Boosting P90 Low end

Hi folks, I've been a very long time lurker on this forum and thought it was about time I joined up. I can usually find what i'm looking for but couldnt come up with much this time! I've just got a 2010 Tribute Gold Top with P90's, I freaking love this guitar and so do my band mates, it cuts through and screams! However, i'm seriously missing the low end chug and power of my 2000 Studio with humbuckers. Would it be possible to boost the low end of the P90s with an EQ pedal? Boosting with my amp just gets muddy, i'm thinking an EQ with a more acurate cut/boost could fill out the low end some. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated. I know the true answer is to just keep both but I dont fancy taking two Gibsons to some of the dive bars we play! If I've missed an old thread please redirect me! Thanks.

what´s your amp, cab & speakers? no idea about your idea with the eq, just asking out of curiosity

edit: and welcome btw !

Thanks for the welcome

I use a Carlsbro 50 Top amplifier, single 12AX7 in the pre and EL34 power section, very clean amp untill its cranked, its paired with an oversize open back 2x12 loaded with G12H30 Blackbacks. I get overdrive/fuzz from a Fulltone OCD and Eartherquaker Hoof. I'm pretty happy with the rig overall, nails 70's hardrock but still has its own thing going on.

not familiar with carlsbro amps, but definitely sounds like a solid setup couple thoughts that may/hopefully help:

- personally, i never had any luck trying to add something thats not there to start with without altering the basic sound too much and/or ending up with an artificial sound. but that's only me, if you've got access to an eq pedal, by all means try it.

- you mentioned you're missing low end/chug (chug translates to me as "tightness") compared to your humbucker. that's how i would describe one main difference between humbuckers and p90s: humbuckers sound much tighter to me, like they have a steep bass frequency cut off compared to a p90. that's where an eq pedal could come in handy - trying to cut those very low frequencies pretty drastically for the p90s.

- another thing that could give you more chug/tightness would be closing the 2x12

- one thing lots of people tend to miss is adjusting height with p90s. not sure about your model and it can be a pita working with shims, but still worthwile imo. and not to forget about the pole pieces. lots of good threads here on the forum...

- totally unrelated, but i love a classic treble booster with a p90 - greetings from mr. iommi

anyway, all the best with your search

Have you tried an EQ pedal? That would be my first port of call.

I think if more people discovered EQ pedals, solder sales would fall off drastically

Perhaps start with an EP-3 style EQ boost...

I've had good luck with Xotic EP, instead of dialing across all the bands of a more complex banded EQ.

The Xotic EP has dip switches to set the active bands and keeps everything pretty much bypassed, uncolored, or boosted to taste.

A bit more straight-forward and cheaper than a full-on EQ.

charliechitlins said:

I think if more people discovered EQ pedals, solder sales would fall off drastically

Click to expand...

EQ pedals are the unsung heroes of tone. Also make excellent OD/boost pedals if they have a volume control, especially when stacking with fuzz or distortion.

Mad_Moon said:

Hi folks, I've been a very long time lurker on this forum and thought it was about time I joined up. I can usually find what i'm looking for but couldnt come up with much this time! I've just got a 2010 Tribute Gold Top with P90's, I freaking love this guitar and so do my band mates, it cuts through and screams! However, i'm seriously missing the low end chug and power of my 2000 Studio with humbuckers. Would it be possible to boost the low end of the P90s with an EQ pedal? Boosting with my amp just gets muddy, i'm thinking an EQ with a more acurate cut/boost could fill out the low end some. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated. I know the true answer is to just keep both but I dont fancy taking two Gibsons to some of the dive bars we play! If I've missed an old thread please redirect me! Thanks.

Click to expand...

One thing you have to understand is single coils like P-90s have fat, low bass. I love them in the neck position for that reason. Humbuckers have less and tighter bass because of the phase cancellation they use to cancel hum. It's not unlike the resonances that make some ported speakers "tight". Anyway, that's why you don't get thump from your P-90, your speakers don't go low enough. You've got the right speakers, you just need a smaller, closed cab, meant for them.

And yes, an EQ with 12 or more sliders might duplicate the rolloff of a humbucker. I'd still put a back on the cab.