If your woman/man has got an issue with what you spend your own money on and you’re not behind on bills or don’t “need” anything then there is a bigger problem than your guitar’s pickups
@@supavizorbeats1280 I heard the differences but didn't think any pickup were bad. It's the same with woods. I can tell maple from mahogany by listening to an AB test, but both sound good. I take it you were joking, as was I about having lots of tone woods.
I guess its nice but don't have that level of knowledge about the amps, cabinets and mics. It all means nothing to me...must be nice to be on that level.
Knowing about the signal chain? How is it any less important than knowing about the guitars themselves? If we're going to talk about humbuckers, min-humbuckers and P90s, why aren't we going to talk dynamic, condenser and ribbon mics? Or tube preamps and what's the difference? Count me as a vote for signal chain, for sure.
To my ears, the minis were easier to pick out as “more different” (louder and brighter) than the p90s vs humbuckers. I was expecting the humbuckers to sound more similar and the p90s to stand out. Very cool and very interesting. Thanks Rick!
I have been hearing anecdotal evidence of mini greatness for a long time. Now I too believe it. Hell all of the guitars sounded great but it's hard to explain how different two good guitars can sound and feel. My S1 American Standard has such a different feel than let's say than my 80s Fat Strat Peavey with the Kahler. But both are great. So hard to explain. The strat as a fatter neck and the finger board is rounded not flat, while the Peavey is totally flat and wide. The Strat trem is a standard floater, while the Peavey is a locker. Every great guitar brings something else to the party. The more the merrier!
Agreed, and although Firebird pups are structurally different from mini hummers, there's the same individualism about them too. Overall though, I have to admit to myself that the differences are not that significant really, and distortion muddies the distinctions anyway.
Wow, when you play them back to back, the differences (surprisingly) become even more subtle. In fact I dare say there's a much bigger difference going from bridge to neck on the same pickup than there is in switching between entirely different pickups in the same position.
@@mainsblanches8793 It's interesting watching this video and reading comments as a 15+ year p90 player. For me, the single most annoying thing about the p90 is its mid range, particularly lower-mids. Can't seem to get a good tone in the higher mids.
The mini humbucker stands out to me as having the distinct voice with clean tones. When driven, they all go to a creamy compression that's hard for me to differentiate. They just sound like a Gibson being ran hard, which is a good sound for sure.
Agreed. I found the P90s sounded almost a bit compressed, while the mini humbuckers had the heft of the humbuckers while sounding a bit brighter and more open.
I get that sound from my Tele with the wide range humbucker on the neck pickup and a mix of the two. Adjust the mix for the sound you want. The P90's are a sound of there own.
@@jvahausstudios1276 they've been amazing. I usually keep in on the neck, but I'll go to middle position and add about 25% bridge, and it's also... amazing. :) I really do love my LP deluxe. now00 I'm looking at putting a mini HB into a Strat that I've struggled to bond with! the minis handle dirt, OD, distortion, fuzz, MUCH better than my P90s, imo. it's harder for me to find major differences when played clean. the bridge mini is much brighter than my 490s, not always in a good way (that's why we need so many different guitars, right?!). the neck mini is so clean, and warm, and quiet (no p90 hum). it really depends on what type of music you're playing, but I've been extremely happy with them. that's just my experience.
Funny how I could clearly hear the differrence watching them play but the 2nd time around, using only the ears, the sounds were so close. I have to go with the P90s, too, fellas. Great comparison, best I've seen yet.
@@RickBeato its a thing ive seen other youtubers do which is helpful, although in this case i wanted to watch the full video. Of course youll have to do it after youve shot and edited the main section but youre doing that anyways from what i can tell.
@@RickBeato theres aldo a way to get this "parts"of the video marked and visible on the timebar so ppl can click on it. dont know exactly how but it dhould be easy.
Very surprised on how close they actually sounded - especially back to back. The mini HB had a very slight difference but the biggest surprise was how close the P90 and PAF sounded - almost identical.
Well that was the idea at the time, to make a quiet P90. I just got some really nice PAFs in the mail and waiting on another order with parts to make a coil split mid 50s low output PAF guitar. Should be cool.
Fidelity is lost via compression by youtube and whatever you are listening to this with...say your phone doesn't have the fidelity that a boss speaker set would
@@cromBumny Boss lol... you mean Bose? That's poser stuff I have ak 10k NAD stereo and I roughly agree though as a PAF aficionado I am familiar with their sound and don't see it as that sililar to P90s. Depends which PAF of course. They're all different. Original 50s are all over the place, Alnico 1-5 sometimes mixed, so which replica, SD59? Doesn't sound that PAF to me. Custombuckers? AC2? (the best)... I have a coil split on my best set of PAFs and it's a lovely sound but more Strat or Telecaster like than P90, P90 is fatter than a single coil of a humbucker or a Tele style single coil. Output is similar but again, which P90 against which PAF makes a huge difference. Some PAFs sound less alike than they do to single coils...and the originals are super varied. Some a bright and sting like Albert's Lucy and some are warm and mellow. Alnico 2 is my preference. As bright as a Tele on the bridge. And super microphonic. If they don't hiss and squeal they're not really replicas of PAFs. Mine are very lightly wax potted. Squeal is not too bad and it picks up someone coughing next to the guitar.
Yeah at the end with the back to back they were all the same pickup or so it sounded that way. In the video portion it sounded like the mnis had it followed by p90 the the paf.
It took me years to learn so discern the tonal differences of different types of guitars/pickups being used, although now I can usually hear it immediately, sometimes tonal variations are more difficult to discern though.
Great video!!! Love the P90s. The mini humbucker had a noticeable ring when played with the gain up. It’d be really cool to hear em in the context of a mix
Excellent! From a band and mixing stand point, I see why the p90 gets used. The bass roll off compared to the paf is pretty significant and would easily make room for the bass. Most excellent video.
