# Gelvin Guitars



## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

Anyone heard of Will Gelvin or have a Gelvin guitar? He's getting really popular on youtube. 

Here's his site and no I'm not Will himself, I just follow him and bought one of his guitars which i totally love. He makes his own pickups too. I compare them to the Fralins I own. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/WillsEasyGuitar

Here's his company site

http://www.gelvinguitars.com

anyway, check him out. Hell of a luthier too.


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## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

Oh, I love his tube channel, so much fun and a lot of great info.

Which guitar you got? Where did you get it?
Pics please, and short review if possible.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

Is that the "Will's easy guitar b1tches" guy? He's alright. I'm a subscriber to his channel.


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## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

Lincoln said:


> Is that the "Will's easy guitar b1tches" guy? He's alright. I'm a subscriber to his channel.


yeap - that's the guy


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

He's an interesting fellow indeed.


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## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

Great guy for the most part. Seems like his company is taking off too. He just had a video saying he's giving up the contracting work he does to work on the guitars full time.

I did a youtube review just to help Will out. I didn't do any sound testing. I was going to do a Part 2 review with all the sound but realized with my only mode of recording through my iPad, the sound wouldn't do any justice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVjokO9QU-Q


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## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

Digging up my own thread here. I don't know if Gelvin makes guitars really anymore but what you modern metal players may be interested in....his pickups. He has a patent that no one else has. The string clarity is ridiculous. What they are making pedals for now (Horizon Precision Drive) Will's pickups do what those pedals create. Plus his VIP pickups have the ability to switch how much output they give. As far as I'm aware (could be wrong) but I don't know any other pickups that do what his do. 

Anyway, just throwing that out there for anyone who may be interested. Like I said, not sure what he still does these days but if you are a modern metal person, check him out. May be under Embryon guitars now.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

His VIP pickup design is actually patented, so no one else would be allowed to do it. It's really quite cool, but prohibitively expensive to implement on a large scale. He still makes guitars and runs his YouTube channel, and still offers VIP pickups as an option:
Gelvin Guitars®: Electric, Acoustic, and Bass.

Surprisingly good prices on a couple of those models, considering all of his guitars are hand-made. If the Orion was a neck-thru, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

Not sure how or why you're relating the precision drive to it though. The precision drive is essentially just an overdrive with a built-in noise gate. Nothing particularly fancy or groundbreaking, despite how it is marketed. Certainly nothing like having a variable inductance pickup, which gives you the ability to change the actual pickup output/impedance by choosing how much of the winding you're using. They are completely different things for completely different purposes.


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## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

jbealsmusic said:


> His VIP pickup design is actually patented, so no one else would be allowed to do it. It's really quite cool, but prohibitively expensive to implement on a large scale. He still makes guitars and runs his YouTube channel, and still offers VIP pickups as an option:
> Gelvin Guitars®: Electric, Acoustic, and Bass.
> 
> Surprisingly good prices on a couple of those models, considering all of his guitars are hand-made. If the Orion was a neck-thru, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
> ...


I donno man. I heard lots of people say that to me. I'm not sure if it's marketing or how ppl are using it. I don't use the drive button at all. It's almost completely off. It's not meant to be a dirt pedal in any sense. It's meant for tightening up your low end. I use a 7 string in a band and find it works miracles to help me cut through the flubby-ness. It's the 6 option knob that really seals the deal for me. It cleans up my seven string and on other setting of that knob, makes my strat, which can be a bit thin, beef up. 

I think people are using it wrong but that's just my opinion. I will never not have it on my board.


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## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

here's a good vid on how to use it in the sense i'm talking


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

CMQ01 said:


> I donno man. I heard lots of people say that to me. I'm not sure if it's marketing or how ppl are using it. I don't use the drive button at all. It's almost completely off. It's not meant to be a dirt pedal in any sense. It's meant for tightening up your low end. I use a 7 string in a band and find it works miracles to help me cut through the flubby-ness. It's the 6 option knob that really seals the deal for me. It cleans up my seven string and on other setting of that knob, makes my strat, which can be a bit thin, beef up.
> 
> I think people are using it wrong but that's just my opinion. I will never not have it on my board.


It's marketing. Most (if not all) overdrive pedals have high and low pass filters built into the circuit. That's why for years metal players have used overdrives in front of their high gain amps with the drive setting near zero. It's really nothing new. They don't use it for the extra gain. They use it to tighten up the low end and add a touch of mid presence (thanks to the filters designed into the circuit), and maybe a slight boost to the front end of the amp (using the "Level/Vol" knob). The precision drive probably adds a couple of extra knobs that shape those filters. And of course, the noise gate.



CMQ01 said:


> here's a good vid on how to use it in the sense i'm talking


Suspicion confirmed. An overdrive pedal with a noise gate, and a couple of extra knobs that allow for slightly more tone shaping options compared to a traditional OD.

My point wasn't to criticize the pedal. I'm sure it's a fine pedal that suits a lot of people's needs. My point is that the pedal is in no way similar to a variable inductance pickup. Like I said before, they are completely different products used for completely different purposes. I'm just confused by how you thought they were similar, that's all.


