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Can a PAF Style Humbucker be replaced with a p-90, I imagine the humbucker route is wider then a P-90.... I guess I'm asking is a Humbucker bigger in size then a p-90... I imagine the p90 is taller (dogears).. But what about that cavity width? If anyone can let me know that would be great.
also, I know I could drop in a Phat Cat etc. , Still interested in a possible Vintage style p-90, even If I must cut away some wood. Just won't beable to add any. Thanks

IIRC the P90 is longer and narrower than a standard humbucker, but SD's dimension diagrams will tell you for sure. And you can probably install the P90's cousin, a mini humbucker, with only some bending of the mini's feet and no routing...

Yeah, you'll either have to route or use a humbucker sized p-90.

If you want a P-90 you should just replace your humbucker with a Duncan Phat Cat. It's a P-90 in a humbucker size...as you already noted. Fits perfectly and sounds great. Lew

from : localhost/what it's worth.


Originally Posted by BADFISHCan a PAF Style Humbucker be replaced with a p-90, I imagine the humbucker route is wider then a P-90.... I guess I'm asking is a Humbucker bigger in size then a p-90... I imagine the p90 is taller (dogears).. But what about that cavity width? If anyone can let me know that would be great.
also, I know I could drop in a Phat Cat etc. , Still interested in a possible Vintage style p-90, even If I must cut away some wood. Just won't beable to add any. Thanks

Well a P-90 doesn't fit in a humbucker cavity. I had a spare P-90 liying around and I thought I could use it in one of my humbucker equiped guitars. There's no way to fit it. It's just imposible. The only way would be removing some wood but that will ruin your guitar's resale value.

As did wanted that P-90 tone from one of my guitars I did ordered a Phat Cat set from Lew while I was in California this summer (Thanks Lew, great service!!)

I just installed them it two days ago and I already love the tone. Probably It isn't a standard P-90 tone since it has a alnico II mag and the nickel cover but it really has the feeling. High output, clearness, detailed, fat notes, warm tone, amazing overdrive... I just been playing blues this afternoon with a friend (he is a drummer) I loved the tone. Still I don't think they are a standard P-90 tone but I really doesn't matter.

Still you may not want to use the Phat Cats but there are other P-90 sized humbuckers on the market. I encourage you to try any of them before you route your guitar.

EDIT: There is certain concern about ussing alnico II on P-90's as alnico V shoud be the right magnet. On Dan Elerwine's book:quot;Guitar Repair Guidequot; he states that Gibson's Ramp;D exec Tim Shaw told him that all P-90's made before 1968 where made of alnico II. If this were true the famous P-90 tone from many vintage recordings probably came from alnicoII P-90's.

I've changed the humbukers of my Epi SG-400 for P-90s and I have had very good results. Now it's fitted with a Gibson P-90 in the neck and a Duncan Custon (neck) in the bridge.

With a good louthier's help the job was easy. Now I have something that ressemble that old 60's SGs, well fitted for the psychodelic and punk blues that I use to play.

But I would think twice about the mod if my guitar was a Gibson SG 1969.

Well, the following article gave me some directions and inspiration for the mod:

from : localhost/www.everythingsg.com/howto/p90conv/1.html

Gibson makes a P-90 in a Humbucker size. And it is a P-90. I'm playing a Gibson LP-DC w/P-90's pretty much on the regular at the moment. I dig the tone, but they have there drawbacks also, 60-cycle hum, neck and bridge are the same output [same pick-up] so at times it almost seems as if the neckpup is a tad louder. But at the moment I'm seduced by them, Guitars are like women, sometimes the feeling fades, but when it doesn't.....you got a KEEPER!

I had assumed all this time that the Phat Cat had Alnico 5's -- well that explains the volume disparity with my bridge pu.

I will now try out new magnets -- Alnico 4 for the neck side of the screws and Alnico 3 for the bridge side.