DIY P-90 alnico rod jazz staplemasters

[Toxophilite]

I have a Yamaha AE1200S that I refinished with the intention of putting P-90s or P-90s staples on (seymour duncans) My other idea was to get a set of inexpensive P-90s drill out the screw holes and insert tension fitted alnico 5 rods, ala strat or jazzmaster pickups. Generally I prefer a crisper sound and I was pretty sure standard P-90s were going to be a bit dark/mid focused for me.


Tried the 6k p-90s I had, sounded good, tried the rather pricey SD staple pickups, sounded really good too so. Certainly had the top end I was looking for.
Drilled out some $40 9k P-90s and put in alnico 5 rods which I then magnetised with opposite polarity. As one of the pickups was already wound in reverse to the other this made them hum cancelling when used together. Took off the old backplate and magnets, made a new ugly but functional strip back plate. I've since added a solid ground wire twisted around the poles on the bottom ala the SD staples.


These pickups sound very very good and pretty well identical to the SD staples, Because the rods fit tightly in the plastic holes of the bobbin I was able to adjust them to the stagger for the strings I use (wound G). Now I have a full sized solid spruce top archtop with lightweight and great sounding inexpensive staple pickups, Easy to do. I know there's several examples of this same concept available but they have unadjustable pole pieces and I thought I'd share how easy it is to make your own.

[jjasilli]

Creative!

[Ritchie200]

Too cool!  And that is some purdy wood grain on that guitar!

I do have a question?  Unless you are playing Cat Scratch Fever at massive volume, aren't these pups a little aggressive?  if I'm not mistaken, you are a Jazz kind of player?  I would expect you to go for a nice smooth humbucker?  I've never dabbled in the different versions of the P90, only whatever was on my LP Jr. years ago.  I just remember it being hotter than the DiMarzio Super Distortion that I had in a LP copy at the time.

Jim

[Toxophilite]

I'm not really a jazz player. I think of myself as pop player/songwriter but I have a band where I wrote some songs that were akin to old standards. I'm a  big Cole Porter Fan. That stuff was pop music in it's day. I actually am not too keen on the conventional muffled jazz sound nor do I really care for humbuckers too much, Just my taste.


These pickups are similar in output to the DeArmond Dynasonics in my 52 Gretsch Electro 2 except a bit crisper/articulate, like a strat pickup, but fatter.
I was curious about P-90s but found them a little dark for my taste, I might try this same thing with some 6K P90s I have. These are all cheaper ones. Gotoh, Tokai, PRS I think and a Korean one from a local guitar store (maybe artec?). The most expensive one was $40 , Another was $30, one was given to me and one came with the guitar as somebody had tried to configure it like an single neck pickup Wes Montgomery sort of thing.
Personally I'm not sure how intentional that original sound that everyone copied and made the 'jazz sound' was. I always thought it was a result of the amps and guitars, or maybe a desire to get a fatter sound for single note stuff taht could compete with horns etc.
Poor Man's L-5

[Tony Bones]

That's awesome! Much respect for the work.

TV Jones T'Armonds sound great. I have a set in a Tele and they sound amazing. I end up putting P-90s in just about everything, but I decided to try something different in the tele. The added clarity works well with the tele and its one piece maple neck.

Lollar or Fralin (probably both) will wind P-90s with alnico slug poles, but I really like your ingenuity.

[Toxophilite]

Thanks a lot.
I was trying the guitar out in rehearsal last night and I'm very pleased with it.

I know they're out there already but I maybe laid out $70 Can ($20 US..haha) for both of these including the magnets. I learned things and had fun doing it, like when I build an amp or anything really.
I like DeArmonds too. The T Armonds are copies of the vintage DeArmonds I have in my Electro 2. Cool sounding pickups indeed
Very clear.