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GFS Pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:36 am
by benecol
It has come to my attention that this was the only forum online NOT to have a thread discussing GFS pickups, so I thought I'd better start one sharpish. I'm sure they don't need any introduction from me, their store's here:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/index.html
I've put their Dream 90s in my SG, and am really impressed. Next up will be some new p'ups for my 72 tele: I'm not usually a fan of hums, but their filtertron copies look pretty tasty - can anyone shed any light on these? Any experience?
No affiliation, obviously... Anyone dare me to post this at the FDP?
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 6:24 am
by Jay
Sorta a GFS topic...
index.php?topic=326.0
From spending a little time reading around, it appears that they're good for the price but necessarily comparable to the real stuff, like lollars, fralins, novaks etc. I've never used any though...
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:05 am
by mjet
I have a feeling they're just really value-priced imported pickups with a good solid marketing / packaging campaign. They do get extra points for having some non-standard options, to be sure, but I think a $30 pickup will likely sound like a $30 pickup. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is 100% subjective.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:47 pm
by Stereordinary
Hey, if you're replacing the PUs in your '72 Tele, what're you doing with the originals?
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:28 pm
by jrkirkish
I put a dual blade pup in my telecaster's bridge. It is now awesome. Exactly what I was looking for - highish gain, very balanced and sounds good cranked.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:26 am
by benecol
stereordinary wrote:
Hey, if you're replacing the PUs in your '72 Tele, what're you doing with the originals?
If only it was an original '72 tele! I should have explained; it's an old Cimar (went on to become Ibanez) 72 tele copy from the 70's. I'd lent it out to a friend who found himself guitarless, and I've just got it back, and discovered it's a much nicer guitar than I remember. The p'ups are weird though: it's got what looks like a lipstick at the bridge (sadly, it sounds nothing like a lipstick) and a generic humbucker at the neck (it did have a single bar magnet in a hum case, but it died). I'm planning on putting a GFS hot '62 in the bridge, and one of their filtertron copies in the neck. The old p'ups will just go in my bits box.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:45 pm
by Stereordinary
Oh... Yeah see I was thinking "72? Like as in 72 Thin-Line? Wide-Range Humbuckers?"
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:52 am
by CurtisNovak
benecol wrote:
It has come to my attention that this was the only forum online NOT to have a thread discussing GFS pickups, so I thought I'd better start one sharpish. I'm sure they don't need any introduction from me, their store's here:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/index.html
I've put their Dream 90s in my SG, and am really impressed. Next up will be some new p'ups for my 72 tele: I'm not usually a fan of hums, but their filtertron copies look pretty tasty - can anyone shed any light on these? Any experience?
No affiliation, obviously... Anyone dare me to post this at the FDP?
You should be forewarned that this filterton is constructed nothing like the original trons, and it is highly unlikely it will sound anything like a filtertron... Just my opinion of course.
The main deviations here are the Gretsch Filtertron used a single large bar magnet that is twice as tall as a standard bar magnet, whereas GFS is putting 2 mags on the outside and 1 in the center that will most certainly alter the magnetic field which WILL effect the tone. Secondly they state they are hotter that the original trons... actually from their numbers they are more than twice as hot. A true Tron is in the upper 3k to lower 4k range and their tone is derived form that. It is NOT possible to increase the output w/out effect the tone, the higher the resistance and hotter the pickup the more mid range and muddy it gets the Tron as a nice FAT full tone. In my opinion the only thing filtertron like is the 2 rows of screws.
I am not saying anything against the pickup itself or GFS just that this is NOTING like a Filtertron as they claim. Actually comparing it to a Rickenbacker or a Dynosonic is even further from the truth b/c those 2 pickups were single coil pickups that employee rod magnets NOT bar magnets. The 2 main things that effect a pickups tone is coil shape, and magnet type a vertical orientated rod magnet will create a COMPLETLY different magnetic field and tone than a horizontal bar magnet, and 1 large coil will NEVER sound like 2 smaller coils... it just cant happen.
