Today it's a comparison between two of my favorite guitars! How well do they handle the rock tones and is a Les Paul P90 really like a Telecaster on Steroids? Let me know if you prefer P90s or Tele pickups (or both)? I hope you are all doing well. 😄 Timestamps: 0:00 - The Guitars 1:29 - About this video 2:22 - Gibson Les Paul P90s (Jam) 4:46 - Telecaster (Jam) 7:20 - Isolated Crunch Tones 8:37 - More Gain & Volume 10:16 - Ultragain Lead Tones 12:20 - Results and Thoughts Check out my guitars on Sweetwater: ►Gibson Les Paul Studio - imp.i114863.net/RBzBN ►Fender American Original 50s Tele - imp.i114863.net/6OvOq (Affiliate links - These help support the channel at no extra cost to you, Thanks!) My Video Guitar Reviews Gibson - czcams.com/video/vZ18IgCSFgI/video.html Fender - czcams.com/video/KRKyU13PYTE/video.html
Great video! I loved the way both sounded, and would like to hear how they would sound together. I think if one was doubling the other on rhythm, they would give you a nice well rounded sound.
@@justobserving7045 There is a minimum of 10 videos for right-handed people against 1 for left-handed people. Stop complaining, and you don't have to watch. Thanks Shane, I feel less lonely.
I was actually thinking the opposite of Rob. He knows better than I, but I would love to hear both versions: LP rhythm with Tele lead and vice versa. Awesome tone on both for sure.
@@Sean_Plays_Guitar Just goes to show we all have subtle preferences, cause I agreed with you. I'd put LP rhythm with the cutting leads of Tele over top. Would def need a noise gate, tho, at high gain.
It's crystal clear: you gotta have both. And a Strat. Oh, and a Gretsch Country Gentleman. And a Rickenbacker 12-string (but only for 3 songs). That should do it. Wait a minute ...
The Les Paul Special is like the best gibson for a Fender lover, as a telecaster player always found the slab body, the tv yellow and the p90s really cool, I mean, really really cool. I would totally go for a Special over a Standard to be honest
I just picked an Epiphone up, I have been plating Squire Teles for the past 10 years. For me, the difference is in the neck. I can simply land more stuff successfully with the LP Special. Still has a single coil sound, but just easier to play. The Tele necks are just too small, especially in the first position.
From a Guy who's got a tele and a beautiful les Paul with P90s. Yes they are. Its funny though. When you play a tele first and then go to p90s, the P90s Will sound like Humbuckers. But if you play Humbuckers first and then play a p90, you'll find the P90s sound very spanky and like a tele. My Bottom Line is, I think the P90s have the Broadest range of sounds they can achieve. But I love Both!
Got a dual P-90 guitar yesterday of course found this video. Gotta say, yeah yes hits the nail on the head for me. Exactly my thoughts when comparing to my other guitar
Whenever I'm swapping between guitars with different style pickups there is about 10-15 minutes of thinking "not sure this sounds as good as the guitar I was just playing" then for whatever reason, perhaps micro adjustments and sound perception, it starts to sound how I want. 😅
Got a Firebird studio with p90s last week - Heres what I ve learned so far: -They like british amps - marshall JCMs specially - When you roll back the volume (on 4 or less) it acts more like a single coil, you get the snap, you get the twangy quack on the bridge pickup -When you push them they start to compress and (sort of) react like a humbucker. tons of mids -ALL the crunch -A lot of people think that p90s and jazzmaster pups are the same, but they are completely different beasts. -They re very sensitive and things can go out of control if you dont take the time to dial your sound properly. Also, noisy as hell. You gotta use those knobs on your guitar -They re way different to other single coils, so if you re afraid of them being redundant , or overlapping with your tele/strat, dont be
I agree. P90 for rythym and tele for lead. The tele has a more kind of raw emotion and attitude kind of sound in the lead bits. In the right hands of course.
@saddlebag that so funny! Everyone’s ears are different I thought the exact opposite. I dug the clearer tele on rhythm because it didn’t sound as washy to me but liked the P90s more on the single note oriented lead
I love how you had 2 guitars, but 3 amps. I stopped buying guitars, and am now filling my sound room with amplifiers. That is a win. Also better to invest time into good practice sessions than anything.
Maybe it's because I was alive when all the great Rock & Roll of the late 50's 60's & 70's on the very day when they actually hit the charts & the radio, I have to go with the "Tele". Les Paul's also ruled the day, but for my ears the Tele is just more tonally clear & chimey, & between the two I find the Tele more versatile. Anything from country twang to jazz, you can do it all with a Tele. But I'm old, so what do I know,.....alot cuz I was there !
P90's all the way with 1 caveat: toss a simple treble bleed mod in that Gibson. As you roll the volume down you'll lose some of those lows/low mids, which brings you smack dab in the middle of tele town. Both sounds in one guitar, can't beat that.
Completely agree, I have humbucker sized P90s and treble bleed mod transformed them. It made such a difference i couldn't believe it. I did the mod with capacitor and resistor in parallel to slightly tame the extra treble at low volumes.
@@flyingwondercat739 I've done 3 variations (no resistor, kinman and duncan) and honestly with my pickups (3 p90's and a 5 way) I really like the version without the resistor when I bring it way down I get into really brilliant funk territory with my cleans. With strat pickups the resistor should be mandatory!
What's truly sublime about P90s is the way they clean up when you roll back the guitar's volume. From roaring to absolutely crystalline, it's almost as extreme of a change as with a fuzz face. On that note, I really do need to get a Les Paul Junior...
I found one I really clicked with at a store a few weeks ago. Went back to buy it and almost didn't pull the trigger. Glad I did, i vibe with it more than I have with a physical object ever. The Junior is my favorite guitar now.
I know I’m necroing an old video again, but as someone just getting into the gear side of things I want to thank you for doing these kinds of videos. Going to your channel saves me massive amounts of time and miss information as I’m getting to know the basics of electric tone. Thanks again Shane!
On the clean side, the Telecaster showed more clarity and harmonic overtones, which my ears preferred. It behaved well on the dirty side too, but the P90s seemed a bit more aggressive. Thanks for the comparison, it was well worth watching.
