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

[Yellowjacket]

EWW EMGS hahahahaha!!  Have fun ;)

[Nolly]

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   

Well, you've redeemed yourself now! Enjoy the Mules, I think you'll love them.

[Telerocker]

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   

Well, you've redeemed yourself now! Enjoy the Mules, I think you'll love them.

Can we find your metal Mule-clips somewhere?

[darkandrew]

Is there anything that Mules can't do? Could they be the most versatile pickup set in the Bare Knuckle range?

[Nolly]

Can we find your metal Mule-clips somewhere?

I'm not sure, it's been a while! The Mules are certainly capable of more or less anything though, there's no reason why you wouldn't be able to pull off very heavy tones with them. I did use them on this recently, though it's not exactly a flat-out aggressive tone:

https://soundcloud.com/user-511849395/m-m-poppunk

[stratguy23]

Can we find your metal Mule-clips somewhere?

I'm not sure, it's been a while! The Mules are certainly capable of more or less anything though, there's no reason why you wouldn't be able to pull off very heavy tones with them. I did use them on this recently, though it's not exactly a flat-out aggressive tone:

Really like the tones you got here Nolly! Could you shed some details (what guitar were the Mules in and the amp you used)? Sorry if this is kind of derailing this thread.

[Yellowjacket]

Can we find your metal Mule-clips somewhere?

I'm not sure, it's been a while! The Mules are certainly capable of more or less anything though, there's no reason why you wouldn't be able to pull off very heavy tones with them. I did use them on this recently, though it's not exactly a flat-out aggressive tone:

https://soundcloud.com/user-511849395/m-m-poppunk

Gah, I really need to get mY GGD working.  (Kontakt 5 is saying that the .nki file is corrupted or not supported...  =-(

It's interesting to hear the difference with mixing.  I've been doing a lot of 'garage' style mixing for work.  With Nolly's mix, I noticed that compression on the drums really allows for the guitars to come up quite a bit in the mix and it makes the mix sound bigger overall.  Vintage punk was all about that cr@ppy recording aesthetic but the newer stuff is super produced sounding and very well mixed.

Old MxPx - Teenage Politics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd44gvgeXdw&list=PL43CB3AB854C8E20C

Old Propagandhi - How to Clean Everything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI130b4tMjs&t=97s

Bad Religion - Against the Grain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1IiPkQa2iY

New / Produced Punk.  I can't get over how huge and clear this mix sounds.
Propagandhi - Victory Lap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTANmHJhbF8&list=PLcZMZxR9uxC98izRhq-RDindXuU4WhjBB

Here is a different mix I tried for my little Punk Pop A-Bomb demo. 
Nolly's sounds so immense, it's really quite amazing.  He must be cheating ;)
(Seriously, I'm blown away)

https://soundcloud.com/paul-levasseur-2/electra-dyne-a-bomb-les-paul-punk2

[Nolly]

Glad you like the tones :)

That guitar sound was a hollowbody with an unpotted Mule in the bridge, straight into a block letter 5150 on the rhythm channel, into a Suhr reactive load box and through an IR of one of my Zilla 4x12s.

[stratguy23]

Glad you like the tones :)

That guitar sound was a hollowbody with an unpotted Mule in the bridge, straight into a block letter 5150 on the rhythm channel, into a Suhr reactive load box and through an IR of one of my Zilla 4x12s.

Thanks for the response Nolly! I like that the tone a lot it’s a great rhythm tone. I’ve actually never played a 5150, so I guess I better try one out! I have been hesitant to try Mules since I played an Abraxas set and was underwhelmed. I thought they lacked a little top end and the bass was a little too flabby on a Mesa Mark V, but your Mule clips sounded much more to my liking.

[Nolly]

Thanks for the response Nolly! I like that the tone a lot it’s a great rhythm tone. I’ve actually never played a 5150, so I guess I better try one out! I have been hesitant to try Mules since I played an Abraxas set and was underwhelmed. I thought they lacked a little top end and the bass was a little too flabby on a Mesa Mark V, but your Mule clips sounded much more to my liking.

Ah, well the Abraxas is definitely darker and looser in the low end than the Mule, which is to be expected with an overwound AIV set in general. I don't know if you have reamping capability or even just an amp sim you can throw this through, but here's a DI of that guitar. The strings are somewhat old, and probably a touch on the light gauge side for chunky riffing but I think you'll still get the idea. Also remember that this is a hollowbody so is very resonant in the midrange - you could expect a more extended low end and faster response from a solidbody.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jx9535kxy9njhf4/Nolly%20Mule%20DI.wav?dl=0

And through an amp sim (not an ideal tone):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zzk0yfeqv03rfsh/Nolly%20Mule%20DI%20with%20Ampsim.wav?dl=0

[stratguy23]

Thanks for the response Nolly! I like that the tone a lot it’s a great rhythm tone. I’ve actually never played a 5150, so I guess I better try one out! I have been hesitant to try Mules since I played an Abraxas set and was underwhelmed. I thought they lacked a little top end and the bass was a little too flabby on a Mesa Mark V, but your Mule clips sounded much more to my liking.

Ah, well the Abraxas is definitely darker and looser in the low end than the Mule, which is to be expected with an overwound AIV set in general. I don't know if you have reamping capability or even just an amp sim you can throw this through, but here's a DI of that guitar. The strings are somewhat old, and probably a touch on the light gauge side for chunky riffing but I think you'll still get the idea. Also remember that this is a hollowbody so is very resonant in the midrange - you could expect a more extended low end and faster response from a solidbody.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jx9535kxy9njhf4/Nolly%20Mule%20DI.wav?dl=0

And through an amp sim (not an ideal tone):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zzk0yfeqv03rfsh/Nolly%20Mule%20DI%20with%20Ampsim.wav?dl=0

Thanks for sending those Nolly! I was able to reamp them but my set up is pretty primitive (just a headphone plug to 1/4"), but I got at least an idea of what a Mule would sound like through my rig, and it was definitely better than the Abraxas. Overwould A4 isn't my thing (for really hot pickups I prefer A5 or ceramic), but the Mules have fewer winds does seem to get rid of some of the stuff with the Abraxas that I didn't like.

[Nolly]

Thanks for sending those Nolly! I was able to reamp them but my set up is pretty primitive (just a headphone plug to 1/4"), but I got at least an idea of what a Mule would sound like through my rig, and it was definitely better than the Abraxas. Overwould A4 isn't my thing (for really hot pickups I prefer A5 or ceramic), but the Mules have fewer winds does seem to get rid of some of the stuff with the Abraxas that I didn't like.

No worries, I'm glad it was of use!