How Does a P90 Work?
The P90 is a popular and versatile pickup designed by Seymour Duncan, a renowned guitar pickup manufacturer. It’s known for its unique tone and versatility, making it a favorite among many guitarists. In this article, we’ll dive into the details of how a P90 works, exploring its design, construction, and tonal characteristics.
Design and Construction
The P90 is a single-coil pickup, but it’s designed to resemble a humbucker in terms of its construction. It has a magnetically shielded cover, which helps to reduce hum and noise. The pickup consists of a magnet wrapped in wire, which is then wound around a bobbin. The bobbin is made of a non-magnetic material, such as plastic or fiber, to prevent interference with the magnetic field.
How the P90 Produces Sound
When a string is plucked, the vibration creates a magnetic field that induces an electrical current in the pickup. The current is then amplified by the guitar’s electronics and sent to the amplifier.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
- Magnetic Field: The magnet in the P90 creates a magnetic field that interacts with the vibrating string.
- Induction: The vibrating string induces an electrical current in the pickup coil.
- Amplification: The current is amplified by the guitar’s electronics, including the tone and volume controls.
- Output: The amplified signal is sent to the amplifier and speaker.
Tonal Characteristics
The P90 is known for its unique tonal characteristics, which are often described as:
- Bright and articulate: The P90 has a bright, snappy tone that’s perfect for clean and crunchy rhythms.
- Warm and rich: The pickup’s midrange frequencies add warmth and depth to the tone, making it suitable for blues and rock music.
- High-end clarity: The P90’s treble response is clear and articulate, making it ideal for lead playing and solos.
P90 Variations
Seymour Duncan offers several variations of the P90, each with its own unique characteristics:
- P90R: The P90R is a reverse-wound version of the P90, designed to reduce hum and noise.
- P90SH: The P90SH is a staggered version of the P90, with different coil configurations for each string.
- P90-1: The P90-1 is a single-coil version of the P90, with a single coil instead of a stacked coil configuration.
Comparison to Other Pickups
The P90 is often compared to other popular pickups, such as:
- Humbuckers: Humbuckers are designed to reduce hum and noise, but they can sound thicker and less articulate than the P90.
- Single-coils: Single-coils are more prone to hum and noise, but they can produce a brighter, more articulate tone.
- Stacked coils: Stacked coils, like the P90SH, can produce a wider range of tonal options, but they can also be more prone to hum and noise.
Conclusion
The P90 is a versatile and unique pickup that offers a range of tonal options. Its design and construction make it suitable for a variety of musical styles, from clean and crunchy rhythms to warm and rich leads. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced guitarist, the P90 is definitely worth considering for your next guitar upgrade.
P90 Specifications
Here are some key specifications for the P90:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnet | Alnico 2 |
| Wire | 42 AWG |
| Bobbin | Non-magnetic plastic |
| Resistance | 7.5kΩ |
| Inductance | 4.5H |
| Tone | Bright and articulate, warm and rich |
| Output | 300mV |
P90 Wiring Diagram
Here’s a simple wiring diagram for a P90:
+-----------------------+
| Guitar |
| (bridge) (neck) |
+-----------------------+
|
|
v
+-----------------------+
| P90 (bridge) |
| (output) |
+-----------------------+
|
|
v
+-----------------------+
| P90 (neck) |
| (output) |
+-----------------------+
|
|
v
+-----------------------+
| Volume Control |
| (output) |
+-----------------------+
|
|
v
+-----------------------+
| Tone Control |
| (output) |
+-----------------------+Note: This is a simplified wiring diagram and may not be suitable for all guitars. Consult a professional guitar technician for custom wiring solutions.
