Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s P-90 | Better than the Humbucker model?
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- Опубликовано: 17 мар 2020
- The Gibson Les Paul is a legend. The growling tone that comes from its PAF style humbucking pickups is known the world over from historic recordings of our favorite rock heroes. However, the original Gibson Les Paul that is often associated with the lustrous Gold Top finish was originally equipped with P-90 pickups. The PAF style humbuckers debuted later as a means of combating 60 cycle hum that P-90 and other single coil pickups, like those found on Fender guitars, are prone too. Despite the quieter operation of humbuckers there is something that gets lost in the change. P-90 pickups have a certain character to them that is simply magical and now that Gibson offers the Standard 50s Gold Top with both options the situation was primed for a comparison. Despite the fact that the humbucker model is more ubiquitous could the P-90 tone be better? Let's find out!
Demo Starts at 9:08
Here Comes the Gain! 14:17
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i had to turn my subwoofer down when cooper talked
Hahaha hilarious! Still laughing 5 minutes after reading :-D
Please back away from the mic
me too!
INSTAGRAAAAAAAM
I thought someone was banging on the wall next door.
Got the P90s last year. Preferred it over the humbuckers. Being a strat guy, I felt so out of element with the full on humbuckers. The twang of the P90s and the clarity they can bring when rolling back the volume really sold me. And who doesn’t like gold!
The same
I'm a strat guy too, and absolutely love Gibson p90s. All my Gibson's have p90s except one (I don't play that guitar,) although I'm buying a standard here soon with humbuckers, just so I have that option.
I own a LP Special with P-90s. Arguably the ultimate lead rock machine.
I have a couple Gibsons with humbuckings and they are excellent. But I too, am a Stratocaster player and have been since Christmas Day of 1963. So I am in complete agreement with you on the Paul with P90's ... You can play anything on those things! Perfect blend of fat and top end, all in one pickup!
Just ordered one myself! Already have several humbucker guitars so the P90’s fit the bill. Plus the vintage look is killer!
The only way to really hear a good comparison, you have got to play a short 10 second riff. Any longer, your tonal memory just doesn't give a good contrast.
Absolutely Agree
You are absolutely right sir.
Thanks guys!!
Brain needs more RAM
Absolutely
Best thing about P90s for me is the extra dynamic range over a humbucker, so much extra variation from pick attack
That's very true!
All the complaining about talking on the review, people don't appreciate the effort that you guys made... It was really interesting and cool hear you talk about the differences! Thanks, keep on rocking!
Much appreciated!
I agree I want history, just go to a channel for pure playing.
I agree
Once I discovered P90s, I never looked back. They're so great. I have learned to love the noise gate.
I have a hard time getting to sleep sometimes, can I hire Cooper to come over to my house and read me bedtime stories?
Thanks for a great job on the side by side comparison. You really highlighted the difference between the two pickups. I love both sounds. Mighty fine playing too!
This is the best explanation and video demo of this subject i have ever seen! Very informative and well done. Cool stuff here!!
I have a late 2019 batch P90s LP and it’s superb. Gibson 2019+ quality, really has stepped up. Great comparison 🤘
Well I just got a LP special 2020 but I made sure it had the humbuckers !! In fact I’d been waiting for a LP special that had humbuckers since mine was stolen in 2007!!!
I also snatched up a super cheap 2019 Gibson Les Paul special double cut T cherry model with 2 p90's yes it's great guitar but mine had the neck not flush with the rose wood fret board so I got it for $470 and just sanded it down flush and now it's all the way perfect !
@@burtonkephart6239
That is why I played a chinese Chibson on stage touring.
Great Comparison! I love the P-90's crunch that you can't replicate on humbuckers. I own both LP Modern Standard Humbucker and GoldTop P-90 you demonstrated. I appreciate both sounds for the right situations.
The thing is they both sound pretty excellent.
Skip to 9:20 if you want to hear the guitars
thank ya!!
🙌🙌🙌💪🏻
Thanks bro
Oh yes...sick of just hearing an OD pedal....start with clean tone in a guitar review!!
Thanks!