P90s sound warmer all around and the tele is brighter and little harsher. I was hoping I’d prefer the tele and therefore force myself to buy one (lol) but the p90s do it for me. Great comparison. Great playing!
The Tele is the guitar that was made perfect the first time, and hasn’t needed tweaking since. It’s not a diva and the necks are super workable. I recently dropped a 50’s P90 in the bridge and an old Lipstick tube in the neck, on one of my Teles. I’d highly recommend this for any slide players on this channel💛
This is very timely for me because I just bought a Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV Yellow(needed a P90 guitar in my collection) and I love it but when I switch to my tele there are a few seconds of feeling the lower output pickups until I adjust to it. I do feel they are two different animals in my book and I love them equally. Great video Shane!
Love this review, both guitars sound amazing in your hands. I have a vintage Strat and feel like I need something a little more raw and brutal. The LP Special seems like the perfect platform for P90s.
Very helpful vid… convinced me, after a musical career spent avoiding Gibsons (3 Fender Strats, including a 1964 L Series original, 2 Teles, 2 PRS - a Santana and a Custom 22), and a vintage G&L ASAT - to give the Gibson Les Paul Special a whirl. What I'd suggest might provide the ultimate test would be to throw an American G&L ASAT Special into the mix (not the Tribute!). The ASAT's unique pickups look a bit like P90s, but aren't - but they don't sound like Fender single coils either. Leo Fender reckoned the ASAT Special was his finest ever Tele. If you can find one locally, you should try to borrow it and line it up with your yellow Tele and the Les Paul Special. I'd offer to lend you mine - but I reckon a trip to just north of London might just be a bit far for the budget… yours and mine.
Shane, every time I watch your videos I am just mesmerized by the way you hold the pick; I could watch you play for hours for that reason alone :-) I know you pick with the other, rounded corners of the pick instead of the tip but still, the way you hold the pick with both your index and middle finger is just something else. Love your videos, btw.
From Leo: Good sounds with both of them. You seem more relaxed on the Tele. Your pick attack and the degree of bend gets there right where your technique and the Tele are working well together. The LP was not shabby but the edge goes to the Tele. We all grow into our favorite instrument.
I was going to say that I love the sounds I can get out of my '65 non-reverse Firebird's P90s, but I prefer to play my MIM tele everyday for jamming. Somehow it just feels "right." The tele has just a hint more sparkle and I can tweak for the "brown" tones that are natural to the P90s, but I can't get the sparkle of a tele bridge with the Firebird.
I have that exact TV Special also. I bought it back in December. Absolutely my favorite guitar! I have a Les Paul Tribute as well as a Tele, and strat, and the special never gets put away. I love the fatter neck, and the tones are so versatile. I can get everything from smooth jazz, to blues, to classic rock, to even metal with a noise gate and the right overdrive or distortion. Truly a hidden gem. I enjoy seeing the excitement on your face when I see you play it, because I'm in the same boat. Rock on Shane!
Both sound great, both are a must have. Both are working horses. I am a tele guy, but and there is a but, the P90 sound a bit more dark and thick and I quite like it. I should get one LP P90's.
@@oldrrocr I'm a lefty, started out playing right-handed (when I was 6 yrs old), then realized I could do it better the other way 'round. In the late 60s I played in a band with another lefty who had always played right-handed. He had never seen a lefty giitar and tried mine out (a Kent/Kay at the time). He picked it up pretty quickly and after a few months could play both ways, but as a lefty better. We played together on stage a few times and some audience members noticed (confused) that he switched back & forth. He still plays both ways -- lefty mostly when he has his own axes at hand, righty when he's using someone else's guitar.
Both excellent - I think I did slightly prefer the telecaster but then I do own 2 Tele's so I would say that! Tele sits more in the mids to me where as expected the P90 Les Paul has more treble - good description that the P90 is the Tele on steroids though. Still very tempted myself in buying a Les Paul P90 to my inventory, thanks for the video.
First, I loved the video! I hope you do a ton more like this, and I really enjoyed you stepping out of the blues for a bit. As for the guitars: I liked the note definition on the Tele. I started this swearing I would prefer the P90s, but the Tele won me over. Clarity meets power.
As a listener, hearing thru speakers. You can play with both ones, no issues. But Tele pickup combinations are the kicker here, you can get haunting sound as well coloured crunch. With P90 you get amazing crunch as well but it is clean crunch if that makes sense. Now I get the idea why they put P90's to the Tele neck position, you will get Tele crunch with a kick of P90 :D I guess that would be the the Tele on Steroids! Would be interesting to hear that as well in same way compared to each other :)
Thank you I enjoyed the show. Fun demonstration. I've only played Fender pickups but I've been able to isolate from covid 19 with a '56 es-125 . I love the p90 sound, bridge pick only. So many more songs to access with that tone, chunky warm.....cheers
Gotta put in a plug for Reverend guitars. I have a Charger with P-90s. The bass contour control will give you the best of both worlds at the twist of a knob!
I'm a big Tele guy, but the P-90s kicked major ass. You play very well. I've been thinking about putting a P-90 in the neck position of one of my Teles. This is a convincer. Best of both worlds.
Nice playing! The tones are stellar! The Gibson is rounder in tone but the mahogany set neck and shorter scale are the biggest contributors. Check out old Emmylou Harris footage with Frank Reckard playing a Les Paul Jr. double cut!
@@landonbailey oh Landon lol.... Curious if you noticed a difference in sound between Shane's LP with P'90s and those of the mustang 90? I think the mustangs are Underwound....?
Of course I prefer a Tele. It's just my favorite all around guitar. I've had Teles with stock single coils, P90s, Filtertrons, and Humbuckers Plus combinations of all. The feel of the Tele is what sales me. P90s just don't have the twang on clean settings but the more gain you add makes the P90s stand out more and cut through the mix. My next Tele build will probably be Jazzmaster pups. P.S. Try a set of over wound pups on a Tele, it will come to life then on high gain. I did enjoy your video.
They both have great tones. The Telly had more bite, more snap to my ear than the Les Paul. I'd love to have both, but if I had to choose one it would be the Telecaster!
