# Which GFS pickups?



## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

I'm looking at GFS pickups, read some good review about them. I just don't know what kind I need. Any input would be helpful, I'm really lost.
These would be for my Ibanez RG470 Basswood body, Locking Trem. Right now I've got some crap pickups in it, and they're really thin sounding. I'd like a bit of a fuller sound. I use this guitar for mostly metal, and heavy progressive rock. I was thinking maybe power rails in the bridge, and VEH zebra alnico in the neck. But again, I really have no idea.


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Did you drop them an e-mail? [email protected] I'm sure they'd be happy to make a recommendation.

I can tell you that I have a set of Mean 90's in one of my SG's and I'm very happy with them. Not what you're looking for though.

Sounds to me that you'd probably like the power rails or crunchy rails. The "Crunchy PAT" might do the trick too. Depending on your amp/pedals you may not need crazy hot pickups.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

Right now my amp is an epiphone valve junior, and I've got a Maxon Sonic Distortion and Boss Blues Overdrive


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## Phlegethon (Dec 18, 2009)

Xanadu said:


> I'm looking at GFS pickups, read some good review about them. I just don't know what kind I need. Any input would be helpful, I'm really lost.
> These would be for my Ibanez RG470 Basswood body, Locking Trem. Right now I've got some crap pickups in it, and they're really thin sounding. I'd like a bit of a fuller sound. I use this guitar for mostly metal, and heavy progressive rock. I was thinking maybe power rails in the bridge, and VEH zebra alnico in the neck. But again, I really have no idea.


assuming that you have a reasonable budget, then if you're into metal and progressive rock then I'd recommend the crunchy rails over the power rails, it's very similar to a seymour duncan JB (which can cover pretty much all of the bases you'd need for the bridge pickup) youtube link is below so you can judge for yourself 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsfyURbTZws 

I would recommend other choices but not too sure on your budget considerations for this(either due to real budget concerns or not wanting to spend a lot of money . . .etc)


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...if you're referring to harmony central reviews, i think they have to be taken with a grain of salt, and perhaps a dash of herring juice.

gfs pickups are affordable, alright, but may not be an improvement over what you're presently using.

still, its fun to experiment, and gfs makes it easier on the wallet.

-boris the spider


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

david henman said:


> ...if you're referring to harmony central reviews, i think they have to be taken with a grain of salt, and perhaps a dash of herring juice.
> 
> gfs pickups are affordable, alright, but may not be an improvement over what you're presently using.


Exactly.

Many Harmony Central reviews (or reviews in general) from people that you don't know really don't mean much. People give many reviews in the 'honeymoon phase' of buying a new piece of gear and there's nothing like the fog that is created by 5 or six people with the same piece of gear telling everyone that it is the best thing since sliced bread. 

Musicians have this strange desire to have people think that they have the best guitar ever made...it just happened to be built when all of the stars were situated properly in the heavens and so on. 

With GFS, it seems that people want other people to think that they bought a $30 pickup which is better than or the equal to a $75-$100 Seymour Duncan. *I recently read a thread on another forum in which a guy stated that he put GFS pickups in a guitar that had 2 year old strings on it. He then goes on to say that the pickups are a definite improvement. What about the new strings vs the 2 year old strings?* I have had many, many pickups. Maybe 10 brands and 20-something different models. None of all of the pickups that I had were as unimpressive as the GFS ones that I had. They are a sideways trade for many no-name stock pickups and a definite downgrade from Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio as well as other production style pickups. GFS shouldn't even be mentioned among the small shops and boutique makers' products.

My advice would be to look for a Seymour Duncan on the second hand market. I have been lucky enough to get them once in a while for about $30 and more often for $50. Definitely worth it.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

Thanks for the input, I'll keep my eye open for used dimarzios.
I just want to restore some life into this guitar, cuz I love the way it plays and looks. But I don't really want to spend $250 on a set of pups for a guitar that only cost me $300.


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Good points Dave & smorg.

Another option - talk to Jon Moore about winding a set for you. More expensive yes, but wound specifically for you and for the same or less than new Duncans or DiMarzios, and way less than Gibson or "boutique" pickups.

