The Best P90 Guitars in 2026: Soap Bar Growl for Every Budget
Soap Bar, Dog Ear - everything you need to know!
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Are humbuckers too mid-rangey for you and single coils too hummy? Then it’s time to try something different: the mighty P90 pickup! We’ve selected the best P90 guitars on the market right now, ranging from a sub-£200 T-style model to a Goldtop featuring hand-wired Orange Drop capacitors. We also take a look at some modern hum-canceling designs that address one of the most longstanding issues of P90 pickups, the humming.
Key Takeaways
- P90 pickups are essentially single-coil pickups, but with a different, more mid-range-focused and less bright sound.
- P90s use two bar magnets under a wide, flat coil instead of six rod magnets, which is where the extra midrange comes from.
- Soap bar and dog ear describe the housing, not the sound. Which type is best for you depends on your guitar’s routing, not your tone preference.
- The first P90 was built by Gibson in 1946, a decade before the first humbucker
The Best P90 Guitars: Our Guide!
What is a P-90 pickup?
Gibson first introduced the P90 in 1946 on models such as the ES-125 and ES-150. The first Les Paul, which arrived in 1952, also included a pair of P90s. By comparison, the mighty humbucker was not released until 1957, which means that every Goldtop, Junior, and early Special was originally a P90 guitar.
A Fender single coil uses six magnetic rod poles inside a tall, narrow coil. By contrast, a P90 uses two bar magnets positioned beneath the coil, with adjustable steel screws that carry the magnetic field up to the strings. The coil itself is wider and flatter.
This produces a broader, less focused magnetic field, resulting in the P-90’s signature sound: a fat midrange, a softer high end, and compression that kicks in earlier than expected. And the list of players who swear by P90s is long.
Carlos Santana played an SG Special at Woodstock. Pete Townshend destroyed a fair few of them at Leeds. Mick Jones used a Junior throughout his time with The Clash. Billie Joe Armstrong has his own Junior signature model.
The Best P90 Guitars: What’s the Difference to Single Coils and Humbuckers?
In short, a P90 has roughly the output of a weak humbucker and the note separation of a single coil.
| Single Coil | P90 | Humbucker | |
| Coil shape | Tall, narrow | Wide, flat | Two coils side by side |
| Magnets | Six rod poles | Two bars below the coil | Bar magnet below both coils |
| Output | Low | Medium | Medium to High |
| Top end | Bright and glassy | Gritty | Smooth |
| Midrange | Scooped | Forward | Full and Warm |
The practical difference between pickup types becomes most apparent at the amp. Plug a Strat into a cranked Deluxe, and you’ll get a clear, bright edge-of-breakup sound. Use a P90 with the same amp, and it will produce a much more compressed, distorted sound at a much lower gain setting.
Do P90 Pickups Hum?
The more vintage a P90 is, the more likely it is to hum. As we’ve seen, a P90 is a single-coil pickup, which means it is prone to pick up 50- or 60-cycle mains hum along with the strings. Fluorescent lights, dimmer switches, computer monitors, and stage lighting rigs are all electrical sources that can create the annoying sound.
If you go for more modern P90 pickups when you’re looking for the best P90 guitars, this is a different story most of the time. For example, Reverend redesigned the Charger series for 2026 around new Steelhead pickups that use a sidewinder coil arrangement to cancel hum while still maintaining the P90 attack.
In addition, a variety of pickup manufacturers offer modern takes on hum-free P90 models, such as the Seymour Duncan P-90 Silencer, the Lindy Fralin Hum Canceling P90, and the Mojotone Quiet Coil.
Now, let’s take a look at the best P90 guitars for every budget, ranking from least expensive to most expensive!
Best Entry-Level P90 Guitar: Harley Benton TE-90QM Trans Red
Let’s start our list of the best P90 guitars with the most affordable one. The Harley Benton TE-90QM comes with a chambered Nyatoh body with a quilted maple top, a bolt-on maple neck with an amaranth fretboard with abalone dot inlays, and an elfin-colored body binding. This is one beautiful, Thinline-style guitar!