I have a p90 Les Paul and a Telecaster. The sound I hear in your video and the comments vibe with why I have them. P90 is the most underrated pick up. I feel with those 2 guitars I can play anything and keep my Les Paul in drop D.
I always love the mid range in the P90. They sing so nicely in the neck position but the bridge in the tele is so good. The perfect guitar has a p90 neck and a tele bridge
Thanks, Shane. The LP Special a bit thicker and rounded in general, the Tele with more bite and openness. Different and both very useable as demonstrated. I noted how good the fingerboard on the LP Special looked with it's relatively light-colour and nice grain.
Excellent vid! The Tele sounds "thinner", though slightly more defined. The P90 is thick and screams "rock n roll" without the muddiness that comes with humbuckers. Section 3 of this vid should be documented as "the quintessential" P90 tone! P90's are my favorite pickup but I love Tele and Strat tones as well and sometimes a Fender single coil is the right choice for the song. Thumbs up!
It so happens every time you take a Fender-type guitar: the player is more inspired and is taken away by that rich overtone spectrum. I like those P90 better than humbuckers, which turn everything into a pulp. But Fender-type pickups are the best: inspiration to the player and clean tone to both the player and the audience.
This is a super fun video! Love the comments, too, ‘cause with two wickedly great tones, there are no wrong answers. I love how Shane looks when he plays the drums...a little meek and timid. Cracks me up! Great backing track and your drum tone is awesome.
Loved the P90s! Loved the Tele! Great sounds, both of em. The P90 sounded a bit more 'traditional' for the licks you were playing; The Tele had a delightful not-quite-so bombastic feeling.
Both sounded great. I'm currently in the market for a tele myself, but I have 2 Les Pauls with P90's in them and truthfully, it might just be my favorite sound. The P90 is such a powerful pickup.
AUSSIE + Guitar = AUSS-UM-NESS!!!!!..Shane I've no clue why you dont head on up to The U.S.A. & play a few nights at Antone's in Texas ...if so I can guarantee one of the resident Blues greats will throw you in the studio !! Your style is just 100% pure AWESOMEUS' MAXIMUS !!..
Liked the two jams. It was clear one was a Les Paul and the other a Tele. Similar but no way to mistake one for the other. I was most glad to see you STAND UP to play lead. You can't rock from a sitting position.
Damn, Shane! The track is great. Both guitars sound killer, but I prefer the P90 rock and roll tone of the Les Paul. I recently got my first P90 loaded guitar ( a Suhr) and I love the P90 tone. After 50 years of S style single coils and humbuckers, I couldn’t believe that I let this tone slip by me for all that time.
I love P90s! I recently installed Planet Tone humbucker sized P90s on a semi-hollow and love the chime and punch! Anyone should definitely check out Planet Tone pickups, they're made in Colorado at a great price point
Two of my favorite guitars, The special definitely had a hotter sound and the telecaster has a snappier timbre to it. Both handle high gain very well as they do clean tones this why tele's and specials and jr.'s are my favorite guitars.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the Tele. Am considering buying one soon. But then you played the p90s and I remembered they are magical with distortion. So far in my experience unbeatable as far as OD rock tones go. The Tele sounds "hollower" if that makes sense.
I wonder how much the maple fretboard vs rosewood fretboard plays into this as well. Both sound fantastic. I have a Strat, a Tele and a Les Paul Jr with one P90. Love them all for different things.
I have those two as well, and to me your review affirmed my own experience. But I will say, I see the two guitars (my two) as two totally different animals; I couldn’t say my P90s are like my Tele pickups on steroids - they’re definitely ballsier, but so different. Thanks - it looks like you had fun with that high-gain howl!
Man that jam made me feel alive!!!!!!🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽To my ears, the P90s have a it’s own unique tone that has that growl whereas the Telecaster has that classic single coil clarity even with dirt on it. I would lean more to the Les Paul Special for the P90s tones and all the fun you can have with it! The Telecaster tones, while uniquely its own, has very similar tones of a Stratocaster and I believe I have enough Strats to last me....... to 2021🤣🤣🤣 Great comparison and awesome demo jams! Having the kit really makes these demos sound even better! Cheers!🎸🎸🎸🎶🎶🎶🎶
Stupid cliché "shrimp on the barbie /that's not a knife" Aussie jokes aside ( and not to be racist and assume all Aussies know all their history of rock music), Would you happen to know if its true the midnight oil guy eventually became the Environment Minister at one point ? ( My understanding is Australia has very progressive environmental policies and also is very strict on preventing contamination from invasive species and was curious to know if that guy had anything to do with it and actually put his money where his microphone is ?). ...( At least he made us bald guys cool !!). PS I'm from Québec and my mother's side of the family is actually from a town called Asbestos ( where it was discovered and first mined ) .... And a lot of my relitives died from those original "blue sky mines"
Noticed you were more often picking near the neck pickup on the P90 and closer to the middle and even biased closer to the bridge pickup on the Tele. Plus the Tele pickup was set lower/further from the strings. All of which makes for the fatter vs brighter trends. Make those adjustments and you'll get them closer. They were contemporary competitors back in the old days, benchmarking each other all those years ago.
The Les Paul Studio has the typical Les Paul flute like tones in the upper frets that the Tele doesn't have. The tone is mellower compared to the Tele. The Tele however has that typical Fender chime. It's a matter of taste like always.
My experience of P90s is that they are fatter and more muscular than other single coils. In many ways they are the ideal guitar pickup, except they are prone to hum. Their unusual magnetic field allows setting them close to the strings without the wolf tones associated with setting Fender single coils too close. I don't think it is apparent in this video, but when swapping from a Tele to a P90 equipped guitar I immediately notice more output and power ....and hum. Except of course when using Kinman P90s!!
that's because the magnets in the p90 are underneath the actual coil windings the pole pieces sit in between two magnets that are the base of the pickup.
I've had a Gibson Les Paul Pro with the P 90 which I bought in the '80s so I maybe be biased towards the Gibson. Anyway, I thought it had a little bit cleaner sound even when distorted. Thank you for very superb playing.
Your riff sounds like Tom Petty to me so I think if forces my brain to pick the telecaster. Both were great and you nailed it with the high singing part at the end on the telecaster.
