the output, the more pronounced the mids will be.

The P90s I think you would like are Seymour Duncan SP90-1 Vintage Soapbar. If you get a P90 with high output ceramic magnets they get extreme in the midrange. Think George Thorogood "Bad to the Bone". That's a cool sound and works for some people. I like the lower output alnico magnet type P90s that retain some chime. Basically in a p90, the hotter the output, the more pronounced the mids will be.

I have the vintage wound duncan 90's, and they break up ALOT... I think they're hotter than other sets (except the older 60s epi's up in the 11k-14k range) They're wound at about 8.2k in the bridge and 7.4k in the neck or so, and I used mine in a Charvel 275 dlx. These are not tame 90's.

Hey Liz :By breaking up you mean there "hot" right? Maybe their the wrong pups form me, You mentioned the Seymour duncan PHat cats earlier, They seem nice, but I guess I want p90´s like them "sound vice", like them, any dogear version like them you think? For that non break up hot sound ;P, sorry for my choice for word man. Lesser wounded pups sound less hot right?

Of the topic; The Tv jones HiLo'Tron™ single coil pickup versus their DynaSonic™ Single-Coil Pickups, ANYBODY, for o´l rockabilly, it feels like their both might work...;P damn.. ANd just for the record.. I dont want boomy humbuckers.(not meant in a bad way, cause i really love the Tv classics)

Hey Liz :By breaking up you mean there "hot" right? Maybe their the wrong pups form me, You mentioned the Seymour duncan PHat cats earlier, They seem nice, but I guess I want p90´s like them "sound vice", like them, any dogear version like them you think? For that non break up hot sound ;P, sorry for my choice for word man. Lesser wounded pups sound less hot right?

To me, it sounds like you just gotta hear them either @ a store, or play some clips at a relative volume with good headphones or speakers. I cant say what sounds good for you :) I will compare the Phat cats, my SD Vintage soapbars, "Junk"-90's in the epi specials, and a standard wound SD p-90, listed from tame v. hot

Phat cats, overall sound really good. I've had all good experience in some LP's and a Harmony. I think they have a lot of control, responsive to the knobs.

SD Standard Soapbar, Also responsive Do break up/get hot, and have relatively the same amount of breakup as a phat cat, but it just "sweeps" differently on the volume knob.

Junk 90's muddy, not as clear in the upper range but still chimey.

My SD vintage wound is Hot... lol. It starts to break up before the halfway mark on the volume. remains bright and full. I mean why not put them into superstrat... isn't that the question?

I can say for cleans YOU would LOVE Hi-Lo's. They are a "sweet" sounding clean. if it had a taste it would taste sweet. lol Dyna's are a bit boomy, but sound great in their own right. But I think The hi-lo is the perfect clean machine for my ear. check out clips on TV's site.

Why not a custom wounded pickups?
I can recommend this guy:
http://www.tonefordays.com/html/j_s_moore_custom_guitar_pickup.html

Welcome Mberhold! We never tire of talking pickups around here.

I did a quick recording on this thread:

http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/ot...-broadway.html

It's pretty terrible though. No making fun.

Megabutter, that was the best I've heard those GFS sound! Maybe Ive just had the optimal amount of coffee this morning, but whatever it worked. I was never that impressed with any GFS pickup before.

Does GFS have a Dynasonic like drop-in? I've been thinking of doing a Dyna bridge and P90 neck on a project guitar.

Hey Megabutter I read on a old post you mentioned a G5129 with dynasonics, are they the same dynasonics that you can buy from gretsch nowadays, or better? A guy told be the new produced gretsch dynasonics arent that good...I dont know.. And on the other hand tv jones makes the T-armond dynasonics, In your opinion, would you suggest the dynasonics on the 5129, you have/had? I would really want a dynasonic for the bridge and a some sort of hum free p90 for the neck ;)!

Thanks

Hey 6stings;) I´ll look in to them puppies you mentioned! thanks

Hey Megabutter I read on a old post you mentioned a G5129 with dynasonics, are they the same dynasonics that you can buy from gretsch nowadays, or better? A guy told be the new produced gretsch dynasonics arent that good...I dont know.. And on the other hand tv jones makes the T-armond dynasonics, In your opinion, would you suggest the dynasonics on the 5129, you have/had? I would really want a dynasonic for the bridge and a some sort of hum free p90 for the neck ;)!

Thanks

From old to new on the Dynas.

DeArmond 200 (origional Dyna)
Modern Dynasonic in current production.
and then there are newer Dearmond 2000's that are Dyna flavored, but not quite dynas.

All of these models are all a top mounted soapbar that wont just drop right into your cavities, and cant cover the old cavities. so there would probably be a gap. They're good pickups, I have The newer 2000's and I've played Dynas. But like i said earlier, they tend to be boomy.

Perhaps DeArmonds 2k on spacers (to rise them out of the cavities) could be a 100% gretsch good looking solution?
I think you could find some of these 2k on ebay for few bucks and they less hot than real P90. There a recent thread on those DeArmond 2k/2000 pups on GT :
here you can if all infos on this tricky subject. (http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/buy-sell-trade-negotiations/49168-help-dearmond-2000-pickups-needed.html)

Anybody who´s done that, Dynaonic in the 5120?, Ivé seen the 5125 and 5129 they seem to have the dynasonic stock, but the cavity is another thing in those guitar, casue they got smaller cavities..

