Epiphone P90

[BGood]

I have a set of old ones in a 2012 LP Special 1 and they read 7.85 / 7.75K. I also have a set of probably P90 Pros in a 2018 Special that read 9.5 / 8.0K. Quite a difference ! I find the older ones much more melodic and ringing.

Does someone have a reading of their Pro P90 ?

 

[LP_SPC_1_P90]

Mine's a 2017 in Worn Cherry, like the TV Yellow with the Dragon Alliance sticker on it. DCR's measure 8.2K/4.35K/9.2K (N/M/B). That's what they were in late May/early June 2019 when I bought it. I only check them periodically to make sure I don't have any surprises for DCR degradation & shorting somewhere in the pickup that would warn me that something's going wrong with them for lower, towards no output that I wouldn't notice normally. I have several amps that I rotate thru like the guitars I have as well. The guitar sounds different with each amp, not to mention any amp sims on the Fender Mustang I V2.

How to Test Guitar Pickups with a Multimeter - Guitar Pickups, Bass Pickups, Pedals

www.seymourduncan.com

 

[BGood]

2017, you probably have Pros, readings are close to my 2018.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

I don't think Epiphone puts P90 Pro in its Les Paul Special I, I think the Pros are only available in the "Inspired by Gibson" Les Paul Special and SG special.

 

[BGood]

I don't think Epiphone puts P90 Pro in its Les Paul Special I, I think the Pros are only available in the "Inspired by Gibson" Les Paul Special and SG special.

If we go by the readings, they look pretty similar. I am not sure Epiphone has two different P90s.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

If we go by the readings, they look pretty similar. I am not sure Epiphone has two different P90s.

I've always wondered if they ever changed the specs or supplier. I'm guessing not, since both of mine are fairly similar in specs (as noted on the other forum), but span the switch from MIK to MIC.

I'm not even sure if Gibson has more than one P90. I know the Custom Shop calls their P90 a "Custom Soapbar P90" vs the USA line's ..."P-90" that's as vanilla as a name can get Interestingly enough, the pickup shop does not have a separate P90 under the historic collection, which leads me to believe it's likely the same. By extension, I would think the Epi lineup probably has been using the same stash (or at least supplier) of P90s since forever.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

If we go by the readings, they look pretty similar. I am not sure Epiphone has two different P90s.

I think they do have two versions even within the Pro line. The first one measures at around 8 for the neck and 9 for the bridge, and it is hotter than the other which reads about 7,5 to 7,8 K for neck and bridge.

I remember thinking that while watching Trogly and The Guitaristas measuring pickups from their Epis while I was on my way to work (by train, obviously not watching and driving, lol)..

Then there are also Casino dogear P90s. At roughly 12 K for the regular version in both neck and bridge and 8 K for the "Pros" in neck and bridge, they are totally "their own thing".

 

[BGood]

I think they do have two versions even within the Pro line. The first one measures at around 8 for the neck and 9 for the bridge, and it is hotter than the other which reads about 7,5 to 7,8 K for neck and bridge.

I remember thinking that while watching Trogly and The Guitaristas measuring pickups from their Epis while I was on my way to work (by train, obviously not watching and driving, lol)..

Then there are also Casino dogear P90s. At roughly 12 K for the regular version in both neck and bridge and 8 K for the "Pros" in neck and bridge, they are totally "their own thing".

Yeah, I remember the Casino P90 being said to be quite hot.

I wrote Gibson about it, asking if I had the Pros or regular in my two different Specials.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Right. What did they answer?

 

[Darkness]

Right. What did they answer?

Jokes aside I'm going to measure mine and post when I get home. Curious how different my soap bars and dog ears can be.

 

[BGood]

Right. What did they answer?

I won't hold my breath on that.

 

[LP_SPC_1_P90]

The 2017 that I have is a Guitar Center/Musician's Friend/Sweetwater Big Box Retail Epiphone Run of guitars. Epiphone didn't even acknowledge the model existed at the time at their own website. I had to go as far as to contact Epiphone/Gibson to try to determine what strings were standard for the guitar model. This was their response cut & pasted:

"The Epiphone Special I P-90 is a Guitar Center exclusive model which would have come with a standard set of D’Addario® 10, 13, 17, 26, 36, 46."

I tend to disagree with the Customer Service response for D'Addario strings, the ball ends just didn't match the colorful system D'Addario uses for their strings. The one's I swapped were all the brass ball ends. Doesn't matter though, I had already gone with the Gibson Les Paul 10's that are pure nickel wound and silk wrapped ball ends. When the local music store blows out those strings at $ 6.99 set because Gibson changes the packaging design look for the same set of strings, who am I to pass up on those strings as not good enough for my Epiphone for that clearance deal ?

As for the pickups GC indicated they were P90R & P90T, no delineation of Pro version like Epiphone ProBuckers for their Humbuckers. The P90 Pros or at least the Gibson P90's are Alnico based, mine are ceramic magnet P90's. Let's face it, a guitar that at the time I bought it was $ 129.99-159.99 depending upon the Holiday sale of the month for a discount isn't going to have Pro level Alnico magnets and other components for the pickups. Either way, I'm pleased with what the guitar came with out of the box just the same.

