Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

[thatakes]

Well, I need a new bridge pickup to replace my crappy stock one in my ibanez rg (basswood).

I want to get a classic punk/grunge/rock sound.
Something like Nirvana's On A Plain.

Unfortunately I don't have the money to get a nice SD pickup, so I was looking to some GFS ones.

Which one would you suggest from these three?:
Alnico Fat Pat
Crunchy Pat
GFS Power Rails

 

[dominus]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Crunchy Pat is pretty close to an SD Custom. Fat Pat is pretty close to a Custom 5.

You don't say what amp you're using, but the Power Rails *Neck* model might do well in the bridge for you for a medium powered pickup.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

None of the above. Think about it. For about the same cost as a new GFS, you can get a used American-made PU, which is a far better deal. Much more PU for your money. There's no reason to settle for a GFS HB when you can get an SD for the same price. Makes no sense. I've gotten almost all of my PU's used on ebay, usually for around half price, and they're some of the best PU's you can buy anywhere. Nobody's saying that about GFS.

 

[dominus]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

None of the above. Think about it. For about the same cost as a new GFS, you can get a used American-made PU, which is a far better deal. Much more PU for your money. There's no reason to settle for a GFS HB when you can get an SD for the same price. Makes no sense. I've gotten almost all of my PU's used on ebay, usually for around half price, and they're some of the best PU's you can buy anywhere. Nobody's saying that about GFS.

I sold all my Duncans, and own a bunch of Duncan Designeds and GFS pickups.

Crunchy Pat is $23 new. That's less than half the price of a used Duncan.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

The only GFS pup that I've got personal experience with is the Mean 90. I've got two of them and judging from these I'd have to say that either these are a very rare exception, or GFS pups are great.

Since I've heard a lot of critisism of GFS from other forum members, I would conclude that the Mean 90 is one of their best, but some of the others are not worth owning. Take that for what it's worth. So maybe it's a crap shoot.

In the long run you will probably be better off following Blueman's advice, even if a used Duncan is twice what a new GFS costs. If you like the Duncan, then it was worth it. If you don't like it, you can sell it for what you paid for it and you haven't lost anything. But chances are, you won't even be able to sell the GFS if you don't like it. Then if you buy another new GFS and, best case scenario, you DO like that one, you will have spent the same as what you could have gotten the used Duncan for in the first place.

On the other hand, GFS is so inexpensive that it may just be worth the chance. (The Mean 90 IS really a great pup).

 

[Soiledwork]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

I've heard good things about the VEH...

 

[marcello252]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Sorry Soiledwork, I tried a lot of GFS pickup: Mean 90, Crunchy PAT, Alnico Fat Pat, Classic II, Fat boy for tele, 70s greybottoms for strat, VEH plus a pair of ceramic coming with a prewired pickguard (I think GFS could be grateful to me, any discount for the next pickup?), guess what? the VEH is the only pickup REALLY disappointing of all the bunch, it sounded bad in every guitar I put in, even with mag swapping (the best ones are the greybottoms, the mean 90 and the classic II , in this order).
I think the Crunchy pat is the pickup closer to the sound Thatakes is looking for, it's not a DiMarzio superD but it's still in that range, and basswood is softer enough to compensate the slight harshness in the top end.
They are cheap in construction and price, that's a fact, but they're a very good bargain.
Yes, I generally prefer SD, but the best sounding guitar of mine I play now is an all gfs ash strat, ironic, isn't it?