Hooo, i missed that detail ! I thought cavities are the same on 5120,.. 5129. Sorry

Just a thought I´m no expert but since they have different pups, you know a 5120 with dual coil pups and dynasonic is smaller, but a spacer would actually do it, maybe some sort of wide cover type of spacer. Its really difficult to tell wich pups would do it for me, maybe I gotta get som more guitar man;)

Anybody who´s done that, Dynaonic in the 5120?, Ivé seen the 5125 and 5129 they seem to have the dynasonic stock, but the cavity is another thing in those guitar, casue they got smaller cavities..

they have Dearmond 2000's, which are the Dyna-Lite's lol kinda like light beer. still great. but like i said, your cavity would overlap the footprint of the pup on the top of your guitar and you would see into the cavities.

Does GFS make a Dyna-ish drop-in?

Does GFS make a Dyna-ish drop-in?Like these?

I just put a set of GFS surf 90's in my 5120 and like them allot. There are quite a few guys here that use these and they are a great affordable solution. They are also drop in humbucker sized. If you use the rings that come with them they are a direct swap. Also if you plan to put dog ear style pickups you will need to make or find some sort of dog ear shaped spacers and the will need to be quite tall to get them close enough to the strings.

Here is my 5120 with surf 90's

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt72/fgibford/2011-09-06_08-10-26_911.jpg

Notice the height of the pickup this would be difficult with a dog ear P90 or a soap bar without allot of modification.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt72/fgibford/2011-09-06_08-11-10_902.jpg

I saw that earlier in the thread Lats. Looks fantastic! For some reason i was thinking the Surf 90's were Filtertonish. Thanks for setting me right.

Just bought a The loar 309 with a single p90! Really like the look of it, Looks lika a gibson es 125. I read they wanted to stick with Lloyd A Loar (worked for gibson in 1919) spec considering the looks for it etc, Read that the L5 was the first one gibson made with F holes, Pretty cool! Soo it looks vintage i guess. Its not a gretsch but its a cool guitar! Any ways I´m gonna wait putting in p90 is my gretsch... But really like the feel of this guitar and the p90. Got a kinda vintage "thick" V smooth profile neck. Im really diggin it;) Love it, sound great too. Not the best picture but the finish on it is really nice and smooth! Feels great to play unplugged too, sounds great. its got a solid spruce hand carved top too;) Will be playing some blues too i guess, even jazz..;P

ONe more;)... got a left over case from the store I bought it from, hard to find a distributor here in sweden, found one and they only had two of this guitar, I guess I´m lucky.

Why not a custom wounded pickups?
I can recommend this guy:
http://www.tonefordays.com/html/j_s_moore_custom_guitar_pickup.html

I can vouch for Jon Moore's pickups. I have a couple of sets including his P-90s. His p-90's are the BEST sounding pickups I have ever heard in ANY guitar, ever, period. At only $140/pr they are the bargain of the guitar world.

I also use the GFS Mean 90's and the Surf 90's. Both are excellent and very inexpensive. The Mean 90's have a very P-90 sound, crossed with a Tele a bit and the Surf 90's sound just like DeArmond 2000's. Both very nice.

For a neck pickup, the GFS Dream 90's sound great. I would pair it with a Mean 90 or Dream 180, in the bridge position. Surf 90's sound good for both neck and bridge.

I had a Jet with Dream 90s. Very nice. Cheap too.

For less hot, lower the pickups and/or the pole pieces. Lollar and a lot of others Zhang, Tom Short, make great P90s. The Gibsons are really nice too. Why not, they invented them? You can get the Gibby's used on the cheap too. Also, consider the Dynasonics or T-armond/DeArmond for a little less biting P90 tone. LIke P90's OFF steroids.

Made a little recording with The loar 309 Note this if completley of the topic.... http://www.youtube.com/user/coupe662?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/Y7hV1sfVWV4

Hi Mberthold. Good playing. Study this guy's vid-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YRNYk9-ELM

Cool! ;)

I saw that earlier in the thread Lats. Looks fantastic! For some reason i was thinking the Surf 90's were Filtertonish. Thanks for setting me right.

GFS makes the NYII's and NYIII's I just got the 3's which are kinda like powertrons, filter+ lol. I heard the twos are really squeely.

GFS makes the NYII's and NYIII's I just got the 3's which are kinda like powertrons, filter+ lol. I heard the twos are really squeely.

The NYII's can give you feedback because, as near as I can tell, they're unpotted BUT, they have a gorgeous, clean sound. They distort very nicely and at normal stage volumes, are no feedback problem at all. They sound like a Tele pickup on steroids, kinda like they were crossed with a P90. The bridge pickup really snorts and grunts. If you get near the amp up loud they will squeal so you don't point the pickup at the speaker but I've done pretty loud gigs with them without problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g56It4RBqNw
Made a recording with cleaner tone too.. nothing fancy, Haven´t played for that long, trying to get better. Still a great cool guitar! Havent seen that many around, there were two in sweden, I was very lucky to get mine, Have to get a Got amp for it, a Fender 65 princeton might do it;)

Very nice sound. GFS Mean 90's might work well for you and the drop in to a 5120. There are lots of sound clips on the net.

The NYII's can give you feedback because, as near as I can tell, they're unpotted BUT, they have a gorgeous, clean sound. They distort very nicely and at normal stage volumes, are no feedback problem at all. They sound like a Tele pickup on steroids, kinda like they were crossed with a P90. The bridge pickup really snorts and grunts. If you get near the amp up loud they will squeal so you don't point the pickup at the speaker but I've done pretty loud gigs with them without problems.

Thats kindof the beast of most surface mounts on a hollow-body tho. Even the III's do it, but It doesn't go to say that you couldn't pot them yourself.

Dyna's and DeArmond 2000's are squeel monsters if your not careful. I'm not sure which is worse. The T-Armond's are drastically improved in this dept, but its still a surface mount.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOfUcfQyMFo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6BieoWGpXY