Anyway, this was what information I had to go on in Summer 2019. I've read these guitars have sold for $ 99.99 as new, even less on sale. Considering a Chinese Epiphone, these have to be the best value guitar, ever ? The only gripe I have is the tuners are sloppy & loose without strings in them, but once strung, they hold tune and don't slip any.

 

[BGood]

"The Epiphone Special I P-90 is a Guitar Center exclusive model which would have come with a standard set of D’Addario® 10, 13, 17, 26, 36, 46."

D'addario could well have produced a set to Epiphone' specs with different ball ends.

I doubt any Epiphone P90 has ceramic magnets, but if they do, then I love them.

 

[LP_SPC_1_P90]

I doubt any Epiphone P90 has ceramic magnets, but if they do, then I love them.

Turns out I was WRONG about the Epiphone pickups ! If this listing is correct the P90R & P90T are Alnico V. I'll take the Alnico V over the ceramic magnets.

 

[BGood]

Turns out I was WRONG about the Epiphone pickups ! If this listing is correct the P90R & P90T are Alnico V. I'll take the Alnico V over the ceramic magnets.

View attachment 20609

I had one of those SG '61 reissue in black. Man that was a tone monster. I just couldn't get along with its spaghetti thin neck. Too bad ...

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[soulman969]

I'm not even sure if Gibson has more than one P90. I know the Custom Shop calls their P90 a "Custom Soapbar P90" vs the USA line's ..."P-90" that's as vanilla as a name can get Interestingly enough, the pickup shop does not have a separate P90 under the historic collection, which leads me to believe it's likely the same. By extension, I would think the Epi lineup probably has been using the same stash (or at least supplier) of P90s since forever.

This was the answer I got when I inquired long ago about any difference between the ones in my 2008 Gold Top and the newer P90 Pros. IIRC the dcr of mine were very similar to the ones in Jean's 2012 LP Special 1. Less than 8k.

It interested me at that time since I'd just been comparing mine to my jam buddies Gibson version and what we both noticed most about the difference between the two guitars was how much grittier the pickups in his Gibson were.

I worked out well for both of us since I preferred the sweeter more clear tonality of mine vs the grittier tonality of his. We never measured the dcr of his but my guess would be somewhere in the 8.5k range or a bit higher. His also have a coil tap.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

This was the answer I got when I inquired long ago about any difference between the ones in my 2008 Gold Top and the newer P90 Pros. IIRC the dcr of mine were very similar to the ones in Jean's 2012 LP Special 1. Less than 8k.

It interested me at that time since I'd just been comparing mine to my jam buddies Gibson version and what we both noticed most about the difference between the two guitars was how much grittier the pickups in his Gibson were.

I worked out well for both of us since I preferred the sweeter more clear tonality of mine vs the grittier tonality of his. We never measured the dcr of his but my guess would be somewhere in the 8.5k range or a bit higher. His also have a coil tap.

I forgot to check mine, but what LP said is interesting:

As for the pickups GC indicated they were P90R & P90T, no delineation of Pro version like Epiphone ProBuckers for their Humbuckers.

Gibson P90s are not RWRP, so middle position doesn't give you the humbucking thing (unless you intentionally wire hot/ground in reverse). But I forgot that Epi does have separate neck/bridge P90s. So it does seem Epi has at least more than one variation!!!

 

[soulman969]

I forgot to check mine, but what LP said is interesting:

Gibson P90s are not RWRP, so middle position doesn't give you the humbucking thing (unless you intentionally wire hot/ground in reverse). But I forgot that Epi does have separate neck/bridge P90s. So it does seem Epi has at least more than one variation!!!

I was just going by what the CSR at Epi/Gibson told me but that doesn't mean it was correct or if it was 7 or 8 years ago that it still is correct.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

I was just going by what the CSR at Epi/Gibson told me but that doesn't mean it was correct or if it was 7 or 8 years ago that it still is correct.

If CSR was referring to Gibson USA, what they told you is correct - cause the not RWRP thing and there only being one P90 (irrespective of whether it's in a standard, classic or tribute) has been the case for the past 10-15 years. I'm also curious with what Gibson USA's pickup manufacturing numbers are like - because they make quite a few, to the point where it's 50/50 whether the date on the pickup sticker corresponds to the year of the guitar.

Epi - really not sure - but I'm learning from this thread that there's at least a few variations!! I didn't even know the Casinos have hotter ones too!!

A bit off topic - incidentally, I've emailed CSR with questions before - and they never replied. You'd think that they'd at least give their customers some prepared FAQ style response.... Good job Gibson USA (I still love their guitars though). Gibson Japan is a bit better and usually replies promptly - I suspect they get much fewer questions lol. In both cases, I did give them a serial number/ specific product code too!! I probably mentioned this elsewhere, in contrast, PRS always got back to me fairly quickly and in detail with tailored responses.

 

[soulman969]

Epi - really not sure - but I'm learning from this thread that there's at least a few variations!! I didn't even know the Casinos have hotter ones too!!

My question was specifically about those in my Epi. But then if there was no difference why tout the P90 Pro version as something new? If Epi wanted their P90 Pro to sound more like the Gibson it makes sense to me that they would wind a hotter version of their own P90.