Great comparison, the P90 has a girthier tone while the tele has slight bit of hollowness but more top end... which is what makes a tele sounds like a tele and P90 sound like a P90.
Just switched out the pickups in my Tele to some hand wound custom pickups that are close to P90s. They absolutely rock! The neck pickup is particularly awesome! It´s a beast if you want it to be or, just a little bit of boost is an incredible blues monster! The bridge pickup is rock! Pure and simple! Absolutely love them!
I came across this video two weeks after getting a single cut with two p90's and "telecaster on steroids" came to mind regarding the tone when I got it. Definitely loving the p90 sound!
Hi Shane, Shane here. I'm just getting back into guitar. I messed with it a few years after high school but it didn't really last much after that. Fast forward ~20 years and i'm going to try to pick it up again. I have a Butterscotch Blonde tele on its way to me. (It's only a Squier Affinity series) Wanted to say how much i've been enjoying your videos. Cheers from the states!
To me, the P90 sounds more distinct. The Tele can be too twangy and it often has an annoying high-pitched sound after you pick the string but before the note starts.
Just a matter of dropping P90's into a Telecaster. Nice to have a little stronger pickup, you can dial that out with volume & tone knobs on the guitar or the amp EQ. If it's not there, you'll never create that out of thin air for either for identical tone. But the P90 may never get as bright as the Telecaster standard issue. Some of it is Mahogany body with a Mahogany neck vs Alder body with a Maple neck too.
Cool comparison, I feel the Tele sounds more clear in the leads and rhythm. I think there a bit more snarl/growl with the tele. Not that the P90s are great. I would play them myself and see which sound better. As a side note, I recently got a Reverend Sensei Jr. guitar with one P90 pickup and this thing sounds great. The P90 can handle overdrive a little better, it really sounds like a cross between a single coil and a humbucker, IMO. Thank you for posting this.
Great comparison, Shane! I think the effort you put into this was defnitely worth it. Cool to hear them both side by side in the same context. I tend to prefer the special mostly for its raw and full rock'n'roll sound, except for the high gain bridge, which seems a little too muddy for my tastes. But the tele stands its own for sure, just a matter of taste.
Holy hell, I think I actually liked the Tele solo tone at around 7 minutes better than the P90s- and I'm a huge P90 fan! It actually had a bit of Les Paulish sound to it, lol. A bit of room mic on the lead and solo tones only might make them sound more "present" and epic. (I'm mentally comparing them to other lead sounds from records. They come DAMN close- the tone is there, the feel is there. Something in the recording just sounds... clinical?) I just need to get a talent booster, so I can make MY Tele sound like that!! lol (the asshole who plays it SUCKS)
Today it's a comparison between two of my favorite guitars! How well do they handle the rock tones and is a Les Paul P90 really like a Telecaster on Steroids? Let me know if you prefer P90s or Tele pickups (or both)? I hope you are all doing well. 😄
Timestamps:
0:00 - The Guitars
1:29 - About this video
2:22 - Gibson Les Paul P90s (Jam)
4:46 - Telecaster (Jam)
7:20 - Isolated Crunch Tones
8:37 - More Gain & Volume
10:16 - Ultragain Lead Tones
12:20 - Results and Thoughts
Check out my guitars on Sweetwater:
►Gibson Les Paul Studio - imp.i114863.net/RBzBN
►Fender American Original 50s Tele - imp.i114863.net/6OvOq
(Affiliate links - These help support the channel at no extra cost to you, Thanks!)
My Video Guitar Reviews
Gibson - czcams.com/video/vZ18IgCSFgI/video.html
Fender - czcams.com/video/KRKyU13PYTE/video.html
Great video! I loved the way both sounded, and would like to hear how they would sound together. I think if one was doubling the other on rhythm, they would give you a nice well rounded sound.
Both guitars were great but the katana sucked the tone out of both of them
You being a lefty makes me somehow don't appreciate your good quality videos completly...
the tele is king of the two
@@justobserving7045 There is a minimum of 10 videos for right-handed people against 1 for left-handed people. Stop complaining, and you don't have to watch. Thanks Shane, I feel less lonely.
Oh, they both sound great. I actually prefer the chime the Tele has on the Rhythm but the P90s win for leads in my book.
Thanks, man!
I tend to agree with you even though I recently got a Special and fell in love with the p90s.
I was actually thinking the opposite of Rob. He knows better than I, but I would love to hear both versions: LP rhythm with Tele lead and vice versa. Awesome tone on both for sure.
@@Sean_Plays_Guitar Just goes to show we all have subtle preferences, cause I agreed with you. I'd put LP rhythm with the cutting leads of Tele over top. Would def need a noise gate, tho, at high gain.
Man, exactly my thoughts
The Tele has clarity. The P90s have balls. Either way, tremendous tones, Shane!
Well said.
It's crystal clear: you gotta have both. And a Strat. Oh, and a Gretsch Country Gentleman. And a Rickenbacker 12-string (but only for 3 songs). That should do it. Wait a minute ...
Don’t forget a danelectro in case you feel the urge to write music for a Tarantino film or play Kashmir
@@elijahholland3995 got one - a lefty. Too bad one can’t post photos here.
Exactly my case at the moment. I have a Butterscotch Telecaster already, just oredered the Epiphone TV Yellow. It never stops does it? XD
And a 335
@@cjsilvestremusic - my latest purchase: butterscotch Tele - a lefty, like the rest.
The Les Paul Special is like the best gibson for a Fender lover, as a telecaster player always found the slab body, the tv yellow and the p90s really cool, I mean, really really cool. I would totally go for a Special over a Standard to be honest
I just picked an Epiphone up, I have been plating Squire Teles for the past 10 years. For me, the difference is in the neck. I can simply land more stuff successfully with the LP Special. Still has a single coil sound, but just easier to play. The Tele necks are just too small, especially in the first position.
From a Guy who's got a tele and a beautiful les Paul with P90s. Yes they are. Its funny though. When you play a tele first and then go to p90s, the P90s Will sound like Humbuckers. But if you play Humbuckers first and then play a p90, you'll find the P90s sound very spanky and like a tele. My Bottom Line is, I think the P90s have the Broadest range of sounds they can achieve. But I love Both!