Especially if you're Tony Iommi and have the bass on 0 and everything else on 10. And you do hear the bass well. Although they're also panned L/R and the bass guitar is louder than many bands which is something I like about Sabbath.
I have a 1960 Reissue gold top that has crappy pick-ups in it, and I've been looking to change them out. This video is helping me decide. The P-90's were hands-down my favorite here; no question. Didn't care for the minis. Thanks Rick and Rhett!
Phil McKnight did a Tele hot swap comparison recently on his channel and the mini-humbucker was clearly his and others' favorite in the neck position. I think this test underscores that. Minis aren't as crunchy overall, but have the richest sound in the neck spot.
I agree. In this vid, I think with distortion on the neck pickup, the mini humbuckers sounded better than the P90s. The P90s sounded kinda muddy to me.
Hey, Rick! Did you hear about Metallica's live concert being muted on Twitch because they got a copyright ding on themselves? Would love to hear your take on it.
I have to agree. And I'm trying real hard and honestly to not be biased as well. I love the little perk up feeling they have at the end of the video when they cut from sound to sound to sound. I bought a Tobacco Sunburst LP Deluxe in high-school... I love it's sound even more now than I did when I first bought it. I recall some pickups being more 'metal' sounding back then. And I occasionally thought 'maybe I should have...?' But now the min's just simply sing to me the way I want a pick-up to sing.
This is fantastic. When I hear that Les Paul crunch I'm instantly transported back to the smoky bars and clubs down here in Central FLA of my ill-spent youth.
Yeah, it was much more pronounced through the clean channel. I think I could hear a subtle difference with distortion, but it's barely noticeable even when played back to back. Of course just like with the video about adjusting the voltage, there are plenty of people with "trained ears" commenting there's a world of difference in every case.
The similarity between the PAFs and P90s was striking! The P90s had just a tad more "hair" and the PAFs a tad fuller tone on the bottom. The mini humbuckers were the mid-heaviest tone, they're probably a fine recording machine to cut through the mix!
Asking "Why do you have so many Les Paul's?" is implying there is a reasonable maximum. People have been burned at the stake for uttering lesser heresies...
Awesome video. I don’t know what it is, but for me personally that Deluxe just sings with the mini hums in it. Bright pickup in a warm guitar, it just feels so balanced to my ears
I like the signal chain part of your videos. It's important for people who don't get time in a studio like this to understand all the pieces/parts that impact a sound. Keep it up! :)
@@RickBeato Rick, I think you need a '54 RI Custom with the mahogany top and a Staple in the neck position. Just my $.02 Cents. Great review, thanks to both Rhet and Yourself.
If you grew up on classic rock, get PAFs. I waffled for a long time, but after trying multiple LPs, I only got the sounds of my childhood (which, admittedly, included a lot of Zeppelin) out of the PAFs. Eagles, Joe Walsh, Zeppelin, Bad Company, etc., I get all the sounds out of my PAFs. You can pretty much use tone/EQ (Boss GE-7 goes a long way) to get really close to any sound you're looking for, as long as it's not Strat or Tele, but I have true coil splits that get me close to those as well.
@@sundaynightdrunk I love PAFs. Super versatile, from clean to metal. I have the original Tim Shaws in my '87 Les Paul and they nail that vintage PAF tone. I'm really interested in a P-90 LP because I've never owned a P-90 equipped guitar, but the new LP standards under new management are very tempting. That said, they're all different. I've played $10,000+ vintage LPs that were dogs and cheaper new LPs that were amazing ymmv I guess
Rick, as an aspiring engineer, I love hearing about your signal chain. It's very instructional. Also, it gives me a chance to geek out over your awesome gear.
They all sound great, but the P90s are my favorite (atm anyway). That Hiwatt is a good "comparison" amp to use imo. Kinda sounds like a 60s version of a Roland amp. Nice.
I love the punch from the minis, especially when distorted, but that P90 bridge pickup is really big and round sounding and I feel like that stands out the most.
Great presentation Rick. Given that our listening devices can play a significant role in our perception of the tonal differences, I couldn't hear enough of a difference to justify buying three Les Paul's.
That red Deluxe just looks sooo good! I want one. Didn't hear much difference between the pups though (and I used to be a pickup geek). No-one would be able to tell any difference in a live setting or on a record.
I've seen a few others try to demo this comparison, and this video blows them all out of the water. Thank you Rick and Rhett, exceptional work as always!
I would have the minis on the neck, and P90s on the bridge. The minis really have that extra clarity on the neck that just pop almost like a tele neck pickup, and sound equally good clean and distorted. The P90s have the lower mid sound without the shrill at the high end, while still keeping distinguishable low end too, and fit perfectly on the bridge location. Btw I've recently become fascinated by mini humbuckers after researching them endlessly here on youtube and on forums, and I think they are really undiscovered gems. Paul Gilbert has recently switched to a custom designed mini on his new fireman, and they are not typical sounding minis, but still sound great. I think minis are the best option to emulate a single coil sound without risking to sound harsh like P90s. Obviously different pickups from different brands will have very different qualities, but I am seriously considering swapping out the neck humbucker on my Les Paul for some minis.
I hate SGs with P90s because for some reason, Gibson seems to push them way too high, the bridge pickup will always be a lot closer to the neck than SGs with humbuckers. I don't know why they do that. Les Paul's with P90s don't have this problem. It's weird that it's even a thing, tbh
I have a '71 Delux, my only electric for forty years (holy crap, I'm not that old. Bought it at age 15 for $200 at an organ shop in a mall in Savannah, GA). I've always kind of wished it was a standard. However, what I got out of this video is that the Delux doesn't sound worse at all. The "underrated" comment is spot on. I liked the sound of them all pretty much equally. So, I'm fine with my Delux. I do think the Delux gives you more clarity on the neck pickup, and when you play lead high up (not done here) it really shines giving you that clarity yet with a smoothness at the same time.
