Are you a musician looking for the best guitar for your live performance with a vintage vibe? Look no further! The best P90 guitar is perfect for a raw, vintage, and exceptional sound. The P90 pickup is known for producing a distinctive, bold, lively sound, featuring crisp highs and warm lows that add depth and complexity to any musical style. These pickups can be found in various guitar styles and come installed in the bridge or neck position of a guitar, and some models have them in both.
As a seasoned audiophile and music enthusiast, I have had the opportunity to test and compare various P90 guitars. From the tonal range to the build quality, I have gained extensive knowledge of what makes a great P90 guitar. I am confident that my experience and expertise in the field will provide valuable insights for guitar enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you’re a professional or just starting, my comprehensive guide will help you find the best P90 guitar that suits your playing style, budget, and musical preferences.
5 Top P90 Guitars Review 2023 Tips
Table of Content
- Epiphone Casino Archtop Guitar
- Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin Guitar
- Yamaha Pacifica PAC611VFM Guitar
- Guild Guitars Starfire I Jet 90 Guitar
- Epiphone SG Special P90 Guitar
After thorough testing and meticulous research, I have curated a selection of the finest P90 guitars. I have scrutinized and evaluated these instruments based on critical factors such as materials, scale length, body type, sound quality, and weight.
It is important to note that these are my recommendations based on my experience and expertise. While I believe these options represent the best of the best, it is ultimately up to you to choose the instrument that best suits your needs and budget.
1) Epiphone Casino Archtop Best P90 Guitar For Blues
| Brand | Epiphone |
| Color | Vintage Sunburst |
| Guitar pickup configuration | S-S |
| Guitar Bridge System | Tune-O-Matic |
| Scale length | 24.75 inches |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
The Epiphone Casino is a renowned brand that debuted early alongside the Les Paul P90 guitars. This guitar model features a Gibson P90 pickup and resembles the Les Paul’s. However, the Epiphone Casino stands out due to its thinline construction, which sets it apart from other P90 guitars.
Thinline Instrument
This best p90 guitar for blues is a thin-lined instrument, but I found it thinner than a hollow-body p90 guitar. But at the same time, I did not find any center block between the treble and bass. The Epiphone Casino is one of the best p90 guitars if you want to own an excellent hollow-body instrument.
Body Material
After testing, I liked its maple build with a 5-ply layered maple piece. The neck is also very significant, no matter if it was a fingerboard, Pau Ferro. I love its bluesy stuff, which is vintage oriented.
Neck Design
Its 12 inches radius of fretboard caught my attention, and the glued neck added extra marks to its list. I felt very comfortable playing this guitar while playing. I tested its SlimTaper D-shaped neck profile and found it excellent.
Benefits
- It provides vintage mid-range sound.
- It is lightweight and comfortable.
- Looks superbly elegant.
- It is a guitar that the Beatles loved.
Drawback
- The neck pickups have feedback on high gain.
2) Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin Best P90 Jazz Guitar
| Brand | Godin |
| Color | Cognac Burst |
| Guitar pickup configuration | S |
| Guitar Bridge System | Graphtec Adjustable Tusq Bridge |
| Scale length | 24.84 inches |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
Godin 5th P90 guitar is the best P90 guitar for enthusiasts and professional players. Its standout feature is the innovative use of nylon strings in combination with piezo pickups, setting it apart from the rest of the pack. With a hollow body construction, the 5th Avenue model is undeniably top-notch and deserving of a spot on any gearhead’s list of must-have instruments. I have personally selected the Kingpin model as my top choice.
Sound Holes
I found this 5th Avenue of hollow body guitars very stylish with F-shaped sound holes followed by a silver leaf maple neck containing a rosewood fretboard with a radius of 16 inches.
Quality Material
I was amazed by its outstanding design, which got my attention. But the thing I got there was its p90 electric guitar quality. The electronics are outstanding and contain just one pickup in the neck position, and I noticed its vintage orientation at first glance.