Edit: i think its cool and fascinating that our ears are relative like that.
totally agree
Got a dual P-90 guitar yesterday of course found this video. Gotta say, yeah yes hits the nail on the head for me. Exactly my thoughts when comparing to my other guitar
Thanks now I understand the reason my P90's sounded like Humbuckers after playing a Strat.
Whenever I'm swapping between guitars with different style pickups there is about 10-15 minutes of thinking "not sure this sounds as good as the guitar I was just playing" then for whatever reason, perhaps micro adjustments and sound perception, it starts to sound how I want. 😅
Got a Firebird studio with p90s last week - Heres what I ve learned so far:
-They like british amps - marshall JCMs specially
- When you roll back the volume (on 4 or less) it acts more like a single coil, you get the snap, you get the twangy quack on the bridge pickup
-When you push them they start to compress and (sort of) react like a humbucker. tons of mids
-ALL the crunch
-A lot of people think that p90s and jazzmaster pups are the same, but they are completely different beasts.
-They re very sensitive and things can go out of control if you dont take the time to dial your sound properly. Also, noisy as hell. You gotta use those knobs on your guitar
-They re way different to other single coils, so if you re afraid of them being redundant , or overlapping with your tele/strat, dont be
We know P90 & JM pick ups are totally different types of pick up.
Did not know that, I will have to check out a Jazz Master.
I thought the Tele sounded as good for the lead bits, but the crunchy rhythm stuff sounded better via P90s.
Agreed. I expect that a bit of boost ahead of the drive would have helped the Tele get that crunchy sound.
I agree. P90 for rythym and tele for lead. The tele has a more kind of raw emotion and attitude kind of sound in the lead bits. In the right hands of course.
I couldn’t agree more .
Tele sounded thin an fiddly and Hong Kong ('70's) toy-ish. Sad.
@saddlebag that so funny! Everyone’s ears are different I thought the exact opposite. I dug the clearer tele on rhythm because it didn’t sound as washy to me but liked the P90s more on the single note oriented lead
Can't go wrong with either of those guitars.
what if you hate Teles and Les Pauls?
@@landonbailey Only someone that doesn't like Led Zeppelin could not like Teles and LPs. 😛
If you hate Teles and Les Pauls, then you still won't go wrong, you just won't be happy about it.
@@JordyMarincic Malcolm young was not a fan.
@@landonbailey Then I think you're stuffed eh!
I love how you had 2 guitars, but 3 amps. I stopped buying guitars, and am now filling my sound room with amplifiers. That is a win. Also better to invest time into good practice sessions than anything.
Excuse me, sir, the whole video is flipped leftwards
😂 hope tour joking.
Maybe it's because I was alive when all the great Rock & Roll of the late 50's 60's & 70's on the very day when they actually hit the charts & the radio, I have to go with the "Tele". Les Paul's also ruled the day, but for my ears the Tele is just more tonally clear & chimey, & between the two I find the Tele more versatile. Anything from country twang to jazz, you can do it all with a Tele. But I'm old, so what do I know,.....alot cuz I was there !
P90's all the way with 1 caveat: toss a simple treble bleed mod in that Gibson. As you roll the volume down you'll lose some of those lows/low mids, which brings you smack dab in the middle of tele town. Both sounds in one guitar, can't beat that.
For sure! I never put mine below 8 in order not to muffle it, as I didn't know about treble bleed thingies.
Completely agree, I have humbucker sized P90s and treble bleed mod transformed them. It made such a difference i couldn't believe it. I did the mod with capacitor and resistor in parallel to slightly tame the extra treble at low volumes.
@@flyingwondercat739 was it .001 uF and 150k ohms?
@@flyingwondercat739 I've done 3 variations (no resistor, kinman and duncan) and honestly with my pickups (3 p90's and a 5 way) I really like the version without the resistor when I bring it way down I get into really brilliant funk territory with my cleans. With strat pickups the resistor should be mandatory!
What's truly sublime about P90s is the way they clean up when you roll back the guitar's volume. From roaring to absolutely crystalline, it's almost as extreme of a change as with a fuzz face. On that note, I really do need to get a Les Paul Junior...
I found one I really clicked with at a store a few weeks ago. Went back to buy it and almost didn't pull the trigger. Glad I did, i vibe with it more than I have with a physical object ever. The Junior is my favorite guitar now.
Believe Gibson has Les Paul Specials starting at $999.00 new with a case!
I know I’m necroing an old video again, but as someone just getting into the gear side of things I want to thank you for doing these kinds of videos. Going to your channel saves me massive amounts of time and miss information as I’m getting to know the basics of electric tone. Thanks again Shane!
On the clean side, the Telecaster showed more clarity and harmonic overtones, which my ears preferred. It behaved well on the dirty side too, but the P90s seemed a bit more aggressive. Thanks for the comparison, it was well worth watching.
P90s sound warmer all around and the tele is brighter and little harsher. I was hoping I’d prefer the tele and therefore force myself to buy one (lol) but the p90s do it for me. Great comparison. Great playing!
the Tele bridge p/up is able to give a more cutting tone..think of Albert Collins
I like the full-bodied throaty sound of the P90s, but the Tele has the snap, drive, and famous snarl of the songle coils. Great video, Shawn
The Tele is the guitar that was made perfect the first time, and hasn’t needed tweaking since. It’s not a diva and the necks are super workable. I recently dropped a 50’s P90 in the bridge and an old Lipstick tube in the neck, on one of my Teles. I’d highly recommend this for any slide players on this channel💛
So you tweaked that which needed no tweaking? ;^)
This is very timely for me because I just bought a Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV Yellow(needed a P90 guitar in my collection) and I love it but when I switch to my tele there are a few seconds of feeling the lower output pickups until I adjust to it. I do feel they are two different animals in my book and I love them equally. Great video Shane!
I am going with the telecaster on this one. The sound seems more fuller and round. Prefer that.
Definitely agree with ya on that one.
Yes me too, don't know whether that's a maple neck on the Gibson or mahogany but it seems to lack the snap that the tele has.
P90's are way fuller and biting. Nothing compares. A Tele with P90s is 👌. P90's clean are even more amazing.