Oh man I listened to the comparison blind and then watched again, I picked the Mini Humbuckers every time. They sound absolutely killer with that upper shimmer they have that the humbuckers seem to loose and the p90s don't have enough depth for. I wanna slap a light phaser on them so bad, it'd sound sick.
The deluxe has a weird resonance happening, probably from the strings above the nut. P90 are a favorite of mine too. I wish they were less noisy but that's part of their character.
I got my first LP Std w/ HBs in 1971 because all of my guitar heroes played HBs. On 2nd listening, I think I shortchanged myself as I surprisingly like the Mini and the P90 .
Pete Townshend used the Deluxes after his fairly long stint with SG Specials with P-90’s. In my opinion The Who’s Golden Era coincided with the SG Specials, FWIW.
I liked the p 90 ‘s ! Kudos Rick ! You’ve really been providing some great content lately ! Really enjoyed the ‘Stairway ‘ video with different lead players . You really nailed the tone on the entire production ! Impressive !
Yesterday, I bought one of my "bucket-list" guitars: It is a 2023 Les Paul Gold-top 50s Model with cream-colored P-90''s. I immediately ordered parts in order to modify it to taste. These parts include a Nashville Tone Pros Aluminum Tuno-matic with brass saddles, Tone Pros 19:1 locking tuners with keystone pegs, and a light-weight aluminum stop-bar tailpiece, and Gibson gold Speed Knobs. I don't even want to hear it through the Satriani Marshall head, until the parts are installed and the action and string-height are tweaked.
Later, I might install "Bumble Bee" capacitors, because Orange-drop capacitors are a little too ""smoky" for my tastes. Rock on!, as Steve Marriot might say.
I have six Les Paul guitars in my house for the same reason, pickup and guitar list as follows. 71 deluxe, mini humbuckers. 77 custom, alnico humbuckers. 77 artisan, super seven. 79 pro deluxe, P90's. 92 classic, ceramics. 93 classic, Jim Wagner fillmores. The three that jangle and ring like a bell are the 71deluxe the artisan and the 92 classic. Not all vintage guitars are equal.
I'm listening to it through Grado headphones and I don't hear much difference. Maybe the mini-humbuckers are a little bit different but IMO you could do the job perfectly with just one Les Paul and nobody would notice the difference.
Mini Humbuckers are my favorite. I have a magic 78 Deluxe. Use both pickups - Turn the tone down to like 3- Turn the volume up to 10. The result thru my marshall is Warmth and incredible smooth Sustain.
Me either. My midrange hearing isn't what it used to be, but my ears are still pretty good. Blindfold me and I couldn't tell them apart. Perhaps if I were in the actual room I could, but in the context of a full band mix you're starting to split hairs.
The clean tones were identical. I could definitely hear the difference between the bridge and neck positions, but the pickups themselves didn’t change much at all.
“The place is really jumping to the HIWATT amps 'Til a twenty inch cymbal fell and cut the lamps In the blackout they danced right into the aisle And as the doors fly open even the promoter smiles Someone takes his pants off and the rafters knock Rock is dead they say Long live rock” Pete Townshend
Here's my feelings on best application: P90 bridge position for Rock Rhythm, P90 neck position for single note lead. PAF in neck position for Thick Rock Rhythm. Mini Humbuckers are like a thick Tele sound and work best in Rock with only a little dirt.
P90's are like that friend who is always telling people what a great person you are without having to exaggerate, whereas the mini's are like that friend who cranks all your exploits up to 11 and turns you into a legend. One tells the truth, the other tells what you wish was the truth. Both are great friends.
My pickups are like that friend who drinks too much at a bar talks crap to the wrong group of guys gets you into a fight talks crap to the cops gets you arrested and urinates in the back of the cop car. Man I love my wife!
The opening picking tune reminds me of the opening of “Cold Gin” evening though musically, it’s different. I enjoy watching the brief equipment declaration. It’s interesting to see how much equipment is involved in recording. I think I like the humbuckers best.
Gah! Does anyone else hear that subtle, super high frequency with the mini humbuckers (especially the bridge)? Would a hairband on the nut + tail help with that?
I agree with lots of folks here - when recorded the differences sound pretty minimal, though on the first of Rhett’s runs I thought I could more easily tell the extra treble from the mini-humbuckers, which I liked. Less so when back to back. I’m pretty sure the woods make even less of a difference when recorded
the biggest difference in sound to me was the p90s in neck position. i have Humbuckers in neck position of my Strat, it was too wonky... the adjustable poles were even closer to the neck, so i turned it around, almost buried the thing and really pulled out the poles closest to bridge...aahhhhhhh, i love it.
Go to a good music store and you can atleast play them! I live in the middle of nowhere and i sometimes drive an hour and half to play guitars i cant afford and drive another hour and half back. Lol
I used a ‘76 Les Paul Deluxe.. the mini humbucker got a bad wrap during the 70’ saying it was inferior to the PAF .. to be honest I liked the big pick up.. I don’t agree it sounds like a single coil, but it definitely brighter, I thought the others sounded muddy on rhythm.. I played most of my lead on the treble pick up I loved that biting tone, when I wanted a hard sound it never disappointed me.. I love my Deluxe.
"See, honey, THIS is why I need another one. Rick gets it."
I thought I was the only one
literally I told this to my Gf last night..... and she is like " uuuhuuummm" Rolling her eyes back
Said every guy that owns a guitar, ever!
If your woman/man has got an issue with what you spend your own money on and you’re not behind on bills or don’t “need” anything then there is a bigger problem than your guitar’s pickups
My wife told me she would divorce me if I bought another guitar. I’m sure going to miss that ole girl.
