SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

[Andyrew004]

Hi, in my Strat I have just threw a SH-4 JB into my MIM Strat, and I like it. I run it through a Peavey Classic 30, and I play mostly Pop punk and Alternative stuff (blink-182, Simple Plan, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, All Time Low, Green Day, etc).

The SH-4 is good, but if I wanted a thicker sound (and a bit less trebly sound), would the SH-5 be worth getting?

By the way, on my amp, the settings are usually at:
Bass: 5
Mids: 8
Treble:6
Gain: 8

Thanks =)

 

[B2D]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Yeah, I'd say the SH5 would be good for the thicker, less trebly sound that you seem to be aiming for. Go for it!

...and welcome to the forum, btw.

 

[Andyrew004]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Yeah, I'd say the SH5 would be good for the thicker, less trebly sound that you seem to be aiming for. Go for it!

...and welcome to the forum, btw.

Heh thanks. It probably looks really noobish that my first post was here >.<

 

[formula73]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Thank god. A dude who sets his eq to sound GOOD! Praise Jeebus!

 

[alex1fly]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Consider an Invader. Tom Delonge rocked one for his Biink strats, as did/does one of the guitarists of New Found Glory. Sum 41 guys like the Rio Grande BBQ, and currently Tom likes the Dirty Fingers. The common theme is higher output, chopped treble, beefy lows and mids, all of which work with the strat's natural timbre to give it a full, punchy sound. Billie Joe is a little different, using mahogany Gibsons and P 90s, but gets similar results - full, punchy, not a lot of treble.

I use to be way in to the bands you mentioned, played and sang in a blink 182 cover band, etc. My favorite pickups for getting the punk pop sound out of a strat have been the Invader (amazingly musical, even though its so hot, as long as you keep it backed off the strings), the Hot Rails, and the Dimarzio Air Zone. Maybe the SH-5 just wasn't my sound, and it could certainly work for you, seeing as you're using the SH-5 as a reference, but I personally would not turn to or recommend the SH-5. Just didn't have the right sonic qualities for punk pop IMO.

 

[B2D]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Heh thanks. It probably looks really noobish that my first post was here >.<

I wouldnt' say it was noobish. I think the vast majority of us that join the forum join because we have pickup questions to be answer first. Then we start lookign at the other rooms and before you know it you're a dork like me with 10k+ posts, haha.

 

[TSE]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

+1 for the Invader. I'm a metal guy and I use JB and Custom, the Custom has just a bit less treble, a bit less mid, and fuller bass. It IS different sounding than the JB, but not as much as you would think. The JB seems tighter and the Custom is more natural sounding.
I think the Invader is what you are looking for. Thick, raw, and raunchy! Maybe get the set if your git has a neck hb slot.

 

[Andyrew004]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Thank god. A dude who sets his eq to sound GOOD! Praise Jeebus!

I hope that wasn't sarcasm =P haha

Consider an Invader. Tom Delonge rocked one for his Biink strats, as did/does one of the guitarists of New Found Glory. Sum 41 guys like the Rio Grande BBQ, and currently Tom likes the Dirty Fingers. The common theme is higher output, chopped treble, beefy lows and mids, all of which work with the strat's natural timbre to give it a full, punchy sound. Billie Joe is a little different, using mahogany Gibsons and P 90s, but gets similar results - full, punchy, not a lot of treble.

I use to be way in to the bands you mentioned, played and sang in a blink 182 cover band, etc. My favorite pickups for getting the punk pop sound out of a strat have been the Invader (amazingly musical, even though its so hot, as long as you keep it backed off the strings), the Hot Rails, and the Dimarzio Air Zone. Maybe the SH-5 just wasn't my sound, and it could certainly work for you, seeing as you're using the SH-5 as a reference, but I personally would not turn to or recommend the SH-5. Just didn't have the right sonic qualities for punk pop IMO.

Thanks! I'm thinking of getting an Invader now.

