ALowerDeep
New member
Been lookin for a cool bridge pickup with with low end kick and highs that are clear and not spiky.The description gfs has on their site sounds good,but anyone have any experience with them?
GFS Crunchy rails?
- Thread starter ALowerDeep
- Start date
Duffy1949
New member
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
No offense to you intended, but I would steer clear of GFS pickups, in general; especially if you have a real decent guitar such as a Fender strat or nice Les Paul or Les Paul copy. Or, for that matter, any half way decent guitar.
I would want to "upgrade" the pickups. In my opinion GFS pickups are generally "not" and upgrade. There are lots of aftermarket pickups out there, available, that are definitely upgrades and not expensive.
GFS goes to ridiculous and even laughable extents to over hype up their pickups. I have bought them and have always wished that I waited and spent a little more money and got the pickups I "really wanted".
As far as your guitar goes, what guitar is it? Strat, dual humbucker type guitar, etc.? What amp do you have?
If I know what guitar and amp you have I might be able to help you figure out some excellent ideas as to how to proceed toward a real cool sound. I just need some baseline information. Lots of places have some really nice higher gain pickups available at very inexpensive prices, and there are some things you can do to improve your amp's ability to produce that high gain sound without introducing a "lot" of unimpressive noise being introduced at the same time.
You can have a lot of fun "hot rodding" your guitar and hitting the right amp hard. Making the most out of your current amp might not be expensive. I clearly remember when I took some steps to get my first really satisfying "hot" sound out of my guitar and amp. That "will" put a smile on your face.
Good luck and get back with a run down of your current rig. You can probably "rock it out" without too much hassling around.
I remember that my first amp was a simple Vox Pathfinder with next to zero features but it had a fundamental decent sound. I remember buying a brand new Behringer GM110 analog modelling combo amp from some on line place for a very inexpensive price. I still have this amp. It has three switches on it that help transform the sound of that amp from Fender clean all the way up to a super screaming high gain sound. I still love that amp. They are hard to find now but very cool amps. My cheap x wife wouldn't let me buy a half way decent electric guitar but I managed to maneuver my way into buying a brand new Schecter Omen 6 on sale. That guitar and amp represented "big" steps up from my cheap initial purchases. The cheap stuff held me over until I could get my act together to get some half way decent gear.
Yeah, I'd steer clear of the cheap, super hyped up, GFS pickups and try to move forward with your guitar to some upgraded gear. For instance, Stewart MacDonald sells some decent and inexpensive "Golden Age" pickups online. There are also individuals that "hand make" some really nice pickups at really inexpensive prices - and you can buy them one at a time, work them into a gear improvement plan.
There is so much great used gear out there that with some searching around you will soon be able to have some gear that is significantly nicer than you may at first thought you would be able to acquire.
No offense to you intended, but I would steer clear of GFS pickups, in general; especially if you have a real decent guitar such as a Fender strat or nice Les Paul or Les Paul copy. Or, for that matter, any half way decent guitar.
I would want to "upgrade" the pickups. In my opinion GFS pickups are generally "not" and upgrade. There are lots of aftermarket pickups out there, available, that are definitely upgrades and not expensive.
GFS goes to ridiculous and even laughable extents to over hype up their pickups. I have bought them and have always wished that I waited and spent a little more money and got the pickups I "really wanted".
As far as your guitar goes, what guitar is it? Strat, dual humbucker type guitar, etc.? What amp do you have?
If I know what guitar and amp you have I might be able to help you figure out some excellent ideas as to how to proceed toward a real cool sound. I just need some baseline information. Lots of places have some really nice higher gain pickups available at very inexpensive prices, and there are some things you can do to improve your amp's ability to produce that high gain sound without introducing a "lot" of unimpressive noise being introduced at the same time.
You can have a lot of fun "hot rodding" your guitar and hitting the right amp hard. Making the most out of your current amp might not be expensive. I clearly remember when I took some steps to get my first really satisfying "hot" sound out of my guitar and amp. That "will" put a smile on your face.
Good luck and get back with a run down of your current rig. You can probably "rock it out" without too much hassling around.
I remember that my first amp was a simple Vox Pathfinder with next to zero features but it had a fundamental decent sound. I remember buying a brand new Behringer GM110 analog modelling combo amp from some on line place for a very inexpensive price. I still have this amp. It has three switches on it that help transform the sound of that amp from Fender clean all the way up to a super screaming high gain sound. I still love that amp. They are hard to find now but very cool amps. My cheap x wife wouldn't let me buy a half way decent electric guitar but I managed to maneuver my way into buying a brand new Schecter Omen 6 on sale. That guitar and amp represented "big" steps up from my cheap initial purchases. The cheap stuff held me over until I could get my act together to get some half way decent gear.