So, the point is that you need guitars with all three types of pickups. I'll let my wife know.
@@bisoromi2960 All three in both. Don't forget to have lots of tone woods in the body, neck and fingerboard.
I think you guys listening from your phone or from a cheap ass speakers.. cause these is a big difference boys. :D
@@supavizorbeats1280 I heard the differences but didn't think any pickup were bad. It's the same with woods. I can tell maple from mahogany by listening to an AB test, but both sound good. I take it you were joking, as was I about having lots of tone woods.
Did you survive?? I guess no reply would indicate that it went very badly......
Lmao...love it !!!!
PICKING
1:50 PAF Bridge
2:14 PAF Neck
2:40 P90 Bridge
3:03 P90 Neck
3:30 Mini Bridge
3:53 Mini Neck
HIGH GAIN CHORDS
4:23 PAF Bridge
4:46 PAF Neck
5:13 P90 Bridge
5:38 P90 Neck
6:05 Mini Bridge
6:28 Mini Neck
Wow the best rock tone for me is the P90 bridge 🤘🤘🤘
I'm a new P90 fan. Just bought my first guitar with P90's a few days ago. They are super bad ass !
im not a fan of p90 but accidentally owned a gibson classic with p90.. now im a huge fan of p90s.. but still humbuckers has a place in my heart..
The "mini-Humbuckers" sounded GREAT! Thanks Rick and Rhett!
I miss my early 70's Les Paul Deluxe with the minis.
I like knowing about the signal chain, personally.
I guess its nice but don't have that level of knowledge about the amps, cabinets and mics. It all means nothing to me...must be nice to be on that level.
Me too man and if it’s not your thing just fast forward to the playing....everyone wins
Me too. I get not everybody does though so maybe a timestamp to skip it would be the best for everyone.
Knowing about the signal chain? How is it any less important than knowing about the guitars themselves? If we're going to talk about humbuckers, min-humbuckers and P90s, why aren't we going to talk dynamic, condenser and ribbon mics? Or tube preamps and what's the difference? Count me as a vote for signal chain, for sure.
ALWAYSSSSSS
The answer to “why do you have so many Les Pauls?” is “Because I can!” 🤣🎸🤘
why does one have so many les pauls
because he has not heard of Kiesel or Skervesen
@@lashedandscorned Ha! Good point. Rick has a Kiesel as well. Their guitars are fantastic!
🤣🤣🤣
Same answer if it were late 60s Detroit steel or guns...
"...'Merica! That's why!"
To my ears, the minis were easier to pick out as “more different” (louder and brighter) than the p90s vs humbuckers. I was expecting the humbuckers to sound more similar and the p90s to stand out. Very cool and very interesting. Thanks Rick!
I have been hearing anecdotal evidence of mini greatness for a long time. Now I too believe it. Hell all of the guitars sounded great but it's hard to explain how different two good guitars can sound and feel. My S1 American Standard has such a different feel than let's say than my 80s Fat Strat Peavey with the Kahler. But both are great. So hard to explain. The strat as a fatter neck and the finger board is rounded not flat, while the Peavey is totally flat and wide. The Strat trem is a standard floater, while the Peavey is a locker. Every great guitar brings something else to the party. The more the merrier!
I agree, the biggest difference was the mini HBs, most apparent in the back to back comparison at the end.
Agreed, and although Firebird pups are structurally different from mini hummers, there's the same individualism about them too. Overall though, I have to admit to myself that the differences are not that significant really, and distortion muddies the distinctions anyway.
but to be fair those humbuckers sound horrible compared to others.
I think youre right but to me, that's not necessarily better. Just louder isn't always better. They didn't sound bad. Just a bit more sensitive.
Wow, when you play them back to back, the differences (surprisingly) become even more subtle. In fact I dare say there's a much bigger difference going from bridge to neck on the same pickup than there is in switching between entirely different pickups in the same position.
Subtle, but still there!!...P90 = cleaner, less annoying mids (unless you want that and need it for your song)!!...
@@mainsblanches8793 It's interesting watching this video and reading comments as a 15+ year p90 player. For me, the single most annoying thing about the p90 is its mid range, particularly lower-mids. Can't seem to get a good tone in the higher mids.
I know Rick said he plays his PAF Les Pauls with volume turned down to 5ish, so that may be secret.
That's how all these tone comparison videos go. It's even more unnoticeable than firearm suppressor comparisons.
The mini humbucker stands out to me as having the distinct voice with clean tones. When driven, they all go to a creamy compression that's hard for me to differentiate. They just sound like a Gibson being ran hard, which is a good sound for sure.
I LOVE the sound those P90s put out from that Goldtop, just amazing!
You just love gold, come on! lol
I surprised myself by actually liking the 73 mini humbuckers best. 12 minutes ago I wouldn't have believed that.
Agreed. I found the P90s sounded almost a bit compressed, while the mini humbuckers had the heft of the humbuckers while sounding a bit brighter and more open.
I actually preferred the mini humbuckers for almost everything
same, that hollow slightly overdriven lead tone you can get from the neck pup on an LP Deluxe, sublime
Same, which surprised me. Usually not a fan.
Same. I like being different.
I get that sound from my Tele with the wide range humbucker on the neck pickup and a mix of the two. Adjust the mix for the sound you want. The P90's are a sound of there own.
@@sapinva 🙄 or maybe some people just disagree with your highly subjective opinion
“Less Balls” at the beginning. God, I love RUclips auto-captions.
I'm surprised at how much I liked the mini humbuckers. The P-90's just sound awesome. I love them the more I hear them.
same! i already have les pauls w/ p90s and humbuckers, so i HAD to go buy a '78 deluxe w/ minis!!
@@seancollins3106 How's the mini HBs for you so far? Vs Pafs and p90s?
