Humbuckers OR P90's?! Eastman SB SHOOT-OUT

[@JasonWharton82]

I had a P90 Gibson LP classic a few years back, I really like the combination particularly neck pickup, I’ve been a single coil guy for so long now that I struggle going back to humbuckers, I’m playing my humbucker loaded Music Man Mariposa loads now though.

[@Paul-D]

I was always a single coil guy - blame Frusciante lol. But these days i do prefer humbuckers particularly my T59 with the antiquities.

[@dobster5819]

Great video, my wife has both of them, I love the sound of each guitar they are beautiful.

[@Paul-D]

Your wife has incredible taste 🤘🤘

[@SalvvOrtiz]

Let her buy all the guitars she wants.

[@standingbadger]

Great to see a comparison between the two. I've been using a T386 and an SB55dc/v for three years now and very happy with them. There might be the option to change the trad P90 with a stacked coil humbucker version like Gibson's P100...

[@Paul-D]

Thats a nice combo to have 🤘🤘 They come with a Lollar P90 too dont they?

[@standingbadger]

@@Paul-D Yes, the SSB55 comes with a Lollar with a no-load tone pot that bypasses the tone control completely when fully open.

[@Paul-D]

I think Lollar are pretty tough to beat. The only thing that sits on a par with them is the antiquity series from seymour duncan that ive tried.

[@hanovergreen4091]

Hey! You got the P90 version! Just watched your first Eastman vid yesterday. Very cool and Happy NGD!!! Subscribed and looking forward to your next content. I'm a P90 person exclusively so love that type of content. Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@Paul-D]

thanks man! They'll always be more Eastman content coming - it takes a little while between being able to buy them but a T64v is coming... soon I hope!

[@mezzoca8110]

For me the one with p90 pickups ( 56 )sounds great. Wow I think I must have a look at one of those. Quite a difference actually… I like your Led Zep intro good playing.

[@Paul-D]

Thanks man, have a good one 🤘

[@simondbarnes]

I'm just here to say great song choices on the demos 🙂 I think I slightly preferred the sound of the P90s although I don't like how they look (or goldtops!)

[@Paul-D]

:O Don't like gold tops!? hahaha only kidding - thanks for checking it out.

[@olimon63]

100% agree with your comment.

[@trevorclarey3336]

Love both guitars & all Eastman guitars.

[@Paul-D]

Im still seriously trying to get a T64v haha

[@patzguitarz]

My older brother taught me years ago how to play Babe I'm gonna Leave you. He told me that is the Led Zeppelin song to play at a guitar store!

[@DJCJ999]

Torn between the two tbh... then I realised that i'm an adult and I can have both if I really wanted :D! I haven't been able to find information on the intonation bridges on these guitars... The Guitarista's channel showed they are screwed direct into the body? so the bottom of the post's are just a screw? I guess you wouldn't want to adjust it very often or you could strip the wood out? that said unless you want to do side guitar your only likely to adjust it once?

[@Paul-D]

yeh they are direct mounted to the body in the way the original Gibsons were. You won't really ever have to worry about ripping wood out doing adjustments. As you say, unless you're going through wildly different string gauges or action preferences you would only rarely adjust it, and only subtly at best.

[@rondoyle4433]

Great review and awesome chops. I have both and your points are spot on. I lean toward the SB59 when I want to sound like my favorite classic rock bands: Zeppelin, Slash, ACDC. The SB56 prefer for single coil vib: Clapton, etc. The SB56 satin finish is great if you have sweaty hands. You inspired me to learn “babe I’m going to leave you”, thanks for that!

[@Paul-D]

Thanks man - still hunting a T64v. Is the P90 fully hollow one but seems to lap gain up haha.

[@mortonwilson795]

They're both beautiful! If I had to choose 1 it would be the 59 because the more 'harmonically open' humbuckers offer a bit more room to play with . . . I daresay you could approximate a tighter P90 or Mini-Bucker 'edge' with a bit of EQ. My main guitar for decades has been my 68 LP Custom and with a pedal or two + studio rig I have been able to get any number of guitar sounds from smooth 175 jazzy chords to nasty single coil Tele bridge stuff - they're a bit more versatile. That said I would love to have both of these! I tried a nice SB59/v a few months ago and it is definitely on my Xmas list! Beautiful guitar, as is the Juliet with the Bare Knuckles.

[@Paul-D]

Having a 68 LP Custom must be pretty nice! I haven’t got to try the Juliet yet, not really sure what to make of them haha. Thanks for checking out the vid

[@GuyNAustin]

P90’s are unique, and sound great, but in this comparison, a little thin in the bridge compared to the humbucker, which is a bit fatter. Each one has its own place, and are quite different. If forced to chose between them, it would be the humbuckers for sure.

[@SalvvOrtiz]

That gold top is my favorite.

[@Paul-D]

Its a real favourite of mine too. Even with humbuckers i still love a goldtop haha

[@jgsintx1402]

As an owner of an early SB59/V I can tell you right now they are not necessarily "better" than the other SB59 models. Mine came stock with the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups before they switched to Lollar's. Yes, it sounds great... but the Achilles heal of the varnish models IS the varnish finish. It's a violin varnish finish, a shellac. It's very sensitive to chemicals and is so thin it doesn't wear well at all. It's not a finish that should have ever been put on a guitar in my opinion. If you use anything other than plain water to clean it you will damage the finish. If you drip a little fret conditioner on the finish by accident, it will eat right through it. Regular guitar polish, at least in my case will leave a film/ residue that will never come off. I really wish Eastman would do a better job of advertising the proper care for the varnish models finish. I gig with mine so it gets played regularly but it is not holding up in the "looks" department. I will not own another varnish model. I've had no issues with the nitro finished models, which I believe lasted through the first quarter of 2021 or the Truetone finish models that followed. On that note, the Truetone finish that they are using now is absolutely fine. Sounds as good as my nitro finished models. Bottom line, all the SB59 and SB56 models I own sound incredible no matter the year of production. If you don't like the flavor of the gloss models Seymour Duncan '59 pickups I'd recommend you change them for something else vs. buying a varnish model. All your videos on the Eastman's have been great, keep it up. Thanks.

[@benagen2954]

get a better amp man, thanks for the vid, love the guitars, got both of them. Plus a juliet and t64. great makers

[@Paul-D]

Id love to have a T64. Ill find the right one at some point. A better amp then a katana? I like the katana 🤷‍♂️

[@Paul-D]

Actually - my bad this was using sim software that i use sometimes if the amp cant be used at time.

[@aliengrey6052]

Sb 59 or 57

[@Paul-D]

The SB57 has nicer pickups for sure. But do you want black or a burst is the choice there pups can be easily changed

[@Ledzepfan88]

The p90 always sounded a bit more organic

[@Paul-D]

Especially on a semi / hollow body ive found

[@nh1004]

lol what does that mean