It has a wild cherry body, which I don’t see with guitars. There is no need to say that its build material is top-notch. But it’s only one volume and tone knob disappointment for me.
Adjustable TUSQ
The thing I tested which makes this guitar stand out is the bridge. I got an adjustable TUSQ variant which accompanies by a vintage trapeze tailpiece. It is the best p90 jazz guitar with very useful for soft sounds.
Simple Features
I have tested that it contains only one P90 pickup in the neck position, and nothing is limiting. But I experienced the goal of simplicity by the Godin in this best p90 guitar which let me shape my tone with various techniques instead of complex features and controls.
Benefits
- It has a cherry archtop at the back and sides.
- It comes with Godin king p90 pickups.
- Best for jazz and blue tone.
- It contains an adjustable TUSQ bridge.
Drawback
- There is a werid feel of wood around the F hole.
3) Yamaha Pacifica PAC611VFM Best Humbucker P90 Guitar
| Brand | Yamaha |
| Color | Dark Red Burst |
| Guitar pickup configuration | Combination |
| Guitar Bridge System | Tremolo |
| Scale length | 25.5 inches |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
Yamaha is a well-known brand due to their mid-range products. The Pacifica PAC611 is among the best p90 guitars and is on the list due to its underrated and considerable qualities. It is a model that can stand out in this era of p90 electric guitars.
Smooth Tunes
What I liked most was that it is a guitar with p90 and humbucker. The p90 is in the neck and provides me smooth tones with a reliable influx. It is an excellent combination in terms of sonic versatility. The humbucker is in the bridge position and works for my guitar’s performance.
Comfortable Design
The best humbucker P90 guitar brings me a start-like body build of alder, and I like its top maple feature. I have tested that it connects with the neck and bears a fretboard of rosewood on the top. It doesn’t contain an innovative ergonomic design, but it is comfortable to play with. With a C-shaped neck and six-in-line headstocks, it gives me ease for stability check.
All-Purpose Guitar
It is the best p90 guitar I have tested due to its features. It was beneficial for me because of its various settings and genres, so it was an all-purpose guitar. It is a guitar with different p90 pickups in the neck positions. The guitar with p90 and humbucker and neck position do their job excellently, providing me with unique tones.
Hardtail
I found the tail of this guitar hard enough and tremolo bridges. The hardtail is best; for me, it works as a string-saver saddle and increases the lifespan of my guitar’s strings. The tremolo bridge is simple, and this model PAC611 has different variants, but I found the same feature of the maple wood pattern.
Benefits
- It has a significantly streamlined design.
- The neck pickup is Seymour Duncan single coil.
- Provide a wide range of tones.
- It is an affordable p90 guitar.
Drawback
- The tonal option is intense for beginners.
4) Guild Guitars Starfire I Jet 90 Best Semi Hollow P90 Guitar
| Brand | Guild |
| Color | Satin White |
| Guitar pickup configuration | S |
| Guitar Bridge System | Guild Tune-O-Matic – Nickel |
| Scale length | 24.75 inches |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
The Guild Guitar is an incredible semi-hollow guitar with p90 on the list. The company builds the best p90 guitars and overlook by most guitarists in the mainstream. Those familiar with this brand tend to associate Guild Guitars with expensive, high-end products. But they offer some exceptional options like Starfire I jet 90.
Classic Design
The Starfire I Jet 90 is the best semi-hollow p90 guitar with a single cutaway design that caught my attention due to its vintage quality. The manufacturer aimed to produce a guitar with superior performance and quality, and in my experience, they have achieved this goal.
The guitar’s maple body includes a solid mahogany center block and an F-shaped soundhole. Its fretboard and body edges feature binding, which adds to its impressive design.
Three Variants
The Starfire has three variants: stain gold, stain black, and stain weight. I found its black and gold versions with black sides and back, and the white variant contains consistent color throughout the body.