@@jvahausstudios1276 they've been amazing. I usually keep in on the neck, but I'll go to middle position and add about 25% bridge, and it's also... amazing. :) I really do love my LP deluxe. now00 I'm looking at putting a mini HB into a Strat that I've struggled to bond with!
the minis handle dirt, OD, distortion, fuzz, MUCH better than my P90s, imo. it's harder for me to find major differences when played clean.
the bridge mini is much brighter than my 490s, not always in a good way (that's why we need so many different guitars, right?!). the neck mini is so clean, and warm, and quiet (no p90 hum).
it really depends on what type of music you're playing, but I've been extremely happy with them. that's just my experience.
Funny how I could clearly hear the differrence watching them play but the 2nd time around, using only the ears, the sounds were so close. I have to go with the P90s, too, fellas. Great comparison, best I've seen yet.
Mini’s sound the most “hi-fi” because of that mid scoop. I use P-90s and Humbuckers. They all sound fantastic! We love the nerdy details, Rick!
Rick's multi-thousand-dollar signal chain ends up on my laptop speakers.
That red LP is beautiful! Never before seen one like it.
Beautiful.
Laughed out loud...
0:47 Rick, there's an easy solution for that. Just edit in "click to x time to skip to me playing" and everyone will be pleased.
Cool! Thanks!!
@@RickBeato its a thing ive seen other youtubers do which is helpful, although in this case i wanted to watch the full video. Of course youll have to do it after youve shot and edited the main section but youre doing that anyways from what i can tell.
I read that as "to skip me playing", and I was surprised that Rick liked given I thought it was a bit harsh
@@RickBeato theres aldo a way to get this "parts"of the video marked and visible on the timebar so ppl can click on it. dont know exactly how but it dhould be easy.
@@servethesongs ?? Why? Is harsh a word millennials use often?
Very surprised on how close they actually sounded - especially back to back. The mini HB had a very slight difference but the biggest surprise was how close the P90 and PAF sounded - almost identical.
Well that was the idea at the time, to make a quiet P90. I just got some really nice PAFs in the mail and waiting on another order with parts to make a coil split mid 50s low output PAF guitar. Should be cool.
Fidelity is lost via compression by youtube and whatever you are listening to this with...say your phone doesn't have the fidelity that a boss speaker set would
@@cromBumny Boss lol... you mean Bose? That's poser stuff I have ak 10k NAD stereo and I roughly agree though as a PAF aficionado I am familiar with their sound and don't see it as that sililar to P90s. Depends which PAF of course. They're all different. Original 50s are all over the place, Alnico 1-5 sometimes mixed, so which replica, SD59? Doesn't sound that PAF to me. Custombuckers? AC2? (the best)... I have a coil split on my best set of PAFs and it's a lovely sound but more Strat or Telecaster like than P90, P90 is fatter than a single coil of a humbucker or a Tele style single coil. Output is similar but again, which P90 against which PAF makes a huge difference. Some PAFs sound less alike than they do to single coils...and the originals are super varied. Some a bright and sting like Albert's Lucy and some are warm and mellow. Alnico 2 is my preference. As bright as a Tele on the bridge. And super microphonic. If they don't hiss and squeal they're not really replicas of PAFs. Mine are very lightly wax potted. Squeal is not too bad and it picks up someone coughing next to the guitar.
@@cromBumnyI actually listened to the video on a pair of Beyer DT 770 Pro headphones - somewhat better quality than your average phone speaker…
Yeah at the end with the back to back they were all the same pickup or so it sounded that way. In the video portion it sounded like the mnis had it followed by p90 the the paf.
To me this just proves tonal differences are more the mind of the player than the ear of the audience
100% TRUTH
It took me years to learn so discern the tonal differences of different types of guitars/pickups being used, although now I can usually hear it immediately, sometimes tonal variations are more difficult to discern though.
When clean the mini humbuckers sound so much better, with distortion it’s hard to pick a winner
I loved how the minis snarled and cut. The PAFs were awesome too though!
Explaining the whole recording process is so good Rick😊
More evidence that P90's are the king of all pickups.
I have owned Les Pauls, SG, and other Gibsons with various humbuckers and mini humbuckers. Thanks for proof that I need a guitar with P90’s!
that s right man!!!
The king of all pickups not on a Strat :)
@@autistichead8137 hmmm, methinks we have a new video challenge! What say ye, Rick of the house of Beato, does this sound like a worthy challenge?
Love those P-90's!
Great video!!! Love the P90s. The mini humbucker had a noticeable ring when played with the gain up. It’d be really cool to hear em in the context of a mix
To me that sounds like it could be a microphonic tube in the amp
Excellent! From a band and mixing stand point, I see why the p90 gets used. The bass roll off compared to the paf is pretty significant and would easily make room for the bass. Most excellent video.
Especially if you're Tony Iommi and have the bass on 0 and everything else on 10. And you do hear the bass well. Although they're also panned L/R and the bass guitar is louder than many bands which is something I like about Sabbath.
I am genuinely surprised that I liked the P90's over the other 2 sets, especially on the clean amp. They sounded fantastic!
p90 if anything sound alot better clean but I am a strat player so might be biased haha
P90s are the best
@@ClaudioMartella yea such nice tones compared to other pickups will consider in my Les Paul versus humbuckers
Yes I agree I want now
My overall impression: surprisingly similar. Pick one: P90s.
Moral of the story: anything you use sounds outrageously good through an EVH.
Right? That high gain sound at 4:23 was killer
YOU DAMN RIGHT!
VTM's, TriUmphs, TriUmph PAG's, Ultra's all good too. Some w/a bit of tweaking.
They are three great guitars...
And those Preamp thingys 😂
They all had their own thing but I was really surprised by the minis. Clearest and most articulate.