I have a single humbucker pickguard with a volume knob and a tone knob (the tone knob was customly added), and how versatile would the Invader be? People always tell me that the Invader is a "mud machine" so I was afraid to get it haha

 

[B2D]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

I hope that wasn't sarcasm =P haha



Thanks! I'm thinking of getting an Invader now.

I have a single humbucker pickguard with a volume knob and a tone knob (the tone knob was customly added), and how versatile would the Invader be? People always tell me that the Invader is a "mud machine" so I was afraid to get it haha

It wasn't scarcasm, trust me. Mids = good.

The Invader is a dark, hot pickup, but used in the right way it shouldn't be muddy. Just maek sure to use 500k pots and re-eq your amp around it and you'll be ok.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

I think the Custom would actually sound pretty good for pop punk. Invader as well. However, Billie Joe's Blue "strat" has a JB in it, so any of the above should get you where you want to go.

(When I was doing the pop punk/staight ahead punk thing, the guitarist in my band used a Hot Rails)

 

[mrturtle_91]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Billie Joe is a little different, using mahogany Gibsons and P 90s, but gets similar results - full, punchy, not a lot of treble.

Bille Joe also used to use a slanted JB in his Strats, so I think the JB is a good choice for punk as well, but as many have said, the custom should do better for less treble and a little chunkier sound. The JB is better for a brighter, punchier sound, like Green Day has.

 

[veryhungrycaterpilla]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

P90s are the best pop punk pups. Ramones. Green Day. Teles will get you Clash, etc.

The bald guitarist in Simple Plan uses an Air Norton in the neck and a Air Zone in the bridge of his HH Tele.

 

[apj]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

I would say keep the JB in there and fool around with different valued pots, that can drastically change the brightness of a guitar

 

[dr. ad]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

Heh thanks. It probably looks really noobish that my first post was here >.<

not telling us about the guitar, amp and style in the first post would've been noobish

i'd have said custom initially, but considering alex1fly's advice i'd go for the invader, for your situation. i think the invader has a double-thick ceramic bar mag and a half-sized ceramic mag as a spacer on each side, like a gibson 500T. the spread of that field by those massive poles would mean that getting the height right will be important. i'm looking for one myself

in the short term... both of these pickups have ceramic mags rather than alnico 5, and that's going to be the main factor getting you onto chunky road and sitting better in your band's mix IMO

perhaps you could find a regular-sized ceramic mag and put that in your JB until you get your invader?
you may also be aware that the jb and invader have a "similar" wind?
:beerchug:

 

[Andyrew004]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

not telling us about the guitar, amp and style in the first post would've been noobish

i'd have said custom initially, but considering alex1fly's advice i'd go for the invader, for your situation. i think the invader has a double-thick ceramic bar mag and a half-sized ceramic mag as a spacer on each side, like a gibson 500T. the spread of that field by those massive poles would mean that getting the height right will be important. i'm looking for one myself

in the short term... both of these pickups have ceramic mags rather than alnico 5, and that's going to be the main factor getting you onto chunky road and sitting better in your band's mix IMO

perhaps you could find a regular-sized ceramic mag and put that in your JB until you get your invader?
you may also be aware that the jb and invader have a "similar" wind?
:beerchug:

thanks =)

hey so getting the JB in my Strat was the first pickup change I have ever done (well I didn't technically do it since I payed someone to do it for me), and I don't know much about this stuff.

What does the magnet do to the sound?

 

[dr. ad]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

it and the wire loops make the sound

 

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

I suggest you try an Alnico 8 magnet in the JB you have first, and 250k pots.

 

[TSE]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

The Alt8 would be another good candidate. It seems to fit the description.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

if all you want is warmer, you might want to switch to a lower value volume potentiometer depending on what value the of the one you've already got is. FWIW billy joe used a 250k pot during the dookie days with his fernandez strat.

 

[ponch]

Re: SH-4 or SH-5 for Pop punk?

IMO I personally prefered the duncan detonator more than the invader. It sounded fuller and tighter than the JB. It was very aggressive and with some 250k pots it sould be a beast for less price too