P90 replacement

[nick]

I just picked up a beautiful Cobra Special from a good friend who bought it new. Cool thing is the serial date is my first daughters birthday even the time of day.....11-21-03A. My question is there are Harmonic Design P90 pickups in the guitar and I was wondering if anyone has tried the Virtual P90s from Dimarzio? Looks like the mounting screws are on the end of the pickups and not closer in. Would this make it difficult to mount properly in the pickup cavity? Thanks!

[bruce]

Not too difficult, but I'd say a job for someone that has experience drilling into a guitar.... and wiring/soldering helps too.

[Suriel Zayas]

gee sounds like a job for bruce.:rolleyes:

[kurt1981]

Hey, best of luck on the install, drilling into a TAG would freak me out, I couldn't do it myself!! Let us know how they sound, I'd be very curious how they compare to the lollars. Those are some amazing pickups!!!
God bless,
Kurt

[tom]

just be sure to mark the drill bit so you don't go through the back of the guitar.

[olectric]

i had to drill into my old HTC when i changed the bridge TM2 to a TV3. it scared me to death, but it came out great.

[nick]

Thanks guys.....I appreciate the help. I've never had a guitar with P90s so I'm trying to get used to them. The neck pickup sounds fine but the bridge has a strange tone going on. It sounds almost like a wah pedal if you were to keep it in the middle of its sweep........sort of nasally I guess. I don't hear it if I use a dirt pedal but it is pretty pronounced while playing clean. Is this just characteristic of P90s or should I try something else? Thanks again!

[olectric]

Thanks guys.....I appreciate the help. I've never had a guitar with P90s so I'm trying to get used to them. The neck pickup sounds fine but the bridge has a strange tone going on. It sounds almost like a wah pedal if you were to keep it in the middle of its sweep........sort of nasally I guess. I don't hear it if I use a dirt pedal but it is pretty pronounced while playing clean. Is this just characteristic of P90s or should I try something else? Thanks again!

i just got an incredible deal on a 1960 LP Special Singlecut w/ P90s, and my bridge pup doesn't sound like that at all. i remember hearing from someone that HD pickups don't really sound like real P90s (neither do DiM's Virtuals, for that matter). i'm actually finding the stock Gibson pups to be just fine. but, of course, i'll probably buy something else just because i can't leave my guitars alone...

Mike (LonestarGtr) has Seymour Duncan Antiquity P90s in his Cobra, and he loves them. Smaller builders like Collings and Heritage are equipping their P90 guitars with Lollars. you might try either of those or an Anderson P1/P3 combo. if you're going for real P90 tone, i don't think you'll be satisfied with the Virtuals.

[nick]

Can I order a set of Anderson P90s from Tom or do I need to go through a dealer?

[tom]

we prefer dealers whenever possible. jack at magdon who hosts this forum has a good stock.

[nick]

Thanks Tom for the info. I'll probably try a set of Fralin P90s if they will fit alright. I've had good results with his pickups on other guitars and hoping they will work here as well......thank again!