Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

[scarletparsec]

I saw a post on a similar topic, but not exactly what I have a question about. I'm trying to put together a strat with a single humbucker in the bridge position, and I'm looking for something that would sound good when playing punk and pop-punk like The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, Blink-182, etc. I want something that I can wire so it will be coil tapped with a push/pull tone knob. I've looked into the Invader because I know that's what Tom DeLonge used to use but I haven't read great things about the sound quality, especially when coil tapped. I was also thinking a Stag Mag might work because it seems like it's pretty much made to be coil tapped, but listening to audio clips it sounds a little too bright and single coil like for my taste even when set to full humbucker. I want something that's versatile and will sound good distorted as a humbucker, but also gets pretty close to a strat sound when split. I'm far from an expert on this sort of thing, so it would be great if someone more knowledgeable could help me out.

Thanks in advance.

-Katie

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

The Invader was kind of "the one" back when he was with Blink. A Quarter Pound is a good choice if you don't kind the shape. A JB wil get that sound as well.

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

Oh yeah, welcome to the forum!

 

[Securb]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

 

[scarletparsec]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

Thanks! I was also considering a JB, but I'm not sure how it will sound split.

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

I don't have any experience splitting one, so I can't help you there. I used to share the bill with several different pop punk band back in the day. A lot of them used those three pups. Some had Dimarzios, but I don't know which models.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

I have a JB in a mahogany set neck Shecter. It sounds just fine split. Some loss of power, but that's to be expected. I would vote for one or an Invader.

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[thebingopete]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

Real punk doesn't require fancy boutique pups. Look for '70s winds. Whatever Fender, Gibson and Mosrite factory installed. All the original punk rock players were freekin broke. What dough they had was rarely invested in gear. If they got a new guitar that was what they had. Too broke and too busy writing songs of young angst and rebellion against everything to Mod other than slapping random stickers all over the guitar to protect the finish.

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[HiFiRebel]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

The OP asked about punk/pop punk, and then referenced several pop punk bands.

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

And for what it's worth, Billy Zoom broke many of the so-called "punk rules". A Gretsch and hot rodded Fender amps. He even had a background in rockabilly. Once the Ramones had money they bought Marshalls, Mick Jones got a Mesa, and Joe Strummer was using a White Falcon before the Teles and Esquire.

"Real" punk went and goes across different countries, economic classes, and cultures. Pop punk may be nor be as hardcore or come close to the fury of the early stuff, but that does not change the answer to their tone question.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

Back when all I wanted was a kinda punk sound I had a Custom Custom in a cheap tele. It was good but a little woofy sounding. I then tried it with a Dimarzio D-Activator, and had a coil split on it, it was a little bright but that was before I really knew that guitars had... y'know... tone controls. If I could go back I'd try the regular duncan Custom, feels like it'd land me in between. Or maybe the Duncan Distortion.

 

[YeRedHouseOverYonder]

Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

East Bay Ray from the Dead Kennedys was big on modding his gear. Good read if you're into or liked any hardcore punk.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/24292-forgotten-heroes-east-bay-ray?page=2

As for the OP, my friend is into a lot of hardcore and in the past pop-punk like Blink and etc. He's pretty happy with a '59/Custom I put in a telecaster for him. The Custom coil will get a decent single coil tone, but only a strat pickup will sound like a strat pickup (* or close for that matter). It's just one of those things.

What kind of amp will you be using?


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[HiFiRebel]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

East Bay Ray from the Dead Kennedys was big on modding his gear. Good read if you're into or liked any hardcore punk.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/24292-forgotten-heroes-east-bay-ray?page=2

As for the OP, my friend is into a lot of hardcore and in the past pop-punk like Blink and etc. He's pretty happy with a '59/Custom I put in a telecaster for him. The Custom coil will get a decent single coil tone, but only a strat pickup will sound like a strat pickup (* or close for that matter). It's just one of those things.

What kind of amp will you be using?


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That was a good read. Thank you.

 

[scarletparsec]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

@YeRedHouseOverYonder I have a VHT special 6 6W tube amp.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I have another question though. I just finished putting together a strat. I've been playing it a lot and I noticed that my hand seems to hit the volume knob closest to the bridge when I'm palm muting. I'm not used to playing strats (my Les Paul is my main guitar), and I'm wondering if it's an issue with my technique. I've tried changing up my hand position, but palm muted chords seem to sound best when I have my hand right over the bridge. Has anyone else had this issue? Because of this, for my next project I was thinking about either having the volume knob in the tone knob 1 position and a single tone in the tone knob 2 position, or having the volume knob lowered like Tom DeLonge did on his signature models (and having the tone in the regular position). What do you guys think?

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

@YeRedHouseOverYonder I have a VHT special 6 6W tube amp.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I have another question though. I just finished putting together a strat. I've been playing it a lot and I noticed that my hand seems to hit the volume knob closest to the bridge when I'm palm muting. I'm not used to playing strats (my Les Paul is my main guitar), and I'm wondering if it's an issue with my technique. I've tried changing up my hand position, but palm muted chords seem to sound best when I have my hand right over the bridge. Has anyone else had this issue? Because of this, for my next project I was thinking about either having the volume knob in the tone knob 1 position and a single tone in the tone knob 2 position, or having the volume knob lowered like Tom DeLonge did on his signature models (and having the tone in the regular position). What do you guys think?

I have that issue with the volume pot on strats too. If you order a new pick guard from Warmoth, they have an option to put the volume in the same spot as Tom DeLonge.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Best pickup for punk/punk-pop

I think it is a technique issue- it can be overcome. But you could always make one tone control a 'master tone' for all the pickups, and move the knobs down.