Members ashasha Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 SOUND CLIPS IN POSTS 9 and 23 Well it's been a few weeks since my birthday so it took a little longer than expected for them to get here, but they arrived today and I just installed them. First impressions so far are good. The packaging was what first impressed me, they were packed like they were going off for war and they looked nice. If you are looking for something to sell at your local shop they are attractive in the box. See: After opening them up for closer inspection the first thing I noticed was that they are heavy. I mean really hefty. They're a bit taller than a standard P90 as well and these were going into an SG Classic so space was going to be a premium. The SG Classic has a pickguard and utilizes a goofy little brass mounting system. Now it looked like it would fit on the new pickups, but clearance was already so limited and I knew that they would be pretty close to all the way down that I just mounted them direct to the body and used a couple little spacers that they included. Seems to fit right in there perfectly. Soundwise. Well let's just say that they sound a heck of a lot more like a P90 than the DiMarzio Virtual P90's did. Very aggressive sounding when you crank them up and dig in and very sweet when you want them to be. I still need to finish setting the guitar up after ripping it apart for the install, but so far I'm happy. I'll post a sound clip later if anyone's interested, but if no one's interested I won't bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gas Hed Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 I'd like to hear it - I'm on a noiseless kick myself right now. Just purchases some Dimarzio Area Ts for my Tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 I'll post a sound clip later if anyone's interested, but if no one's interested I won't bother. Interested. The clips on Kinman's site were pretty awesome. I've avoided P90's because of the noise but these might change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flatspotter Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Color me interested! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Anything specific you guys want to hear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Anything specific you guys want to hear? Awesomeness, mostly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Strung_Out Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 I'd enjoy hearing some awesomeness as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flatspotter Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Anything specific you guys want to hear? I'd like to hear clean tones on each pickup, and both, plus some slightly crunchy tones, a la Live At Leeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Here you go. I don't know a lot of Who songs (I know that's a crime) so I did a {censored}ty Pinball Wizard take here. The clean part is both pickups with the volume rolled back to where it cleans up and the heavy part is the bridge on 10. I used a Hiwatt sim in my AxeFX Ultra and I am well aware that it probably could be dialed in a lot better, but I figured that close is good enough for an example. I'll post some more stuff later this weekend, I'm working on some backing tracks and want to do something in a mix situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Oh, I guess that I should go ahead and update my actual opinion on these; I've been so busy playing that I kind of forgot. They're frickin worth every penny. I'm a tightwad and believe in bang for the buck value, but I also believe in getting what you pay for so if you pay $10 and it sounds great than it's an extreme value, if you pay $350 and it sounds great it's just as valuable even though the ratio is off. I spent a lot of time researching noiseless P90's and there are several out there if you look. None of them seem to be very popular for various reasons. Fralin has a set that uses sidewinder coils; basically it's two single coils layed on their side which basically makes it a humbucker. I've heard decent stuff about them, but even the places that sell them say that there is a point that they fall short and they get 'most' of the vibe. Next up was Lace which is the cheapest of the lot and was actually a strong contender, but they don't make black ones...well they didn't until I asked them about it and they were like "well no one had a reason why we aren't so we're going to start". Now the Kinman's were the most expensive and I have to admit that I was put off a bit by the price and not having any personal experience with their products it was a bit of a leap of faith, but their reputation is very good. I forgot to take pictures of them with the cover off, but I can tell you that you can see where the extra cost comes from. Fralin uses two single coils, that's really it and he charges damn near $300 for a pair of his pickups. A typical P90 is comprised of 13 individual pieces....the Kinman P90 Hx is made up of over 200 individual parts. It's like nothing I've ever seen inside, there is some really weird looking {censored} in there, let me tell you. But the bottom line for me is that they sound like P90's are extremely quiet and based on what I've heard of the other noiseless P90 offerings out there in clips and reviews these are the pinnacle right now. I'd recommend them to anyone who's looking for a P90 without the hum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 One more thing, the Kinman covers are a bit more of a right angle on the corners so they were a pretty tight fit in the pickguard. Kinman recommends using your Gibson covers most of the time. I'd think that if you are putting these inside of an LP or any guitar that doesn't have a pickguard that you would be best served to re-use your old covers. I sold my old P90's off so I obviously didn't have another set laying around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Here you go. I don't know a lot of Who songs (I know that's a crime) so I did a {censored}ty Pinball