Problem with '60 P90s

[Bluefinger]

Hi,

I have a '60 ES-330 which sounded fantastic but the pickups have extreme differences in output from string to string. It's more than I am able to compensate by adjusting the pole pieces. The other problem is that the magnetic field is extremely narrow. If i bend a string and it is not exactly over a pole piece, the volume dops dramatically. I ended up replacing the pickups with SD Antiquities which are fine but I'd like to use the original ones. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Could weak magnets cause this? Any ideas?

thanks!!!

[Bill M]

Yep

[David Schwab]

Must be the magnets. Try recharging them.

I had a 60s ES-330TD with chrome dogears and a Bigsby. That was a great sounding guitar.

I really like the 60s wind P-90s, especially for neck pickups.

[Bluefinger]

Thanks!

I'll have them recharged. In a week or two I should have them back. Hope they will perform better.

[Spence]

I would suggest that as is often the case with old P90s, either the magnets have slipped away from each other as they are essentially always repelling each other, or more likely, they have been put in so that they attract each other. Pickups are things that people can't resist fiddling with!

[Bluefinger]

I have already checked polarity and position but that was ok. Unfortunately I don't have anything to recharge them with so I sent them to a pickup winder to get this done. I hope this will do the trick.

[Steve A.]

I have already checked polarity and position but that was ok. Unfortunately I don't have anything to recharge them with so I sent them to a pickup winder to get this done. I hope this will do the trick.

Late to the party... again! I would have recommended ordering some magnets from StewMac or another source. I use humbucker magnets even though the P-90 magnets are supposed to be a little bit longer. I have quite a collection of magnets- A2, A3, A5 and ceramic- but I mostly use A2's because one of the winders here was overstocked and sold me 50 at a very reasonable price. I used to always replace my stock pickups with aftermarket ones, but I've had really good luck putting the A2 magnets in my Epiphone and PRS SE guitars. I think a stock of HB magnets is a good investment for almost anyone serious about playing guitar.

Not to belabor the point but as Spence pointed out the magnets have like polarities facing each other which causes the screws and keeper to acquire a very strong magnetism of the opposite polarity. IMO that is very important in the sound of a P-90: there are two full-sized magnets and all or most of their magnetic energy is concentrated on the pole pieces (and keeper when used.) The flux patterns from a P-90 are quite different from humbuckers or strat single coil pickups.

Steve Ahola

[Bluefinger]

Late to the party... again! I would have recommended ordering some magnets from StewMac or another source.

The magnets were in good condition, they just got weaker. No need to replace them. I had them recharged meanwhile and now the pickups are back to full working order.

I think a stock of HB magnets is a good investment for almost anyone serious about playing guitar.

Well, in my 25 years of being a working musician I never had to replace a single magnet. I guess I would take that stock of magnets to my grave I try not to tinker too much with my guitars ... it keeps me from actually playing them

[copperheadroads]

I'd try recharging them

[Steve A.]

Well, in my 25 years of being a working musician I never had to replace a single magnet. I guess I would take that stock of magnets to my grave I try not to tinker too much with my guitars ... it keeps me from actually playing them

Yes, magnets rarely go bad but I will often replace an Alnico 5 magnet with Alnico 2 or Alnico 3 to get a smoother and more musical sound (at least to my ears.) In the past whenever I would add another guitar to my damned collection I would usually spend $150 to $250 to put in pickups more to my liking. (I'd buy a guitar if I liked the neck and the resonance of the body, and never paid much attention to the pickups since I could always replace them.) I'd guess that I have saved at least $500 or $600 so far and have been very pleased with the results.

If there is someone locally who can recharge your magnets, go for it! I was thinking of the shop and shipping charges you'd have to pay if you had to send magnets to a pickup maker for recharging. Heck, if I knew you needed magnets I would have mailed you a pair of Alnico 2's for free. (I was going to say "no charge" but then that wouldn't be much help. )

At least for me having a sound I really like inspires me to play a lot more. Most of the pickups on new $400-800 guitars are too harsh for me- they hurt my ears! If I turn down the tone control too much then I lose the ambience. I guess being OCD has something to do with my never-ending quest for the perfect sound...

I know that a lot of people are using those super powerful NIB magnets to charge and recharge alnico; it seems like a good trick to learn. I believe that you can also use the charging rig to degauss magnets to get more of a vintage sound. Here is an article about one rig for charging magnets:

PickupRechargingViceRig1P1

Steve Ahola