NGD!! ...finally got my P90 LP!

DirtySteve said:
It's a slim 60s profile. I measured the neck thickness yesterday at the 1st fret. It measures .0836". That's just slightly thicker than my Tribute neck that I love at .0831". That explains why I like it so much.

Here's a full description from Gibson for this particular year model, these were the only Classics made this way, the rest of them have some kind of weight relief and PCB wiring. Gibson.com: Les Paul Classic 2018
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Ooooh….a whole guitar…instead of a holy guitar. No weight relief! Sweet!(I’m old fashioned like that, I guess)
My LP is all mahogany, and weight relieved. I still like it…sounds like it should…feels like a SG is hanging there(if I’m not looking). But my Gladiator LP style is maple capped, and solid…feels like a LP when it’s on my shoulder.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
Ooooh….a whole guitar…instead of a holy guitar. No weight relief! Sweet!(I’m old fashioned like that, I guess)
My LP is all mahogany, and weight relieved. I still like it…sounds like it should…feels like a SG is hanging there(if I’m not looking). But my Gladiator LP style is maple capped, and solid…feels like a LP when it’s on my shoulder.
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I learned all about it after the fact so I didn't know what I was getting. I expected 9 hole weight relief (the only acceptable weight relief) and PCB wiring. I was so happy to find out that this model was built like a true standard and no like the other Classics.
 
DirtySteve said:
I learned all about it after the fact so I didn't know what I was getting. I expected 9 hole weight relief (the only acceptable weight relief) and PCB wiring. I was so happy to find out that this model was built like a true standard and no like the other Classics.
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I do not know, or care, what weight relief my LP has…I picked it up and played it. It rang out well to me. It is one of a very few of my guitars that remains as it was when I purchased. I couldn’t really ask for more, I guess.
 
DirtySteve said:
What model is it, sorry I forget things...
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Entry level 2006 LP Studio Mahogany Faded…Burst Bucker Pros. The back of the neck shines like a full lacquer job, and has since I broke it in. That thing just screams to be played. It was a solid performer for me while I was gigging, and that’s what I got it for in the first place.
 
A couple of family photos just for the hell of it. It took a long time to get here, but I finally have everything I ever wanted.

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I've been tweaking the pickup heights all day to day. The Custom P90 bridge is an incredible pickup, just a slight raising or lowering it is almost like switching to a different similar pickup, still the same, but the eq changes. It's hard to describe, set a little lower and it smooths out, raise it up some and the mids start to thicken and growl and it gets some attitude to it, really cool.

I've got the neck mini p90 dialed in pretty good, but I'm not going to be keeping it in here. It's excellent clean all by itself and together with the bridge pickup, but it kind of falls apart with even a little gain. I think the Magneto pickups are meant to be played clean, just like the Tele bridge pickup I bought from Magneto Design Labs. So I'll probably replace it with a Duncan Vintage P90 neck version. That's what SD recommends pairing with the custom p90 anyway.

I have to say, this guitar just keeps getting better and better, usually by this long into a new guitar I'm already finding issues that I wish were different (like the neck profile or something), but not here. This is the guitar I've been looking for my whole guitar playing life. It's perfect!
 
I also put the pick guard back on it. I think it looks better with it on, the added black from the pick guard was part of the look that sold me on the blue. I'm trying to get used to it. For the most part I don't mind it, except for when my pinkie finger slips between the high E and the top of the p/g while I'm playing, it happens a lot and I don't like that. It's almost like the p/g directs it there...weird.
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Edit: better pic...

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Well the pick guard didn't make it, I tried, but I don't like playing with it on there so it's gone and I'm never going to think about it again. I'm too used to no pick guard, Sorry pick guard lovers, but this is how it is. I also ordered a SD Vintage P90 neck pickup (SP90-1n) to pair with the Custom P90 bridge, it should be here Friday. I'm really looking forward to the noise cancelling middle position. I haven't had that yet, not even with the stock Gibson P90s.

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DirtySteve said:
Well the pick guard didn't make it, I tried, but I don't like playing with it on there so it's gone and I'm never going to think about it again. I'm too used to no pick guard, Sorry pick guard lovers, but this is how it is. I also ordered a SD Vintage P90 neck pickup (SP90-1n) to pair with the Custom P90 bridge, it should be here Friday. I'm really looking forward to the noise cancelling middle position. I haven't had that yet, not even with the stock Gibson P90s.

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@syscokid Were you the one that recommended the Custom P90 to me a few years ago when I built my P90 Tele? I was using the Hot P90 at the time (the Mike Ness p90) when someone suggested the Custom. I bought one and never looked back. I sold that guitar, but I kept the P90 for all this time waiting until I got my P90 LP to put it in. I can't remember who recommended it.
 
