NPD! ZhangBucker P90 Prototype vs Lollar 50's Wind P90 - Demo

[MichaelW]

I figured I'd start a new thread for this as the other NPD discussion had a bit of topic drift....

But as mentioned in the other thread I had recently gotten a ZhangBucker P90 prototype that David Plummer (aka Zhang) had created.
It's a super low wind low output neck P90 designed to match better in a Tele with the typical lower output Tele bridge pickup.

Here's the description from the zhangbucker.com website:



I had originally ordered this pickup to go into my Epiphone Les Paul Special, intending to keep the stock bridge pickup which I liked.
But after thinking about it, the ZhangBucker Lollipop was going to be a better fit in my Gretsch Jet Junior neck P90 that I wanted to upgrade.
With a vintage output Filtertron style pickup in the bridge, it was difficult to volume balance with the hotter neck pickup.
The ZhangBucker "Lollipop" is the only P90 I've come across that's wound low enough to solve the problem in that guitar.

So to extend the comparison clips I started in the other NPD thread, here's a comparison of the clean(ish) neck tone compared against the Lollar 50's Wind.
Keeping in mind that it's a different guitar that sounds different inherently. Both the Gretsch and Epi are mahogany body and neck, short scale guitars but the Gretsch is a bolt on and a wee bit thinner.

Recording chain: guitar -> TC Polytune3 (w/buffer on) -> General Tso compressor -> SushiBox Space Heater -> Apollo -> clean 6L6 amp model
Buffered loop with: Hydra Delay -> MBP Tourbus Delay -> Gravitation Reverb

Epiphone "P90 Pro" (stock pickup)

https://soundcloud.com/michael-wong-482310884%2Fepi-neck-clean

Lollar 50's Wind P90 - Epiphone Les Paul Special - Clean

https://soundcloud.com/michael-wong-482310884%2Flollar-neck-clean

ZhangBucker "Lollipop" prototype P90 - Gretsch Jet Junior - Clean

https://soundcloud.com/michael-wong-482310884%2Fzhangbucker-lollipop-p90-clean

Continued in next post.....

 

[MichaelW]

For the "pushed" clips I decided to use a backing track this time.
Same recording chain as above except I added the Modus Operandi Boost in front of the Cattle Driver Overdrive, with the gain just barely cracked.
I tried to keep all the settings the same but had to fiddle with the input gain a bit from guitar to guitar as it was clipping my interface.

Just for giggles, I decided to throw in a clip with my "90Caster" Tele with the exact same Lollar Pickup as the Epiphone. The Tele is a poplar body, bolt on, 25.5" scale so it sounds even more different.

Lollar 50's Wind P90

ZhangBucker Lollipop P90

Lollar 50's Wind P90 - Tele

 

[fig]

ZhangBucker takes it on the clean for me.

 

[steviejr92]

I agree with @fig the ZhangBucker is much more present.

 

[MichaelW]

So....I dunno, I'm digging the Zhangbucker but it's not very P90-ish to me. A bit too polite. A bit too balanced.
The more I play it, the more it reminds of me of a Gold Foil.

I think it works on that guitar with the Filtertron and it's a nice contrast to the other two guitars, however, if I were to custom order a pickup from Zhangbucker I'd probably ask for the Lollipop with a few more turns on it.

That one I got just happened to be "ready to ship" and big part of the reason I got it......as I've mentioned before.....I'm a wee bit of an "instant gratification" type.

 

[cdwillis]

I think I like the Zhangbucker a little better here. The Lollar sounds a little too weak to me.

I got a Telebucker 3 from David a couple years ago to match up with my broadcaster style Tele bridge pickup. It was a great match. The guitar ended up parted out/disassembled, but I made sure to keep the pickups. I dunno if I'd buy anything else from him after reading his religious page with the Dennis Prager quote lol. I'm sorry, I didn't want to say anything, but I can't help it.

 

[cdwillis]

It’s the main reason I’ve never purchased from him, despite stellar reviews on his products.

Yeah, I bought the pickup before I realized who I was dealing with. I've been buying Wolfetone stuff lately. If you're looking for something of that handmade/unique/boutique sort of nature, he's a really good choice. So far I have a Marshallhead mkII, Marshallhead, Dr Vintage, and a Fenris. They're all top notch. Also he's had a 25% off sale since Covid popped up, so it's a really good deal.

