Pickup combo for Ska/Punk in an LP

[placeboeffect]

So I'm going to put a new set of SD's in an epi les paul studio, and I need a set that can do a real clean reggae style for offbeat ska (sublime style) and a meaty, nasty punk distortion.

I was thinking a p-rails in the bridge with a triple-shot ring and a phat cat in the bridge? Would this make a good combo?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

[mrturtle_91]

I'd say go dual p-rails with triple shots...can't go wrong with the versatility there.

[dr. ad]

^ either that, or a demon/PC combo.

not that i say that for anything that isn't jazz or nu-metal...

[FuseG4]

I haven't had any problem doing that kind of thing with duncan 59's.

What I do: clean channel volume up, middle position on the pickup selector and then roll the volume back a bit on both pickups. Sometimes I use an EQ to take out a lil mids.
The sound is clean and a bit thin but not too bright.

distortion? just run the bridge pickup and kick on the stomp box

[super rad stuff]

ska?! that's all i really like to play!

some of it depends on what kind of amp you are using, but at this point....

either way, a set of either phat cats or seth lovers should do you good, they both have great clean tones and can get pretty raunchy with distortion. the phat cats will be the raunchier of the two, with some great overtones with drive/distortion. the seths will be much smoother and thicker.

or, if you feel like going a little DIY, get a set of gibson 490 pickups used, they are usually around $90 for a set. then, get some aftermarket magnets, an alnico 5 for the neck pickup(490r) and an a8(hi output) or a4(medium output) for the bridge pickup(490t). this will give you great paf-ish pickups for a good price.

personally i have all of these pickups, and would reccomend a phat cat in the neck and a seth lover in the bridge, those two will give you thicker tones in the bridge good for punk and ska, and the phat cat will give you better ska-lite and reggae tones clean.

[super rad stuff]

I haven't had any problem doing that kind of thing with duncan 59's.

What I do: clean channel volume up, middle position on the pickup selector and then roll the volume back a bit on both pickups. Sometimes I use an EQ to take out a lil mids.
The sound is clean and a bit thin but not too bright.

distortion? just run the bridge pickup and kick on the stomp box

i actually don't like cutting mids out for reggae/ska stuff, mostly because when you listen to reggae and ska music closely, the horns naturally have a lot of midrange, and can drown out a guitar very easily. that and i like trying to get accurate tones to the records i listen to(RBF, streetlight, sublime, etc).

to each his own

[FuseG4]

yeah on this topic you are the expert in comparison to me, so I'll be considering your advice on mids henceforth.

[super rad stuff]

yeah on this topic you are the expert in comparison to me, so I'll be considering your advice on mids henceforth.

really you want to add some upper mids, not lower mids. but don't add so much that you'll start sounding real honky/nasaly, just enough to cut. adding too much lower mids will mud out the sound. the easiest way to get this sort of EQ going is with a3 magnets, which naturally already have a bunch of mids and treble, but that's just imo

[dr. ad]

where everything sits in a band context, either live or recording, is a crucial factor that is sometimes overlooked when you're trying to get your tone sorted out.

as a young player i was confused by how i couldn't cut through in a live mix but was getting good recording tones; i now believe this was because i had a lot of bass and treble frequencies happening and neglected to shape it properly with the midrange.

i have a theory that the main reason marshalls are so popular is because they're voiced more in the mid-range than so many other amps; to my ears you've basically got a high-bass, low-mid, mid-mid and high-mid EQ on a marshall panel. just my opinion.

[theboatcandream]

I think Marshalls are popular because they're somewhat idiot proof. It doesn't take a lot of work to dial in an ok to decent overdriven sound from them.

This might be a weird suggestion, but what about the JB? When I think ska, I think brighter tones, and the JB can also be there for distorted punk rock.

[dr. ad]

I think Marshalls are popular because they're somewhat idiot proof. It doesn't take a lot of work to dial in an ok to decent overdriven sound from them.

that's pretty much what i just said isn't it?

; ]

[super rad stuff]

I think Marshalls are popular because they're somewhat idiot proof. It doesn't take a lot of work to dial in an ok to decent overdriven sound from them.

This might be a weird suggestion, but what about the JB? When I think ska, I think brighter tones, and the JB can also be there for distorted punk rock.

didn't like it when i had it for that kinda stuff i had it in an SG and a dot studio though, which aren't typically considered for a JB. as wierd as it sounds, it was too dark in either guitar.

[dr. ad]

^ agree totally

love marshalls and JBs, but not together

[Robert S.]

My initial thought when I read the thread title was Phat Cats but I have a set of P-Rails in a Les Paul and the range of tones available is real nice. A P-Rail set would probably be the best way to go.

[TwofacePimp]

I've been playing in one punk/ska band or another for since I was 16 (no joke), and a gibby lp standard has usually been my guitar of choice. There are so many things to consider when you're choosing pickups for this style of music, and the fact that you utilize at least two (very different) sounds only complicates things. You also need to think about your amp/pedal setup and how it interacts with your pickups.

FWIW, I've had a jazz/jb combo with coil splitters in my lp for the last few years, but the only thing that's kept it there is a desire for consistency and general laziness. I don't even use the coil splitters because it drops the volume too much. Both of the pickups feel a little thinner and more rigid than what I'd like, and the jb bridge doesn't give a lot of headroom with my fender combo. Distorted leads sound great with the jb, but with rhythm the low end isn't tight enough.

My next set is probably gonna be wcr godwoods, and I'm hoping the lower output and fatter feel work out better for me. The p-rails sound great too, but I don't know if I'm ready to try a p90-type pickup out yet. Also, I HATE switching pickups in the middle of a song, so I don't want to use a different position for dirties and cleans.

I feel your pain, placebo. There aren't a ton of guys who play this style, so there's less info out there on how to approach it. Please let us know how your next pickup swap works out!

PS My most trusted guitar store keeps telling me that I should use a strat or a souped-up tele, but let's not even go there...