6 Best P90 Pickups That Will Rock Your World

In the past 40 years of rock 'n' roll, we’ve come to learn that Seymour Duncan pretty much can do no wrong when making a pickup. You can find their pickups on Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, and many other top-tier guitars. In fact, David Gilmour’s 1952 Fender Esquire with Seymour Duncan pickups can be seen at the “Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains” exhibition in the V&A Museum in London.

The Phat Cat seems to honor the rich Seymour Duncan tradition. It uses Alnico II magnets, which give you improved sustain and a softer attack. They have a great tonal clarity, which doesn’t go away even when you push the overdrive. The tough metal cover provides more shielding and noise reduction, which contributes to an even cleaner, tame sound.

It’s almost impossible to talk about P90s without mentioning the original Gibson P90 pickup. Introduced in the late 40's, this pickup features the classic combination of clear sound and high output, which has been a favorite of many musicians through the years.

It’s fully waxed to avoid microphonic feedback, and uses the Alnico V magnet which gives it a fattier tone compared to Alnico II. However, this doesn’t mean it’s too fat to sound like a true P90. On the contrary – the Gibson P90 achieves the warm vintage P90 sound effortlessly.

This pickup is known for its fat mid-range. Unlike some other P90 pickups, Lindy Fralin is truly noiseless due to its reverse wound bridge which helps with hum canceling when both pickups are on. The sustain is solid, single notes thick, and the chords ring out with some compression, which makes for a clear sound.

The Lindy Fralin P90 is made to the historic vintage Gibson specifications, and utilizes Butyrate P90 Bobbins, USA-Made Alnico IV Bar Magnets, and 42-Gauge Plain Enamel Wire, for that authentic vintage tone.

Possibly the best thing about this pickup is that it’s available with Alnico IV magnets and steel poles. Alnico IV gives you a cleaner, sustained sound, while steel poles sound closer to the original P90 from the 50’s.

Unlike the Lindy Fralin, which is a top-tier product, the DiMarzio Bluesbucker is a more affordable pickup. However, don’t be mistaken – this pickup doesn’t sacrifice quality, and packs quite a few interesting features that enable you to get the most out of your sound.

It’s designed like a humbucker in terms of size and shape, but operates with single coils like a P90.

The unique design features two single coils, one of which is a “hot” coil, while the other one has a role mainly in noise cancellation. This means that changing the order gives you two different sounds – placing the “hot” coil closer to the neck results in a warm sound, while putting it closer to the bridge produces a brighter sound.

The Kent Armstrong P90 is different from all the other entries on this list in one major way – it features a double coil setup, rather than a single coil. This results in better hum canceling, while it has its downsides when it comes to the sound.

It has a lower output than many P90s, which results in a less bright sound and a darkened high end. However, its crunchy, hard sound makes it a great option if you play more aggressive styles like hard rock or metal. Like the DiMarzio P90, it’s not considered a top-tier product, which makes it quite affordable.

Seymour Duncan deserves another spot on this list with their modern twist on the vintage Gibson P90. Fitted with Alnico V magnets (the same as the original Gibson P90), this pickup provides a muddier tone, while keeping the tonal character of a P90. It has a higher output than many single coils and the signature midrange grittiness that makes the P90s so easily distinguishable.

It has the traditional soap bar design, which means it can easily fit into the place of any classic P90 pickups. My favorite thing about the Seymour Duncan P90 is that it comes in matte black, which looks way sleeker than Gibson’s retro cream.