The guitars enjoy great popularity in the music world. Thanks to their portability and affordability, they are an obvious choice for many people who wish to learn an instrument.
They are also quite versatile and allow you to achieve tones of multiple genres. In addition to that, experts suggest that playing guitar is beneficial for your body and mind.
A person sitting in an auditorium may think that the sound is coming from the strings only. However, there is a lot more to that.
Any professional guitarist will tell you that different components of a guitar contribute to its tonal characteristics. A guitar pickup is one of those components.
A guitar pickup is a magnetic transducer that converts the string vibrations of your guitar into electrical signals. It is placed under your guitar strings and comes in many shapes and types.
The pickup is one of the most important guitar components and plays a crucial role in defining the overall tonal quality.
If a guitar uses a poor pickup, its sound output won’t be up to the mark. Therefore, choosing the right guitar pickup is vital for the best playing experience.
Guitar Fetish is a renowned company that manufactures guitars and their accessories. The company offers a variety of accessories, such as necks, bodies, and many more.
However, it is best known for its top-of-the-line pickups. It has offered many quality pickups over the years that have been used by thousands of guitarists.
The Dream 90 and Mean 90 are two most loved pickups by Guitar Fetish. Today, we will be comparing these two pickups hereinafter. Read on to find out which one is right for you!
Comparing the Dream 90 vs Mean 90
Here is a comparison between the Dream 90 and Mean 90 guitar pickups.
| Features | Dream 90 | Mean 90 |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Bright | Warm |
| Magnet | Alnico V | Alnico V |
| Price | Low | Low |
| German base plate | No | Yes |
Dream 90
Starting our comparison with the Dream 90 guitar pickup, it is a humbucker-sized pickup that can be installed on all full-sized electric guitars. It was introduced in 2005 and has powered thousands of instruments. Let’s take a closer look at this pickup.
Construction
For starters, the Dream 90 guitar pickup is constructed exceptionally well for the best playing potential. It features a chrome metal case that protects the unit from damage.
Even if you clean your guitar daily, dust particles from the surroundings may get stuck inside the pickup. This may cause crackling and may also affect the tone of your guitar.
Of course, a pickup is a sensitive instrument. So, the Dream 90 guitar pickup is protected by a chrome metal sheet with nickel screws to ensure its safety from external elements.
This gives you peace of mind as you can concentrate on your playing without worrying about your pickups.
The Dream 90 guitar pickup is compatible with all guitars, but it is designed in such a way that it perfectly complements the Stratocasters or double-cut electric guitars.
So, the Dream 90 guitar pickup is versatile and can be used on a number of guitars.
Performance
The Dream 90 guitar pickup has 8.4 k resistance for the bridge and 8.2k for the neck. Moreover, it also has adjustable pole pieces to help you adjust individual string outputs.
Since the Dream 90 guitar pickup comes in the same size as a humbucker, it has all the characteristics of a humbucker pickup. It shows excellent performance when it comes to noise-cancellation.
It’s no secret that humming sound is a common problem associated with humbucker pickups. Fortunately, the metal case of the Dream 90 guitar pickup helps you eliminate the humming sound.
Install it on your guitar, and rest assured that it will not give you headaches while performing.
Furthermore, the Dream 90 guitar pickup has a bright tone that you usually get in a humbucker. This makes it a great choice for performing on big stages. While most users love its tonal quality, you may not like it if you are not into bright tones.
It all comes down to your personal preferences. So, consider looking elsewhere if you want your guitar to sound warm or tight.
Another cool thing about the Dream 90 guitar pickup is that they use Alnico V magnets. These magnets have a more powerful tone than other magnets and are often used in flagship guitars.
They have great magnetic strength and are capable of holding their power over time. Furthermore, the Dream 90 guitar pickup has a great high-end and midrange.
Now coming to its design, the Dream 90 guitar pickup has a simple design that looks great on most guitars, especially light-colored ones. Furthermore, it is pretty lightweight and won’t add much to your guitar’s overall weight.
All in all, the Dream 90 guitar pickup is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a good-looking pickup with a balanced tone.
Mean 90
The Mean 90 guitar pickup is another excellent pickup by Guitar Fetish. It was introduced in 2004 and has become a go-to choice for many musicians all over the world. Let’s discuss its features in detail and see what’s so special about it.
Construction
Talking about its construction first, like the Dream 90 pickup, the Mean 90 pickup also features the Alnico V magnets. As a result, this pickup has excellent mids and highs with great clarity.
Many users have stated that its tone resembles the P 90 pickup. As a matter of fact, its construction is pretty similar to the P 90 pickup, but with a few improvements.
The Mean 90 guitar pickup coils are wrapped with a Formvar 42 gauge wire. Expectedly then, its tone is a bit more aggressive than the Dream 90 pickup.
It has more crispiness and clarity without being too harsh. Furthermore, the tone also has a hint of a bite that you’d surely enjoy.
Performance
The Mean 90 guitar pickup comes with a high-quality German Silver baseplate to offer the best playability.
This base plate attaches to the bottom of the pickup and effectively increases the inductance of your pickup, slightly improving the low-end and midrange tones.
Another reason why musicians love the Mean 90 guitar pickup is that installing it is an absolute cinch.
It’s no secret that most pickups nowadays have a complicated installation process that may leave you scratching your head if you are installing it for the first time.
However, that’s not the case with this pickup. It can be easily installed in a matter of minutes without the assistance of a professional.
The best selling point of the Mean 90 guitar pickup is its affordable price. It checks all the boxes and delivers a rich tone yet comes at a surprisingly affordable price.
If you want a great-sounding pickup that would be easy on your wallet, consider opting for the Mean 90 guitar pickup.
Final Verdict
The Mean 90 and Dream 90 guitar pickups are the two most sought-after offerings by Guitar Fetish. Both possess similar features and feature exceptional construction.
However, the Mean 90 pickup wins the battle by a small margin, thanks to its German silver base plate and louder tone. Having said that, the Dream 90 pickup is also a great option if you are into bright tones.