Pickups for punk/hardcore, Rebel Yells/Holy Divers/the Mule?

[Disaxis]

Hey! Sorry if this post is abit long, but you can look for the bold highlighted words to see what you can skip incase you don't want to read it all.

I'm on the lookout for new pickups for my Les Paul so I'm in the corundrum of which one to choose. The amp i am using is a JMP 2203 from 81 which sounds really good, but the pickups (I believe) are abit harsh in the top end so I can't really have the brightness where I would like it without getting a nasty screaming feedback and ear piercing treble.

I've been looking at the Rebel Yells, Holy Divers, and the Mule. I've heard alot of demos, but it's still really hard to tell which one would bring me the tone I would love to have.

What I am looking for is a pickup with semi-tight bass response, not too tight because in my opinion some of the magic disappears then, but not too boomy either because I want some sort of definition in the bass.
Mids should be punchy and make me cut through the mix in a band setting, but I don't know how much I need because a 2203 is a mid heavy amp which I also will slightly boost with an overdrive.
Trebles should give me clarity, but not make ears bleed and I would love to avoid that nasty unmusical treble feedback without having to kill the clarity.

I am mostly playing in different variations of punk/hardcore/post-hardcore bands where I sometimes play pretty fast with large chords, but I also enjoy playing some rock, stoner, post-rock, and some down tuned metal.

Big thanks to those who decide to give me some advice!

[Telerocker]

In fact you describe Mules, but I don't know if they're hot enough for you. Mules can do metal too. I believe our honoured member Nolly did some metal Mule-clips in the past.

[Yellowjacket]

For Punk / Hardcore I say Alnico Nailbomb. 
It has these wonderful throaty mids and plenty of aggression.

[Disaxis]

In fact you describe Mules, but I don't know if they're hot enough for you. Mules can do metal too. I believe our honoured member Nolly did some metal Mule-clips in the past.

Think I found the video of mules doing metal, sounds amazing!

For Punk / Hardcore I say Alnico Nailbomb. 
It has these wonderful throaty mids and plenty of aggression.

Cool, how does the alnico nailbombs handle large chords?

[darkandrew]

how does the alnico nailbombs handle large chords?

Really well! It's my favourite pickup for that sort of thing. The only thing I will say about the Nail Bombs is that they sit really well in a mix and don't really cut through it in the way that you might want. The RYs will cut through a bit more and the HDs even more so but neither actually sits in a mix and gives it depth and breadth like the Nail Bomb.

[Disaxis]

In fact you describe Mules, but I don't know if they're hot enough for you. Mules can do metal too. I believe our honoured member Nolly did some metal Mule-clips in the past.

Nevermind, now I found the Nollys clip. It is this one right https://soundcloud.com/nolly/snuggles-tenzing-norgay ?

atleast that's an impressive tone right there!

this is the other clip I found: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe9zcmmdz50

Thanks alot to you guys for helping me out with the decision! But right now seems like the Mule is the better contender because output won't be a problem when I use an overdrive to boost my marshall.

[Yellowjacket]

Rebel Yells are less gainy and more open, with more harmonics, and string separation.  Lots of high end chirp too.

I think the Juggernauts have CRAZY string separation.  A-Bomb not as much but they are still very clear like most BKP are.  I am thinking you may find the Rebel Yells too bright and tight in the lows unless you are putting these things in a solid mahogany guitar like an explorer or something.

I'm working right now but maybe I can record a few chords with an A-Bomb later?

[Disaxis]

Rebel Yells are less gainy and more open, with more harmonics, and string separation.  Lots of high end chirp too.

I think the Juggernauts have CRAZY string separation.  A-Bomb not as much but they are still very clear like most BKP are.  I am thinking you may find the Rebel Yells too bright and tight in the lows unless you are putting these things in a solid mahogany guitar like an explorer or something.

I'm working right now but maybe I can record a few chords with an A-Bomb later?

Yeah man, that would be awesome!

[Yellowjacket]

I got something for you.  I will export and upload to soundcloud hopefully this afternoon.  I gotta go to my Daughter's preschool graduation now.  Chat soon!!

Rebel Yells are less gainy and more open, with more harmonics, and string separation.  Lots of high end chirp too.

I think the Juggernauts have CRAZY string separation.  A-Bomb not as much but they are still very clear like most BKP are.  I am thinking you may find the Rebel Yells too bright and tight in the lows unless you are putting these things in a solid mahogany guitar like an explorer or something.

I'm working right now but maybe I can record a few chords with an A-Bomb later?

Yeah man, that would be awesome!

[Yellowjacket]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcmxXeMjAXg&feature=youtu.be

Shoot me a PM if you want high quality audio.

https://soundcloud.com/paul-levasseur-2/electra-dyne-a-bomb-les-paul-punk
I **THINK** soundcloud sounds better than Youtube?

[Disaxis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcmxXeMjAXg&feature=youtu.be

Shoot me a PM if you want high quality audio.

https://soundcloud.com/paul-levasseur-2/electra-dyne-a-bomb-les-paul-punk
I **THINK** soundcloud sounds better than Youtube?

Damn, they sound good too, might have to get them both eventually!
Thanks for all the input guys!

[Yellowjacket]

That clip is of the A-bomb in my les Paul standard.  The a-bomb is that aahhhh vowel sort of a 90s punk  tone and it would be my first choice in a Les Paul for that application.  It also does rock and metal easily. 

I had a rebel yell in the bridge before but it is in my mahogany guitar now.

[Dave Sloven]

#1 I would definitely go for something with an Alnico 5 magnet.

In a Les Paul you have a few options.  The A-Bomb is a great recommendation. I think it can do all of the stuff you want it to do, although I am not sure about the stoner stuff.  I think it would be passable there, but expecting one guitar to handle everything is unrealistic in my view.  I have an alnico Nailbomb and an alnico Black Hawk that I interchange with one another in the same tuning for the same band, so I think those two are comparable.  Out of the two the A-Hawk is the better one for leads.  The A-Bomb has a lot of character as a rhythm pickup, and is noticeably hairier whereas the A-Hawk is a bit hotter and more compressed.  Both are brilliant for chords.

The Holy Diver and Rebel Yell could also be good but I don't have direct experience of them.  The RY might be a bit bright and the HD might not be aggressive sounding enough for hardcore.

[Yellowjacket]

The Rebel Yell is much tighter in the lows.  It doesn't have the balanced, beefy tone of the A-Bomb. 

In a LP, it is great for rock and classic rock.  It doesn't have the same push as the A-Bomb and it is more even sounding.  It growls with a very even harmonic spread and has an open, chain saw sort of a tone. 

The A-Bomb, is has the right amount of added phatness in the lows and it just drives an amp harder.  The treble 'cut' makes it do thrash and it has that punk rock AAHH sound. 

[Disaxis]

Sorry guys, I know you really love the A-bombs, but I went for the Mule since I really enjoyed the sound they managed to achieve using them and they were cheaper too. I still got more guitars where I have to change pickups and a-bombs are definitely the next on the list! I got another les paul that has emgs in them  I know it's blasphemy, but I was young and dumb