P90s for country?

[Grim]

Hey all,

I'm going to try and keep this within that "tldr" barrier - so long story very short:

I've got a buddy who is fairly new to guitar. He is very much into country music as is looking for a new instrument (He has a MIM Fender strat right now - a Highway One, I believe)... And he wants to go american Fender tele.

However, he's on a bit of a budget and knows relatively little about guitar gear. Seeing as there is a relative scarcity of reasonably priced American made teles, I've been toying with trying to convince him to demo some gibbys. Problem is, the humbuckers likely won't give him that country twang.. But P90s might, and you can pick up a P90 loaded Gibson USA SG for an excellent price. I have played a few P90 equipped guitars and to my ear they all have a load of twang, but they have a roar instead of a Fender "spank". I reckon they'd work well for country, and since he delves into blues and rock occasionally, they would be an excellent choice there as well. I'm not exactly a big country fan, but for those who are - I know teles seem to be the weapon of choice, but country has its fair share of big hollowbodies too, particularly rockabilly... So the P90 (Found, as I'm sure you all know, in a good majority of Gibson semi/full hollows) must be applicable... Anyone got the low down on the matchup between a Tele and a P90 loaded SG when it comes to country? This guy's stubborn as all hell which will probably complicate things but I think the Gibby would be the way to go as far as value.

[Tricky]

Cant say on the Gibson with P90s, but if his mind is set on a Tele,
a good option might be an 80s Japan Fender or Fernandes Tele.
Both are very good quality and will give him the sound he wants.

[Hellbat]

Get a Tele model with the bridge cut for a humbucker. Put a Duncan P-Rails and a 3 way switch in there and get the best of all worlds.

http://www.fender.com/en-CA/products/search.php?partno=0137702306

http://www.fender.com/en-CA/products...tno=0137402321 <- Semi hollow

http://www.fender.com/en-CA/products...tno=0262000520 <- A more modern looking Tele

You could even go with a Jim Root model and swap out the pickups...

http://www.fender.com/en-CA/products/search.php?partno=0134444780

[DonP]

I have two P90 loaded guitars, a 1956 Les Paul and a 1963 SG Special. I don't know shit about playing country, so I can't help you there.

My LP gets good growl, very fun playing AC/DC with it. I don't know if AC/DC is close to country?

[Newc]

If he's interested in C&W, he wants the twang. He will require a Tele or a Strat with 3 singles. Can you play Country on a Les Paul with P90s? Yes. Will it give him the twang that defines Country? No.

As Hellbat mentioned - he can use a humbuckered guitar with a Duncan P-Rails. That way he can do the single for Country and the P90 for Blues, or swap it up. If he's just getting into guitar and not looking to spend a lot of money, he should take vocal lessons instead, because you can either do it right or do it cheap, but you can't do it right for cheap.

[toejam]

I don't know if AC/DC is close to country?

You don't?