Popped some P90s in my Gold Top Deluxe

[fitz]

I've been thinking of doing this for a while.
Saw a great deal on a set of standard Gibson P90s that were yanked from a 2018 LP Classic.
Seller put in some Fralins, and dumped these for a few bucks more than a single new one.



Mini-hum mounting brackets had the P90 spaced threaded holes ready to go.
Pup swap was easy-peasy.



I had some short springs that I put on the screws to push the pups up and allow some adjustment.



One wire shielded ground wires were also an easy swap.
The P90s are both 49mm pole spacing and measure almost identical resistance - just under 8k.
Labeling them Lead & Rhythm is mostly pointless.



And a glam shot with the O50 after re-stringing and a few minutes of testing.
NS-2 seems to kill any single coil hum, so I'm glad I went with the standard and not the noiseless.



Never liked the cheap P90s I've tried in my home builds and mod guitars, but I'm digging the Gibsons in the Gibson.
Gotta do some tweaking of my usual humbucker settings, but no regrets as yet.

 

[GrooVey]

That’s great. Glad it was easy swap. Especially considering going to p90s. Looks like they belong there.

 

[EC Strat]

So the route for a mini HB is the same size as a P-90??

 

[fitz]

That’s great. Glad it was easy swap. Especially considering going to p90s. Looks like they belong there.

Thanks.
The mini-hum rings are the same size as P90s, so they're a drop in fit.
Sold the minis in about an hour on Reverb and netted a few bucks more than I paid for the P90s.
Practically painless, and some new tones in the arsenal.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Congrats. So cool that it was a drop-in, with no mounting hassles.
I've always preferred P90s to mini hums. Except, of course, for the hum. But tonewise I sure love 'em.

 

[fitz]

So the route for a mini HB is the same size as a P-90??

Yep.
If I'm not mistaken, the original mini-hum was designed as a noiseless replacement for P90s.

 

[fitz]

Edit: credit to @DirtySteve for posting this on that other forum.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Yep.
If I'm not mistaken, the original mini-hum was designed as a noiseless replacement for P90s.

Yep. I actually like my mini hums in one guitar anyways.

 

[dmatthews]

P90s rock, congrats!

 

[GrooVey]

Sold the minis in about an hour

Awesome. Total win win.

 

[SG John]

There's something about a Gold Top Les Paul with P-90s that is just so right. Beauty and function in one nice package.

 

[C-Grin]

While mini hums are cool too, but P 90’s in a gold top

 

[Jethro Rocker]

You like em better than mini HB or just to have a different flavour? They look great

 

[fitz]

You like em better than mini HB or just to have a different flavour? They look great

Still getting used to them but first thoughts are they are quite different.

Thicker tone with more bite.
Guitar knobs (volumes & tones) seem way more responsive.
The minis always seemed kinda thin and too treble-y compared to full sized HBs.

The little mini-ish Firebird pups are bright, but not thin like the mini HBs.
But if I'm not mistaken, the FB pups are different than regular minis.
More like rail HBs under the covers, not 6 poles.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

The minis always seemed kinda thin and too treble-y compared to full sized HBs.

I put a hotter mini in the bridge on the 73 but as a different flavour I don't mind the brighter sound.
Are the 90s thicker sounding than mini HBs?

 

[Thatbastarddon]

Still getting used to them but first thoughts are they are quite different.

Thicker tone with more bite.
Guitar knobs (volumes & tones) seem way more responsive.

Oh yeah…welcome to the club sir…

You mentioned “noiseless” models…not a fan myself. However, RWRP sets can be quite amazeballs…IMHO. I have a couple of sets that are wound that way, and they are fantastic!
Much love for the P-90 pickups here!!!

 

[fitz]

Are the 90s thicker sounding than mini HBs?

I don't have a ton of amp time on them, but the cleans through my Origin50 & JTM45 were fuller and richer tone than the minis.
I was getting some noise on the O20's, but my office is a small room and it's hard to not be close to the amps.

Also noticed they didn't like some higher gain pedals.
Might just be how I have everything dialed in for my other guitars, or just some feedback from proximity.

 

[Sapient]

That looks great, fitz.

 

[Seamus OReally]

Man, I would miss the minihums. I have a Fralin minihummer in the neck of my Tele, and it’s like it was sung by angels, man. But I never got into the rasp and snarl of P90s.

 

[fitz]

Man, I would miss the minihums. I have a Fralin minihummer in the neck of my Tele

Mini hums in a Tele?
I actually had P90's in this kit build previously.
The minis sound better through 250k pots.