My theory is most people hear w/ their eyes, so they believe what they read add to that in this day and age w/ vintage guitars having such astronmonical prices, most people have never really played or heard for themselves what a real vintage guitar, or pickup actually sounds like. So they read this stuff and believe it b/c they have nothing to actually compare it to.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:20 am
by mezcalhead
Yep. Which gets us back to:
mjet260 wrote:
I have a feeling they're just really value-priced imported pickups with a good solid marketing / packaging campaign.
Which is cool if that's what you're after .. but if you want something that sounds more like a decent filtertron, there are plenty of aftermarket options around.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:20 pm
by benecol
CurtisNovak wrote:
benecol wrote:
It has come to my attention that this was the only forum online NOT to have a thread discussing GFS pickups, so I thought I'd better start one sharpish. I'm sure they don't need any introduction from me, their store's here:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/index.html
I've put their Dream 90s in my SG, and am really impressed. Next up will be some new p'ups for my 72 tele: I'm not usually a fan of hums, but their filtertron copies look pretty tasty - can anyone shed any light on these? Any experience?
No affiliation, obviously... Anyone dare me to post this at the FDP?
You should be forewarned that this filterton is constructed nothing like the original trons, and it is highly unlikely it will sound anything like a filtertron... Just my opinion of course.
The main deviations here are the Gretsch Filtertron used a single large bar magnet that is twice as tall as a standard bar magnet, whereas GFS is putting 2 mags on the outside and 1 in the center that will most certainly alter the magnetic field which WILL effect the tone. Secondly they state they are hotter that the original trons... actually from their numbers they are more than twice as hot. A true Tron is in the upper 3k to lower 4k range and their tone is derived form that. It is NOT possible to increase the output w/out effect the tone, the higher the resistance and hotter the pickup the more mid range and muddy it gets the Tron as a nice FAT full tone. In my opinion the only thing filtertron like is the 2 rows of screws.
I am not saying anything against the pickup itself or GFS just that this is NOTING like a Filtertron as they claim. Actually comparing it to a Rickenbacker or a Dynosonic is even further from the truth b/c those 2 pickups were single coil pickups that employee rod magnets NOT bar magnets. The 2 main things that effect a pickups tone is coil shape, and magnet type a vertical orientated rod magnet will create a COMPLETLY different magnetic field and tone than a horizontal bar magnet, and 1 large coil will NEVER sound like 2 smaller coils... it just cant happen.
My theory is most people hear w/ their eyes, so they believe what they read add to that in this day and age w/ vintage guitars having such astronmonical prices, most people have never really played or heard for themselves what a real vintage guitar, or pickup actually sounds like. So they read this stuff and believe it b/c they have nothing to actually compare it to.
Blimey, cheers Curtis - never thought I'd have you answering my pickup queries.
Looks as if I may need to change tack a little bit: where (either in the UK, or imported) can I get decent but cheapish pickups?
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 1:11 pm
by CurtisNovak
Did not mean to imply that GFS pickups would not meet you pickup needs.
I was only addressing their ad speak comparing it to a Filtertron.
You said you were interested in their Filtertron, and I was just warning you it really has nothing in common w/ a Filtertron, Dynosonic, or a Rick Toaster to which they claim.
If your needs are "decent but cheapish pickups" you are doing just fine w/ them.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:35 pm
by serial
I put one in my '78 Tele Custom. It had a Duncan Lil '59er in it when I got it, but the original pickup was still in the case. I wanted something humbucking, but didn't like the Duncan at all in that guitar. The GFS was perfect, particularly for gigging. I picked up a second one to toss in another Tele, just haven't done anything with it yet. I was really pleased and no way you can argue with the price.
Re: GFS Pickups
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:58 pm
by jetset
I just picked up a GFS strat "64-surf" set for my 3-pickup jag project. I have to wait for the finish to dry before i can assemble it and report on the sound of the pickups. I figured I couldn't go too wrong for the price, and strat PU's are pretty straightforward compared to JM or filtertrons.
-J