Starting-point EQ for pop punk tone, averaged from 22 famous pop punk recordings. Dial these in, then fine-tune by ear — or let the tool below adapt them to the exact amp and guitar you own.
Fat Lip — Sum 41 · The Rock Show — Blink-182 · Holigan — Athena · Ocean Avenue — Yellowcard · My Friends Over You — New Found Glory · good 4 u — Olivia Rodrigo · That's What You Get — Paramore · Ben Böyleyim — Athena
Averaged across 22 famous pop punk recordings: gain 5.5, bass 5, mid 5.5, treble 7, presence 6 (out of 10). Pop punk is BRIGHT, FAST and driven — mid-gain power chords that stay punchy, treble and presence up, bass moderate so the chords do not flub at speed. A Marshall/Mesa mid-gain crunch, tight palm mutes and lots of energy. Think blink-182, Green Day, Sum 41, New Found Glory.
Start with gain 5.5, bass 5, mid 5.5, treble 7, presence 6 (all out of 10), then fine-tune by ear. Lower the gain for cleaner passages, and push the mids up if the guitar disappears in a band mix.
The amps most used across these pop punk tones are Mesa Dual Rectifier. You don’t need the exact amp, though — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials any pop punk tone for the amp and guitar you already own, free in the browser.
Set the starting EQ above, then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for your specific amp, guitar and pedals so it sits like the record — no new gear needed.