So very cool discussion and playing, Thankyou. Very interesting, informative and entertaining. Cheers
I have ALWAYS been a huge fan of the P90's! I just love the tone.
Great video Chris! Thanks.
One thought though..how many people think that good 'ol Chris should just GIVE poor Cooper that Gibson gold top with the P90's?? (I for one do..he burns it up!!) He plays everything GREAT, but he just likes this one so much..he should have one.
Come on Chris..he's young..I'm sure money's tight. (It was for most of us at his age..) so what ya say pal?? 😀
How many others think that Chris should just do a video where HE just gives poor Cooper that pretty gold top??
Thanks guys, as ALWAYS..great video!!😀😎
I've always loved P-90's I played them in a Les Paul double cutaway through a Marshall Bluesbreaker 1968 reissue. Great sound like he says in the video, just a lovely warm crunch to the distortion clean sounds bright and warm I never used pedals just the guitar and amp super simple.
I have P90s in 3 guitars. All Fenders. One in the bridge, of a Tele. one in the neck of an offset Tele, and P90s in both positions on a Mustang. They are all sonic playgrounds! Fun pickup. Nice playing. Great examples of what each is capable of.
I'm so glad to see people giving the p90 love. Personally, I think they are vastly superior to humbuckers and regular single coils. I had bought a set by accident and they ended up working in a mod guitar I was working on. I would never use a humbucker again.
And humbuckers never want you to use them again......
I can't ever get decent cleans out of p90s
@@valebliz that's a bummer. I've had some that suck- generally ceramic ones aren't my favorite. If you can find a set of alnico ones, you're in business. What kind are you using?
@@elonmust7470 No
P90s are so rare and proprietary but I get that they are a kind of middle ground and all
the sound comparison (starts ar 9:09) is very good, easy to understand the differences. Thanks for that.
P90 = THE BEST sound ever. Love them
I have P-90's in one of my Les Pauls, and it's my go-to guitar when I want to do a good classic metal/lo-fi sound. I love the clean tones, too.
I have a Custom Shop 56 and 59 reissue. Both are wonderful. Different not better. This is a great channel. Esp Chris Mckee- I always learn something!
I have a LP Humbucker and a SG, right now I’m buying a gold top P90 and I love all
I like the warmth of my 59RILP, and I have a strat when I'm looking for that edgy sound. I enjoyed the comparison, but I still think my next one is going to be a Tele, just looking for a different sound...lol. Thanks Alamo for putting in the time and effort in posting this review of the two pickups...
Man you playing that P90 in the middle position was so beautiful
Love them both . I have a original 59 with the p 90 s and I just got a brand new one with the humbuckers
great video guys.. i'm looking for a Les Paul and I'm happy I saw this - S
I played a PRS McCarty with P90's once... it was the best guitar I ever heard. I consider it the one that got away. It was expensive and I wasn't crazy about the color, but had I known they were rare, I would have overlooked that.
It’s crazy they don’t do more 594s with soap bars.
I always have a couple guitars in my collection that have P90's
I love them.
Got my '56 RI VOS with P90's - - Love it
I've played both vintage les Paul's with humbuckers but my all time favourite Gibson was my non reverse firebird tobacco burst with the cobalt pickups for rocking blues 👌
Great review guys from my own town SA Texas and from a great store you guys rocked it
Thank you
Dave
I have both and i always wanted the 56 Gold Top with P90s finally got one last year , very distinct sounds .. there is nothing like them, that is why i wanted one since the early 70's.Great for lead but is also cool is when your rocking doing power chord they arent all muddy .. its like even though your playing many strings at once you hear each one ... that is the best way i can describe it it make your strumming pick up so many things it never did before cause your hearing it so good and it makes you hit chords different way cause you get awesome different sounds each way you hit it..On the neck pickup its closer to humbucker sounds and that sweet fluid sound you get with humbucker.. i find height adjustment with P90's is important i tend to keep the low E side lower than the high E side .. its just better.. otherwise things get muddy .. and that is why we have tone knobs ... muddy > you cant get out .... but you can put in .. with tone adjustment .. Bottom line is you cant go wrong with either one and i have had probably 30 Les Pauls in the last 40 years .. now i just have 3 .. .. Sunburst and the 2 Gold Tops . i think the Holy Grail of Les Paul's is the Gold Deluxe with P90's . I still keep 8 Stratocasters which i love every one of them and a Custom Telecaster with P90's . Great Video men .. that was a cool comparison ..Thank you!
