96 Standard pickup swap question

[SavageGuitars 1]

I bought a 96 Standard Exp and I’m not overly happy with the bridge pup. I was thinking of changing it to a P90 style to match it with the mahogany. The neck is great. I love P90’s with heavy mahogany on Les Paul’s. Any thoughts , change in value too much ?

[kizanski 15,181]

The value hit would be negligible as long as you save the originals. 

IMO, the best setup for that guitar is the Rio Grande GT/BBQ bucker combo.  

Mahoglorious. 

[Travis 4,132]

I had a 97 hog standard just like that years ago. Tried a few different pickups in there. It loved PAF style pickups and a Duncan Custom/Custom slayed in the bridge as well. 

Agreed that it won’t change the value if you keep the originals. 

Personally, if I were going to do a humbucker sized P90, I’d have @JGravelinwind one for me. I think that P90’s in a giant mahogany bod would kill and Josh’s P90’s have a stellar reputation. I’m going to have him wind me one soon. 

Edited January 14 by Travis

[Dave Scepter 3,083]

Hi, which pickup do you have and what you don't like about it?

[SavageGuitars 1]

It’s supposed to be a Duncan JB/ Jazz set. Neck sounds good by itself, both together if I dial the bridge way back it’s ok but by itself it is to thin and bright. I like growl and midrange 

[Travis 4,132]

Yeah, the jazz is a great neck pickup. Super articulate. Personally not my favorite as I prefer a bit more warmth, but it’s solid. Covers a ton of ground. The Duncan Full Shred reminds me of a Jazz on steroids. 

If I were to have my ‘97 hog standard back again, after all the pickup swaps I did in that thing, here’s what I would go with...

A2 hot PAF in the bridge and a humbucker sized P90 in the neck. I would have @JGravelinwind me that set personally. 

[cmatthes 20,214]

A '96 Standard would have been stock with a JB and a 59'er, not a Jazz (assuming original spec).

[Travis 4,132]

I’ve found that I “liked” the 59 in the neck but it was a bit “woofy”  for me. Josh rewound a 59 for me and put an A4 mag in it, kept all the clarity, lost the woofiness and ended up with a phenomenal neck pickup (smooth, clean and articulate but still pretty warm). If I was going to go with a humbucker, I’d have him do that for me again.  But I really like your idea of a P90 in that standard,..

[gorch 5,476]

Go and have a set P90s wound by @JGravelin. It would even increase the resale value over here.

I have P90 pickups in mine. It sounds wonderful.

Alternatively, choose @cmatthes’ recommendation. And go on from there, if you still don’t like it.

[Steve Haynie 12,172]

7 hours ago, gorch said:

It would even increase the resale value over here.

Are you sure about that?  We a known for being cheap around here. 

[SavageGuitars 1]

15 hours ago, cmatthes said:

A '96 Standard would have been stock with a JB and a 59'er, not a Jazz (assuming original spec).

I haven’t taken the pickups out and looked, I’m going by what I was told when I just bought it.

[gorch 5,476]

17 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

Are you sure about that?  We a known for being cheap around here. 

Sometimes it is better to stay quiet.