Thoughts on GFS pickups.

[GuitarDoc]

Good point.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I haven't tried it yet, but now that I think about it, a "Loudmouth" in a Triple Shot would make a great bridge pup...a very heavy sounding series bucker, a great parallel sound, or split to either coil (which I think would be really super with the LM).

 

[GuitarDoc]

Or maybe just a DPDT micro switch to choose either coil.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

If you look at the bottom of the coils of a GFS humbucker you will see a ARTEC logo. Many of the cheaper replacements you find on ebay being marketed under store brands are ARTEC pickups and electronics. Some are just re-branded ARTEC models while others may be custom made to the customers specs. That being said I have also had great luck with ARTEC products and if you're willing to do a bit of digging into the pickup's specs you can save yourself some money by buying an ARTEC instead of one of it's re-branded equivalents.

Yep, the GFS pickups are built to spec. Not the same as the generic pickups that Artec mass produces.

 

[Aceman]

I have played guitars with them once or twice.

People seem to like them

Wouldn't be afraid to try.

 

[elelpe]

I'd say I agree with hit or miss notion. I have GFS Gold Foil and Dual Lipstick pickups. They sound fine in a particular guitar or mine but not impressive in my other guitars.

 

[Erlend_G]

Any thoughts; on a GFS pickup/ pick up set- that could increase the versatiity, of my Peavey Predator Plus?

it's three "oversized pole piece" pickups have ceramic bars underneath; and the huge poles- make them very bright, and with a wierd "scooped" tone. A bit dry to my ears.

(cheap guitar, needs "cheap" pickups )

-E

 

[GuitarDoc]

Any thoughts; on a GFS pickup/ pick up set- that could increase the versatiity, of my Peavey Predator Plus?

it's three "oversized pole piece" pickups have ceramic bars underneath; and the huge poles- make them very bright, and with a wierd "scooped" tone. A bit dry to my ears.

(cheap guitar, needs "cheap" pickups )

-E

That tone is not from the oversized pole pieces (which in and of themselves would give just the opposite tone) but from the ceramic bar magnets. I put a set of these (64 Stagger Vintage Grey-Bottom Boutique). in one of my Strats and they sound terrific. If you want more power, bass, and mids, they make an overwound set as well...or even an overwound 70's set.

 

[Erlend_G]

That tone is not from the oversized pole pieces (which in and of themselves would give just the opposite tone) but from the ceramic bar magnets. I put a set of these (64 Stagger Vintage Grey-Bottom Boutique). in one of my Strats and they sound terrific. If you want more power, bass, and mids, they make an overwound set as well...or even an overwound 70's set.

I was considering a "lil killer" 10 or 15k , rails humbucker; for the middle position.

and maybe some wierd "gold foil" shit, for the neck. But I actually like the bright, bitey bridge PU; - the neck not so much.

having a rather hot, rails HB in the middle. Would give me a preferably "different" 2&4 pos. tone. And being fatter, in the 3rd position.


Seriously considering a "Freeway" 10-way switch, as the stock one is broken. And I'm a HUGE fan, of wiring the bridge+ mid SC's of a strat etc.
-in series. It's the best sound I've ever had. The "Freeway" switch doesn't seem too hard to solder up either!

thanks

-E

 

[GuitarDoc]

The Gold Foil pups are great pups (I have a few sets) but they are pretty bright with little mids and bass. Might be overpowered by a 10 or 15k rail pup in the middle.

I haven't tried the freeway selector. It's pretty pricey and I think it would be difficult to use on the fly.

I also haven't tried the bridge and middle singles in series. I like the parallel tone, but I may just try series to see what it sounds like. I would guess that it would sound a bit fuller than the bridge pup by itself?

 

[piblock]

In case anyone is wondering, this is what a Mean 90 looks like without its cover.

Every cubic nanometer of space in the cover not occupied by the pickup was wax. I thought I had a pic from before I flaked most of it off, but I guess not.

 

[Erlend_G]

whoa!

I thought the bobbins, coil and the PICKUP would be bigger; like-. fill the cover. :/

(they need to make that model. "Earls Revenge")

 

[Gstring]

The only GFS pups I have any experience with is the Mean 90 which I understand is a humbucker sized P90'

I fitted them into an archtop and thought they had a great usable sound. This was some years ago. Some years later the owner swapped them out for a set of Irongear HBs with some push pulls but then put the Mean 90s into a chinese made Telecaster thinline type where they also excelled.

 

[piblock]

whoa!

I thought the bobbins, coil and the PICKUP would be bigger; like-. fill the cover. :/

(they need to make that model. "Earls Revenge")

It's quite a bit wider than a strat / single HB coil, those first two pics may make it look smaller. I can measure it the next time I'm at my dad's, where most of my spare parts & gear are.

The workmanship is a notch below a typical USA made pickup, but sound-wise it's right there with major manufacturer pickups.

I've had great luck with GFS products in general, the only exception being an XTrem vibrato bridge which was kind of crappy. From what I've read here and on other forums, their pickups can be hit and miss in general.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Most of the GFS pups I've tried (probably over a dozen different ones) have been very good...not too "hit-and-miss".