I actually hated the tele lead, Lol
@@Ribod lol, mahogany
Love this review, both guitars sound amazing in your hands. I have a vintage Strat and feel like I need something a little more raw and brutal. The LP Special seems like the perfect platform for P90s.
Very helpful vid… convinced me, after a musical career spent avoiding Gibsons (3 Fender Strats, including a 1964 L Series original, 2 Teles, 2 PRS - a Santana and a Custom 22), and a vintage G&L ASAT - to give the Gibson Les Paul Special a whirl. What I'd suggest might provide the ultimate test would be to throw an American G&L ASAT Special into the mix (not the Tribute!). The ASAT's unique pickups look a bit like P90s, but aren't - but they don't sound like Fender single coils either. Leo Fender reckoned the ASAT Special was his finest ever Tele. If you can find one locally, you should try to borrow it and line it up with your yellow Tele and the Les Paul Special. I'd offer to lend you mine - but I reckon a trip to just north of London might just be a bit far for the budget… yours and mine.
Shane, every time I watch your videos I am just mesmerized by the way you hold the pick; I could watch you play for hours for that reason alone :-) I know you pick with the other, rounded corners of the pick instead of the tip but still, the way you hold the pick with both your index and middle finger is just something else. Love your videos, btw.
The problem with a Tele on steroids is that after a while it starts to become paranoid, aggressive and delusional. 😏
🤣
Good one!😄
and its balls shrivel up
@@frankcarter6427 🤣
With tiny NUTS! ;oP
From Leo: Good sounds with both of them. You seem more relaxed on the Tele. Your pick attack and the degree of bend gets there right where your technique and the Tele are working well together. The LP was not shabby but the edge goes to the Tele. We all grow into our favorite instrument.
I was going to say that I love the sounds I can get out of my '65 non-reverse Firebird's P90s, but I prefer to play my MIM tele everyday for jamming. Somehow it just feels "right." The tele has just a hint more sparkle and I can tweak for the "brown" tones that are natural to the P90s, but I can't get the sparkle of a tele bridge with the Firebird.
I have that exact TV Special also. I bought it back in December. Absolutely my favorite guitar! I have a Les Paul Tribute as well as a Tele, and strat, and the special never gets put away. I love the fatter neck, and the tones are so versatile. I can get everything from smooth jazz, to blues, to classic rock, to even metal with a noise gate and the right overdrive or distortion. Truly a hidden gem. I enjoy seeing the excitement on your face when I see you play it, because I'm in the same boat. Rock on Shane!
Both sound great, both are a must have. Both are working horses. I am a tele guy, but and there is a but, the P90 sound a bit more dark and thick and I quite like it. I should get one LP P90's.
Had to watch this in a mirror🤣
I'm left- handed playing right- handed for 55+ years. took some mental adjustment but now I think watching you is EXACTLY what I need to do.
I love that. 😆
@@oldrrocr I'm a lefty, started out playing right-handed (when I was 6 yrs old), then realized I could do it better the other way 'round. In the late 60s I played in a band with another lefty who had always played right-handed. He had never seen a lefty giitar and tried mine out (a Kent/Kay at the time). He picked it up pretty quickly and after a few months could play both ways, but as a lefty better. We played together on stage a few times and some audience members noticed (confused) that he switched back & forth. He still plays both ways -- lefty mostly when he has his own axes at hand, righty when he's using someone else's guitar.
I’m here for the playing and as a lefty it soothes my brain to see lefty guitars.
Thank you for making this video Shane, it's a really interesting comparison. Fantastic playing on the tracks too.
Both excellent - I think I did slightly prefer the telecaster but then I do own 2 Tele's so I would say that! Tele sits more in the mids to me where as expected the P90 Les Paul has more treble - good description that the P90 is the Tele on steroids though. Still very tempted myself in buying a Les Paul P90 to my inventory, thanks for the video.
First, I loved the video! I hope you do a ton more like this, and I really enjoyed you stepping out of the blues for a bit. As for the guitars: I liked the note definition on the Tele. I started this swearing I would prefer the P90s, but the Tele won me over. Clarity meets power.
I'm a drummer but I'll just tell you something, I love both guitars they sound awesome. Great comparison Video!!
As a listener, hearing thru speakers. You can play with both ones, no issues. But Tele pickup combinations are the kicker here, you can get haunting sound as well coloured crunch. With P90 you get amazing crunch as well but it is clean crunch if that makes sense. Now I get the idea why they put P90's to the Tele neck position, you will get Tele crunch with a kick of P90 :D
I guess that would be the the Tele on Steroids! Would be interesting to hear that as well in same way compared to each other :)
Thank you I enjoyed the show. Fun demonstration. I've only played Fender pickups but I've been able to isolate from covid 19 with a '56 es-125 . I love the p90 sound, bridge pick only.
So many more songs to access with that tone, chunky warm.....cheers
Gotta put in a plug for Reverend guitars. I have a Charger with P-90s. The bass contour control will give you the best of both worlds at the twist of a knob!
I don’t know if there is better. I love the sound of P90’s. I remember Leslie West of Mountain used to play Juniors and had incredible tone.
I’m gonna lean on the side of the Tele. great job on the music at the start.
I'm a big Tele guy, but the P-90s kicked major ass. You play very well. I've been thinking about putting a P-90 in the neck position of one of my Teles. This is a convincer. Best of both worlds.
I like them both but I love the definition and harmonics of the tele.
Nice playing! The tones are stellar! The Gibson is rounder in tone but the mahogany set neck and shorter scale are the biggest contributors. Check out old Emmylou Harris footage with Frank Reckard playing a Les Paul Jr. double cut!
I like how you show taking the guitar out of the case. Looks classy.
they were just in case....
@@landonbailey oh Landon lol.... Curious if you noticed a difference in sound between Shane's LP with P'90s and those of the mustang 90? I think the mustangs are Underwound....?
Of course I prefer a Tele. It's just my favorite all around guitar. I've had Teles with stock single coils, P90s, Filtertrons, and Humbuckers Plus combinations of all. The feel of the Tele is what sales me. P90s just don't have the twang on clean settings but the more gain you add makes the P90s stand out more and cut through the mix. My next Tele build will probably be Jazzmaster pups. P.S. Try a set of over wound pups on a Tele, it will come to life then on high gain. I did enjoy your video.