Really?! I thought the P90’s for sure were crystal
I have a 1960 Reissue gold top that has crappy pick-ups in it, and I've been looking to change them out. This video is helping me decide. The P-90's were hands-down my favorite here; no question. Didn't care for the minis. Thanks Rick and Rhett!
1:50 As Rick was playing, I noticed it turn stormy out my windows, leaves whirling everywhere, and a centaur looked in my window.
Don’t get the reference
Rick I love the signal chain breakdowns. The only thing I don't like about your videos is that eventually they come to an end.
I’ve never really considered P-90’s but wow, they sound the best to me in this video. Keep the great content coming Rick!
Nothing beats the vibe of a Les Paul gold top with p90s sounds amazing too
Love that P90 punch with distortion
Love the P90s!
P90s for the win.
P90s are the best
Me too!!
I'm biased as a I love p90s. So yes, p90s all the way!
100% P90s are the best.
Love the "oh that tone!" face. Agree with the mini-humbuckers being underrated they've got an amazing sound.
Mini humbuckers doesn’t seem to get the respect P90s and humbuckers get. As if they’re “less than”. But I love that sound.
Phil McKnight did a Tele hot swap comparison recently on his channel and the mini-humbucker was clearly his and others' favorite in the neck position. I think this test underscores that. Minis aren't as crunchy overall, but have the richest sound in the neck spot.
I want a Casino a coupe to modify with minis.
I agree. In this vid, I think with distortion on the neck pickup, the mini humbuckers sounded better than the P90s. The P90s sounded kinda muddy to me.
@@GuteisFinger agreed. Minis are not crunchy but they do have a richness, a roundness sound to them that is unique and ‘special’. (Pun intended)
Mini's are best. Full sound highs and lows.
Since I was a kid, the second I hear a Les Paul with humbuckers, I feel it in my soul and have to smile. I have no idea why. Useful video, as usual.
Man, those P90 sound so damn good!
I prefer the mini Himbuckers. Clearer sound to my ears across all the settings. But I might be biased cos mine has mini humbuckers
I don't have a guitar with mini humbuckers and I agree, especially on clean settings
Rick's faces while Rhett plays are priceless.
Got some "proud father figure" energy
Evh 👍
His air drumming is EPIC
He makes more of a guitar face when he's not playing than when he is. 🙂
@@shipsahoy1793 U mean lookin like a dang fool doesn't make u play better? Hard disagree😂
Me: What's the big deal with P-90s?
Me after owning a guitar with a P-90: If I had to choose just one......
Hey, Rick! Did you hear about Metallica's live concert being muted on Twitch because they got a copyright ding on themselves? Would love to hear your take on it.
Did that actually happen?! I'd feel sorry for everyone listening in, but only after I'd stopped having a good chuckle.
@@Mikey__R yeah it happened
My favorite:
P90s with Hiwatt amp
Mini humbuckers with EVH
I NEEEEEEEED an EVH!
To me the mini humbucker on rhythm pick up sounded the best, but I was more surprised how close they all actually were to each other.
I have to agree. And I'm trying real hard and honestly to not be biased as well. I love the little perk up feeling they have at the end of the video when they cut from sound to sound to sound.
I bought a Tobacco Sunburst LP Deluxe in high-school... I love it's sound even more now than I did when I first bought it. I recall some pickups being more 'metal' sounding back then. And I occasionally thought 'maybe I should have...?' But now the min's just simply sing to me the way I want a pick-up to sing.
I believe that the PAF in the bridge and the P90 in the neck is the way to go. Love everything you post Rick. Never stop.
Actually this is the standard configuration for the Duesenberg Starplayer guitar line and it works a treat!
Well, I've just discovered I prefer mini humbuckers overall. Great clarity.
This is fantastic. When I hear that Les Paul crunch I'm instantly transported back to the smoky bars and clubs down here in Central FLA of my ill-spent youth.
I've just become a convert to the mini-humbucker. Definitely best sounding to me.
Ok, honestly, I cannot hear the difference with the distorted, but I could with the clean. That was a great summing-up at the end, thank you.
Yeah, it was much more pronounced through the clean channel. I think I could hear a subtle difference with distortion, but it's barely noticeable even when played back to back. Of course just like with the video about adjusting the voltage, there are plenty of people with "trained ears" commenting there's a world of difference in every case.
The similarity between the PAFs and P90s was striking! The P90s had just a tad more "hair" and the PAFs a tad fuller tone on the bottom. The mini humbuckers were the mid-heaviest tone, they're probably a fine recording machine to cut through the mix!
Absolutely!
Asking "Why do you have so many Les Paul's?" is implying there is a reasonable maximum. People have been burned at the stake for uttering lesser heresies...
Darrell ./..thats a question a girlfriend would ask...do you really need all these guitars......How many do you need?....one more beaatch
Awesome video. I don’t know what it is, but for me personally that Deluxe just sings with the mini hums in it. Bright pickup in a warm guitar, it just feels so balanced to my ears
P90's 1, Minis 2, PAF 3. 90's have best clarity and note definition.
I'm a simple man, I see a Les Paul video, I click
Agreed
Me too :)
@@RickBeato :D
@@bodhi_isnt_real Yeah!
I'm a more simple man. I see a P-90 video, I click.
I like the signal chain part of your videos. It's important for people who don't get time in a studio like this to understand all the pieces/parts that impact a sound. Keep it up! :)
I was already gasing for a new LP then I stumbled on this. My wallet is scared...
Haha! Cool :)
@@RickBeato Rick, I think you need a '54 RI Custom with the mahogany top and a Staple in the neck position.
Just my $.02 Cents.
Great review, thanks to both Rhet and Yourself.
