So last evening, I did a guitar sound comparison using my trusted Blackstar ID Core BEAM. I put the guitars through the clean bright tone to see how each of them growl, with the P90 sound as a benchmark. Here’s the result (according to my personal preference):
1. 2018 Gibson Les Paul Classic
My favourite growl and rightfully so since she’s a Gibson with P90s. I like the mud sound from the neck pickup. Overall, the sounds are tight and in control.
2. 2015 Epiphone Casino Hollowbody
She growls moderately in an appealing way. Not as hot as the Gibson or the Gretsch, but in a gentleman/lady like manner. Like the Gibson, the sounds are tight and commanding.
3. 2015 Fender Japan JM-66 Jazzmaster Reissue
Jazzmaster pickups are not P90s but when put on her unique rhythm circuit, the neck pickup growls well. The rest are clean like a whistle though slightly fatter than a strat sounds. But when I rolled off the tones, they can be close to the neck pickup in the rhythm circuit.
4. 2021 Gretsch G2622T-P90 Center Block Double-Cut
This is surprisingly more aggressive and hotter than the Gibson. There is some clarity in her growl yet there’s a feeling of going wild in a positive way, different from the Gibson and Epiphone.
5. 2011 Epiphone Les Paul Junior
The new P90s can growl like an Epiphone P90 should – mildly aggressive. And that’s satisfactory.
6. 2000 G&L George Fullerton Signature Stratocaster
As expected, the strat sounds here are clean, even when on crunch. Too clean and bright for my liking. Of course, rolling off the tone will make the tones darker and closer to the P90s.