Getting The Best From P90 Pickups

[TheCasual]

I have Fender Modern Player Jaguar. I love the style, the feel and the playability.

But in the year I have had the guitar I've never had a tone I really like.

I have tried playing with EQ and amp models on my Peavey Vypyr 30.

Any tips?

[Dan Graves]

Go listen to Social Distortion is all i will say on the subject of P90's : https://youtu.be/d2fAo-dupxk?t=11m55s , also check their rig rundown from 2011 : http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Rig_Rundown_Social_Distortions_Mike_Ness_Jonny_Wickersham
Getting a good tone is really, REALLY hard with P90's, not all P90's are created equally, and the amp matters a LOT.
It will also depend on what you're trying to get out of them, really.
They tend to work best for a bit of dirty, sleazy rock ('n roll), unless you're using an overwound (or otherwise 'hotrodded') P90.

[TB-AV]

Some people make their "P90s" as simply stacked humbucker in a different shape, but it's not a real P-90.

I really don't know anything about those specific ones. But if they sound more like a regular humbucker than a single coil-ish then that may the issue.

[TheCasual]

Cheers Dan.

My aim is kind of classic rock, punk and alternative. Nothing to heavy.

Fender describes them as full-throated pair of single-coil Modern Player MP-90 pickups.

Do P90's not work well with solid state amps?

[Borodog]

My P90s sound great with my digital effects unit imo

[justinguitar]

Tone is a contineous quest! you might find p90's are not giving you the tone you hear, so try something else. I find the tone I want to hear changes often so that's my excuse for having a few guitars

[Dan Graves]

Cheers Dan.

My aim is kind of classic rock, punk and alternative. Nothing to heavy.

Fender describes them as full-throated pair of single-coil Modern Player MP-90 pickups.

Do P90's not work well with solid state amps?

The (BKP 'Pig90 and Blue Note 90) P90's worked fine for me on the Tech21 (analog, solid state modelling amp) and the Axe-FX II (digital modeller), it's all a matter of finding tonal balance.
It could be these particular P90's you have just won't do it for you, though.
Same as with any other type/make of pickup, sometimes other models just sound better.
I'd suggest messing with the amp models/settings some more first, then if that fails, exploring either a different guitar or new pickups.

[Drubbing]

I've got a guy building me a LH Tele dual P90. I can only go on how they sound in clips as you won't find a LH P90 in a store anywhere. I like they way they sound and don't think my Mustang or Pathfinder should struggle to get good things from them.

Not as bright as SC, not as fat as HB. Should be just fine.

[Borodog]

Looked around for something on my soundcloud I was absolutely certain I played on the P90 guitar and I found this:

https://soundcloud.com/borodog/southern-rock-solo-study

 
I liked the tone I got a lot. Your mileage may vary. :O)

[Dan Graves]

Yeah, that's a good P90 tone IMHO, slightly gritty in places, but not too much considering what kind of piece it is.
Add slightly more grit, bit more low end and you've just about got Social D's live tone.

[TheCasual]

After 4 years of having this guitar I finally fallen in love with it.

I re strung it with 12-56 gauge strings instead of 10-46. 

[CT]

P90's have great tone! I will agree that the amp matters a lot. What kind of amp do you have?