Yeah, I'd steer clear of the cheap, super hyped up, GFS pickups and try to move forward with your guitar to some upgraded gear. For instance, Stewart MacDonald sells some decent and inexpensive "Golden Age" pickups online. There are also individuals that "hand make" some really nice pickups at really inexpensive prices - and you can buy them one at a time, work them into a gear improvement plan.
There is so much great used gear out there that with some searching around you will soon be able to have some gear that is significantly nicer than you may at first thought you would be able to acquire.
dominus
King Midas to Cheap Guitars
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
You just negated your whole argument with that statement. I'd definitely take GFS pickups over the Stew-Mac ones. Yes, the GFS website over-hypes everything, but the pickups are decently designed and cheaply manufactured.
Those are both cheap. If you had stuff that was lower end than that, I'm sorry. I know I could get good tones out of those, but most people here would laugh at that gear. In fact, one of the things the GFS pickups excel at is replacing junk stock pickups in lower end guitars. I have no problem using GFS pickups, even in "better" guitars.
You just negated your whole argument with that statement. I'd definitely take GFS pickups over the Stew-Mac ones. Yes, the GFS website over-hypes everything, but the pickups are decently designed and cheaply manufactured.
Those are both cheap. If you had stuff that was lower end than that, I'm sorry. I know I could get good tones out of those, but most people here would laugh at that gear. In fact, one of the things the GFS pickups excel at is replacing junk stock pickups in lower end guitars. I have no problem using GFS pickups, even in "better" guitars.
Duffy1949
New member
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
As I stated: My cheap x wife wouldn't let me buy a half way decent electric guitar but I managed to maneuver my way into buying a brand new Schecter Omen 6 on sale. That guitar and amp represented "big" steps up from my cheap initial purchases. The cheap stuff held me over until I could get my act together to get some half way decent gear.
I still have the Schecter and the GM110. They are relatively nice items after the pickup upgrade. The stuff represents my first half way decent stuff and has value to me. I had a lot of fun with that stuff.
Times have changed and I have some very nice guitars and amps now, but I don't forget where "I" came from.
Maybe you have been a "fortunate son" or have had it better than me, obviously, but there are those of us that have taken a rocky path, had struggles, but still managed to have a lot of fun and are now able to appreciate having nice things.
It is good to be able to look back and be thankful for success and prosperity.
There is always going to be someone that was born with a silver spoon in their mouth - hopefully it might as well not have been a coke spoon.
As I stated: My cheap x wife wouldn't let me buy a half way decent electric guitar but I managed to maneuver my way into buying a brand new Schecter Omen 6 on sale. That guitar and amp represented "big" steps up from my cheap initial purchases. The cheap stuff held me over until I could get my act together to get some half way decent gear.
I still have the Schecter and the GM110. They are relatively nice items after the pickup upgrade. The stuff represents my first half way decent stuff and has value to me. I had a lot of fun with that stuff.
Times have changed and I have some very nice guitars and amps now, but I don't forget where "I" came from.
Maybe you have been a "fortunate son" or have had it better than me, obviously, but there are those of us that have taken a rocky path, had struggles, but still managed to have a lot of fun and are now able to appreciate having nice things.
It is good to be able to look back and be thankful for success and prosperity.
There is always going to be someone that was born with a silver spoon in their mouth - hopefully it might as well not have been a coke spoon.
jon the art guy
Nerdy Nerd
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
first half was all right. Not sure why you had to devolve into personal attacks.
I have next to no budget on my gear, and for the sound I hear coaxed out of those pickups I would shoot for them first if I was buying new. I especially like some of the out-there retro designs.
You played a Behringer amp when you upgraded. Why didn't you just save a little bit more and get an Epiphone Valve jr? Was it something you really just had to pull the trigger on and couldn't wait? Behringer is every bit the rip-off artist and bottom-barrel scraper as GFS is; probably more. I don't think GFS has incurred as many lawsuits, that's for sure.
first half was all right. Not sure why you had to devolve into personal attacks.
I have next to no budget on my gear, and for the sound I hear coaxed out of those pickups I would shoot for them first if I was buying new. I especially like some of the out-there retro designs.
