Rich_S Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 It's been almost three months since I started this thread and I'm still thinking about the P90 goldtop on the right: Yes, I know it's cheapie... but I'm all about the cheapies. My #1 is battered MIM Tele and my HB guitar is a Hamer Slammer Series sunburst. There's no way I'm going to afford a USA Hamer until the kids are all out of college, so let's not even go there. (I'm looking at you, Gene.) So, what specifically is this cute goldtop? XT somethig or other? What's it's reputation and worth? I've played it and it sounds nice unplugged, holds tuning well, actions good, etc. I'm seriously thinking about buying it because I "need" a P90 guitar, and this one gives me the warm fuzzies. While we're on the subject, let's get existential for a minute. What is this need I feel for a P90 guitar? I think everybody should have one, but I can't name any of my influences who played one. My "thang" is all about Andy Summers (Teles and Strats), James Honeyman-Scott (mostly HB LPs, Hamers, Zemantis), Elliot Easton (LPs, Deans, or Teles). I just don't see where the P90 love is coming from, based on the guys I dig. Although... I have to admit noticing Jared Scharff's awesome tones on SNL evey week, and he's usually rocking a Fano with P90s.
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 1) There's no way I'm going to afford a USA Hamer until the kids are all out of college, so let's not even go there. (I'm looking at you, Gene.)You never know. I've been there, and now I have several USAs. Okay, okay, but you still never know. Finding a sub-$350 USA Hamer is still possible. I have one. And if you wheel/deal on guitars and build up a little profit, you might end up with the $500 necessary to get a much wider range of USA Hamers.2) I never understood the urge for a P-90 guitar, but I'm starting to get there. The point is to have single-coil twang with double-coil depth (clean) or rasp (distorted). Best of both worlds.I really believe that humbuckers are great for consistency, but single coils seem to allow much more individuality...changes in pick attack or pick angle or pick material or even how your fingers fret the guitar differently show up more on single coils than double coils.So P-90s, being single-coil in construction, may well allow more of your individuality to come through.Dunno. It's a theory.
sixesandsevens Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 For starters, it looks like a SATP90: http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=1823 Looks like they sell on eBay for $379 as NOS. Why do you want it? I'll guess it's two things: 1. A ton of people on the web talk up P90s as the greatest pickups ever. 2. Many guitarists haven't owned a guitar with them (this only adds to the mystique). In my experience, mix those two with an ample helping of daydreaming and you can quickly get "desire". For what it's worth, Nathan's theory is consistent with my experience. My P90 interest came from - of all the weird places - a Line6 Variax 300. After playing with all the models in that thing, one that caught my ear the most was the P90 LP goldtop. It still rocked as hard as a humbucker, but had a lot more "character" to it. That said, I've found that "in the wild", P90s on guitars are all over the map... Unscientifically, I'd say at least as much as humbuckers or regular singles. I loved one Epiphone that I played with a bolt on neck and a P90, but most of the USA Gibson's I've played left me flat. This is consistent with a lot of the claims that they're very sensitive to the player and the guitar they call home. Also, don't overlook the cheapies. Another guitar that's often recommended in that sub $500 price range is the USA-made Peavey Firenza. It's dual P90, mahogany body, but a bolt on maple neck and a 25" scale instead. I think they normally sell near $300 used. I'll also second Nathan's comments that you might not be as far away from a USA Hamer as you think. It may take some wheeling and dealing, but two of mine were under $600 shipped and both are well worth every penny I paid.
cmatthes Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 I've seen a few USA Goldtops w/P-90s sell for well under $1k in the last year.
cynic Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 As a lifelong Saints fan who was caught up in the frenzy of their 2009 season, I bought this. I'd never had a P90 guitar or thought I needed one, and only bought this one to hang in my office. I plugged it in the day it arrived just to make sure everything was working, and found I was really digging the sound. It's a cheap Schecter Diamond Series guitar with Duncan Designed P90s, but plays and sounds as good as instruments 2-3x the price. Like you, none of my main influences were P90 players, but it turns out I prefer them.
Toadroller Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Yep, that's an SATP90, very likely Chinese made. I've got one. Well made. Thick neck. Great neck, too. Light. Here it is before I replaced the P90s with GFS P90s, a great improvement. Oh, and I've got a Peavey Firenza as sixesandsevens recommends. Yep, great guitar you can find every now and then for $300. Skinnier neck, 25" scale too, if I recall correctly. Yes, you want a P90. They have a raw growl to them when pushed, and a full tone when clean. Just plain fun.
