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Had my Tokai ES60 335 clone for a few weeks now, done a couple of gigs with it and found that the stock humbuckers aren't too bad, the neck one in particular. However, I'm used to the relatively brighter tones of my SG or Tele and the ES60 is a notably darker beast, which I think is due in part to the hollowbody, but mostly the pickups.

Always been keen on getting a P90'd guitar to cover the tonal ground between singlies and 'buckers - wondering if theres any of you blokes out there who've got 2c to share? I play in two bands - my main one is a gain-heavy punk-rock-metal affair but I'd probably be more swaying to using the Tokai with my country/folk band to which I think the P90 sound would go down nicely.

I definitely would want to replace the bridge pickup, which is a little weak on output, and would probably do the neck one as well to keep things matching.

Suggestions? SD Phat Cats?

From my experience, I'd highly recommend the Phat Cats. They do chimey clean and a great, harmonic-laden overdriven tone.
They're not a dead on P-90 clone but you're going to have a hard time finding that in HB size.
They are still some of my favourite pickups ever.

I've got a set of Bareknuckle Manhattans in my semi-hollow Robin you could try. I can't decide whether I want to keep them or replace them with low output humbuckers so if they float your boat you might be able to twist my arm into selling them.

Just yesterday had a hoon on a fellow forum member's Japanese Tokai LP Goldtop copy. Absolutely exquisite! Surprisingly the neck P90 was by far my fav - something I never experienced with my Aerodyne Tele neck P90 (too dark/boomy/hissy)... so, not sure what the pickups were on the Goldtop exactly, but they were ace.

Phat Cats, not really very authentic, but good.
Rio Grande - ace
DiMarzio Bluesbucker - hum cancelling, look like a humbucker, sound like a P90, best value - ace
Ash H90 - custom made to suit your wants - ace
BKP - several options, expensive - ace
Others - cheap.

ash wrote:Phat Cats, not really very authentic, but good.
Rio Grande - ace
DiMarzio Bluesbucker - hum cancelling, look like a humbucker, sound like a P90, best value - ace
Ash H90 - custom made to suit your wants - ace
BKP - several options, expensive - ace
Others - cheap.

I agree with the Phat Cats; don't really sound like a P90 but do sound good.
You've got me interested in the Bluesbucker actually. I'm not even sure why, as I own a 3xP90 guitar.

You should bring it along sometime to compare it to my 3xP90 guitar!

always wanted a P90 guitar. never liked the idea of putting humbucker sized P90s is a guitar thou. one day Ill get ash to make me a double cutaway LP style guitar with p90s....

malevolentsparkle wrote:always wanted a P90 guitar. never liked the idea of putting humbucker sized P90s is a guitar thou. one day Ill get ash to make me a double cutaway LP style guitar with p90s....

Funny you should say that.... there's one I prepared earlier in the cupboard and I made a pickup for it last week in preparation for one day getting it out of the cupboard

ash wrote:Funny you should say that.... there's one I prepared earlier in the cupboard and I made a pickup for it last week in preparation for one day getting it out of the cupboard

don't tell me that, I will want to buy it and I can't afford anything right now!

malevolentsparkle wrote: don't tell me that, I will want to buy it and I can't afford anything right now!

This statement pretty much sums up the whole forum...

Won't be finished for ages yet anyway....

besides, we are supposed to be talking about hummer sized P90s.

SC, you will want to choose very carefully to get the tone you describe. If it's too dark with a slightly weak sounding HB, a P90 might not get you where you want to go, especially one with a shiny cover. I would be leaning slightly towards the Bluesbucker. You can also flip it to make it brighter or darker.

ash wrote:DiMarzio Bluesbucker - hum cancelling, look like a humbucker, sound like a P90, best value - ace
Ash H90 - custom made to suit your wants - ace
.

Hmm. I guess what I am wanting is somthing that gets that kinda raunchy STP crunchy tone in the bridge and something that's not too dark in the neck.

slash-ed wrote:You should bring it along sometime to compare it to my 3xP90 guitar!

Cool, I'll bring mine and we can have 9 p90s in the same room.

I'm sure there's an HD500 setting to solve this whole conundrum