Best pickups for punk/ska

[Mikelamury]

I think I've been tone chasing. I started out trying lots of fender pickups and came to the conclusion that I don't like single coil pickups (stacked or regular) and I think there humbuckers suck. So I tried 7 different DiMarzio pickups, I liked the super distortion but wanted more so I've tried a couple of different seymour duncan pickups, i started out with the JB/jazz combo and liked it,it sounded better than anything before so I figured I would see if Seymour Duncan makes anything better and if not return to the JB. First I tried the Duncan custom I liked it but I needed more output, by the time it started sounding good it as way too close to the strings.(contrary to the output test chart but I did not feel like it was stronger than the JB). I tried this out with the full shred neck and was intrigued by the tele like neck quality of the full shred but I needed way more output than the custom could offer for that combination. So I went back to the jazz neck and paired it with an alternative 8 trembucker (which turned out to be less output than the humbucker version), I like the alternative 8 I just wish it had more output (like the humbucker version does) so now I am searching for a guitar that takes standard spaced pickups. I am planning on trying the invader set, the Duncan distortion/sentient combo and try the alternative 8 humbucker with a screamin demon in the neck. If someone could tell me their opinion on which pickups would be best for punk rock and ska/punk like leftover crack, operation ivy,suicide machines and escape from the zoo. I would appreciate your opinion as this is getting rather expensive. Thanks

 

[TVFV]

What amp are you using?

 

[Mikelamury]

Boss katana 50 no effects pedals

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

The Invader set.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

I’m not sure how an Alternative 8 Trembucker would have less output than the standard-spaced version, unless you somehow managed to get two that were under-wound/ over-wound respectively. It could have been a wiring issue?

What’s the guitar? Strat?

Have you done any research into which pickups those bands have actually used? That’s always a good place to start. The songs I know from Operation Ivy and Suicide Machines have quite different guitar tones, so you might have trouble getting all the different tones perfectly.

IMHO, a 59/59 or JB/59 set would be a good place to start, dial in as close as you can on the amp, then see what’s missing.

 

[TVFV]

I would just use the JB.

 

[JamesPaul]

... So I went back to the jazz neck and paired it with an alternative 8 trembucker (which turned out to be less output than the humbucker version), I like the alternative 8 I just wish it had more output (like the humbucker version does) so now I am searching for a guitar that takes standard spaced pickups. ...

If a regular spaced Alternative 8 is what you want, there is no law against using it instead of a Trembucker Alt 8 in an F spaced guitar.

 

[Mikelamury]

I bought a fender FMT HH tele that came with pearly gates/59 combo in it and the pearly gates was standard spaced on a fender out the factory and the high e wasn't picking up as well as the other strings I don't want to run into this problem when as I play the higher strings alot in my ska. Prob gonna buy an epiphone and put alternative 8 in it. Any good suggestions for a neck pickup? Ive heard screamin demon in the neck makes good partner for the alternative 8. I want something a little less bright than the jazz neck with about the same output. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[weepingminotaur]

I feel like the Custom 5 would work well for punk.

 

[Securb]

Most punk guys like Steve Jones, Mick Jones used vintage speced PAFs. Chris Lauria from Slapshot uses his stock Tele pickup for hardcore. Guys like Vinnie Stigma use more modern high gain pickups, punk is all over the place. I do not think there is a "punk" pickup.

 

[Mikelamury]

I want something with alot of output tight bass response high mids and upper mids to cut through and something that will give me a good clean sound for ska verses and switch to distortion vial channel pedal on my boss katana 50 to very distorted overdriven tones and it has to have an excellent response to pick attack and something good for palm muted riffs . Any suggestions?

 

[Aceman]

Most punk guys like Steve Jones, Mick Jones used vintage speced PAFs. Chris Lauria from Slapshot uses his stock Tele pickup for hardcore. Guys like Vinnie Stigma use more modern high gain pickups, punk is all over the place. I do not think there is a "punk" pickup.

Yep.

I was gonna say with a Katana, just go with a PAF. More than enough tone shape and gain in there for whatever, including a Tele bridge.

 

[Mincer]

Yes, any vintage output PAF-type pickup (59, Pearly Gates, etc). If you need more power for specific parts or songs, just use a pedal.

 

[Securb]

Yep, I would be more focused on a nice Phase if I were playing Ska, an EHX Small Stone, or an MXR P90

 

[hamerfan]

I don't see you with passive pickups, if you want more volume. If you get higher in volume with passives you get more and more compressed and loose definition/attack.

 

[allstarrme]

I doubt the trembucker version has less output than standard. There are tons of other factors. I can’t think of anything in the last 30 years that has used a standard spaced bridge.

The invader has a ton of output but fuzzy highs and loose bass response. For something close but better sounding I would go black winter, make sure you set it up to split though. The neck is very high output, sounds great split for cleaner stuff and very loud when full. The bridge has a good split sound to. It has a bit more even eq than a distortion or invader so it may not sound louder, but it’s loud just not as mid spiked. Very versatile pickup for clean and driven tones.

You want the loudest punchiest bridge go with the parallel axis distortion. It’s higher output, thicker version of the distortion. The parallel axis pickups were made to fatten up thin sounding Floyd Rose guitars and they do an excellent job.

 

[Mikelamury]

Ive tried the pearly gates but I'm just not comfortable with that amount of output I feel more comfortable with alot more output. I really like the alternative 8 I just want more output maybe thinking bout seeing if the custom shop could make me one with more output. But I know they're backed up right now, I've been waiting 10 weeks for them to make me a custom hot p-rail. I have multiple set ups too but I think I'm going to go with invader set in one distortion/sentient In one and prob buy an epiphone and do alternative 8 humbucker and screamin demon. I'll decide between these. And I'm going to put the JB/jazz in my nightswan. As soon as they are done with my custom hot p-rail I'm going to pair that with the regular p-rail neck and I'll let u guys know how that turns out.

 

[beaubrummels]

More output than a JB? Maybe Dimebucker? Or an El Diablo?

 

[Securb]

More output than a JB? Maybe Dimebucker? Or an El Diablo?

I don't think you need it, bro. I used my WLH set in my last band it was more than heavy enough. Where is Wattage when you need him? Dollars to donuts he will say a vintage spec Lester.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

IIRC there’s a boost built into the Katana, have you got that cranked?