They both have great tones. The Telly had more bite, more snap to my ear than the Les Paul. I'd love to have both, but if I had to choose one it would be the Telecaster!
Been wondering this exact thing! Great playing! Especially for someone playing the guitars the wrong way around...
P90 did it for me.
I do like the sound of the Tele but when you hit the power chords with the LP p90s it's just 😚👌. I'm a rhythm guy myself so I'd go with the LP.
I have a p90 Les Paul and a Telecaster. The sound I hear in your video and the comments vibe with why I have them. P90 is the most underrated pick up. I feel with those 2 guitars I can play anything and keep my Les Paul in drop D.
I always love the mid range in the P90. They sing so nicely in the neck position but the bridge in the tele is so good. The perfect guitar has a p90 neck and a tele bridge
I agree, P90's just sound amazing in the neck position!
Thanks, Shane. The LP Special a bit thicker and rounded in general, the Tele with more bite and openness. Different and both very useable as demonstrated.
I noted how good the fingerboard on the LP Special looked with it's relatively light-colour and nice grain.
As a Tele and a P90 LP owner, as great as the p90s sound I still think the bridge pickup in a Telecaster is my favorite rock sound.
Excellent vid! The Tele sounds "thinner", though slightly more defined. The P90 is thick and screams "rock n roll" without the muddiness that comes with humbuckers. Section 3 of this vid should be documented as "the quintessential" P90 tone! P90's are my favorite pickup but I love Tele and Strat tones as well and sometimes a Fender single coil is the right choice for the song. Thumbs up!
It so happens every time you take a Fender-type guitar: the player is more inspired and is taken away by that rich overtone spectrum. I like those P90 better than humbuckers, which turn everything into a pulp. But Fender-type pickups are the best: inspiration to the player and clean tone to both the player and the audience.
Great comment. So true.
This is a super fun video! Love the comments, too, ‘cause with two wickedly great tones, there are no wrong answers. I love how Shane looks when he plays the drums...a little meek and timid. Cracks me up! Great backing track and your drum tone is awesome.
Thanks, Jon! :)
Loved the P90s! Loved the Tele! Great sounds, both of em. The P90 sounded a bit more 'traditional' for the licks you were playing; The Tele had a delightful not-quite-so bombastic feeling.
Both sounded great. I'm currently in the market for a tele myself, but I have 2 Les Pauls with P90's in them and truthfully, it might just be my favorite sound. The P90 is such a powerful pickup.
AUSSIE + Guitar = AUSS-UM-NESS!!!!!..Shane I've no clue why you dont head on up to The U.S.A. & play a few nights at Antone's in Texas ...if so I can guarantee one of the resident Blues greats will throw you in the studio !!
Your style is just 100% pure AWESOMEUS' MAXIMUS !!..
This deserves more views! I preferred the Tele for the clarity. But it seems the best bet would be to put a p90 in the bridge of the tele heheh
When Fender release the Shane Signature Tele they better get that ding in the right place!
Liked the two jams. It was clear one was a Les Paul and the other a Tele. Similar but no way to mistake one for the other. I was most glad to see you STAND UP to play lead. You can't rock from a sitting position.
Damn, Shane! The track is great. Both guitars sound killer, but I prefer the P90 rock and roll tone of the Les Paul.
I recently got my first P90 loaded guitar ( a Suhr) and I love the P90 tone. After 50 years of S style single coils and humbuckers, I couldn’t believe
that I let this tone slip by me for all that time.
Oh man, you're having so much fun! 'Noise' is in the ears of the beholder. Will be playing my P90 Special later today and making some joyous noise.
I've always felt that P90s are the perfect rock and roll pickup. To me the difference is readily apparent.
Both sounded great! The comparison doesn’t really matter, because I still need both of those guitars! 🤗
The growl of the P90’s is great! The tele has a different sound but it’s a great sound too. Have one of each... problem solved.
I love P90s! I recently installed Planet Tone humbucker sized P90s on a semi-hollow and love the chime and punch! Anyone should definitely check out Planet Tone pickups, they're made in Colorado at a great price point
Two of my favorite guitars, The special definitely had a hotter sound and the telecaster has a snappier timbre to it. Both handle high gain very well as they do clean tones this why tele's and specials and jr.'s are my favorite guitars.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the Tele. Am considering buying one soon. But then you played the p90s and I remembered they are magical with distortion. So far in my experience unbeatable as far as OD rock tones go. The Tele sounds "hollower" if that makes sense.
I wonder how much the maple fretboard vs rosewood fretboard plays into this as well. Both sound fantastic. I have a Strat, a Tele and a Les Paul Jr with one P90. Love them all for different things.
I would suspect the overall construction/scale length/ and pickups have far more influence - just my 2 cents
The bend/squeal, lick and rundown you play at 12m is sick. Would love a quick lick video with that one!
The notes played on the Tele have more definition. I think the scale lenghth difference between the tow probably effects the sound too.
I have those two as well, and to me your review affirmed my own experience. But I will say, I see the two guitars (my two) as two totally different animals; I couldn’t say my P90s are like my Tele pickups on steroids - they’re definitely ballsier, but so different. Thanks - it looks like you had fun with that high-gain howl!
Man that jam made me feel alive!!!!!!🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽To my ears, the P90s have a it’s own unique tone that has that growl whereas the Telecaster has that classic single coil clarity even with dirt on it. I would lean more to the Les Paul Special for the P90s tones and all the fun you can have with it! The Telecaster tones, while uniquely its own, has very similar tones of a Stratocaster and I believe I have enough Strats to last me....... to 2021🤣🤣🤣 Great comparison and awesome demo jams! Having the kit really makes these demos sound even better! Cheers!🎸🎸🎸🎶🎶🎶🎶
Great playing Shane! ~ the sound of that Les Paul was pure 1970’s FM radio to me 🎸
Not only do toilets flush in the opposite direction in Australia but even their guitars are the wrong way ?
Lol
And we have Marshalls that go to -11
@@piglos crikey, Sheila !!!...a dingo ate my bigsby !!! ( I was burning the Midnight Oil in my Crowded House as a Man working on that joke !)
