Best pickup for Mastodon type of tone

[peterc52]

Hi guys,

Until now I've been using a SD Distortion in the bridge and it gets the job done, but curios as I am, I'm looking for a new pickup for my LPC, as it squeals a lot with the amount of gain I use.

What's worth checking out?

 

[freeballinusa]

Bare Knuckles are Awesome, No Idea what those cats use

 

[Rushtallica]

From my experience, Duncan Distortions handle gain pretty well. IMO the gain is just probably up too high, though an ISP decimator or other noise reduction pedal might help.

 

[ericsabbath]

well, they use the sh-6 as well

take a look at the ceramic warpig, maybe the ceramic nailbomb

the regular alnico nailbomb sounds great through marshalls, in my experience
you'll get a rounder, less hairy and more defined tone, but still quite punchy and aggressive

 

[peterc52]

You misunderstood me.

In my other guitars I've been using the SD Distortion. The pickups in the LPC is stock Tim Shaw from '81.

:-D

What Bare Knuckles would be perfect for a warm vintage marshall sound, that also can handle some gain?

 

[ericsabbath]

What Bare Knuckles would be perfect for a warm vintage marshall sound, that also can handle some gain?

that depends on how vintage you want to sound

if you wanna stay in the low output zone and use a booster or something, try the riff raff or black dog
just finished a recording with the black dog, and although it's quite warm and smooth without a booster, it becomes a fuckin cerberus when I kick in an overdrive or my vintage maxon equalizer as a booster
the riff raff is the most open sounding bridge pup I have, but has a brighter, sharper, more vintage sounding tone than the black dog, which is darker, fatter and more compressed

for high output while still retaining some vintage vibe, you want the nailbomb

 

[peterc52]

Nailbomb it is.

I'm thinking that the Alnico would fit me better. The ceramic may be too modern heavy?

 

[fearhk213]

I had a ceramic nailbomb and it would be far from my first choice for what you're looking for.

A couple of other ideas:
Afwayu - no experience myself, but Bill is using one now so...
Detroiter - sounds killer though a Marshall & will do the "warm vintage marshall sound & handle gain" in spades. not overly hot so you may need a boost, but it boosts great.

 

[luxxtone]

Nailbomb it is.

I'm thinking that the Alnico would fit me better. The ceramic may be too modern heavy?

The Nailbomb or Rebel Yell would probably be your best choices. The Rebel Yell is similar to the Nailbomb, but slightly less hot at around 14.5k.

 

[ericsabbath]

I had a ceramic nailbomb and it would be far from my first choice for what you're looking for.

A couple of other ideas:
Afwayu - no experience myself, but Bill is using one now so...
Detroiter - sounds killer though a Marshall & will do the "warm vintage marshall sound & handle gain" in spades. not overly hot so you may need a boost, but it boosts great.

the afwayu sounds waaay more modern than the nailbomb (did a straight swap in a lp custom)
a bit drier, way middier and too bass heavy
if I wanted that voicing, but in a somewhat vintage package, I'd order an alnico warpig over the afwayu

The Nailbomb or Rebel Yell would probably be your best choices. The Rebel Yell is similar to the Nailbomb, but slightly less hot at around 14.5k.

the rebel yell sounds a bit too 80ish to me
still would pick the nailbomb's mild midrange over the rebell yell's upper mid flood

 

[fearhk213]

I had a ceramic nailbomb and it would be far from my first choice for what you're looking for.

A couple of other ideas:
Afwayu - no experience myself, but Bill is using one now so...
Detroiter - sounds killer though a Marshall & will do the "warm vintage marshall sound & handle gain" in spades. not overly hot so you may need a boost, but it boosts great.

the afwayu sounds waaay more modern than the nailbomb (did a straight swap in a lp custom)
a bit drier, way middier and too bass heavy
if I wanted that voicing, but in a somewhat vintage package, I'd order an alnico warpig over the afwayu

That may be the case. I've never played an Afwayu or an alnico Nailbomb (only the ceramic nailbomb), but I'd say it's worth mentioning since Bill is using them. To what extent I don't know though.

I'm curious, would you say the Afwayu is even more modern than the ceramic Nailbomb?

 

[Mr. Willy]

Anderson H2+

 

[noob_pwn]

warpig would get you there, probably a 500T as well.
not too sure what they're running

 

[fearhk213]

warpig would get you there, probably a 500T as well.
not too sure what they're running

As far as I know, Bill uses Duncan Distortions, EMG 85X's, & now the Afwayu. I think the Afwayu is relatively new though so I don't think it has ended up on any recordings except possibly their live disk or that Jonah Hex soundtrack they did. But who knows. In interviews I've read with Brent has stated he uses whatever is in the guitar. So unless he has a tech swapping stuff I'd assume he just uses stock pickups.

 

[rupe]

Nailbomb it is.

I'm thinking that the Alnico would fit me better. The ceramic may be too modern heavy?

The Nailbomb or Rebel Yell would probably be your best choices. The Rebel Yell is similar to the Nailbomb, but slightly less hot at around 14.5k.

You build guitars and use impedance as a measure of pickup hotness? I'm surprised. It can be a good indicator but is by no means a reliable source.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Buy the pickup that has never appeared on any Mastodon album. You'll love it.

 

[Rushtallica]

Buy the pickup that has never appeared on any Mastodon album. You'll love it.

lol

 

[Ventura]

I love BKPs, but there's a lot more to Mast's tone than just pups m'man... Have you seen the rigs they're using?? Just saying - there's a lot behind that wall of sound!!

Peace,
V.

 

[MotorCityPickUps]

Bill Kelliher is using the Afwayu and has since they were here in Detroit with Deftones and Aic at DTE-

I like this previous post in this thread:

" there's a lot more to Mast's tone than just pups m'man... Have you seen the rigs they're using?? Just saying - there's a lot behind that wall of sound!!

Peace,
V.

Everything in your signal plays a part. For his rig, the Afwayu works.

 

[petejt]

I'd say their tone is more about the fuzz pedal pushing the Marshall amp, than just the pickup, at least for Brent.

Bill goes through different amps- Marshalls, a Stiletto now I think. There's also been Laneys and Orange too,

Overall I reckon their tone is better on Leviathan than Crack the Skye, it's crunchy without being too fuzzy & fizzy.