How to get the best tone out of P-90 pickups

Gibson's new Mike Ness signature 1976 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop
(Image credit: Gibson)

P-90s are easy to modify. Changing the magnets and the pole screws can make a big difference; it’s a lot cheaper than buying new set of pickups and you don’t even need a soldering iron. Although stronger magnets produce higher output, it’s not all about power.

Each grade of Alnico has distinct qualities that contribute to the midrange voicing of a pickup. For instance, Alnico III has a similar midrange quality to low gauss Alnico V, but its tone is sweeter, softer and less aggressive. Alnico II can sound bright and clear, while Alnico IV may have a flat and fairly neutral frequency response.

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Huw Price

Huw started out in recording studios, working as a sound engineer and producer for David Bowie, Primal Scream, Ian Dury, Fad Gadget, My Bloody Valentine, Cardinal Black and many others. His book, Recording Guitar & Bass, was published in 2002 and a freelance career in journalism soon followed. He has written reviews, interviews, workshop and technical articles for Guitarist, Guitar Magazine, Guitar Player, Acoustic Magazine, Guitar Buyer and Music Tech. He has also contributed to several books, including The Tube Amp Book by Aspen Pittman. Huw builds and maintains guitars and amplifiers for clients, and specializes in vintage restoration. He provides consultancy services for equipment manufacturers and can, occasionally, be lured back into the studio.