Stupid cliché "shrimp on the barbie /that's not a knife" Aussie jokes aside ( and not to be racist and assume all Aussies know all their history of rock music), Would you happen to know if its true the midnight oil guy eventually became the Environment Minister at one point ? ( My understanding is Australia has very progressive environmental policies and also is very strict on preventing contamination from invasive species and was curious to know if that guy had anything to do with it and actually put his money where his microphone is ?). ...( At least he made us bald guys cool !!). PS I'm from Québec and my mother's side of the family is actually from a town called Asbestos ( where it was discovered and first mined ) .... And a lot of my relitives died from those original "blue sky mines"
3.....The stars in the night sky would all be in the wrong place !.....crazy.
Both are great "workhorse" guitars. There are little differences, but they each sounded great in your comparison. THX!
Noticed you were more often picking near the neck pickup on the P90 and closer to the middle and even biased closer to the bridge pickup on the Tele. Plus the Tele pickup was set lower/further from the strings. All of which makes for the fatter vs brighter trends. Make those adjustments and you'll get them closer. They were contemporary competitors back in the old days, benchmarking each other all those years ago.
The Les Paul Studio has the typical Les Paul flute like tones in the upper frets that the Tele doesn't have. The tone is mellower compared to the Tele. The Tele however has that typical Fender chime. It's a matter of taste like always.
My experience of P90s is that they are fatter and more muscular than other single coils. In many ways they are the ideal guitar pickup, except they are prone to hum. Their unusual magnetic field allows setting them close to the strings without the wolf tones associated with setting Fender single coils too close. I don't think it is apparent in this video, but when swapping from a Tele to a P90 equipped guitar I immediately notice more output and power ....and hum. Except of course when using Kinman P90s!!
that's because the magnets in the p90 are underneath the actual coil windings the pole pieces sit in between two magnets that are the base of the pickup.
I've had a Gibson Les Paul Pro with the P 90 which I bought in the '80s so I maybe be biased towards the Gibson. Anyway, I thought it had a little bit cleaner sound even when distorted. Thank you for very superb playing.
Your riff sounds like Tom Petty to me so I think if forces my brain to pick the telecaster. Both were great and you nailed it with the high singing part at the end on the telecaster.
I was hearing Mary Jane's last dance....
I think it was closer to Dani California with the chorus and all. Well they’re basically the same song for the most part lol.
Great comparison, the P90 has a girthier tone while the tele has slight bit of hollowness but more top end... which is what makes a tele sounds like a tele and P90 sound like a P90.
awesome playing mate!
Thanks a lot! :)
Liked both guitars - especially through the fender amp/ royal flush combination. Nice job on the backing track!
I just love that tele scream.
Nice job man !!
These intros are just breathtaking.
Thanks a lot! I am trying my best to mix it up and bring something a bit different :-)
Just switched out the pickups in my Tele to some hand wound custom pickups that are close to P90s. They absolutely rock! The neck pickup is particularly awesome! It´s a beast if you want it to be or, just a little bit of boost is an incredible blues monster! The bridge pickup is rock! Pure and simple! Absolutely love them!
which pickups did you install?
I think the Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul, and the tele sound like a tele... A tele with p-90s might be a tele on steroids.
Joe Schlicht My thoughts are exactly the same. They both sound like they should. But I'd rather you play the blues.
I got a Black Dove Tele Deluxe. The p90s in it really make it a Tele on steroids.
Harley Benton do a semi hollow arch top Tele w/ P90s for a ridiculous price
A Fender Jazzmaster with P90s would give you that tone.
Interesting thought .
I came across this video two weeks after getting a single cut with two p90's and "telecaster on steroids" came to mind regarding the tone when I got it. Definitely loving the p90 sound!
Some folks buy second-hand while others buy left-hand!!
Hi Shane, Shane here. I'm just getting back into guitar. I messed with it a few years after high school but it didn't really last much after that. Fast forward ~20 years and i'm going to try to pick it up again. I have a Butterscotch Blonde tele on its way to me. (It's only a Squier Affinity series) Wanted to say how much i've been enjoying your videos. Cheers from the states!
To me, the P90 sounds more distinct. The Tele can be too twangy and it often has an annoying high-pitched sound after you pick the string but before the note starts.
Just a matter of dropping P90's into a Telecaster. Nice to have a little stronger pickup, you can dial that out with volume & tone knobs on the guitar or the amp EQ. If it's not there, you'll never create that out of thin air for either for identical tone. But the P90 may never get as bright as the Telecaster standard issue. Some of it is Mahogany body with a Mahogany neck vs Alder body with a Maple neck too.
Mary Jane’s Last Dance Feelings ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Cool comparison, I feel the Tele sounds more clear in the leads and rhythm. I think there a bit more snarl/growl with the tele. Not that the P90s are great. I would play them myself and see which sound better. As a side note, I recently got a Reverend Sensei Jr. guitar with one P90 pickup and this thing sounds great. The P90 can handle overdrive a little better, it really sounds like a cross between a single coil and a humbucker, IMO. Thank you for posting this.
*Suddenly rewinds halfway through the video to make sure that I wasn't crazy and that the drums are indeed being played right handed*
Great comparison, Shane! I think the effort you put into this was defnitely worth it. Cool to hear them both side by side in the same context. I tend to prefer the special mostly for its raw and full rock'n'roll sound, except for the high gain bridge, which seems a little too muddy for my tastes. But the tele stands its own for sure, just a matter of taste.
Much more complexity and depth to the tone with the P90’s.
I consider the telecaster more versatile than the junior.
But I have always loved the sound of the junior. No doubt.
Holy hell, I think I actually liked the Tele solo tone at around 7 minutes better than the P90s- and I'm a huge P90 fan! It actually had a bit of Les Paulish sound to it, lol.
A bit of room mic on the lead and solo tones only might make them sound more "present" and epic. (I'm mentally comparing them to other lead sounds from records. They come DAMN close- the tone is there, the feel is there. Something in the recording just sounds... clinical?)
I just need to get a talent booster, so I can make MY Tele sound like that!! lol (the asshole who plays it SUCKS)