You played a Behringer amp when you upgraded. Why didn't you just save a little bit more and get an Epiphone Valve jr? Was it something you really just had to pull the trigger on and couldn't wait? Behringer is every bit the rip-off artist and bottom-barrel scraper as GFS is; probably more. I don't think GFS has incurred as many lawsuits, that's for sure.
dominus
King Midas to Cheap Guitars
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
Unless you compare it to growing up in Appalachia, I'm willing to bet my childhood, while happy, wasn't filled with anything more than the bare necessities, and even those came dear to our family. I think the only things we didn't have second hand were socks and underwear. Thankfully my dad was something of a handyman, and passed that on to me, as I've used those skills to have quite the collection of $100 guitars that I've upgraded into nice players.
Unless you compare it to growing up in Appalachia, I'm willing to bet my childhood, while happy, wasn't filled with anything more than the bare necessities, and even those came dear to our family. I think the only things we didn't have second hand were socks and underwear. Thankfully my dad was something of a handyman, and passed that on to me, as I've used those skills to have quite the collection of $100 guitars that I've upgraded into nice players.
Duffy1949
New member
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
No offense taken. Everything is cool. A lot of great guitar players started out on some really questionable, low level instruments. Times changed and now they have whatever they want, often custom shop stuff.
I had a Valve Jr. when I bought the Behringer GM110. It is a nice solid state little amp with some very nice analog features that preceded the later models that have a lot of digital features. I have never had a problem with the amp in over six or seven years.
I have a lot of sources for pickups and I would rather buy a set of Dimarzio or Seymour Duncan humbuckers because I have confidence that I am going to get something that I want and that I will be happy with my purchase.
Also there is the practice of "making the most out of what you have". Sometimes it always seems that the grass is greener on the other side of the hill.
I gave my son a GFS Xavier guitar; the solid body LP copy type one. Maybe it I called an XV-500. It has "Crunchy PAT" covered pickups. He is a real good musician and guitar player. He loves that guitar and really likes the Bugera V22 combo tube amp I gave him.
XV-500 guitar
http://www.guitarfetish.com/thumbnail.asp?file=assets/images/500gt.jpg&maxx=0&maxy=300
A lot of times it is interesting to see what other people like to buy. It's easy to learn from other people's experiences. Some of us appreciate getting "advice". Advice can be helpful.
No offense taken. Everything is cool. A lot of great guitar players started out on some really questionable, low level instruments. Times changed and now they have whatever they want, often custom shop stuff.
I had a Valve Jr. when I bought the Behringer GM110. It is a nice solid state little amp with some very nice analog features that preceded the later models that have a lot of digital features. I have never had a problem with the amp in over six or seven years.
I have a lot of sources for pickups and I would rather buy a set of Dimarzio or Seymour Duncan humbuckers because I have confidence that I am going to get something that I want and that I will be happy with my purchase.
Also there is the practice of "making the most out of what you have". Sometimes it always seems that the grass is greener on the other side of the hill.
I gave my son a GFS Xavier guitar; the solid body LP copy type one. Maybe it I called an XV-500. It has "Crunchy PAT" covered pickups. He is a real good musician and guitar player. He loves that guitar and really likes the Bugera V22 combo tube amp I gave him.
XV-500 guitar
http://www.guitarfetish.com/thumbnail.asp?file=assets/images/500gt.jpg&maxx=0&maxy=300
A lot of times it is interesting to see what other people like to buy. It's easy to learn from other people's experiences. Some of us appreciate getting "advice". Advice can be helpful.
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Duffy1949
New member
Re: GFS Crunchy rails?
I probably had an upbringing similar to yours. I learned a lot in my dad's work shop; burning my fingers on the soldering irons at an early age while playing with the solder and learning how to solder things. Today I'm good at soldering.
I also have purchased some very inexpensive guitars and turned them into guitars that I can be proud of; guitars that look, feel, and play really well. I was playing a strat today that I paid 25 dollars for. I built it up into a beautiful very awesome guitar and it is now priceless - in that I would not sell it for anything. It is a black body with a black oyster pickguard and black Seymour Duncan noiseless pickups, sss. It is so fun to play and just look at.
Good luck with your guitar projects.
I probably had an upbringing similar to yours. I learned a lot in my dad's work shop; burning my fingers on the soldering irons at an early age while playing with the solder and learning how to solder things. Today I'm good at soldering.
I also have purchased some very inexpensive guitars and turned them into guitars that I can be proud of; guitars that look, feel, and play really well. I was playing a strat today that I paid 25 dollars for. I built it up into a beautiful very awesome guitar and it is now priceless - in that I would not sell it for anything. It is a black body with a black oyster pickguard and black Seymour Duncan noiseless pickups, sss. It is so fun to play and just look at.
Good luck with your guitar projects.
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