Feynman Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 My general impression is that with P-90s, you get "all the tone." They just seem to deliver every possible ounce of the signal, including the noise (assuming guitar signal is measured in ounces). It just seems like you get everything.I really dislike noisy pickups (I have doglike hearing, and pickup whine drives me batty), but they seem to be worth dealing with it. I tend to prefer single coils in general though for what it's worth..I have heard good things about the Kinman P-90s for eliminating the noise, but if you need three of those, you could almost buy another guitar for the price. Maybe someday...Your P90 love is totally reasonable to have, at least here in the Enabler Forum.I am far from a rocker, so my love is based purely on the magical sparkly clean sounds. I hear they make beautiful dirt too though.
cloakerz Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 if you take my old 1993 archtop gt w/p90's and plug it into a classic 30 and crank it up, you understand the whole need for p90's.
veatch Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 I am sad to say I am down to two P90 equipped guitars. I need to fix that soon. Everyone needs at least two.
tomteriffic Posted October 29, 2013 Posted October 29, 2013 if you take my old 1993 archtop gt w/p90's and plug it into a classic 30 and crank it up, you understand the whole need for p90's.This... Exactly, precisely this. I do this on a regular basis. A P-90 Special or Vanguard will also enlighten you (but not quite the way a 93 Goldtop will). And if it's a Teefused Classic 30, so much the better.
Bobby Marshall Posted October 29, 2013 Posted October 29, 2013 Did you see that usa Monaco elite p90 gt on cl?
gorch Posted October 29, 2013 Posted October 29, 2013 P90s are the most versatile pickups it seems. They reach from clean acoustic guitar like sounds to nice rock n roll. P90s are very articulate what makes it seem they pick up any piece of noise too. I love them.
HSB0531 Posted October 29, 2013 Posted October 29, 2013 Speaking of P90's...Was it Lollar or Fralin, that most here preferred?
BTMN Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Since I'm not sure if you mean me, or you have a kid named Gene, I will fuel your "need", P90s RAWK!! Want some real G.A.S.? 2005 Korean Dean Z with P90s inspired by a Hamer Standard with P90s.....
BTMN Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Duncan fan here. The P90s in my Z came from a 1996 Hamer USA Goldtop.
Rich_S Posted October 30, 2013 Author Posted October 30, 2013 Ha. Yeah, I meant you. Last time I mentioned this guitar, you posted a link to a $1200 USA version on eBay. You're a bad influence.
veatch Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Speaking of P90's...Was it Lollar or Fralin, that most here preferred?The ones I tried were a near tie. I think I liked the Lollar bridge a little better and the Fralin neck a little better.
Pieman Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Another option --- Reverend had a 2 p90 gold top model (MIK) that is probably in your price range, but I don't see one on ebay right now. I got one from Johnny Thurnders in a trade/cash deal once. Guitar Player did a review too. Well made. Didn't quite like the p90s so we parted ways. I since bought a Gibson Townshend SG and, after about 4-5 p90 guitras, that does it for me.Somebody is blowing out the Hamer model for 349 on ebay.http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-HAMER-SUNBURST-ARCHTOP-GOLD-TOP-P-90-SATFP90-GT-/400443414701?pt=Guitar&hash=item5d3c4998ad
Jakeboy Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Oh, P90s bring the dirt alright...snotty snarl that rocks hard. A lot of album tones we love were actually recorded with P90s....great chime when clean too.+1 on the USA Peavey Firenza. I had one and it was a VERY good guitar. I only sold it to fund another Hamer....you can buy the Firenza P90s direct from Peavey for only $42.Right now I am rocking a Hamer Special Korina JR with a Rumpel P90 in the bridge....actually I am only looking at it as I severely dislocated my fret hand middle finger last week and cannot play....But I digress, if you can stand the noise, P90s are a wonderful thing! Raw with lots of character, as someone said earlier in the thread.
Rich_S Posted October 30, 2013 Author Posted October 30, 2013 I'm going to be in the vicinity of this store tomorrow, and will stop in for a closer look. How does one tell the origin of these guitars? I don't remember an obvious "Made in ..." sticker on it.
BlueRedWhite Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Speaking of P90's...Was it Lollar or Fralin, that most here preferred?My golden Duotone has Fralins, i like em a lot.i found them not as dirty as my Special's, but they are great anyway
tbonesullivan Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 You can find used Hamer USA P90 specials for $400 and under if you look around. I rescued a minty one from guitar center for a little over $500.
sixesandsevens Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 Since I'm not sure if you mean me, or you have a kid named Gene, I will fuel your "need", P90s RAWK!! Want some real G.A.S.? 2005 Korean Dean Z with P90s inspired by a Hamer Standard with P90s..... That's hot Gene. The chickenhead knobs are a nice touch. Speaking of P90's... Was it Lollar or Fralin, that most here preferred? Lollars get most of the praise on the HFC, but for folks that find them too polite, they really find them too polite. Speaking of P90's... Was it Lollar or Fralin, that most here preferred? The ones I tried were a near tie. I think I liked the Lollar bridge a little better and the Fralin neck a little better. Veatch is being modest about his experience in this arena: Behold P90 Cork Sniffing! Great stuff there Veatch. Thank you for sharing that. You can find used Hamer USA P90 specials for $400 and under if you look around. I rescued a minty one from guitar center for a little over $500. This definitely isn't as easy as it (purportedly) used to be. $500+, definitely. Under $500 takes some patience and/or some luck. That said, it's probably worth the wait as long as the skinnier '93 era neck doesn't put you off.
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