Best P90 Pickups of 2023

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by Nick Stockton April 27, 2023, 2:34 pm

Whether you go for the soapbar, or you’re more of a dogear person, there isn't anything quite like the humble P90 for warm, fat single coil tone and classic vintage vibes for your electric guitar.

When it comes to electric guitar pickups, there are few that contest the P90 for sheer classic vibe as well as versatility. The key to its sound is a wider, shorter bobbin than say, a Fender single coil pickup, lending it a warmer, less edgy sound.

The P90 was developed by Gibson Guitars in the 1940s as a successor to the "Charlie Christian" pickup. When you consider that Charlie Christian was arguably the first guy to put an electric guitar solo on wax, that gives you some idea of the scope of what we’re talking about here.

But just because it was developed almost 80 years ago doesn't mean there haven't been advancements and modifications in the technology. While our list of the best P90 pickups features some true classics like the original Gibson P90, there are also options loaded with modern tech for tons of tone versatility.

There's sure to be a P90 on our list for every player's needs. Whether you’re pushing gutbucket blues out of your ES-style hollowbody or semihollow, strutting your stuff on solid body guitars like a Les Paul or SG, or dare I suggest, installing one in your Fender offset, we’ve got the P90 for your pet project.

Let's hop to it!

Specs:

If you want vintage looks and vintage tone (and have a vintage budget), then this is the P90 for you. Seymour Duncan's Antiquity P90 boasts all period-correct materials, meticulously aged to give you that smooth vintage tone as well as a well-loved vintage aesthetic.

Featuring a set of Alnico II magnets, vintage-correct hand-fabricated bobbins, plain enamel mag wire, and flatback tape, these pups bring the midrange growl and bark you’d expect from vintage pickups. Add to that the carefully aged cream covering and you’ve got a pickup you’d think just fell off a ’52 Les Paul.

Seymour Duncan is probably the biggest name in electric guitar pickup technology today and has been for decades. They definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to pickups, and their take on a classic P90 definitely doesn't disappoint.

Specs:

There's always something to be said for the original. This Gibson P90 Dog Ear pickup is THE P90 pickup, originally introduced in 1946 for Gibson's ES models (the Soap Bar design didn't appear until 1952 with the Les Paul), and its legendary tone remains intact today.

Today's Gibson P90 comes with an Alnico V magnet for enhanced output — perfect for driving your amp into dangerous territory. Featuring vintage-correct 2-conductor wire and a wax-potted design, this pickup is outfitted for vintage vibes as well as versatility.

This is the pickup that created the legend. Whether you roll your volume down for silky smooth jazz lines or dime it for rock’n’roll snarl and bite, with the Gibson P90 you’re channeling electric guitar history in every note.

Specs:

Our pick for the best value P90 is the FLEOR Alnico V Soap bar. This is a great option for players who are looking to swap out their Les Paul pickups for a little something different, and they’re available at a truly unbeatable price.

The FLEOR soap bar comes with the same Alnico V magnets found on the Gibson, plus a wax-potted design for less unwanted feedback and microphonic squeal. Plus, it's available in black, chrome, or cream for a customized look on any guitar.

While not the best for high output, this replacement P90 is great for players interested in dialing in smoother, jazzy sounds on their Les Paul-style guitar. At its very affordable price, it's definitely a pickup worth picking up.

Specs:

One of the coolest things about the modern P90 landscape is that there are models available to fit all types of guitars for really customizable options. One that we’re most excited about is this Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90 that's designed to fit humbucker guitars.

This pickup boasts all that a Seymour Duncan P90 has to offer. With an Alnico II magnet for that vintage sound, plus an attractive nickel cover that will match your humbucker guitar perfectly, this is a great option if you’re looking to drop something different in for your Neck position.

You can't go wrong with this great pickup from arguably the most respected pickup manufacturer on the scene today. If you want to switch up your humbucker guitar's neck pickup tone with a new P90, the Phat Cat is one of your best options.

Specs:

If you’re into a more aggressive style of playing and you’re looking for a P90 bridge pickup that's going to give you a hotter signal and beefier sound than the vintage sound of the original, you would do well to consider the Hot 90 Soapbar from Tonerider.

This pickup is overwound for an increased output or "hotter" sound. The Alnico V magnets complete the package by bringing beefier low end and fatter sound, similar to a humbucker, but still retaining the single coil pickup character and soap bar shape of the P90 design.

The best part is, this pickup is super affordable. If you want to just try out a hot P90 bridge pickup but aren't quite sure, this might be a good option for you.

Specs:

While the DiMarzio Tone Zone P90 pickup isn't technically a P90 per se, we thought we’d include it in this list because it looks like a P90 and fits like a P90. It's really just a high-output humbucker in P90's clothing — in other words, a pretty darn cool pickup.

