Question MM90 vs p90. Let battle commence!

[brownpants69]

As you may have noticed, my Axis MM90 is wonderful... But I wondered what you all thought about the MM90 pickup. Have any of you swapped MM90s out for regular P90 pickups, or something else? How did you get on?

Most importantly, how does the tone of a MM90 compare to a regular P90?


(I'll let AL owners join in too!)

I'm editting this post- didn't mean to sound like I don't like the MM90s- I do. Just wondered how they compare to regular p90s (other makes and manufacturers). I only have p90s on one other guitar, and thats an archtop- not really a fair comparison I'm sure you'll agree.

 

[Brian G]

I have an Axis SS that I purchased new, with the MM90's, silent circuit, etc.

Very good guitar stock - but I was interested in seeing if it could be improved, and in particular I wanted to bypass the silent circuit, purely in theory, you understand.

I had RS / Fralin P-90's & Jensen paper-in-oil cap installed, along with RS pots, and the SS bypassed. The Fralins fit in the existing routes, but are slightly higher, so needed a touch of routing to lower them a bit.

This was a moderate but certainly audible improvement, IMO - more obvious harmonics, just slightly "bigger" & more open sounding. More emphasis with pinch harmonics, for example.

BUT - the overall character of the guitar didn't change significantly, which is a testament to the original pickups. I was really looking for two things: a) more "single coil" character b) more "vintage" tones. Final result was a bit more in that direction, but not as much as I was seeking. Probably should have held out for low-winds on the pickups.

My conclusions: a) the stock pickups & electronics are better than you might think; b) the paper-in-oil cap helps with "old school" character; c) P90's are more similar in tonality to humbuckers than Strat-style SC's, but a great "in between" choice. (I don't seem to like most humbuckers.)

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Did bypassing the silent circuit make a difference compared with just removing the battery?

jack (I love my silent circuit)

 

[Brian G]

Honestly, I couldn't say. I had the battery out before the mods, but because everything was done at one time, it's impossible to know.

 

[beej]

Personally I'm not a fan of "vintage hum". So I like the silent circuit

 

[DrKev]

a) the stock pickups & electronics are better than you might think;

Why anyone actually would think EBMM pickups and electronics wouldn't be up to the highest standard I simply don't know.

 

[brownpants69]

I read on a post somewhere that the MM90s had magnetic polepieces, which made them sound different to other P90s. I checked the P90s on my archtop, and my screwdriver magically stuck to the pole pieces. Surely all pole pieces are magnetic? Or am I missing something?

I was thinking about getting the MM90s rewound with scatter winding, but the question is, "can I really be bothered?".

What I do find funny is that my ASS sounds much more hotter than all my other guitars. I purchased it with the intention of using it for rockabilly and country, but it sounds great for heavier stuff too.

(does this mean I have a hot ASS?!)

I think I might get an EQ pedal just give me a more focussed high gain sound for when I need it- bump up the low mids maybe?

 

[DrKev]

A simple piece of steel won't be magnetic on it's own, but add a magnet to one end and at the other it will seem like it's magnetic. Whether or not the pole pieces are magnetic or a piece of steel with a magnet at the bottom can't be considered a good or bad thing in itself. What ever choice a manufacturer makes will be just one aspect of a design and all aspects of that design will have an effect on the tone.

MM90s might sound different to other P90s for a simple reason - they are different. Same way Di Marzio or Duncan or Lawrence or whoever's P90s are different.

 

[brownpants69]

Don't get me wrong- I like the MM90s. I just wondered if there was an inherent difference in tone between the Musicman and other manufacturers P90 recipes.


Does anyone know the specs of the MM90? Magnet type, pole piece material, wire type, number of winds etc?

 

[candid_x]

Why anyone actually would think EBMM pickups and electronics wouldn't be up to the highest standard I simply don't know.

Not a question of standard but of personal taste and curiosity.

 

[brownpants69]

Not a question of standard but of personal taste and curiosity.

I agree with you on that one.

 

[brownpants69]

Could someone enighten me as to how construction and material wise the MM90 differs to traditional P90s?

Cheers

 

[Jack FFR1846]

What I do find funny is that my ASS sounds much more hotter than all my other guitars.

A regular Axis with hums is far hotter than the MM90's. These are the pickups in my 2 Axis type guitars....MM90's in the SS and stock hums in the Axis. If you have p90s in an archtop, those will definately sound different as well because of the drastically different acoustics. I also have my old Guild archtop with hums and those are pretty hot as well, but not as much as the Axis and the sound is totally different. I actually could use a nice MM silent circuit in the Guild......

jack

 

[GHWelles]

Why anyone actually would think EBMM pickups and electronics wouldn't be up to the highest standard I simply don't know.

Right, have you seen those pots? Top of the line. And the wiring, all neat with heat shrink tubing, and the heavy duty switch with circuit board, and the knobs set on nylon washers for smooth operation. Huge quality increase over the industry standard.

 

[brownpants69]

Right, have you seen those pots? Top of the line. And the wiring, all neat with heat shrink tubing, and the heavy duty switch with circuit board, and the knobs set on nylon washers for smooth operation. Huge quality increase over the industry standard.

I wish I could solder that neatly! I'm impressed with the heavy duty mutha of a metal plate in the control cavity. Unlike some guitars you can see that they arent built down to a price point- definitely up to a standard.

 

[GHWelles]

I wish I could solder that neatly! .

I asked Dudley if that was actually hand soldering or some machine, and he said hand. Amazing.

 

[DrKev]

BrownPants, what is going on in your avatar? It's so cool!!

 

[brownpants69]

BrownPants, what is going on in your avatar? It's so cool!!

I foolishly thought I could build my own guitar- but alas, it was never meant to be. SO I BURNT IT!!! Mwhahahaha

I'll leave guitar building to the pros from now on

 

[Dante]

I read on a post somewhere that the MM90s had magnetic polepieces, which made them sound different to other P90s. I checked the P90s on my archtop, and my screwdriver magically stuck to the pole pieces. Surely all pole pieces are magnetic? Or am I missing something?

I was thinking about getting the MM90s rewound with scatter winding, but the question is, "can I really be bothered?".

What I do find funny is that my ASS sounds much more hotter than all my other guitars. I purchased it with the intention of using it for rockabilly and country, but it sounds great for heavier stuff too.

(does this mean I have a hot ASS?!)

I think I might get an EQ pedal just give me a more focussed high gain sound for when I need it- bump up the low mids maybe?

browner, according to EMG's own research, pickups with a magnet bar at the bottom of the pickup have smoother attack and strat style magnetic rods have a more direct, percussive attack.

 

[brownpants69]

So MM90s have magnetic rods? Or both? And p90s have unmagnetized rods and a bar underneath?