DiMarzio virtual vintage P-90's!

[hardheartedbill]

I know we've got a lot of P-90 lovers here, myself included , killer tone but sometimes the 60 cycle hum can really be a pain in the butt on gigs, enter, the DiMarzio virtual P-90, a fantastic dead quiet P-90 tone! I'm running one in the neck along w/ the DP164 DLX bucker in the bridge, this is a kickin combo that anyone looking for a little more juice on the bridge w/ a really vintage tone at the neck while humcancelling should check out. Plus, they are frickin cheap!

[Stike]

Not to totally derail this(it is related )but for those who want a quiet P90 in a humbucker size the Fralin P92 is killer. Thanks for the heads up on the Virtual Bill.

[Brooks]

is that a hum sized p-90? gotta pic?

[hardheartedbill]

[Stike]

is that a hum sized p-90? gotta pic?

Yup.

[hardheartedbill]

oh your asking Stikey LOL , those fralins look cool, kinda like the G&L split coils in a humbucker housing

[Brooks]

so the dimarzio is p90 sized and the fralin isn't?

[hardheartedbill]

so the dimarzio is p90 sized and the fralin isn't?

yes, the Dimarzio is soapbar sized and the Fralin is a full size humbucker

[Disturber]

is that a hum sized p-90? gotta pic?

Yup.

Can someone give a tone report for

these P90's in humbucker format.

Fralins vs. Phat Cats what is the difference in tone?

[Monacosis]

Hey Bill,

Are you using the DiMs in your McInturff? I just put some Lollars into the Mon III; love the sound, but the hum gets annoying. Some clubs are no problem; others are a nightmare.

Is anyone aware of an external "fix" for the problem. I realize that single coils will always hum, but can a good voltage reg. or conditioner take care of the worst of it?

mike

[hardheartedbill]

yep, in the Taurus, I'm just sick of the damn hum, these things sound great and are dead quiet

[Stike]

Can someone give a tone report for

these P90's in humbucker format.

Fralins vs. Phat Cats what is the difference in tone?

I've never played with Phat Cats so I can't really give a good comparison. Those Fralin's sound dang good though, lotsa presence but not overly bright. They can growl purty good too.

[marcus2]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for this post.

I've been thinking about swapping the Duncan P-90s out of my Korina artist and this is really tempting.

Tell me if you'd recommend a pair of the virtual P-90s in that guitar, or if you'd stick with the DLX bucker in the bridge and virtual P-90 at the neck.

Thanks in advance.

Marc

[HamerHokie]

Can someone give a tone report for

these P90's in humbucker format.

Fralins vs. Phat Cats what is the difference in tone?

I've never played with Phat Cats so I can't really give a good comparison. Those Fralin's sound dang good though, lotsa presence but not overly bright. They can growl purty good too.

Give us a tone profile estimate, then.

Do they go

Wuh (bassy)

Waaaaah (midrangy)

or

Weeeeee? (twangy)

[Stike]

Give us a tone profile estimate, then.

Do they go

Wuh (bassy)

Waaaaah (midrangy)

or

Weeeeee? (twangy)

Wuh Waaaah Weeeeeee!!!!!!!

Seriouslly though they don't seem to favor one frequency over another, they're pretty even and clear but not harsh like a Strat bridge. Brightly fat? The guitar has 25 1/2" scale, bolt on, maple neck, RW board, w/ a maple topped mahogany body so it's kinda split between Fullerton and Kalamazoo. I've only had a small amount of time to check 'em out at home and that's been with an old Flextone 2. I'll get plenty of crank time at band practice this weekend through a 5150/old Marshall 4X12, maybe a Speedster 20 watter and a evidently a new Carr prototype of some sort (our other guitarist works there) so I'll have a better description next week. I'll get to A/B 'em with my TV Tron loaded Hamer Sunburst, lower output with a nice midrange grind.

[tombo]

HHB, nice choice on the pickups. I'd even go so far as to say replace the bridge with another Virtual P-90, ymmv. I had the V P-90's for a bit too and was concerned about the look (two rows of screws) when I saw them.....but the SOUND was fantastic. These are the real deal without the noise.

Personally, I can recommend the Virtual PAF too. That was probably the best humbucker I ever had. I guess they make a Virtual PAF Hot now too. These would be a great pickup for those of you considering replacing your Duncans in two humbucker Hamers. All the tone, plus you get this sort of "air" feeling tone (can't describe it in words) with these buckers. I REALLY like these pickups!! Also recommended are the Virtual Tele pickups.

NOT RECOMMENDED: Virtual Vintage for strat. Yes, the noise is gone, but so is the tone. How DiMarzio hit home runs for all the other Virtual series and not the strats is beyond me. Then again, I guess Scott Henderson likes the VV 2.2's for strat when noise is a problem. Go figure....

**edited for spelling

[AdmiralB]

NOT RECOMMENDED: Virtual Vintage for strat.

Which versions did you try? I don't think the first generation hit the mark, but the VirtuAL2s and the 2.1/2.2 nail it, IMO.

[tombo]

Admiral,

I'm sure I had at least one VV Blues, but can't remember the others (I had two others for the middle & neck positions after: the Cruiser - see below).

The ABSOLUTE WORST DiMarzio I had was a couple of "Cruisers" for the middle & neck positions on a G&L Legacy (strat type). Sterile & no bell-like tone. Yuck.

[HamerHokie]

Give us a tone profile estimate, then.

Do they go

Wuh  (bassy)

Waaaaah (midrangy)

or

Weeeeee? (twangy)

Wuh Waaaah Weeeeeee!!!!!!!

Seriouslly though they don't seem to favor one frequency over another, they're pretty even and clear but not harsh like a Strat bridge. Brightly fat? The guitar has 25 1/2" scale, bolt on, maple neck, RW board, w/ a maple topped mahogany body so it's kinda split between Fullerton and Kalamazoo. I've only had a small amount of time to check 'em out at home and that's been with an old Flextone 2. I'll get plenty of crank time at band practice this weekend through a 5150/old Marshall 4X12, maybe a Speedster 20 watter and a evidently a new Carr prototype of some sort (our other guitarist works there) so I'll have a better description next week. I'll get to A/B 'em with my TV Tron loaded Hamer Sunburst, lower output with a nice midrange grind.

Will they do the overwind on that model? Their overwound profile seems to be more what I'm after - peaky midrange, less treble.