Hypothetical P90 Question

RiftAmps

Let’s say for arguments sake that I’m a numpty and would like the neck P90 in my guitar to sound exactly like the bridge, so there’s no discernible difference between the two when I switch between them. Is that possible? Is it just a case of fitting an overly bright unit in the neck or am I oversimplifying things? Are there any downsides that I should be aware of?

There’s a reason that I ask this but it’s not that exciting really and just want to understand the science behind it all.

Ta.

OilCityPickups

Due to the harmonic content of the bit of string your pickup is reading you will never get neck and bridge to sound exactly alike .... however.
A slight overwind on the bridge helps balance the volumes, and using different alnico grades between neck and bridge can also help even bass and treble response. To special order I do alnico 3 neck and alnico 4 bridge which shaves some bass off the neck (kills some string pull for more even sustain too) and gives the bridge a more even and less scooped response than say alnico 5.

WezV

RiftAmps said:

Let’s say for arguments sake that I’m a numpty and would like the neck P90 in my guitar to sound exactly like the bridge, so there’s no discernible difference between the two when I switch between them. Is that possible? Is it just a case of fitting an overly bright unit in the neck or am I oversimplifying things? Are there any downsides that I should be aware of?

There’s a reason that I ask this but it’s not that exciting really and just want to understand the science behind it all.

Ta.

Yeah.  Disconnect the neck and wire it so the  bridge is permanently on.  

RiftAmps

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Due to the harmonic content of the bit of string your pickup is reading you will never get neck and bridge to sound exactly alike .... however.
A slight overwind on the bridge helps balance the volumes, and using different alnico grades between neck and bridge can also help even bass and treble response. To special order I do alnico 3 neck and alnico 4 bridge which shaves some bass off the neck (kills some string pull for more even sustain too) and gives the bridge a more even and less scooped response than say alnico 5.

Ok, let’s say the guitar in question doesn’t have a bridge pickup at all but just a single neck unit that’s too dark, muddy and indistict. To make the guitar useable live it’ll need a pickup with the brightness and clarity of a bridge unit yet must sit in the neck pocket. 

What would you wind?

OilCityPickups

A difficult job ... but I'd start with a mild under-wind and alnico 3 magnets ... the down side is that the resulting pickup will be somewhat under powered. More fiddling can be done with a 'brighter' winding wire ... like Polysol. I've done this sort of thing for single pickup jazz guitars before now.

Funkfingers

RiftAmps said:

Ok, let’s say the guitar in question doesn’t have a bridge pickup at all but just a single neck unit that’s too dark, muddy and indistict. To make the guitar useable live, it’ll need a pickup with the brightness and clarity of a bridge unit yet must sit in the neck pocket.

Obvious first question: Have you tried bar magnet swaps in the current pickup?

Does the hypothetical replacement pickup need to be a P90, merely look like a P90 or could you live with anything so long as it fits neatly into the existing pickup cavity?

The obvious candidate for a bright-sounding P90-sized pickup is a Gibson "staple" Alnico single coil. 

Firebird and mini humbucker pickups should fit the cavity but would require a mounting surround to hide the gap around their edges. 

Whether any of my suggestions is appropriate depends on the guitar into which you propose to install the hypothetical pickup. For instance, on a deep, fully hollow body guitar with a wooden bridge and big flatwound strings, the amplified sound is always likely to sound pretty mellow. 

mr-mac

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Due to the harmonic content of the bit of string your pickup is reading you will never get neck and bridge to sound exactly alike .... however.
A slight overwind on the bridge helps balance the volumes, and using different alnico grades between neck and bridge can also help even bass and treble response. To special order I do alnico 3 neck and alnico 4 bridge which shaves some bass off the neck (kills some string pull for more even sustain too) and gives the bridge a more even and less scooped response than say alnico 5.

Funny that... I got some underwound paf copies and started with a3 in both... Switched to a2 and about to go back to A3 in neck and a4 in bridge to give them a more balanced freq response and slightly better volume match.

Your post makes me think I am on right track

OilCityPickups

mr-mac said:

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Due to the harmonic content of the bit of string your pickup is reading you will never get neck and bridge to sound exactly alike .... however.
A slight overwind on the bridge helps balance the volumes, and using different alnico grades between neck and bridge can also help even bass and treble response. To special order I do alnico 3 neck and alnico 4 bridge which shaves some bass off the neck (kills some string pull for more even sustain too) and gives the bridge a more even and less scooped response than say alnico 5.

Funny that... I got some underwound paf copies and started with a3 in both... Switched to a2 and about to go back to A3 in neck and a4 in bridge to give them a more balanced freq response and slightly better volume match.

Your post makes me think I am on right track

There's a reason why I do what I do for a living ;-)

mr-mac

TheGuitarWeasel said:

mr-mac said:

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Due to the harmonic content of the bit of string your pickup is reading you will never get neck and bridge to sound exactly alike .... however.
A slight overwind on the bridge helps balance the volumes, and using different alnico grades between neck and bridge can also help even bass and treble response. To special order I do alnico 3 neck and alnico 4 bridge which shaves some bass off the neck (kills some string pull for more even sustain too) and gives the bridge a more even and less scooped response than say alnico 5.

Funny that... I got some underwound paf copies and started with a3 in both... Switched to a2 and about to go back to A3 in neck and a4 in bridge to give them a more balanced freq response and slightly better volume match.

Your post makes me think I am on right track

There's a reason why I do what I do for a living ;-)

Just happy it looks as if I was on right track with my own thinking.  Got the alnico 4 and old 3 ready to go in