I have the Gibson Les Paul Special DC Tribute and it has the great Gibson P90's. Like you said here, my guitar has great sustain and an amazing tone. I like how mine has the maple neck with rosewood, giving it a slightly brighter sound than the mahogany necks. Perfect combo!
I think p90s are one of the best pickups out there. They're extremely versatile, more so than fender single coil or humbucker. I love fender single coils, and humbuckers, but man, p90s..love them. Great video guys!
I must admit there was at least on this clip, not a huge difference in the tonal difference between the 90s and the humbuckers this was being listened to through an HP laptop and Avid Mbox-3 and two KRK Rockit 5 monitors. It might just be the clip or my have lost higher frequencies than I thought. But based on this clip I would go for the std Humbucker purely for reduction of 50 - 60hz cycle hum. Both models looked great.
I own a 1977 tobacco burst std LP with an ebony fretboad which I love the sound of and I think has a slightly slimmer neck I assume is modeled more on a 60s neck rather that a 50s. apart from the weight (non-weight relief).
Thanks for the clip, it was interesting.
Excellent guys, the best comparison I've seen, I think you have to have both, I already have the custom LP, so after the video I go for the goltop p90 without thinking, thanks
Nice comparison video. Interesting descriptions and history. Great job covering various settings. Love the humbuckers, but, from this video, prefer the P90s.
Love them both. Gotta have two or even 3 of them, one with a bigsby!
Great review! I have the gold humbucker …. You are making me second guess myself…. Might have to add the p-90 to the collection. Great stuff guys!
First... Dude, that is some incredible playing! Second, I love P90's. I have quite a few guitars, I've had American Tele's, Epi Les Pauls, Gretsch's... and my main axe is now a Harley Benton Semi hollow T-style with P90's. Love the tone and versatility! Keep up the good work, guys!
I have one of those pop models, can confirm it's awesome!
I love both!!! Really just depends on what style you want to play!!
I really really appreciate y’all playing the exact same riffs. That way we can really focus the individual sounds/tones d not be distracted by differences in licks.
THANK YOU !!!
And for me, P90s !
P90s for sure. For me, the one to get has to be the Gibson Les Paul Special from the original collection as it comes with sweet P90s AND is considerably cheaper than the Standards!
I’ve been sold on P-90’s since I got a 2005 Melody Maker. So I got a 2006 DC Special. Oh my goodness they sound great!
I own a Classic Gold top 2019 60's and it is just amazing. My collection will be complete when I get the Gold top with P90s and 50's neck. Well, this is what I tell my wife.
I went with the humbuckers, ordered mine online so I wasn’t able to try out the p-90s. Golden either way
I couldn't decide so I bought both of them :)
solid comparison on tonal differences thank you
Cooper rocks out! So good👌. I dig those P90’s
Great vid Guys! Cooper can play!
My fav sound ever is from Neil Youngs Old Black which was a gold top originally. He has a Dearmond Humbucker (from a Guild) in the Bridge and an original p90 in the neck. To me that combo is the ultimate.
I want both of them!
OK, so I ordered my P90 LP Standard...now the wait. Thanks guys, this video had a significant impact on my decision. I already have a humbucker equipped LP, so looking forward to adding this new one to the collection.
How did it turn out for you
@@safetypatrol great, I love it. The neck took a minute to get used to, but it sounds great!
I have Both - Both are Great !!!
It is very Hard to Choose only One
The output difference was definitely noticeable. Overall I liked the P90s better in all cases. I was surprised that I liked them just a wee better than the buckers in lead pickup overdrive mode even. Maybe it's just me, but I also think that I can hear a difference between buckers and P90s in semi hollow guitars better than solid body guitars. Like an Epi Casino for instance...a P90 is THE pickup for that guitar in my opinion.
i have aa starcaster with p-90s and i agree about the semi hollow bringing out the sound
Nice tone video, and really nice technique.
