[SOLVED!] Tele With P90s

Considering the popularity of P90 pickups, it’s only natural that the topic of Tele with P90s attracts a lot of attention from guitarists. You have a hard time locating a Telecaster that comes with P90? Then it’s highly likely that you would find this article helpful. Down below is a list of Telecaster models that go well with P90 pickups as well as descriptions of their characteristics.

Top Telecaster Models For P90s

Fender Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe

Introduced at an affordable price, Fender Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe is capable of providing a great experience thanks to the design. If you use this guitar and its P90, you could produce a wide range of tones ranging from acoustic to electric at your leisure. Besides that, aspects like materials, shapes and control layouts also make the Fender Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe a great choice, especially if you run low on budget. 

Fender Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline

This guitar’s sound is quite similar to the Fender Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe as they all have a semi-hollow body. That being said, differences exist: Fender Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline carries an ash body and it uses Seymour Duncan P-90 pickups. All in all, Fender Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe gives a good account of itself. This guitar cost more than the guitar previously mentioned though so you should take budget into account. 

Fender 2017 Limited Edition Malaysian Blackwood Telecaster

Being a limited edition that incorporates blackwood top, this guitar is much more expensive than the two models mentioned above. Moreover, the complex Fender 2017 Limited Edition Malaysian Blackwood Telecaster’s neck design and controls means that it cannot be bought at whim. For the pickups, the manufacturer gives this model a JP-90, an excellent option for high-quality sound. 

Adding P90s To A Telecaster: Guidelines

If you still insist on installing the P90 to Fender Telecaster, it is strongly recommended to do that to a HH Player Telecaster which packs a dual humbucker configuration. All you have to do is replace the existing pickups with the Seymour Duncan SPH90 P90. In the case that your Telecaster has a traditional pickup configuration containing two single coils, you must cut and mod the body so the P90 could fit. 

On the other hand, for the Thinline Telecaster, you should get the model which has already had the P90s installed. 

What Genres Suit The P90s The Most? 

P90 pickups are quite versatile in tones so they can perform different music types with relative ease. Still, three genres stand out from the rest: blues, country and rock. It’s important to point out that you should not use P90 pickups while playing metal unless you want to get some humming. 

Are P90s Superior To Humbuckers? 

The answer is probably yes since the P90 pickups are capable of covering higher and lower ends. Particularly, the Humbuckers cannot deliver as much audio spectrum as P90s. In addition, the tones produced by Humbuckers are not as clean and precise as that of P90 pickups.

What Are The Other Guitars That Have The P90 Pickups? 

Some of the famous guitars that either use or have an option to use the P90 pickups are the Gibson SG, Gibson Les Paul, Ernie Ball Axis series and the Epiphone Casino. Regarding the Fender brand, it also has some series having the P90 pickups other than the Telecaster and they are the Stratocasters and Jazzmasters: The Noventa. 

Is It Possible To Combine The P90 Pickups With The Humbucker? 

Absolutely yes and that will be a great combination if you know what must be done. What you will get is a thick and warm sound, thus allowing great plays of rock. 

Which Pickup Did Jimmy Page Use In His Telecaster? 

Actually, Jimmy Page used a wide range of pickups throughout his career. Still, there is one standing out from the rest and that is the hand-wound ’58 single-coil pickups in the Fender Telecaster. 

Aside From Jimmy Page, Which Guitarist Also Uses The P90 Pickups? 

Here are some of the most notable guitarists that also use the P90 pickups: Carlos Santana, Pete Townsend from The Who, Johnny Thunders from The New York Dolls, Mick Jones from The Clash, Steve Jones from The Sex Pistols and so many more. 

How Far Should The P90 Pickups Be From The Strings? 

To get the best tone for your guitar, you should position the P90 pickups no further than 6 to 7mm away from the strings. 

Why Are P90 Pickups So Noisy? 

P90 pickups are equipped with a stronger pickup than the average Strat-style single coil. Consequently, a higher pickup produces higher gain and that results in higher noise. 

What Is The Meaning Of The P Letter In The P90 Pickup? 

The P90 pickups were introduced in 1946, right after World War II, by Gibson when he decided to resume the production of guitar at that time. The name of the P90 pickups refers to the part number designated by Gibson. 

Can P90 Pickups Outperform Single Coils? 

The P90 pickups’ output is higher than that of a traditional single-coil which leads to distinct sonic characteristics. On average, the sound gets more punch in exchange for fidelity, so the P90 pickups are not as bright as the single coils yet brighter than the Humbuckers. 

How Can I Get Rid Of The Pickup Humming? 

If you search for a simple solution, just use an equalizer to remove the irritating noise and frequencies. Alternatively, you can turn to the noise gate pedal which mutes the guitar when not using. 

Can P90 Pickups Prevent Humming? 

There is a model of the P90 pickups that contains a 100% hum-canceling feature. You can search for it on the internet under the name Fralin Pickups Hum-Canceling P90.