AL with 2 P90's?

[wingnut]

I currently have an AL HH and absolutely love it! I've always wanted a vintage LP gold top with P90's but can't bring myself to give up the kind of cabbage people want for them these days. I don't care for the looks of the AL with MM90's (no offense) primarily because of the existence of the middle pickup. It's totally an aesthetics thing as I'm sure it sounds badass. Anyway, I'm kicking around either buying an AL HH or a AL MM90 and customizing it with a new pick guard and what ever else may be necessary to carry 2 P90's. Has anyone given this any thought or, better yet, done it?

 

[Norrin Radd]

I will tell you this - and with experience on my side - your best bet is to buy an MM90 AL and special order a pickguard with holes for just the neck and bridge. That way you need only remove the middle pickup - you're going to have to rewire the switch anyways. The routing in both these models is done perfectly. You will not find any swimming pool routes on EBMMs. My advice? Don't route. Get a guitar with the pickup style you intend to use. Trust me!

 

[wingnut]

Excellent point. I was thinking the P90's would be a little smaller than the humbuckers and I would just have to modify the existing route but after reading your reply it occurred to me that its not a width problem but the P90 is probably longer so it would definitely require a modification to the cavity.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

You also get the silent circuit with an MM90 Al, where you won't with a hum Al. They are very different guitars in other ways as well, the most obvious being that the HH Al has a light mahogany body and solid rosewood neck. I do like your idea, though and have never considered an MM90 Al because that middle pickup is too much in the way for my picking style. I need room between pickups to dig in.

 

[Mpcoluv]

You could install a pair of bucker sized P-90s like Duncan Phat Cats......

 

[wingnut]

"I do like your idea, though and have never considered an MM90 Al because that middle pickup is too much in the way for my picking style. I need room between pickups to dig in"

This is reason #2 for me not wanting the middle pickup. I removed the middle pickup of a SSH layout on an old Ibanez I have because I would occasionally get my pick hung up on the poles.

Has anyone tried the Phat cats? I'm curious of they give the same P90 punch as the regular custom duncan 90's?

 

[threeminutesboy]

The phat cats are great pups and way different from the mm90. I add an ASS retrofitted with those.

If you are looking for a 2 pups mm90 why don't you consider the Axis super sport? The Al with 3 mm90 is a fantastic versatile guitar you should try it

I Think you have at least 3 options

Get an ASS with mm90
Get a HH AL and retrofit it with phat cats need to change switch to 3 way
Get a mm90 and remove on pups ditto for the switch

Good luck

 

[wingnut]

I considered the ASS with mm90's however I prefer the tone from a P90 /mahogany body combination. Besides that I truly love the comfort and design of the AL. If I had the $$ (and if I liked Les Pauls) I'd just go buy a vintage LP gold top and get it over with.

 

[Icedlatte]

If you want the mahogany body/P90 combo you'll have to get the HH AL and put in Phat Cats or P-rails or get the limited edition P90 AL from musiciansfriend because the regular production P90 AL is made of Ash.

 

[robelinda2]

Gotta admit, a dual MM90 AL is always on my mind. That dang middle pickup.....

 

[Coffeemug]

The easiest by far would be to buy a MM90 Albert and have a custom plate made for it. The Phat Cats are fine pickups but nothing comes close to the MM90's, they're absolutely fantastic!

Wasn't there a limited run of rosewood necked MM90 Alberts for Guitar Center recently...as far as I recall those had mahogany bodies, too.

EDIT: Just read Icedlatte's post...he already mentioned the limited run of MM90 AL's!