Got that sg special with the p90’s I’m head over heels in love with her!
I have a black LP Standard and a LP Studio, nice guitars both and great for some (rockier) things, but my LP Junior - single cutaway, two-piece bridge, single P90 has SOUL. Never overbearing and with a gorgeous 'bounce'. Real responsiveness and lovely range of tone just using the volume and tone controls. Works nicely with a Boss solid state distortion pedal as pre-amp for my Marshall Bkusbreaker. Just love that P90.
Although I love P90's and have them I did find the lower output Alnico 2 Burstbucker humbuckers in the new Gibson Les Paul Standard 50's models to sound equally as good in this video. Thank goodness Gibson is finally listening.
Great review guys ! I got the P90 one. Awesome guitar. Very expressive. I wish I could have them both :-D The quality of the one I have is really amazing. One thing : the fretboard was dry as hell when I bought it. It's always the case with the new Gibson. I don't know the reason why.
It’s because Gibson dry them to the bone before installing to make sure there is no warpage in the material.
Great review as always. Thanks.
I’m mostly a country picker and go straight for a telecaster most of the time. But for slow bluesy stuff I LOVE a Gibson with classic PAF Humbuckers 👍🏻😎. Plug straight into a Fender Twin Reverb and they sound magical. Smooth and crystal clear
If i had to take a drink every time Cooper said "yeah" I'd have died.
Every amp and guitars have a sweet spot. So if you tune It right.
Both are fantastic guitars.
More air and aggression in the P90 I feel. Humbucker rounder jazzy/Blues character. But if I had it home, I could feel more of the sound colours. It,s a dream to get one of those to me.
I use a Epiphone Les Paul.
It sound fantastic also.
Welcome to listen on my cite.
P90 has something special that I’ve been missing all this time,,,
Both guitars sound great, but I did prefer the sound of the p90's on this model! 👍
My P90 Gibson is the best guitar I've ever owned. I too was guilty of under-appreciating P90's until I bought it.
So much better and more versatile than Humbuckers.
Great guitars ! I like both. The sounds of Music 🎵
Thanks for reminding me about how special the P90’s are. I have an 80’s Special that I haven’t played for awhile.
Would you sell me your Gibson Les Paul special ?
I'm serious about buying it !
My dad has one from the 1980's ,a Jr. But he NEVER plays it and still won't will sell it to me 😉 so I will be happy to buy yours !
@@auntjenifer7774 I’m sorry! It’s not for sale. It’s very special to me. My wife that has since passed away bought this guitar for me. Thanks for your interest.
I had a very old (don't know how old) SG hard tail with 2 P90s. It was a screaming rock and roll machine!! I love both Humbuckers a d P90s! But boy these old P90s are something else!!.
I love P-90’s. I have two guitars with them.
Really useful video - thanks guys. I’d love to see a video comparing the p90 gold top, p90 junior and tributes. Hopefully you will consider it! (Maybe even compare to epiphone equivalents
Excellent tasteful guitar playing.
Gotta love the P90's. I currently have 6 between 3 guitars but I've been thinking about pairing one with a bluesy mini hum
Good video. Very informative. I love P90s. I have three guitars with P90s.
I Love both sets for their own sounds,but when I get the money,I do want to buy a P90 model.Ive never owned one,but I do love the sound,and yes,I would like to see them offered in a burst,and would also like to see it offered in full colors,like the wine color they use for the studio model.
I have come to realize you have to have a both. I have played them back to back. It seems to me that P-90s have more definition. That's the only way I can describe it. I get a sense that humbuckers seem a bit muted or muddy in comparison ... only slightly. I cannot choose a favorite. I like them both and have both as well. I wanted to buy a gold top with P-90s. I had one rented and played with it for 3 weeks or more. Finally (reluctantly) returned it. I decided I would build one with P-90's. It was my first build and turned out far better than expected and cost a lot less. Still have it and I have built a 72 Telecaster Deluxe replica after that. Turned out even better. It has a traditional Fender single coil in bridge position and an extended range humbucker at the neck position. Just starting on a strat and have another Gibson style and another Tele in the works. Great video guys!! Thanks!