The Tone Zone is perfect for players who want a hot humbucker sound from their bridge pickup but are limited by the P90 cutout. Problem solved! Now you can get chunky mids and lows from your bridge while still maintaining the clarity of a humbucker.

Fool your friends! They’ll marvel at the impressive gain and crystal clear sound quality you get out of your bridge P90. We’re sorry (not sorry) if we just sold you a humbucker from a list of the best P90s, but you’re gonna love this pickup.

Specs:

While active pickups may not be for everyone, the Fishman Fluence Greg Koch P90 is a premium pickup that's sure to appeal to players with a decent budget and who want a lot of tone control from their pickups.

Both the bridge and neck pickup feature single coil, vintage, and overwound modes. Single coil gives you gorgeous, shimmering jangle and chime. Vintage mode gives you a classic fat mid range P90 sound great for jazzier tones, and the overwound mode supplies tons of low-end and chunky grit.

Even if you don't love the idea of having to change a battery in your guitar, the noise reduction of an active pickup is a great thing to have. All in all, if you want all the classic sounds P90s are known for at your fingertips, pick up a pair of these babies.

There are tons of options on the market for P90 pickups, and a lot of them have very subtle differences that can make shopping for one pretty overwhelming. Fortunately for you, we’ve summarized some of the factors to consider in this handy buyer's guide.

P90 pickups are known for their warm and fat sound, which is more midrange-focused than the brighter and sharper tone of most single-coil pickups like the ones commonly found on Fender guitars.

They’re ideal for thick blues tones, clean and smooth jazz, and even raucous punk snarl, due to their sensitivity. The versatility of a good P90 pickup is a beautiful thing that can transform any guitar into your go-to for pretty much everything.

However, there can be variations in tone between different P90 pickups, which generally have to do with the materials and construction of the pickup.

P90 pickups generally have a higher output than other single-coil pickups, which can result in more distortion and sustain. There are varying degrees of output available, generally linked to the winding of the pickup (more winding = higher output).

Look for a "hot" P90 like the Tonerider Hot 90 Soapbar P90 Bridge Pickup if you’re looking for higher output, best for more aggressive types of music.

Variations in the materials used in P90 pickups can affect the tone and output of the pickup. For example, the Alnico II magnets of vintage style P90s like the Seymour Duncan Antiquity provide a smoother midrange tone, while Alnico Vs have a heavier low-end sound.

The construction of the pickup itself, such as the number of windings (discussed above), can also have an impact on the sound, related in this case to the output of the pickup.

Additionally, some P90 pickups are designed to fit specific guitar models, so it's important to make sure the pickup will fit your guitar. We’ve included a humbucker-size P90 on this list in the Seymour Duncan Phat Cat for those who want to set up their humbucker guitar with a P90.

The guitar gear field is flooded with tons of companies that are all vying for a piece of the pie, and since the P90 is such a sought-after pickup, it only follows that there would be makers of all stripes manufacturing their own take on the legendary pup.

As is the case with most gear, you generally get what you pay for — better pickups are crafted with better materials by reputable manufacturers like Seymour Duncan and Fishman.

That being said, there's always a chance you can pick up some killer gear at a low price, as evidenced by some of the great picks on this list. You’re sure to find a pickup with the features you want in a price range you’re comfortable with.

A P90 pickup and a humbucker pickup are both designed to cancel out hum, but they do it in different ways. P90 pickups use a single coil and have a fatter and warmer sound, while humbucker pickups use two coils and have a thicker and more aggressive tone.

P90 pickups are thought to be noisy because they use a single coil, which can pick up hum and interference from other electrical devices. However, some P90 pickups, like the Fishman Greg Koch P90, are designed with noise-canceling technology to reduce unwanted noise.

P90 pickups are often used for rock, blues, and jazz music because of their fat and warm tone, sensitivity, and versatility. They’re also great for punk and garage rock, especially hotter overwound models. They can of course also be used in other genres like country and pop.

Many guitar models use P90 pickups, especially those designed by or modeled after Gibson Guitars. Some examples include the Gibson Les Paul Junior, Gibson SG, and the Epiphone Casino. However, the aftermarket P90 pickups on this list can be installed in lots of other guitar models.

We’re glad you checked out our list of the best P90 pickups on the market today, and we bet you are too! Hopefully you’re one step closer to getting the satisfying midrange skronk of your dreams after reading this list and learning all there is to know about the great P90.

Our pick for the best P90 is a no-brainer, really — we had to hand it to the Seymour Duncan Antiquity, just hands-down the best vintage-style P90 on the market today. With a pickup that just screams "vintage," you gotta go with all vintage-correct materials and construction, right?

But there are obviously lots of other really cool and unique pickups on this list. There's bound to be something here for players of every budget, genre, and experience level, so go back and take another look. We’re sure you’ll find just the P90 pickup you’re looking for.

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