The P-90 pickup has often been referred as the middle ground between the single coils and the humbuckers. Our choices for the best P-90 pickups mean that you’ll have the very best on the middle ground on your guitar!
The P-90 is versatile, so you can do quite a variety of sound on your electric guitar. Bright and thick, a good P-90 gives you a great tonal range.
In this article we’ll look at our top four picks for best P-90 pickup and then give you an idea what you’re looking for when buying a set!
The Best P-90 Pickups
Top Pick!
Product
Seymour Duncan Phat Cat Humbucker-Sized P-90 Pickup Set – Neck and Bridge…
Lindy Fralin P-90 Soapbar Pickup Set Black
Wilkinson M Series Stacked P90 Soapbar Ceramic Magnet Humbucker Sized Single…
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9 Reviews
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Price
$218.00
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$35.32
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Top Pick!
Product
Seymour Duncan Phat Cat Humbucker-Sized P-90 Pickup Set – Neck and Bridge…
Reviews
Stars
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Price
$218.00
Product
Lindy Fralin P-90 Soapbar Pickup Set Black
Reviews
9 Reviews
Stars
Price
Price not available
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Product
Wilkinson M Series Stacked P90 Soapbar Ceramic Magnet Humbucker Sized Single…
Reviews
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Stars
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Price
$35.32
With our choices for the best P90 pickups, we selected two top of the line sets, a great in between, and finally the best budget option we could find. Hopefully this will cover everyone’s needs, from beginner to expert and budget buyers to big spenders!
Golden Age Parsons Street P-90 Pickups, Set of 2-1 Original, 1 RWRP
Golden Age Parsons Street P-90 Pickups, Set of 2-1 Original, 1 RWRP , are a real “golden” choice for the best P90 pickups. We’ve seen these pickups on many Les Pauls and Telecasters, giving the guitars a real kick in the sound department.
They are designed with alnico magnets and nickel covers. They also have a nice even spread of sound, meaning you will get a great tone in any position you put them. These pickups are also set to RWRP, which is a hum-cancelling setup on one pickup.
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I was pleasantly surprised when I installed these on an old Les Paul. They sound like much more expensive pickups and having the hum-cancelling installed on the bridge allowed me to turn the gain up much higher than my old single coils!
PROS
- Perfect for Rock and Blues
- Old-Style wire gives gritty sound
- RWRP Hum-cancelling tech on one pickup
- Alinco 5 Magnets
- Great Value!
CONS
- Doesn’t quite live up to the Lindy’s or Seymour’s
Seymour Duncan Phat Cat Set Nickel Electric Guitar Electronics
The Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P-90 set is a modern, noiseless pickup that provides smooth output. The best part about the Phat Cat set is that they less hum and unwanted noise than other P-90 pickups!
It has Alnico V magnets and covers, so you’re getting all the great tone of the P-90 with less added sweetness. We love this set of pickups on every electric guitar we’ve played them on.
There is a reason Seymour Duncan pickups make it on to every single one of our “best pickups” lists. They have mastered the art of producing pickups that get everything out of your instrument!
PROS
- Seymour Duncan Class
- True P-90 Growl
- Bright Harmonics
- Sharp Single Coil cut without the hum
- Fits humbucker equipped guitars
CONS
- Slotted install screws
Lindy Fralin P-90 Soapbar Pickup Set Black
Legendary Lindy Fralin is here with one of the best P90 electric guitar pick ups. These little guys are designed for maximum output, clarity and response. Great for rock, blues, jazz and country styles!
The Lindy Fralin pickups are a great choice if you want the best tone out there! The pickups have adjustable poles, Alnico bar magnets and soap bar covers.
The best part about these pickups is we’ve seen them on a wide range of guitars, from Telecasters and Strats to Les Pauls. While we love Gibson stock pickups, there isn’t a single set of them we’d grab over these!
PROS
- Gibson Classic Design
- Clean Mid-Range
- Gritty sound when pushed
- Adjustable Poles
- Alnico Bar Magnets
CONS
- Expensive
Wilkinson M Series Ceramic Stacked P90 Soapbar Pickups Single Coil Sized Humbucker Neck & Bridge Pickup
The budget option on our list, the Wilkinson M Series Ceramic Stacked P90 Soapbar Pickups Single Coil Sized Humbucker Neck & Bridge Pickup, is a great all-rounder, designed with alnico magnets and ceramic stacked coils.
The Wilkinson M series has hum-cancelling technology in effect and you can turn up the volume on your guitar unclipped. They sound pretty nice, and again, the Wilkinson pickup set have been on a wide range of guitars!
No, these aren’t Gibson’s, Seymour Duncan’s, or some of the other top name in P90 pickups, but for the price, you will not get a better sound out of your favorite electric guitar!
PROS
- Neck/Bridge Combo
- Hum-cancelling Tech
- Ceramic Magnet
- Stacked Coils
- Great Budget Option
CONS
- Wax Potted
The P90 Pickups Buyers Guide
The P90 was an attempt by Gibson to create a single coil with a thicker sound. It’s essentially a magnetic pickup that has been designed to capture a wider range of frequencies than the average single coil.
You get a lot more punch and detail from your guitar using this type of pickup, but they do have their downside. They actually fell out of popular use when the humbucker was invented, because they had too much noise and feedback. With the right volume and tone settings though, you can tame this beast!
In a lot of ways, the P90 pickup is a similar animal to the humbucker. It’s bigger and warmer than a single coil, but it still follows the same principles. There’s a magnetic pole piece at the bottom of the pickup, with six pairs of steel bar magnets underneath it.
What to look for in a P90 Pickup
The best P90 pickups come with Alnico V -V magnets. They will help your guitar have a warm, full sound. The P90’s are most commonly found on Stratocaster-style guitars, but you will come across P90s on Telecasters and other electric guitars too!
Don’t expect a lot of low-end when buying a P90. These pickups were designed to provide more beef than the single coil and that’s exactly what they’ve done for decades. Cheap versions can often sound tinny and thin, but a good P90 will have a huge sound.
What Type of Guitar can Accommodate a P-90 Pickup?
The P-90 is the same size as a humbucker, so any guitar that has a humbucker mounted to it should not have a problem with this type of pickup. This means that any Gibson will support the P-90, as well as models like the SG.
Many Strat’s and Tele’s can fit a P-90, especially in the bridge position. It will depend on the size of your guitar, but most will not have an issue with the P-90.
If you’re unsure if you can fit one on your existing guitar, we recommend having a guitar technician check and fit before you start.
The Final Note
We hope that this article has helped you understand the best P90 pickups for your style of music, budget and taste.
We have articles that talk about the best options for both single coils and humbuckers as well if you’d not sure P90s are what you want or need!
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Edward BellAuthor
A ukulele player pretty much from birth, Edward has gone on to play banjo, lead guitar, and bass for a number of bands and solo projects! Edward loves talking, teaching and writing about music!
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