If you grew up on classic rock, get PAFs. I waffled for a long time, but after trying multiple LPs, I only got the sounds of my childhood (which, admittedly, included a lot of Zeppelin) out of the PAFs. Eagles, Joe Walsh, Zeppelin, Bad Company, etc., I get all the sounds out of my PAFs. You can pretty much use tone/EQ (Boss GE-7 goes a long way) to get really close to any sound you're looking for, as long as it's not Strat or Tele, but I have true coil splits that get me close to those as well.
@@sundaynightdrunk I love PAFs. Super versatile, from clean to metal. I have the original Tim Shaws in my '87 Les Paul and they nail that vintage PAF tone. I'm really interested in a P-90 LP because I've never owned a P-90 equipped guitar, but the new LP standards under new management are very tempting. That said, they're all different. I've played $10,000+ vintage LPs that were dogs and cheaper new LPs that were amazing ymmv I guess
Rick, as an aspiring engineer, I love hearing about your signal chain. It's very instructional. Also, it gives me a chance to geek out over your awesome gear.
They all sound great, but the P90s are my favorite (atm anyway).
That Hiwatt is a good "comparison" amp to use imo. Kinda sounds like a 60s version of a Roland amp. Nice.
Nobody can nod their head and say nothing in a video like Rhett 😄
Pound-for-pound champ!
Its my greatest talent.
It's a skill....
@@RhettShull It shows! Turns out Rick is as good at it just a few minutes later :)
@@JensLarsen I was going to say, except for Rick :D
I love the punch from the minis, especially when distorted, but that P90 bridge pickup is really big and round sounding and I feel like that stands out the most.
just get an epiphone sg
Great presentation Rick.
Given that our listening devices can play a significant role in our perception of the tonal differences,
I couldn't hear enough of a difference to justify buying three Les Paul's.
That red Deluxe just looks sooo good! I want one. Didn't hear much difference between the pups though (and I used to be a pickup geek). No-one would be able to tell any difference in a live setting or on a record.
I've seen a few others try to demo this comparison, and this video blows them all out of the water. Thank you Rick and Rhett, exceptional work as always!
Rick: "hey gorilla hands... take it easy on my switches"
It's the rings man, makes me cringe everytime I hear them smack against the finish
The p-90 seemed the most balanced to me
I have a regular humbucker and a DC Special. I play the P90 the most. The jazz tone is so simple and easy to get.
I agree! I liked it more than the others
Yup, best clarity on the neck pickup. And I didn't hear hum from them anyway, so no need for humbuckers in that rig.
They made Rhett play better!
I prefer p90s in general. But my brother prefers Humbuckers. Just a great team.
I would have the minis on the neck, and P90s on the bridge. The minis really have that extra clarity on the neck that just pop almost like a tele neck pickup, and sound equally good clean and distorted. The P90s have the lower mid sound without the shrill at the high end, while still keeping distinguishable low end too, and fit perfectly on the bridge location.
Btw I've recently become fascinated by mini humbuckers after researching them endlessly here on youtube and on forums, and I think they are really undiscovered gems. Paul Gilbert has recently switched to a custom designed mini on his new fireman, and they are not typical sounding minis, but still sound great. I think minis are the best option to emulate a single coil sound without risking to sound harsh like P90s. Obviously different pickups from different brands will have very different qualities, but I am seriously considering swapping out the neck humbucker on my Les Paul for some minis.
bucket list: SG with P90s
The mini--hums sounded great though, totally unique timbre.
I hate SGs with P90s because for some reason, Gibson seems to push them way too high, the bridge pickup will always be a lot closer to the neck than SGs with humbuckers. I don't know why they do that. Les Paul's with P90s don't have this problem. It's weird that it's even a thing, tbh
I have a '71 Delux, my only electric for forty years (holy crap, I'm not that old. Bought it at age 15 for $200 at an organ shop in a mall in Savannah, GA). I've always kind of wished it was a standard. However, what I got out of this video is that the Delux doesn't sound worse at all. The "underrated" comment is spot on. I liked the sound of them all pretty much equally. So, I'm fine with my Delux. I do think the Delux gives you more clarity on the neck pickup, and when you play lead high up (not done here) it really shines giving you that clarity yet with a smoothness at the same time.
Oh man I listened to the comparison blind and then watched again, I picked the Mini Humbuckers every time. They sound absolutely killer with that upper shimmer they have that the humbuckers seem to loose and the p90s don't have enough depth for. I wanna slap a light phaser on them so bad, it'd sound sick.
Nono, do go through the "signal chain", no matter how incomprehensible. Interesting interference patterns.
Man those p90s have that chime! I’ve gotta add a p90 guitar to the mix
The deluxe has a weird resonance happening, probably from the strings above the nut. P90 are a favorite of mine too. I wish they were less noisy but that's part of their character.
I noticed the same thing.
Yep, they have that weird spark
All I could hear was that string noise. Needs some kind of dampener.
They need a Jimmy Clip.
Gotta have that noise & then run it through a Boss DS-1 :D
The P-90 single pickups on the Les Paul hit the sweet spot for me as an allrounder, although I think the humbucker neck pickups sound great!
I got my first LP Std w/ HBs in 1971 because all of my guitar heroes played HBs. On 2nd listening, I think I shortchanged myself as I surprisingly
like the Mini and the P90 .
Pete Townshend used the Deluxes after his fairly long stint with SG Specials with P-90’s. In my opinion The Who’s Golden Era coincided with the SG Specials, FWIW.
Oddly enough I thought of Townshend. with the Gold Top.
I liked the p 90 ‘s ! Kudos Rick ! You’ve really been providing some great content lately ! Really enjoyed the ‘Stairway ‘ video with different lead players . You really nailed the tone on the entire production ! Impressive !
do the mini humbuckers have the most "open" sound? do I hear right?
they have the most midrange I find
Yes that's what I hear too...especially with Rhythm pickup/clean.