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DirtySteve said:
I'm really looking forward to the noise cancelling middle position. I haven't had that yet, not even with the stock Gibson P90s.
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I have 2 sets that noise cancel in middle position. Love ‘em.
It’s like being able to dial in a noise gate…if you’re a volume rider. The more the volume controls are off of each other, the more noise sneaks through.
I hope you like it.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
It’s like being able to dial in a noise gate…if you’re a volume rider. The more the volume controls are off of each other, the more noise sneaks through.
I hope you like it.
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I didn't know that, but I don't know if it matters because I like playing with both pickups on with the neck volume rolled down just a little and the tone knob turned down to thicken up the sound. I lied a little bit earlier, I had the noise cancelling when I had the SD Vintage P90 bridge paired with the stock neck pickup, but the p'ups were out of phase so I don't count it. It actually sounded pretty cool, but not something I would want full time.
 
DirtySteve said:
@syscokid Were you the one that recommended the Custom P90 to me a few years ago when I built my P90 Tele?
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Yes, Post #42:

syscokid

Post in thread 'NGD 120th Anniversary Melody Maker'

DirtySteve said:
I might just remove the spacers, I can't imagine how they can have any effect on the tone. I wonder if it isn't just a "vintage correct" thing to make the pickup taller because back in the day they weren't height adjustable.

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The SD Vintage P90 and the SD Antiquity P90’s are 7/8” tall. All the other SD P90s are about 3/4” tall. How tall is that Kent P90?

Concerning SD P90s: My favorite combo is a Vintage P90 in the neck and a Custom P90 in the bridge that are installed in one of my Hamer’s.

I also like...
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syscokid said:
Yes, Post #42:

syscokid

Post in thread 'NGD 120th Anniversary Melody Maker'

DirtySteve said:
I might just remove the spacers, I can't imagine how they can have any effect on the tone. I wonder if it isn't just a "vintage correct" thing to make the pickup taller because back in the day they weren't height adjustable.

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CGrnaBR.jpg
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The SD Vintage P90 and the SD Antiquity P90’s are 7/8” tall. All the other SD P90s are about 3/4” tall. How tall is that Kent P90?

Concerning SD P90s: My favorite combo is a Vintage P90 in the neck and a Custom P90 in the bridge that are installed in one of my Hamer’s.

I also like...
  • Like
Click to expand...
As soon as you posted I thought it was you, but I think you first suggested it when I had a SD Hot p90 in the Warmoth P90 Tele I built. I can't remember which one came first, but I know it didn't fit in my Melody Maker even if I had it then. All I know is it's a great pickup and I held on to it until I have the right guitar to put it in and this one is it. I don't miss my humbucker at all!

In fact, after all that work I did to my Tribute I'm probably going to sell it now. It just became obsolete, lol. If I was a slide player I might set it up for that, but then I'd still wish it had a p90 in it so why bother. I'm not even sure I need my Tele anymore, this guitar does everything I used my Tele for, too. I'm about to be a one guitar guy and that's all I ever wanted anyway..."the one"...and I'm pretty sure this is it.
 
I got my SD Vintage P90 neck pickup today. It's great, pairs much better with the SD Custom P90 bridge than the mini p90 did, handles gain much better and just sounds better over all. These pickups do it all. I don't miss my humbuckers at all!

Also since I had loosened the strings so many times I went ahead and replaced them and while they were off I scraped the fret board. I didn't notice it when I got the guitar last week, I just oiled the f/b and replaced the strings with my favorite strings and that was all, but after playing it more I realized the fret board had kind of a washboard feel to it when bending and that wasn't going to fly. That issue is solved and now this time when I re oiled the f/b it seemed to darken some so I assume it was either dirtier than it looked (looked clean) or there was some kind of sealer on it that wouldn't let it absorb the oil. Whatever it was, the f/b is darker now and it feels great!

So I'm calling this done, it was the easiest guitar to dial in to my liking and officially the best guitar purchase I've ever made...I couldn't be happier!

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DirtySteve said:
Ok, last post guys I promise. I got my SD Vintage P90 neck pickup today. It's great, pairs much better with the SD Custom P90 bridge than the mini p90 did, handles gain much better and just sounds better over all.

Also since I had loosened the strings so many times I went ahead and replaced them and while they were off I scraped the fret board. I didn't notice it when I got the guitar last week, I just oiled the f/b and replaced the strings with my favorite strings and that was all, but after playing it more I realized the fret board had kind of a washboard feel to it when bending and that wasn't going to fly. That issue is solved and now this time when I re oiled the f/b it seemed to darken some so I assume it was either dirtier than it looked (looked clean) or there was some kind of sealer on it that wouldn't let it absorb the oil. Whatever it was, the f/b is darker now and it feels great!

So I'm calling this done, it was the easiest guitar to dial in to my liking and officially the best guitar purchase I've ever made...I couldn't be happier!

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:popcorn:Until…..;):cheers:
 
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