What other options?

[CommonCourtesy]

So far I've played 2 BK humbucker pickups in my main Les Paul band guitar. Its a Gibson Studio LP mahogany. Play in drop c with EB Not Even Slinky 12-56's.

First I put an Aftermath in which was alright, nice and tight but far too middy and washy. So I switched it out last year for a ceramic Nailbomb. The grunt and thump is back with plenty of low end. But I'm curious to know what else I can try.

My band are a mix of pop punk/post-hardcore with lots of power chords and chugging. There's some single string riffing stuff too. Definitely more of the modern sounding bands rather than the vintage.

I play through a Peavey 6505+ head too.

So I'm wondering what else might be worth considering as a bridge pickup?

[JimmyMoorby]

In my experience painkillers and black hawks work well in les pauls.

The painkiller will have tighter bass than the nailbomb with more full on and aggressive upper mids and treble.  Very metal and abrasive.

The black hawk really has it's own things going on.  Like an active pickup with a soul?!  If you like 'chug' the black hawk cannot be beaten and that includes the warpig.

Never put a Juggeranut in a les paul but i'm certain it would work well.

[Dave Sloven]

Yeah I would think an alnico Blackhawk might get you closest to where you want to go.  Should be tight and aggressive enough for the chugging and articulate enough for the chords.

[CommonCourtesy]

Painkiller was something I looked at when I originally looked at changing out the stock pickup.

Will read up about Blackhawk, its a low output pickup though compared to the Nailbomb? Also I feel my guitar could be a bit brighter so it sits in the mid-range section, otherwise its fighting with the bass for clarity in the mix. That could just be amp EQ's though.

[Telerocker]

DC-resistance is not the equivalent of output. As far as I remember the Blackhawk has a huge output.

[ericsabbath]

miracle man

[Yellowjacket]

Ah, I see.  You're using quite thick strings on your LP which really adds a lot of heft to the sound.  Hence, the low end beef. 

Painkiller may work well but I have heard a painkiller bridge get dark on a lump of mahogany extended range 7 string guitar.  Shouldn't be such a problem on a 6 string.

I'm going to make a totally out there recommendation and you can do what you want with it.  What about a Rebel Yell bridge?  With an amp as aggressive as the 6505, you should be able to get the punk / hardcore tones you like but you'll get more clarity with an open sounding low end.  The heavier strings will provided a substantial amount of heft to the tone and it will take the 'nailbomb' sort of a tone and shift it more into the mids and harmonics.  Hey, it's worth a try.  I really happen to like the Rebel Yell a lot and it may just work for you!

[Dave Sloven]

Jimmy, which magnet did you have in the Black Hawk?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qacdnnbe2k

[JimmyMoorby]

The black hawk feels more high output than most pickups but i'm not sure whether it is or not.  It feels higher output than the nail bomb.  It feels similar in output to EMG's etc.  EMG's with tone and girth but still tight.

I've tried the ceramic and alnico black hawks.  I'd go for the alnico every time unless you're using really low tunings.

[Dave Sloven]

Yeah the BH always sounds pretty hot in any clips I've seen of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvoZPM-sVRc

[CommonCourtesy]

Black Hawk is something I never considered cos I didn't think it'd go with the contemporary modern sound I want to achieve. Is drop c classed as a "really low tuning"? Its only a tone down from standard with a dropped 6th string. I've seen bands do that djenty thing in lower tunings but I'm not really going for that style, I love my chugs but its not really a djent thing.

Warpig is the highest output BKP have put out right? I wonder what would sound like in a LP standard which is considerably lighter than a standard.

[Dave Sloven]

Warpigs generally sound good in brighter guitars.  Mine sound pretty good in my SG.  I don't know if it would suit your style.  If you went for a Warpig I would think you'd be happier with the C-Pig.  Mine's an A-Pig.

Good chance that the Painkiller is it for you though.  I think I read somewhere that Painkillers aren't real found of real low tunings, but Drop C is just D Standard with the low string dropped a step.

This video compares the Painkiller to the 498T.  Definitely a big improvement in tightness and clarity, and more aggressive sounding too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBIeMRz96Wg

This one compares an Aftermath with a Painkiller and a Warpig.  Different guitars though (I believe the PK guitar is alder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cECru2W24w4

PK set in a LP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68EFY0I-SxE

[CommonCourtesy]

Ah, I see.  You're using quite thick strings on your LP which really adds a lot of heft to the sound.  Hence, the low end beef. 

Painkiller may work well but I have heard a painkiller bridge get dark on a lump of mahogany extended range 7 string guitar.  Shouldn't be such a problem on a 6 string.

I'm going to make a totally out there recommendation and you can do what you want with it.  What about a Rebel Yell bridge?  With an amp as aggressive as the 6505, you should be able to get the punk / hardcore tones you like but you'll get more clarity with an open sounding low end.  The heavier strings will provided a substantial amount of heft to the tone and it will take the 'nailbomb' sort of a tone and shift it more into the mids and harmonics.  Hey, it's worth a try.  I really happen to like the Rebel Yell a lot and it may just work for you!

Yeah it really adds a lot low end! The other guitarist has just started using the D'addario 12-60 set so I think I may have to make a little adjustment to the lowest 3 strings!

I wouldn't have thought Rebel Yell would give me that sound, its hard to pin down what kind of tone it is, its not punk, its not metal, its a bit like pop punk but with a heavier edge, high gain with that American flavour.

[CommonCourtesy]

Warpigs generally sound good in brighter guitars.  Mine sound pretty good in my SG.  I don't know if it would suit your style.  If you went for a Warpig I would think you'd be happier with the C-Pig.  Mine's an A-Pig.

Good chance that the Painkiller is it for you though.  I think I read somewhere that Painkillers aren't real found of real low tunings, but Drop C is just D Standard with the low string dropped a step.

This video compares the Painkiller to the 498T.  Definitely a big improvement in tightness and clarity, and more aggressive sounding too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBIeMRz96Wg

This one compares an Aftermath with a Painkiller and a Warpig.  Different guitars though (I believe the PK guitar is alder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cECru2W24w4

PK set in a LP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68EFY0I-SxE

Maybe its the fact that in the rehearsal room I have to use what's there instead of my beloved 6505+, I don't want to knacker out the tubes cranking it to 3 every week for 3 hours! All those reviews seem to be using Diezel or some kind of high quality gain amp.
So its probably not a fair judgement playing through a Marshall JCM2000 or 50 watt combo!

I'm wary the Warpig might give me an overly bass-ey tone which again might fight with the bassist in the mix.

[Dave Sloven]

Warpigs do have a big bottom end.  Which makes them great for a guitar lacking lows, such as an SG.  I don't think they are quite what you are looking for as a pickup for a LP.  I really didn't like the same set in my Explorer.  Too bassy and dark.

I hear you on the Diezel.  But just to give a sense of the difference that the guitar itself can make, here's a PK set in an SG through a Diezel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imPQUg1NK1I