Hamer P90s?

[Michael_B]

The Monaco Elite P90, the Monaco III, Feynman90's N90 are all spec'd as having Seymour Duncan P-90s. SD makes several varieties of P-90 pickup. Which SD P-90 models are used in the Hamer's P-90 guitars?

There are also the Phat-Cats and the Double-Ds.

How do they all compare?

[Feynman]

My Newport 90 (that has a nice ring to it) has an SP90-3 in the bridge, and the SP90-2 in the neck. On SD's website, these are both listed as pretty hot pickups. I think this is a common stock config in many Hamer models.

This is the first Hamer I've had that actually came with the stock P90s. I'm not very picky about tone overall, and I had read people's complaints about the SDs being too hot, assuming it wouldn't bother me ("I can just turn down the volume," etc.) Well, it bothers me - I have lowered the pickups, backed off the knobs, adjusted everything I can think of, and there is a 'grit' that I simply can't dial out. I like cleans to be ultra-shimmery-clean, and these pickups don't seem to be able to do it.

I've now had regular Lollars (M3 - Disturber - glorious sounding guitar), Harmonic Design VP90 (M3 - Django49 - glorious sounding guitar), and two Phat Cat Newports (lovely versatile sounds). I liked all of those very much. The SP90-2 and -3, not so much. I tried out a Talladega Amateur once and didn't care for it at all, but that was rather limited exposure so I have no thoughts worth anything on the Double Ds.

Bear in mind that I tend to live on the neck pickup and avoid distortion except in small doses. I like either a dark, smooth jazzy sound or a bright spanky delay'ed rockabilly sort of thing.

I tried a lot of guitars in the pointless quest for the sounds I hear in my head, and I ended up becoming a P90 LOVER, and I include Phat Cats in there too.

FWIW, when I listen to veatch's tasty P90 comparison demo, I almost always find myself liking the Gibsons the best.

I have a couple of Kinmans inbound, so they are up next.

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Edited to add that you should know that I'm one of the least competent guitarists here, and I play at low volumes at home only. My opinions mean right about zero, but I share them anyway.

[Caddie]

Murkat. Murkat to the white courtesy phone. Customer needs tone assistance.

[Michael_B]

If you decide to sell those SP90-2/-3, let me know.

...oh, Feynman90, you may be happy to know that your HFC guitarist ranking is almost certainly higher for my being here.

[Armitage]

I've always heard such good things about the Lollars and have wanted to try a set of their stacked P-90s (P-100?).

[django49]

In various Hamers I have/had, Lollar, Wolfetone, (as mentioned above) the HDs, and Gibson Custom Shop were all better (to me) than the stock SDs. Love the Phat Cats too. Haussell P-90s are also nice, but not quite as easy to find.

FWIW, I do have a pair of SD Antiquities in an Epiphone archtop and they make for a nice rockabilly sound, almost like an older ES-175.