Do You Like GFS Pickups?

Do You Like GFS Pickups?

  • Yes

    Votes: 26 42.6%

  • Ehh, Some are bad and some are good

    Votes: 24 39.3%

  • No

    Votes: 11 18.0%
  • Total voters
    61
N

newjersey236

New member
Ok, so yesterday I finally received my new long awaited pickups to replace my stock pickups for a SSH Strat. GFS AlnIco 2 single coils and a GFS AlnIco 2 Neck Humbucker to put in the bridge position.

Now I know people say GFS sucks and sound cheap but I have never had that problem yet and these pickups were no exception. The single coils sound awesome!! Kicks stock pickups ass without question. They have a very "spanky/twangy" sound, but they also sound much more "alive" than the stock pups and way warmer due to the AlnIco 2's. Overall just a lovely sounding single coil.

And the Humbucker, oh boyy, that thing is just as great. Now I never liked humbucker tone... ever. I know that might be weird to some people but single coil tone just gets me hard. But this humbucker made me actually kind of enjoy humbucker tone. Its sounds nothing like the Dimarzio it replaced, the Dimarzio was ok sounding but it sounded generic with no type of character/mojo to it.

This humbucker though has a very warm & "airy" tone but definately has enough power to be rock out and be loud. Also, it has a low 7.8k resistance that matches my single coil output better and has more trebley-er tone to it than other higher output humbuckers.

Also, I split the humbucker in postion 4 using the Auto Split mod and holy sh*t, it actually sounds like a strat quack. Normally it will sound similar but the split humbucker coil wont sound great or quack like a real single coil. But sure enough, once the 4th postion on the switch was engaged my Strat quacked like a horny duck on Viagra. I was shocked!

These pickups kick ass and the humbucker even sounds good when split.

A+ for GFS
 
Last edited:
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

I see these pickups mostly used in home guitar projects as they are easy on the budget. Based on the sound clips from these project I can say some of them sounds really good. But some of them sucked.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

All of them I have tried are great sounding pickups. They don't match Seymour Duncan or other American or European made pickups, but they are great for the money. My favourite has to be the Bigmouth. Big and fat yet not too hot. The Dream 90 is ok, but it has the wrong EQ curve for the guitar I have it in right now. It's the neck version (had it in the bridge for a while). It sounds almost Tele-ish, and would sound much better in a Tele or a Strat rather than a mahogany bodied guitar. The Li'l puncher Tele pickups are also pretty nice, especially the bridge version split.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

I really like the GFS Bigmouth I have. The Nashville Hot and lipstick tube pickup I have I am less enthusiastic about, but that might be more of a problem with the guitar than the pickups.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

I installed a pair of GFS vintage '59s in a cheap arch top import I bought off of Ebay (Indiana Remington) and was quite pleased with them. Of course I also replaced all electrical components and "auditioned" quite a few different caps (both brands and values) before finding the best combination. After contouring the wooden base of the floating bridge to match the guitar top, leveling and crowning the frets, and setting everything up I am happy with the results and have ended up with a keeper (I bought this guitar with the intent of learning how to do my on setups and modifications).

On the other hand, I also purchased a pair of GFS humbucker sized P90s and did not care for the results. This was before I built my pot/cap test box that allows me to audition various combinations of components so I haven't written off the P90s. With this device I do find that most pickups can be improved with the right combination of components. I mount the pickups in the guitar, run the leads outside and connect to the "box" I have built. With this arrangment I can try various pots and caps until I find the ones I like. I find that the neck and bridge pickups often sound their best with different value caps. Lately I have been using paper and oil caps I can buy on Ebay and am pleased with the results.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

I thought the GFS 59 was a bit weak, but I'd probably say the same about the Duncan 59. Sounded really good clean though. The VEH is a great one, as are both Power and Crunch Rails and the Crunchy PAT.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

I would also like to mention, my results from GFS pups might be very different from others because when I installed these pups I installed them using CTS pots, a CRL switch, Orange Drop Caps and Genuine Fender Resistors..

Remember, the best possible results with pickups will result from the proper electronis. If you want great tone you must use good electronic parts, stay away from those import selector switches that look like a computer chip, CRL is the better alternative. And also don't use those cheap little mini pots, CTS is the best way to go with pots. And for the ouput jack I recommend Switchcraft jacks.

I know you guys know this but some people don't realize this. Some will install new pups (regardless of brand) and say "ohh these blow", but will fail to realize that all their electronic components are what actually blow.

But then again, some pups suck no matter how good your setup is..
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

Hey guys
I just gotta ask
Sent an email to them folks at Guitar Fetish

are the bridge pickups F-spaced or trembucker spaced
52mm pole to pole as opposed to 49mm for traditional spaced?
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

Which ones are you planning on going for, or what kind of sound?
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

well I am kinda liking he Jazz/JB combo in my RG2
so I was looking at the chrome covered ones

measured the ohms of my jazz and it is round 7K ohms
so I was looking at the Classic II 7.4K for the neck
or the Vintage 59 its wound a bit hotter 8.0-8.2K

yhst-50206111187217_2087_22730204



since the JB is 17K
something hot like a Crunchy PAT
or Fat PAT as they are the hottest wound at 14K

I also want one of those chrome covered single coils for the middle
either the Alnico Tele or the Neovin Pure Vintage noiseless
yhst-50206111187217_2087_30517970
yhst-50206111187217_2087_20592051


I'm not sure which will match up to the humbuckers
I think I'm gonna put a standard five way strat switch and
a Volume push/pull to do the coil splitting and then
a Tone push/pull to do the "bridge always on"


oh and those black nickel finishes are something else
yhst-50206111187217_2087_31692402

these just look cool as hell but I don't know if they are what I want
yhst-50206111187217_2087_20853147


oh and my sound well I just play here at the house
kinda jazzy rock and roll

kinda want something nice clean with good harmonics
with the volume down and then with some "bite" when the volume is cranked
not death metal or any thing like that
 
Last edited:
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

The Fat Pat is based on the JB, the Crunchy is based on the Super D. This came from GFS.
I have used a few sets, Crunchy, Vintage 59,and the Fat Pat, they sound good for what they are. But, after awhile most end up with a brand name because they just sound better.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

dave67 said:
The Fat Pat is based on the JB, the Crunchy is based on the Super D. This came from GFS.
I have used a few sets, Crunchy, Vintage 59,and the Fat Pat, they sound good for what they are. But, after awhile most end up with a brand name because they just sound better.
Click to expand...

just wonder if they are any better than the INF series in the guitar now

the neck is hot and I kinda liked it when i got it cause it was different
but it now just sounds muddy and loud

I dunno

the middle single just buzzes and any combination that includes it looses
volume noticeably

plus those chrome PU's would look soooo nice
as it already has the chrome pickup rings
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

Just about anything sounds better than most stock Ibanez pickups. I would suggest the Crunchy set, I had a set in one of my RGs.
 
Re: Do You Like GFS Pickups?

I have a Lil' Puncher XL in my Tele and its very good but not awesome. Maybe my expectations were high when I put it in but compared to a full sized HB, it can get a little muddy on the E, A, & D strings under a lot of gain. I am running the stock 250K pots though. I have a strat with a full sized Duncan JB wired to 250K pots and that cuts a little better on the E, A, & D strings but that may just be the voicing of that pickup.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top