Yesterday, I bought one of my "bucket-list" guitars: It is a 2023 Les Paul Gold-top 50s Model with cream-colored P-90''s. I immediately ordered parts in order to modify it to taste. These parts include a Nashville Tone Pros Aluminum Tuno-matic with brass saddles, Tone Pros 19:1 locking tuners with keystone pegs, and a light-weight aluminum stop-bar tailpiece, and Gibson gold Speed Knobs. I don't even want to hear it through the Satriani Marshall head, until the parts are installed and the action and string-height are tweaked.
Later, I might install "Bumble Bee" capacitors, because Orange-drop capacitors are a little too ""smoky" for my tastes. Rock on!, as Steve Marriot might say.
I have six Les Paul guitars in my house for the same reason, pickup and guitar list as follows.
71 deluxe, mini humbuckers.
77 custom, alnico humbuckers.
77 artisan, super seven.
79 pro deluxe, P90's.
92 classic, ceramics.
93 classic, Jim Wagner fillmores.
The three that jangle and ring like a bell are the 71deluxe the artisan and the 92 classic.
Not all vintage guitars are equal.
I love the joy in Ricks face when he hears people play music
I'm listening to it through Grado headphones and I don't hear much difference. Maybe the mini-humbuckers are a little bit different but IMO you could do the job perfectly with just one Les Paul and nobody would notice the difference.
I was kind of impressed with the mini-humbuckers
Deluxes are one of my all-time favourites !
The P-90s were my preference in this one! They just sounded great all around!
Mini Humbuckers are my favorite. I have a magic 78 Deluxe. Use both pickups - Turn the tone down to like 3- Turn the volume up to 10. The result thru my marshall is Warmth and incredible smooth Sustain.
I don’t know if I have bad ears, but I listened on really good speakers, and I could barely tell the difference.
Me either. My midrange hearing isn't what it used to be, but my ears are still pretty good. Blindfold me and I couldn't tell them apart. Perhaps if I were in the actual room I could, but in the context of a full band mix you're starting to split hairs.
Same here. I could hear differences but they weren't that significant to make me go "wowser".
The clean tones were identical. I could definitely hear the difference between the bridge and neck positions, but the pickups themselves didn’t change much at all.
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I was beginning to doubt my ears!
Same here. The P90s and PAFs were practically indistinguishable.
“The place is really jumping to the HIWATT amps
'Til a twenty inch cymbal fell and cut the lamps
In the blackout they danced right into the aisle
And as the doors fly open even the promoter smiles
Someone takes his pants off and the rafters knock
Rock is dead they say
Long live rock”
Pete Townshend
Odds and Sods... live that album!!!
When Rhett was playing that lick I thought he was gonna do a Pete Townsend windmill.
Man, those mini humbuckers sounded so clear and defined!
Here's my feelings on best application: P90 bridge position for Rock Rhythm, P90 neck position for single note lead. PAF in neck position for Thick Rock Rhythm. Mini Humbuckers are like a thick Tele sound and work best in Rock with only a little dirt.
I liked the mini humbuckers best, thought they were cleaner than P90, kind of fall between the humbucker and P90 in tone. Best of both worlds.
P90's are like that friend who is always telling people what a great person you are without having to exaggerate, whereas the mini's are like that friend who cranks all your exploits up to 11 and turns you into a legend. One tells the truth, the other tells what you wish was the truth. Both are great friends.
Someone needs to hire you to write gear reviews
I’ll stick with my P90s and temper outlandish expectations that I can’t live up to.
My pickups are like that friend who drinks too much at a bar talks crap to the wrong group of guys gets you into a fight talks crap to the cops gets you arrested and urinates in the back of the cop car. Man I love my wife!
The opening picking tune reminds me of the opening of “Cold Gin” evening though musically, it’s different.
I enjoy watching the brief equipment declaration. It’s interesting to see how much equipment is involved in recording.
I think I like the humbuckers best.
Love Seems Doomed by the Blues Magoos.
Gah! Does anyone else hear that subtle, super high frequency with the mini humbuckers (especially the bridge)? Would a hairband on the nut + tail help with that?
I agree with lots of folks here - when recorded the differences sound pretty minimal, though on the first of Rhett’s runs I thought I could more easily tell the extra treble from the mini-humbuckers, which I liked. Less so when back to back. I’m pretty sure the woods make even less of a difference when recorded
Me to. Love that 73!
the biggest difference in sound to me was the p90s in neck position. i have Humbuckers in neck position of my Strat, it was too wonky... the adjustable poles were even closer to the neck, so i turned it around, almost buried the thing and really pulled out the poles closest to bridge...aahhhhhhh, i love it.
I like the P90 sound the best! But the EVH / Humbucker (black guitar) is the "hair band" sound we're groomed to like.
Trye
why am i even here, i cant afford any of these
Go to a good music store and you can atleast play them! I live in the middle of nowhere and i sometimes drive an hour and half to play guitars i cant afford and drive another hour and half back. Lol
@@the_original_Bilb_Ono im in india my friend, most stores here dont let you play the flagship models unless you give off serious buyer vibes
Current Epiphone P-90 SG Specials are 95% of that Gold tops sound and about £350 atm
How much is it one of these?
He must spend more for changing all those strings than what we can afford for a guitar haha
I could hear the difference when each was on their own. When put back to back ... Somehow I lost the distinction.
I used a ‘76 Les Paul Deluxe.. the mini humbucker got a bad wrap during the 70’ saying it was inferior to the PAF .. to be honest I liked the big pick up.. I don’t agree it sounds like a single coil, but it definitely brighter, I thought the others sounded muddy on rhythm.. I played most of my lead on the treble pick up I loved that biting tone, when I wanted a hard sound it never disappointed me.. I love my Deluxe.
Loved them all... Les Paul's are so cool. A case can be made for getting an LP w/ P90's.