Wizard take here. The clean part is both pickups with the volume rolled back to where it cleans up and the heavy part is the bridge on 10. I used a Hiwatt sim in my AxeFX Ultra and I am well aware that it probably could be dialed in a lot better, but I figured that close is good enough for an example.I'll post some more stuff later this weekend, I'm working on some backing tracks and want to do something in a mix situation. Wow, that sounds excellent!I haven't heard the original in a while so I can't say for sure if the tone is nailed but it sure sounds like it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Wow, that sounds excellent! I haven't heard the original in a while so I can't say for sure if the tone is nailed but it sure sounds like it to me. Thanks! I know that Pete (Townsend, not you ) played the SG at Leeds for the whole song so I tried to approximate what he was probably doing to make up for not having an acoustic there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members w00dsy Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 they sound great, i love that punch they deliver. Nice clean playing too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Radar-Love Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 Maybe I'll eventually get around to it one of these years, but, I've been interested in acquiring a set of Harmonic Design Z90 pickups. http://www.harmonicdesign.net/allpages/gibsons.html#Anchor-Redd-49575 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted March 5, 2011 Members Share Posted March 5, 2011 that sounds GREAT!!! i think i could even justify the money here(if i had it, which is the problem, not the justification)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 6, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 that sounds GREAT!!! i think i could even justify the money here(if i had it, which is the problem, not the justification)... That's quite an endorsement there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 6, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 I found a backing track that was stripped of the original guitar parts (has vocals, bass and drums) and I recorded over it. I wonder if there are any legal issues with posting it here or on soundclick? I also spent most of yesterday playing it and fine tuning the pole pieces and stuff; I can't imagine being happier with this thing right now. MF is selling the Gibson P90's for $119 a pop, these are $159, that's a $40 difference that is more than worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axegrinder Posted March 6, 2011 Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 Killer clip, ashasha...I can't exactly hear the noiseless aspect though I don't hear any noise, but as for the tone, man when that last chord rings out kerrrrrangggg ... ...everything a P90 should be and more. *edit* wait I hear the noiseless now...it's pretty evident at about 0:56~0:57. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 6, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 Trust me, if you heard the original P90's in there you'd hear hum WHILE I'm playing as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scott Abene Posted March 6, 2011 Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 I love Kinman Pickups... I really think that if you are going high end product then this is the maker to go with. You will simply grow to love these pickups more and more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 6, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 Here's a new clip. I used a backing track from here which had all the guitar parts ripped out (that is definitely not me singing ). I wasn't sure about the legality of it, but according to their FAQ it's ok as long as it's not for commercial use. I went ahead and trimmed the beginning and end off so that it's not the complete work just in case. SG with the Kinmans used for all the guitar parts (only did one track, one take). I used the neck pickup with volume rolled off for the clean part in the bridge section before the solo. Everything else was bridge pretty much dimed thoughout. I did EQ the track just a bit so that it would sit in the mix a bit better, but I do realize that it's pretty loud compared to the original. All effects and ampsims were the AxeFX using a Fender Twin ampsim going throught a factory V30 4x12 impulse response with a FET boost in the front (internal effect). A touch of reverb in there afterwards (also internal effect). Recorded it straight into the computer from the AxeFX using Adobe Audition and spit it out to MP3. I just think that it's kind of funny that I used a P90 guitar through a "Fender" amp to get this tone; I am pretty sure it was an LP with humbuckers into a Marshall. I like the way that it sits in there personally. And yeah, there are some clams in there, but it's not like I'm selling it to anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scott Abene Posted March 6, 2011 Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 Sounds Killer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted March 6, 2011 Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 I remember recommending Kinman wholeheartedly a few weeks back. I'm glad that you're happy with your pickups. Kinmans are expensive, but I'll fight anyone who claims they're overpriced. Truth is, you can't get truly comparable performance at less money. Hence, they're expensive, but fairly priced IMO. Other manufacturers have somewhat caught up with their noiseless Fender style single coils, but when it comes to P90s, Kinman's still pretty much alone in getting it just right. I hope Chris Kinman puts his skills to making good bass pickups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted March 6, 2011 Members Share Posted March 6, 2011 Damn, that sounds good! If I ever do a P90 guitar those pups would be my #1 choice without a doubt. What amp model in the Axe FX are you using there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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