Good comparison video - the humbuckers seem to have a slightly more refined tone in most of the examples, but not overwhelmingly better than the P-90s. I would like to see the comparison extended to higher volumes with intentional feedback - my thinking is that one of the drawbacks of the P90 pickups could actually be a benefit with controlled feedback.
Gold top with P90s is my dream, humbuckers are for SGs
Tell Pete Townshend that
?
Northern thrifter I did, he agreed. Said he used the P90s cause his Sg standard was in the shop
I sold my desert-burst early 2000's LP w/ humbuckers for $2,300 and bought an Epi 1954 LP Deluxe w/ P-90's in candy apple red brand-new for something like $550 (can't remember exactly what I paid, but it wasn't much). Incredible guitar. As a side-note, I bought my first LP brand-new in '73 - cherry sunburst - and it had mini-humbuckers. Back then, I didn't even know there was a difference: when you were shopping for an LP it was either cherry or tobacco-sunburst, or else a black custom. I'm pretty much a single-coil/Fender guy, but fell in love with Sean Costello's tone; hence, the P-90 LP lust.
One thing about Les Pauls that everybody talked about in the '70s was that they had fantastic sustain. The sustain of a Les Paul is what made them great for lead work. Not many guitar reviewers on RUclips these days ever mention the seemingly endless sustain of this guitar. P-90's just make the Les Paul an even meaner rock 'n' roll machine.
Irrelevant now as pedals can do the same thing.
@@user-tz8tz8bm6p Only a Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul. No pedal will substitute.
@@vampolascott36 If you ever get a chance to go into a pro-studio, the sound engineer will prove you wrong on this one.
Just got my Gibson LesPaul Goldtop(Lefty)humbuckers* goin on 2 weeks and I can honestly say what an amazing guitar great feel on the neck and the tone is beast Gibson got it right on the spot.. man just got to have the Goldtop P90s now lefty of course but can’t wait for a Lefty Goldtop P90s to come out .
Have you heard of the exchanger? You can change your guitar to different settings including humbuckers and p90s and a bunch more. Whatch the video on RUclips so you can hear the difference
P90s do it for me, just more clarity with the neck pup especially. Thanks for the A/B.
I dig you guys. Keep on keeping on
Thanks! We dig you to!
The P90 is a single coil, but the size of that bobbin and magnet makes them very powerful single coils, very sweet, creamy tone, I love them
i just got the P90 Les Paul Standard Gold Top today and it is fucking amazing. Plays like butter and sounds so sweet. I’ve got my 1997 LP Standard with humbuckers too so I’m set. I had the TV yellow LP Special with P90’s for a year but sold it and got the Standard Gold Top. I just couldn’t bond with the Special, the feel and playability just kept me wanting, but it did sound amazing no doubt. The Standard blows it outta the water for sure though. If you can afford it, get the Standard and bypass the Special.
Great playing... Chapeau!!!
The difference between the Single Coil Soapbars and the Humbuckers is not as big as I expected. Both pickups sound great. My two cents .... ;--)
After over 30 years of playing humbuckers, I finally saw the light a couple years ago when I threw a set of P-90s in my stage axe PRS. The change in tone was astounding. Now I would never buy a humbucker equipped guitar again, though there's still always room for a Tele.
I think you are stupid.
I think a bit overexaturated coz there are some nice humbuckers (especially some sweet mini humbuckers that fit in p90 routed guitars ;) ) but i get it ... I also just recently got hit by the p90 love thing :D and yeah i love the sound ... I just got a "PRS Inspired" guitar with P90s but yeah i also really love the Combination. Kinda sad that i started to play my cheapo p90 guitar more than my expensive humbucker Gibson SG (although i still love that baby for its neck ;) )
That could be because humbuckers themselves have a lot of variety and some are tonally weak but humbuckers are staple to rock music and always have been and even were essential to its development and rise not P90s. My main complaint with P90s is their proprietary side and big bulky shape ! Couldn’t Gibson have made them more attractive or standard looking !
