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Lollar '50s Wind P-90 vs Throbak '52/'54 SB MXV P-90

Bluuzman

Bluuzman

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:2cool Anybody compared the following P-90 pickups regarding sound? :note:note:note

- Lollar '50s Wind P-90: Neck 7.1K, Bridge 7.4K

- Throbak '52/'54 - SB MXV P-90: Neck 7.3K, Bridge 7.6K
 
Z

Zentar

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Ive used 3 P90s: Gibson, Kent Armstrong and Epiphone. The Epis are 43awg coil wire so they were muddy.
The Gibsons and Kent Armstrongs which I really likes a lot measure out from 7.9ko to 8.15ko and use 42awg. These are typical early 60s readings. All have A5 magnets.

the DCRs you posted are 50s PAF readings and may be unpotted. Dunno but they may be. That's a low DCR they have.

Ive never used Lollar or Throbak because of price.
The KA's are a real jewel and a pair runs $115. The Gibbys are $100 a piece. Both are terrific P90s.

Kent Armstrongs are known more for their jazz pickups but I think they make a top notch P90. They are Korean made but they are Gibby clones. These are great for ES335 or LP Jrs or LP Deluxe.

I would rather own a P90 with a DCR slightly low vs high. 8.5ko and up are hot wounds by my way of thinking. I wouldn't put a P90 with an 8.5ko DCR in a hollowbody but I would in a solid body. IMO a P90 should have A5 mags.

P90s are a world unto themselves.
 
Bluuzman

Bluuzman

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:2cool Anybody compared Lollar '50s Wind P-90 vs Throbak '52/'54 SB MXV P-90 ? :hmm
 
renderit

renderit

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I would LOVE to try them! I have Lollar P90's but I know not what type (they are ALL Collings spec) and I have Thrōbak Specials. I WANT the 52-54 set.

For what it is worth, if you are looking for the ultimate in flexibility in a P90 the Lollars I have are it in spades. They will do piano cleans to jazz to blues and rock. I prefer a little more hair so Thrōbaks are my usual pickups of choice.
 
mdubya

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There are enough examples out there in the wild, that if you can't commit to taking the plunge one way or the other, maybe you aren't serious? :hmm






By all accounts, it would be difficult to go wrong with either one.
 
duaneflowers

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I've never tried ThrowBak P-90s but I have a Lollar 50s Wind set installed which I am quite happy with. I also have Wizz, Wolfetone, Bare Knuckle, Gibson and Fralin P-90s currently installed, and, honestly, the differences between P-90s are much more subtle than those between HBs. Subtle to the point where even the Epiphone set that came in the Ltd Ed '56 was pretty dang good and quite 'worthy'. So, barring something drastic (like the '50s Wire, '52 Mag Set I should be receiving any day now from Rewind Electric) I think the variations are negligible. I really don't think you could go wrong with either of those. My favorites are the Wizz ones, but I'm not sure if he is making them anymore...
 
Bluuzman

Bluuzman

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mdubya said:
There are enough examples out there in the wild, that if you can't commit to taking the plunge one way or the other, maybe you aren't serious? :hmm






By all accounts, it would be difficult to go wrong with either one.
Click to expand...

:2cool Are you serious? :hmm

You are comparing apples and bears. Not the same guitar, not the same amp, with/without pedals, etc, etc, etc.
Makes no sense to me. :rolleyes:
 
renderit

renderit

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Bluuzman said:
:2cool Are you serious? :hmm

You are comparing apples and bears. Not the same guitar, not the same amp, with/without pedals, etc, etc, etc.
Makes no sense to me. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Agreed. Hell, I'll even go further. If not tested on the same guitar it is only good for a hangrenades idea. But I'm and idiot. So there's that...
 
mdubya

mdubya

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Bluuzman said:
:2cool Are you serious? :hmm

You are comparing apples and bears. Not the same guitar, not the same amp, with/without pedals, etc, etc, etc.
Makes no sense to me. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


And you can't hear the qualities of the pickups (that they at least sound good or bad to you?) in those videos? One year on and you haven't made a move one way or another? Who is not serious?

I gave only two examples. There are many many more. If YOU were serious. :salude
 
57GoldTopAztec

57GoldTopAztec

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I haven't posted here in ions and this thread is nearly as old. Haha. But just in case anyone would like info on this, I've had both Lollar 50s winds and now Throbaks in my R4.

A few details: The Lollar 50s winds are almost off the shelf, but Jason's crew was gracious enough to wind the bridge pickup about .5k hotter for me than normal. Throbak made me a P-90 set that is the 52/54 in the neck and the hotter 55/56 in the bridge.

Both sets are RWRP in the middle position.

I just installed the Throbak set last night, so my experience with them is still being formed. My initial impression is the Throbaks are not slam dunk "better." Many online reviews, and I suppose the higher price, might lead folks to think the Throbaks are the end all be all of P90s. In some ways, I think you could say they are. They are lovely, open sounding, and made with great care.

That said, the Lollar 50s winds have this glassyness in the neck that is just lovely and very hard to beat if you like that quality. (I play lots of Strats so I do.) The Throbaks are rounder, with some nice chime as well, just not as articulate in the neck as the Lollar neck P90.

The bridge is interesting too. I expected the Throbak 55/56 to slay the Lollar bridge pickup. But while the Throbak bridge is less harsh than the Lollar bridge, they are more on par with each other if I roll down the bridge tone control while using the Lollar bridge, pretty far though, like 5, even 4.

Like I said, I'm still very fresh with the Throbaks and I'll say they get even better as I fiddle with their pickup heights and polepiece radius. But I suspect they will never flat out kill the Lollars. Lollar makes a very good P90.
 
renderit

renderit

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I put a set of Throbaks Specials in Vlad (a Collings City Limits Deluxe) years ago now.

Love them to death.

Added lots of wonderful dimension that it "needed".

35685374414_6e930f9c32_3k.jpg

36473797956_5dad88ec31_3k.jpg

36123821640_ec1dd5c66f_3k.jpg
 
57gold

57gold

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No experience with Lollar nor Throbak P90s, only vintage Gibson. Had Lollars HBs in two Collings and glad I switch them out for Throbaks.

Guys I know have tried Ron Ellis P90s and love them, again I have only HB experience with Ellis, but I like them enough to share a heads up on his P90s as an alternative.

I'm sure the guys at TME or Collings could share an opinion on the Lollars versus the Throbaks? Both good people. They are also starting to use Ron's pick ups at Collings, like they did with Frisell's instruments and my I-35 LCV.
 
roaddawgie

roaddawgie

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yes and the overall height of the P90. I have a les paul special and a junior w/ p90s and haven't found much info . Thanks
 
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