“Enjoy classic P-90 tone without the noise and without major guitar surgery!”: Seymour Duncan makes a great pickup even better as it gives the humbucker-sized Phat Cat the Silencer treatment

Now might be just the time to give the electric guitar in your life a well-deserved mod because Seymour Duncan has just unveiled a humdinger, with its new humbucker-sized the Phat Cat Silencer.

Tonally, we are looking at a similar deal to the original Phat Cats, with all the over-sized single-coil mojo you would expect from a P-90 pickup, but, of course, without the hum. Not that a little hiss and noise was ever a dealbreaker for us when it came to P-90s. 

They are more than worth it, especially for rock ’n’ roll and punk. But having that noise housetrained just makes these all the more user-friendly, and more versatile too. You don’t have to worry about lighting sources, who’s running what along side you. Just plug in and crank up your guitar amp.

That plug-in and play vibe is a big part of the appeal of the Phat Cat profile. The humbucker-sized footprint makes them an easy mod for any guitar routed for a humbucker. Pretty much anything from the Gibson catalogue would wear one of these well.

Sold individually or as a set of two, Seymour Duncan is offering the Phat Cat Silencer bridge pickup with Vintage voicings or Hot, and with the choice of nickel covers or gold.

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“They deliver a true P90 tone without the buzz, perfect for those looking to explore the feel and response of a P90 without routing out a guitar,” Seymour Duncan says. “The Phat Cat Silencer is the easiest way to achieve that thick and edgy single-coil sound that only P90s can deliver!”

These are based around a ceramic magnet design. The EQ profiles of both the neck and bridge pickups are quite similar, with a an ever-so-slightly scooped midrange and pronounced treble. Just add a fuzz pedal and a cranked tube amp and you are off to the races. 

Introducing the Phat Cat Silencer - Humbucker-Sized, Noiseless P90s - YouTube

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The gold covered Phat Cat Silencer is priced $149 per pickup, and $298 for a set. The nickel version will set you back $139 per pickup, $278 for a set. Check out the demo video for an idea of how they sound, and head over to Seymour Duncan for more details.

Seymour Duncan has had a busy 2024, with high-profile releases including an Eric Gales signature single-coil set, and the alt.metal Blackout humbuckers, which “enhance the low-end tightness, along with adding top-end bite without harshness” for six and seven-string guitars tuned down so low that only the dog can hear you chug.