@@burtonkephart6239 no coz the shape kinda makes the tone .... reason why P94 (or "humbucker sized p90s") come close to p90 sound mut most not 100% ... its about the dimensions . And i actually kinda like how they look .... I even would say if you talking bout looks only...i find a Mini humbucker fitted in a p90 cover prettier than a regular humbucker in a standard monting ring. but maybe thats just me. if you want better looking regular p90s though, you could make your own covers from some preatty wood ... i think that could look amazing...
and to the "Rock music staple" .... yeah ... Like The Beatles (they often used p90s) ... or The doors .. (also p90s) ... The Who (often p90s ) maybe we look at latin rock... Carlos santana on woodstock (p90 equipped SG) ... ok maybe we look more into the heavy direction ... what about early Black Sabbath ( P90 SG ) ... ... Something more modern? ... Green Day (often a p90 les paul junior ). And even though he is not really "rock" ... Bob Marley also used p90s
i dont want to say that youre wrong about Humbuckers beeing a staple of rock music... BUT p90s are too ...
Those P90's sound amazing! I don't know if this makes sense but to me they sound like the musical equivalent of a creamsicle. A sharp tangy taste on the outside with a smooth creamy center. And as always, it's a joy to hear Cooper play. I love to listen to Chris play in all the acoustic videos too.
Hello there
Are there any noise problem with p90s?
Makes complete sense
This comment makes me believe you’re an obese American.
Said I was like at a trade on a prs custom 24 and mibbee a les Paul p90 . Tried em both, and the lp p90 blew the prs out of the water. Thanks for the demo guy's, I'll be keeping this one .
Looking! Bloody spell check! 😂
P-90 best sounding pickups there is.
Nah, I'll have to go with a humbucker
Nah
Just received an early Fathers Day gift: L P Gold Top W/P90’s. IT’s EVERYTHING it’s cracked up to be y’all; and then some! Gibson hit a home run with this one.
It seems everyone is getting on the P90 bandwagon these days and I am very happy about that. They are my favorite and have been for many years. Yes they sound great clean, but add some dirt and they have a rawness about them that I really love. Some of my favorite albums and guitarist used them. Santana, Tom Scholz, Neil Young, to name a few.
For a third pickup choice, there is the mini-Humbucker equipped Deluxe Les Paul - reissued in March 2021 in either Cherry or Goldtop.
Yes, I would seriously consider a P90 Les Paul for my stash! It's like Jim Beam and Jack Daniels , gotta have both.😊
or Blanton's ????
I have the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s P-90. and I LOVE the P-90's.
Hello there 😊
Is there a noise problem with p90s?
@@dimitrisaivaliotis5616 Not that I notice, no.
I wish I could get a 60's neck profile with P90's and a Goldtop. That would be perfect.
My current favourite guitar is a Mike Lipe Soldato with Jerry Amalfitano P90'S. Just beautiful.
I am the proud owner of a PRS Custom 22 soapbox. I absolutely love the sound these pick ups produce and the sustain is beyond anything I have ever heard. Thanks for this video. Both sounded good to me...but love my P90s.
Daniel Seven - Soapbox?
Soapbox is another word for p90
Because they resemble a bar of soap
It’s ‘soap-bar’.
I honestly was expecting more of a tone difference between the 2 guitars. The P-90s really are a sound of their own. Impressive tone on both LPs:)
I have the Standard 50s with the HBs and really it sounds just like the p90s like in this video. Really no tonal differences really at all. If there is it's so slight that nobody would notice.
It's not so much about change in tone but more in the feeling !
I love the way p90's kinda feel more open and dynamic than humbuckers, but there are some really dynamic sounding and feeling PAF style humbuckers that get the P90 feel and tone, those are the humbuckers that I love !!!!
P-90's for me anyday! I learned to play on a '68 reissue Gold-Top w/ P-90's. Sweet! I currently own a Silvertone Les Paul and I'm switching the crappy stock PU's (they suck BAD) for Humbucker-sized P-90's in a few days.
Si you marked to play on what now has become one of Gibsons most collectable guitars? Lucky you. I have player å lot one an early one with the crown inlay. Fantastic guitar.