 

[marcello252]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

btw, selling a gfs is not impossible you just have to cut the price, but at 15€ it's hard not to find someone interested in.
btw #2 with the VEH and an Alnico Fat pat I made two hybrids that sounded decent, I gave them to a friend as gift, and he's still wagging his tail.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

I have the liverpool a gretch type pickup and love it a lot.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Sorry Soiledwork, I tried a lot of GFS pickup: Mean 90, Crunchy PAT, Alnico Fat Pat, Classic II, Fat boy for tele, 70s greybottoms for strat, VEH plus a pair of ceramic coming with a prewired pickguard (I think GFS could be grateful to me, any discount for the next pickup?), guess what? the VEH is the only pickup REALLY disappointing of all the bunch, it sounded bad in every guitar I put in, even with mag swapping (the best ones are the greybottoms, the mean 90 and the classic II , in this order).
I think the Crunchy pat is the pickup closer to the sound Thatakes is looking for, it's not a DiMarzio superD but it's still in that range, and basswood is softer enough to compensate the slight harshness in the top end.
They are cheap in construction and price, that's a fact, but they're a very good bargain.
Yes, I generally prefer SD, but the best sounding guitar of mine I play now is an all gfs ash strat, ironic, isn't it?

[shrug] I LOVE my VEH. :cool2:

 

[jmh151]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

None of the above. Think about it. For about the same cost as a new GFS, you can get a used American-made PU, which is a far better deal. Much more PU for your money. There's no reason to settle for a GFS HB when you can get an SD for the same price. Makes no sense. I've gotten almost all of my PU's used on ebay, usually for around half price, and they're some of the best PU's you can buy anywhere. Nobody's saying that about GFS.

This is the best advice I would give. I had a not so good experience with GFS and their customer service

 

[dominus]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

For GFS, I've tried:

Mean 90
59 bridge
VEH
Crunchy PAT
Fat PAT
Crunchy Rails
Power Rails
Crunchy Rails Neck
Power Rails Neck

I sold the Mean 90, and the 59 Bridge was "ok" but both of them did not have enough output for what I like. I have all the rest in guitars now and enjoy them. I've also got a Crunchy PAT with an A8 and a VEH with an A8.

For those people that tell you not to get a GFS pickup, I'm willing to bet that they don't have much experience with them.

 

[thatakes]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Well, thank you all.

It seems I'll get the Crunchy Pat. But how sweeter a pickup with Alnico V would sound?
From the BKP website I prefer the sound of the Alnico versions of pickups.

 

[marcello252]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

[shrug] I LOVE my VEH. :cool2:

I believe in you, maybe you have the right wood and guitar: just curious, where did you put it?

I used it in a poplar/maple neck tele, in a ash/rosewood neck strat, in a agathis/rosewood neck ibanez short scale, in a alder/rosewood neck guitar I made from different parts, non of these sounded good, alway too trebly and /or thin and/or hollow. I even tried A2 (too weak sounding) and ceramic mag (maybe the best sounding).

 

[thatakes]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Maybe your VEH had a problem?

Btw f*ck me I can't decide if I want a crunchy rock sound like the Crunchy Pat or a more modern metal tone like the Power Rails... God damn it...

Hows the output of the Crunchy Pat compared to a JB?

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Nirvana? You want a super D, bout 40 bones used and well worth it.....

 

[thatakes]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Nirvana? You want a super D, bout 40 bones used and well worth it.....

Kurt favored the JB that has 16.4K DC Resistance.

The higher the resistance is, the more output the pickup has?

the Crunchy PAT has 14K so I need something with more?
from what I can hear from GFS website, I want less crunch.

 

[marcello252]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Nirvana? You want a super D, bout 40 bones used and well worth it.....

+1
but if you want to stay on low budget for something brand new the Crunchy has similiar tone and it is a good choice in my opinion

I think the Jb is not the right ticket for that sound. Cobain relied a lot on the boss DS1, I don't like the Jb through that pedal. Matter of taste anyway.

 

[thatakes]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Good, I'll get the crunchy.

How is its output compared to the SuperD and JB?

 

[dominus]

Re: Which GFS Pickup? (Poll)

Well, thank you all.

It seems I'll get the Crunchy Pat. But how sweeter a pickup with Alnico V would sound?
From the BKP website I prefer the sound of the Alnico versions of pickups.

I'd still recommend the Crunchy PAT. Then get A5 and A8 magnets. The A5 will make it a Fat PAT. The A8 also gives it a nice sound. I've got all three.

The Crunchy PAT with two magnets is still cheaper than a used SD.