Excellent Performance
After testing, I found the performance of this guitar is also noteworthy. The mahogany neck features a modern “Thin U” profile, while the Indian rosewood fretboard has a 12.5-inch radius. I experienced that guitar is equipped with three Guild Franz P90 variants and follow the classic principles but also gives me a touch of modern sound.
Effective Controls
The standard tone and volume controls provide me with ease of use. Moreover, there is also a 6-way rotary switch-like knob near the instrument’s cutaway, allowing me to set the guitar according to my needs. It gives me five standard positions similar to the single p90 guitar with single-coil pickups. But its six combinations are best and give me more ways to change my tones.
Aesthetic Features
It is a semi-hollow and the best p90 guitar for jazz. Its aesthetic features provide me with classic rock, and it is one of the best picks if you want something with proper implementation.
Benefits
- It is super affordable for all.
- Six-line headstock gives it a distinctive look.
- Best for blues and jazz.
- Six combinations provide ways to change the tones.
Drawback
- The spring in the vibrato is not strong enough.
5) Epiphone SG Special P90 Best P90 Guitar Under $500
| Brand | Epiphone |
| Color | Pelham Blue |
| Guitar pickup configuration | S-S |
| Guitar Bridge System | Lightning Bolt Wraparound |
| Scale length | 24.72 Inches |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
The Epiphone SG special is on the list due to its affordable price and features. It is one of the best p90 guitars for those who cannot afford Gibson guitars with p90 pickups. I played different Epiphone guitars and owned several, so let me put it down they are the best and most incredible guitars.
Selector Switch
There was a 3-way selector switch from which I managed to control the settings. One of the most vital things I experienced was its body design with the best p90 guitar pickups. The Epiphone series of p90 guitars come with a set-neck build.
Standard Knobs
This best P90 guitar under $500 has four standard knobs, two for tone settings and two for volume adjustments. These knobs allow me easy access to the volume and tone settings, which I found very cooperative and responsive.
Tailpiece
The Epiphone is a particular variant that is simple and to the point. Its simple wraparound bridge is excellent as it is vital for a standalone tailpiece. However, I experienced a difference in the tailpiece, which comes with a simple rudimentary string saddle.
Excellent Neck
When it comes to the neck, I found it very interesting. I liked this modern variant, inspired by the vintage stuff with the 60s Slim Taper profile. Its Indian laurel fretboard was also good and had a radius of up to 12 inches, which is standard in Gibson p90 pickups review. What surprised me was that the Epiphone resembles a Gibson guitar with p90 pickups.
Benefits
- It comes with slim taper neck playability.
- Produce responsive sound.
- It is a p90 with pro-Soapbar Single coil pickups.
- It has deluxe tuning pegs with white buttons.
Drawback
- It has fretwork craftsmanship.
After careful consideration and extensive testing, I have selected my top picks for the best P90 guitars. With these guitars, you can create everything from smooth jazz on an archtop guitar to a high-energy mid-range growl on a Les Paul with P90s. I hope this review has helped you gain confidence in selecting a guitar that will meet your needs. One guitar that I highly recommend is the Epiphone Casino Archtop P90 Electric Guitar. It is the best P90 guitar and a budget-friendly option boasting a meaty sound perfect for rock or metal genres. Its versatility and excellent features impressed me, which offer great value for the price. Its SG-style playability makes it easy to pick up and play, even for those new to the instrument.
Best Recommended Product
Yes, p90 is best for jazz and blue tones. The winding pattern of the p90s produces tight notes and excellent sound. They provide standard output winding results for the neck, about 7K, and for the bridge, about 8K, which is excellent for jazz.
The p90 know for its punchier attacks and brighter and vintage sound, and if you want these qualities, then the p90 pickup is the best choice. Conversely, the humbucker is one of the best choices if you want a darker tone as a musician.
The P90 pickup can create a bright and clear sound like a single-coil pickup regarding frequencies. However, it also has a mid-range punch match that of a humbucker, which makes it proper for standing out in a mix. They can produce great clean tones that are distinct and distortion-free.