 

[giovanni]

The pickups sound great. Honestly I liked both the Lollar and the Zhang. I have 3 Fralin P90s in my Novo and they sound a lot darker than either (they still sound good).

 

[giovanni]

Wait I forgot to say: but let’s take a moment to admire your excellent playing! As usual I would say.

 

[cdwillis]

I have a set of Legends in my LP

Whoops, I have a Legend neck in my LP, not the Dr Vintage, along with the Marshallhead bridge. My SG has the Marshallhead mkII in the neck and the Fenris in the bridge

 

[Gordo]

Oh damn the clean sound sounds so much more present and in-your-face in a nice way. That's very impressive. Over the years I've become a fan of lower output pickups, just for the ability to reign in clean tones on the volume pot. This has been a great demo series!

 

[MichaelW]

Really interesting hearing what you all hear. Also super interesting what I hear when I'm behind the guitar and in front of it and how it translates over even super compressed Youtube video.

The Lollar has more output than the Zhang and I had to compensate by messing with the input gain, I think may have "tamed" it a bit. It's definitely got more of the P90 growl than the Zhang but in the Lollar P90 hierarchy the 50's wind is his brightest, cleanest version.

Ok, so I have this Bootstrap P90 sitting on my desk.....heh....now I really want to know how it sounds.
I may need to do a little more pickup swapping this weekend.

I just listened to the P90 clips at Wolftone, those sound really good too.

 

[MichaelW]

Ugh..... @Big Monk and @cdwillis you've got me looking at Wolfetone Pickup a lot closer now.....The Legends look and sound dandy.
Seem like a great value in boooooteek pickup market which is bordering on the insane in come cases, like *cough, cough, ThroBak, cough cough"

 

[MichaelW]

Ugh..... @Big Monk and @cdwillis you've got me looking at Wolfetone Pickup a lot closer now.....The Legends look and sound dandy.
Seem like a great value in boooooteek pickup market which is bordering on the insane in come cases, like *cough, cough, ThroBak, cough cough"

@cdwillis @Big Monk ----ok, so I'm blaming this totally on you guys.....(and my easily being influenced by peer pressure......and my insatiable pickup curiosity ) I been chatting with Wolf via email and ordered a "Meaner P90" dog ear for an "upcoming NGD project".....

 

[MichaelW]

He's a great guy and super helpful.

Wow, I got my Wolftone P90 already. I ordered it 3 days ago on the 17th. He emailed me immediately to let me know he got the order. Then a little later that afternoon to let me know he finished winding it. Then the next day I got shipping notification. Crazy.

I'm hoping to get it installed this afternoon, I may be back to get some other pickups from him. @Big Monk, @cdwillis have you tried any of his Strat pickups? The "FlashBacks" look like a good fit for my 60's Strat project.

 

[cdwillis]

No. I'm not a strat guy. I've had five or six of them I think at this point and always ended up trading/selling them after while. I dig when other people play them (Nile Rodgers, Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, etc). I just can't get along with the volume knob position and my pick always gets in fights with that middle pickup. My Fenders are all two pickup guitars now that I think about it.

I've only used his humbuckers (Marshallhead mkII neck, Marshallhead bridge, Legend neck, and Fenris).

 

[MichaelW]

Well, I'm having some issues with my Wolf P90. Still trying to track down if it's my wiring, or the pickup or the pots I'm using.
I bagged it after my last attempt at over grounding everything this evening. Gonna try a different pickup pin it tomorrow to see if it's the wiring/components or the pickup itself.

 

[MichaelW]

Well, I'm having some issues with my Wolf P90. Still trying to track down if it's my wiring, or the pickup or the pots I'm using.
I bagged it after my last attempt at over grounding everything this evening. Gonna try a different pickup pin it tomorrow to see if it's the wiring/components or the pickup itself.

Ok, it's not the pickup, which is good news. I just threw in an Epiphone P90, same issue. The pots are acting very strangely too. I think I may have a "cooked" pot. Unfortunately new pots won't be here till tomorrow. Might try something in my big bag of salvaged pots later today.

 

[music6000]

Ok, it's not the pickup, which is good news. I just threw in an Epiphone P90, same issue. The pots are acting very strangely too. I think I may have a "cooked" pot. Unfortunately new pots won't be here till tomorrow. Might try something in my big bag of salvaged pots later today.

Throw an Alpha 16mm in there!

 

[MichaelW]

Funny you should say that, because it came with full size Alpha pots. Actually decent pots. BUT.....linear.....bleah.....