As I said, I do have a set of GFS Mean 90's (humbucker sized P90's) in my SG special, and I really like them. Not as fat as a real P90 or the Duncans, in fact they're closer to Fender single coil, but they do sound nice in that guitar. It was an experiment and I like the results. 

However, I have not tried their humbuckers so I have no idea what they sound like. It can't be worse than the factory pickups in the low-mid range MIK & MIC RG's though. Those are pure dog-crap. Do they still call them "Powersound"? Most inappropriate name ever...

And one great thing about the GFS pickups is they do NOT go microphonic no matter how hard I try, and that's a common problem with SG's with pickguard mounted pickups. I can stand in front of my 2204 at full song with nary a screech to be found. I can't say that about the factory pickups, a set of Jon Moore's, or a set of Duncans that were in there previously. Granted, I wouldn't want to do that every day...

But if you don't want to spend a lot & just want to try something different for low cost GFS is an option, or used if you're lucky. Try putting a "looking for" post in the for sale section. Maybe someone has something kicking around that they would unload for a reasonable price.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Just another perspective, I have GFS sets in 2 of my guitars, and have had for over 2 years. The previous owner of my Tele had put them in that guitar, so it's not even a case of me buying them to save cash. I have used a ton of Tele pickups from Fender brands right up to Fralins (and in a ton of Teles), and they are my favourite set by far.

Of course I agree you have to take the reviews with a grain of salt, and also take the descriptions on we website with a grain of salt. But, they make some good pickups IMO for a good price. And not only that, they make some cool models that no one else offers at even close to a budget price, like the Revtron series (Filtertons, Dearmond style pickups etc.).

Unfortunately I can't offer you much input on the humbuckers either. I have used their Hot 60's Alnico Tele pickups, Fatbody Tele pickups, and Liverpools and loved them all. While the Liverpool sare a humbucker, they are nothing close to what you are looking at.

The only other savings tip I can offer is to look up Artec pickups on eBay. A lot of people seem to think a lot of the GFS pickups are rebranded Artecs, and the Artecs are even cheaper than the GFS.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

right now it's not stock pickups. It's got a cheap set of EMG passive in it, I've played one with the stock V7/V8 in it and I think i'd prefer the stock pickups than what I have.

I'm pretty sure that mine was made in japan, it's a 2000


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

Here's a picture... Not that it's going to help


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

had a look today and the pickups in it are "select" by EMG


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Xanadu said:


> had a look today and the pickups in it are "select" by EMG


In really can't imagine that any GFS would be an upgrade to those. Different? Yes. Upgrade? No.

There are a couple of models that tend to get good reviews even from people with good ears though...so...


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## User_X (Feb 1, 2008)

Xanadu said:


> had a look today and the pickups in it are "select" by EMG


I have come across EMG Selects a few times and have never liked ANY of them.
I haven't tried yours, of course, but the few GFS that I have heard/played or owned, would be better than those. 
I know, hard to believe, for some, so YMMV.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

Great thread guys! I'm glad to hear some different opinions about GFS as I was wondering myself how they were. All you see on other boards is guys rave about them. I wondered how good can they be for 1/3 the cost of other aftermarket pickups?


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

I've had far more good experiences with GFS than I have bad. I have a set of their AlnicoII Premium II strat pickups in a JV strat and I love them, they won't be going anywhere. 

I had some dream 90's that really didn't do it for me, but the mean 90's I have I actually like better than my Phat Cats. 

The premium texas set of singles I have in another strat are really very good and on par with my fender tex-mexs for sure. 

I had a Fat Paf and it was very vanilla in the couple of guitars I tried it in. The new VEH pickups are surprisingly good as well for the money.

I've owned EMG selects and I can honestly say that the GFS pickups will definitely be fair less plain and give you more character than they will.

You can get really good deals on used duncans, dimarzio's etc if you look around.


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## boldaslove69 (Oct 17, 2009)

In my opinion you would do well with the crunchy rail in the bridge and a veh in the neck, or even a matched set of VEH, you don't necessarily need a pickup as hot as the crunchy rail, my friend can do Lamb Of God with the VEH bridge pickup in his les paul through his JCM 800.


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