P90 magnet question

[tonedeciple]

Will a humbucker magnet fit into a dogear P90 without modification? I've searched this forum for an answer, but can't find one. I plan to wind one for an LPJR knock-off I'm building for my son. Also, should I use an alnico 5 with AWG 42 wire to get that twangy sound or ??

[Spence]

Humbucker magnets and P90 magnets are the same magnets however, you will need two off them for a P90.

[soundmasterg]

P90's aren't usually considered twangy....that would be a Tele bridge pickup though........

Greg

[Chadheckler1]

P90's aren't usually considered twangy....that would be a Tele bridge pickup though........

Greg

You could use individaul magnets like a strat/tele style into the P90 bobbin to increase your clarity and possible "Twang" if you wanted to still use the p90 platform.

[tonedeciple]

Humbucker magnets and P90 magnets are the same magnets however, you will need two off them for a P90.

What sides of the magnets normally face the keeper bar? North or south. I know that some people mix this up, but I'm looking to recreate the Billy Joe Armstrong/Green Day sound, which, while heavily distorted, has an unmistakable twang to it. I also know he has a signature gibson out, but I want to make the original P90 design and not the so called humbucking H90.

[Dave Kerr]

If you plan on playing in the northern hemisphere, go with south toward the keeper. Aussies reported better results with north facing in.

[tonedeciple]

If you plan on playing in the northern hemisphere, go with south toward the keeper. Aussies reported better results with north facing in.

Does this take into account increased sun spot activity?

[Earl Norton]

Only if you use an unshielded speaker cable between the guitar and amp...picks up more radio stations.

[tonedeciple]

But seriously, I've heard of guys installing both mags in a P90 with north facing the keeper and others with north facing the keeper on one side and south facing the keeper on the other. Is there a correct way?

[David Schwab]

But seriously, I've heard of guys installing both mags in a P90 with north facing the keeper and others with north facing the keeper on one side and south facing the keeper on the other. Is there a correct way?

Both magnets must have the same pole facing the keeper, i.e., both North.

The pickup wont work very well the other way.

The reason is that when both magnets have North facing the keeper, the other ends of the magnets form the return path to the screw poles.

If you stick the keeper between a North and South, the return path is between the two "open" ends of the magnets, and not to the poles, since the poles are neither North nor South. So very little flux will "flow" up the poles.

[tonedeciple]

Both magnets must have the same pole facing the keeper, i.e., both North.

Thanks, David. I just finished a set of humbuckers based on info from this forum and I was quite please with how they turned out. Here's a sample.

[Spence]

The convention is south facing south as in Gibson P90s but there's nothing to stop you going with north facing north.
I agree that P90s can be twangy.

[Zhangliqun]

When I make sets, I make the bridge south facing in and the neck north facing in for hum-cancelling when both pu's are on. But I think south-in is the traditional way as Spence says...

[PAF-Boy]

Yeah Zang,
me also, it makes the neckpickup clearer and the bridge pickup sounds warmer to my ears and no hum wehn together.......
For overwound bridge pickups north up the poles can bring back some treble for bridge position pup ,too.

[LtKojak]

If you plan on playing in the northern hemisphere, go with south toward the keeper. Aussies reported better results with north facing in.

I'd really like to see some hard data sustaining this... it sounds like BS to me, but I'm willing to stand corrected if that's the case.

Anybody...?