This T-style model also comes equipped with two Roswell P90s that deliver classic sound and offer a variety of tone options. The guitar is available in Trans Red at Thomann*.
The Best P90 Guitars: Epiphone Les Paul Special DC
I know, I know: double-cut Les Pauls are just a bit weird. Sure. Not quite an SG. Not quite a Les Paul. But hear me out. This Les Paul Special in TV Yellow from Epiphone is really something special. And not just from its looks.
It’s one of the best p90 guitars on the market, period. Because it hits a sweetspot of entry-level price (into the world of Gibson) and premium p90 sound. You get a mahogany body and neck, a rosewood fretboard, two P-90 PRO Soapbar pickups, and a gig bag. For less than 600 euros at Thomann*!
Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet PT
This one’s not only one of the best P90 guitars, but also one of the most affordable ones. The Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet PT comes with a mahogany body with a maple top. Plus, the set mahogany neck features a thin “U” profile and a Laurel fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets.
This model comes with two P90S, two volume controls (master volume and master tone), and a 3-way toggle switch. The tortoise pickguard with a gold Gretsch logo, the Adjusto-Matic bridge, and the Bigsby B50 tremolo complete the design.
Check these models out at Thomann*.
Best Value for Money: Larry Carlton L7V New Gen
The term “punches well above its weight” is almost as overused as all of that “game-changer” nonsense. But Sire’s signature series for Larry Carlton, as well as the bass models for Marcus Miller are nothing short of a miracle. You get such a well-built, amazing-sounding guitar for a price that makes Gibson fans sweat.
With their recent L7V New Gen models, they’ve upped the ante even more. Mahogany body and neck, ebony fretboard, maple top, that beautiful Candy Apple Red finish, among others… Amazing guitar! Check it out at Thomann* or Sweetwater*.
Reverend Charger 290
P90S and Reverend Guitars have a long history together, and the Charger 290 series is one of the best P90 guitars available at a medium price. Released in 2021, it remains one of the most popular and attractive P90 single-cuts on the market. And in times of a guitar market where the legality of body shapes is a hot topic, why not just go for a different one than the big four?
This model comes with a Korina body and a bolt-on 25.5″ scale-length neck with a rosewood fretboard. Two 9A5 P90 pickups come with this guitar, in neck and bridge position, respectively. Reverend has mastered the art of a modern, almost entirely hum-free P90 design on a timeless-looking guitar. If your budget is in the upper midrange, this one is one of the best P90 guitars on the market, available at Thomann* or Sweetwater*.
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s P90 Gold Top
We can’t make a list of the best P90 guitars and not mention a single guitar from the company that actually invented them. The Gibson Les Paul Standard P90 comes equipped with two Gibson P90 pickups with separate volume and tone controls – all hand-wired with Orange Drop capacitors.
The model includes a Mahogany body and neck (Vintage ’50s neck profile), maple top, and a rosewood fretboard. You also get the typical trapezoidal fretboard inlays, which mark this LP as part of the Standard series. This model is available at Thomann* and Sweetwater* in a legendary Gold Top finish.
Conclusion
This concludes our list for the best P90 guitars for any budget in 2026. Whether it’s Tony Iommi’s sound you’re after, or you’re just looking to expand your sonic palette, it’s well worth getting into. Both in terms of sound and looks, these models are a very different beast than your classic single-coil or humbucker models.
What’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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2 responses to “The Best P90 Guitars in 2026: Soap Bar Growl for Every Budget”
You need to experience the Friedman Vintage T P90 guitar. I can’t imagine any of the ones listed above being better than this.
I agree, they are pretty sweet and well made. I also enjoy the Fano P-90 loaded models. Just both came out a few years ago and trying to show some of the newer P-90 loaded models out there with this list.