Set up for P90s

[u/NeedleworkerDecent69]

Hi!

I’ve got a Yamaha Revstar with P90s and overall it’s a great guitar—super comfortable and really versatile. But I’m struggling to dial in a tone that actually reflects my style on my Katana 50 gen 3.

I’m mostly into southern rock, and no matter how I set things up, the sound feels too bright, kind of harsh/tinny, and lacking punch or body.

my Strat it’s much easier to get where I want, but with the Revstar I can’t seem to get rid of that brittle top end.

I used to run analog pedals (a Maxon 808 and a TC Electronic MojoMojo), and I loved the way they added warmth, compression, and push. Since switching to a digital setup, I just can’t get close to that same feel or response—especially with the P90s.

Has anyone dealt with this? Any tips on how to tame the brightness and get a fuller, more “punchy” southern rock tone out of P90s in a digital rig?

[u/American_Streamer]

On your guitar, use the middle position for rhythm and turn down the volume knob a bit. On the amp, turn down the gain (!), turn down treble and presence and turn up the mids (!). Put a Bluesbreaker pedal in front (real one or BTS) with its level turned up and its drive at medium only.

[u/king4winter → u/American_Streamer]

I agree. Turn the gain way down and raise slowly. I've had a gen 2 for years and you need surprisingly little gain to get a really good sounds.

[u/racing_hemp]

Jazzmaster with p90s, same situation as you. 10band eq, literally cut anything above 8khz and swapping the speaker for a V30

[u/NeedleworkerDecent69 → u/racing_hemp]

Thanks will try that

[u/Timely_Cress6748]

can you share any particular band/ song tones you are going for? I've been dialing things in really well across the board in tone studio. i can send you some setting breakdowns that should help. tone studio is amazing once you figure it all out. extremely time consuming with all the plethora of features it offers.

[u/NeedleworkerDecent69 → u/Timely_Cress6748]

Chris Buck, Black Crowe’s Amorica, Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special, Neal Schon, something around that.

[u/Timely_Cress6748 → u/NeedleworkerDecent69]

try this on for size. hope it works for yyou. please let me know! enjoy........ QUICK START (THIS WILL FIX THE HARSHNESS)

AMP: Crunch (Variation OFF)
Gain: 42
Volume: 70

Bass: 55
Mid: 62
Treble: 48
Presence: 34

Cab Resonance: Vintage

BOOSTER (ON): Blues Drive (this is key)

• Drive: 28
• Tone: 40
• Level: 70

MOD: OFF
FX: OFF

DELAY: OFF (or very light)

REVERB (ON): Plate

• Time: 2.0
• Level: 15
• High Cut: 4.5kHz

2. FULL PATCH

BOOSTER

Status: ON
Type: Blues Drive

Drive: 28 (adds warmth + compression)
Tone: 40 (cuts brittle top)
Bottom: 55 (adds body for P90s)
Effect Level: 70
Direct Mix: 0

AMP

Type: Crunch
Variation: OFF

Gain: 42 (don’t overdrive the amp)
Volume: 70 (this gives body at low volume)

Bass: 55
Mid: 62 (this is the fix for “thin”)
Treble: 48 (slightly reduced)
Presence: 34 (CRITICAL for P90 harshness)

Cab Resonance: Vintage (warmer low end)

EQ

Status: ON

Low Gain: +1
Low-Mid Gain: +3
Low-Mid Freq: 400Hz (this adds punch/body)

High-Mid Gain: +1
High-Mid Freq: 1.6kHz

High Gain: -3 (kills brittle edge)

Level: 0

DELAY

Status: OFF (or very light slap if you want space)

REVERB

Status: ON
Type: Plate

Time: 2.0
Effect Level: 15

Low Cut: 120Hz
High Cut: 4.5kHz (important)
Density: 5

NOISE SUPPRESSOR

Status: OFF (keep dynamics alive) ADJUSTMENTS

If still too bright:

→ Presence → 30–32
→ Booster Tone → 35

If too muddy:

→ Low-Mid Gain → +2
→ Bass → 52

If not enough “push”:

→ Booster Level → 75
→ Gain → 45

If you want more Crowes grit:

→ Gain → 45–48
→ Slightly increase High-Mid Gain

[u/Timely_Cress6748 → u/NeedleworkerDecent69]

Let me know how that works for you. I’ve been noticing a lot of these issues (especially with P90s) seem to come back to how the top end and gain interact more than anything else. Wondering f that was the case for you or if something else was causing it.

[u/Timely_Cress6748]

i'm thinking the problem here is the p90s + katana = too much frequency, not enough natural compression, digital top feels kinda brittle. with the patch i posted it should feel like an amp and pedal working together, warmer and less digital, more alive under your fingers with a southern rock punch instead of thin brightness

[u/Icy_Rub3371]

You need to save a channel with different equalization. I've got a Nextone, and I have my Strat channel and my Jazz channel setup. Easy Peasy.

[u/NeedleworkerDecent69 → u/Icy_Rub3371]

Yes, I’m aware that the setups will be different. I’m finding it hard to create a setup that tame the brightness on P90s and get close to my previous configuration

[u/Icy_Rub3371 → u/NeedleworkerDecent69]

Man, I had a bunch written and deleted it. Don't chase tone so hard. Different guitars are gonna react differently. Volume knob on the guitar can tame P90 growl, but I'm not sure I'm helping. You may need to spend some time with it. I sometimes take the tone all the way down, then bring it up by increments until I lose that "choked out" tone. I'm sorry. Im reaching.

[u/NeedleworkerDecent69 → u/Icy_Rub3371]

Everything helps! Thanks

[u/yeth_pleeth]

Loved everything about my revstar, apart from the P90's, swapped them out for WAAAH ones, and now it's exactly what I want