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## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

jbealsmusic said:


> It's marketing. Most (if not all) overdrive pedals have high and low pass filters built into the circuit. That's why for years metal players have used overdrives in front of their high gain amps with the drive setting near zero. It's really nothing new. They don't use it for the extra gain. They use it to tighten up the low end and add a touch of mid presence (thanks to the filters designed into the circuit), and maybe a slight boost to the front end of the amp (using the "Level/Vol" knob). The precision drive probably adds a couple of extra knobs that shape those filters. And of course, the noise gate.
> 
> Suspicion confirmed. An overdrive pedal with a noise gate, and a couple of extra knobs that allow for slightly more tone shaping options compared to a traditional OD.
> 
> My point wasn't to criticize the pedal. I'm sure it's a fine pedal that suits a lot of people's needs. My point is that the pedal is in no way similar to a variable inductance pickup. Like I said before, they are completely different products used for completely different purposes. I'm just confused by how you thought they were similar, that's all.



ahhh i gotcha. I definitely don't know much about inductance or anything like that. I guess I was just trying to compare the sound of what his pickups do for what I use that pedal for to my ears. I definitely don't know the background to stuff like that.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

> nickel free hypoallergenic fret wire


holy smokes, is that really a thing?


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

cheezyridr said:


> holy smokes, is that really a thing?


Indeed it is! Jescar Evo Gold fret wire is nickel-free hypoallergenic. There are some companies that use an iron/copper/zinc combo for a more traditional fret color (looks just like nickel frets) to avoid nickel allergies. But, they are not quite as hard as standard nickel/silver frets.



CMQ01 said:


> ahhh i gotcha. I definitely don't know much about inductance or anything like that. I guess I was just trying to compare the sound of what his pickups do for what I use that pedal for to my ears. I definitely don't know the background to stuff like that.


Oh cool.

Here's the short story, if interested. Gelvin's VIP (variable inductance pickup) is pretty unique. It gives you several different outputs and resonant frequencies all in one pickup. It doesn't do that by "simulating" output and frequency changes using filters, it actually taps the pickup's winding at several different points throughout the wind.

Just as an example, if you had three pickups with three different output levels. They might each have 6000, 8000, and 10,000 winds respectively. A VIP style designed pickup might have 10K winds in total, but would include taps throughout the winding at 6K, 8K, and 10K to achieve the different outputs and resonant frequencies. The result is identical to just having those 3 different pickup options (but magically, in the same position). At the 6K setting, it is the same as having the lower output pickup. At the 8K setting, it is the same as having the mid output pickup. Etc.

Varying the inductance at the source by being able to choose how much of the winding is used is not something that can ever be simulated by modifying the output signal of any individual pickup (as with a pedal, active EQ, or by other means).

That's what makes his pickups so unique. A very cool design! However, unfortunately not likely to be something that would ever be mass marketed. Ask any pickup winder how much work it would be...
US20140245877A1 - Pickup for stringed instrument - Google Patents

Hope that helps!


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i didn't even know being allergic to nickel was a real thing. i thought it was like being a vegan or something.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

cheezyridr said:


> i didn't even know being allergic to nickel was a real thing. i thought it was like being a vegan or something.


Oh it's real... My buddy has to use hypoallergenic frets, nickel-free strings, and nickel-free hardware. Otherwise his fingers swell up like mad any time he plays guitar.


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## John Fisher (Aug 6, 2017)

Seeing the vids the guy is posting lately , I would not buy a single thing off him. I know in the past he had issues following through on his commitments guitar wise, but now he seems to be losing it mentally


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)

I’ve been following Will for awhile. He’s had some health and business problems. He also spends too much time worrying about what trolls think/say. He stopped producing Gelvin Guitars and is in the process of starting a new company aimed at DIY stuff. I hope he can turn things around.


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## CMQ01 (Sep 10, 2015)

jbealsmusic said:


> Indeed it is! Jescar Evo Gold fret wire is nickel-free hypoallergenic. There are some companies that use an iron/copper/zinc combo for a more traditional fret color (looks just like nickel frets) to avoid nickel allergies. But, they are not quite as hard as standard nickel/silver frets.
> 
> Oh cool.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that explanation. I understood that. Can actually sound like i know what I'm talking about when I try to tell ppl about them.


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## John Fisher (Aug 6, 2017)

Just am FYI for Wills followers, it looks like You tube finally had it and deleted his account and removed all videos from him.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

John Fisher said:


> Just am FYI for Wills followers, it looks like You tube finally had it and deleted his account and removed all videos from him.


Haven't watched anything from him in years. He was long winded but had some good information. Shame he went so far off the rails.


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## Gary Robnob (May 27, 2018)

John Fisher said:


> Seeing the vids the guy is posting lately , I would not buy a single thing off him. I know in the past he had issues following through on his commitments guitar wise, but now he seems to be losing it mentally


Tell me about it, he says he has friends in the IRA and will have anyone who messes with him exterminated




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1052042641610676


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## John Fisher (Aug 6, 2017)

@ Gary Robnob...LOL, do you know what vid that was in? That might be funny to watch. He got his old channel back and immediately started all the dumbass stuff again that got him closed originally. He was crying about being a Vet with MS for sympathy and other shit, and losing all this money from Youtube that he himself caused. 
He just creates fake accounts everywhere and starts shit online. I guess that's his life


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

cheezyridr said:


> i didn't even know being allergic to nickel was a real thing. i thought it was like being a vegan or something.


Nah, some people are quite allergic to certain metals. Dad's mother found out the hard way that she was. She reacted badly to the staples holding her guts in after a surgery.


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## caekwalk (Nov 3, 2018)

Ahoy! Little late to the party, but I actually commissioned one of Gelvin's original Orion builds! I have the prototype (imo nicer) model of the Orion's newer incarnation--the natural-blackburst. I had it purchased precisely for allergenic reasons, and because I'd heard EVOjescar sounded better than stainless steel frets--which is true, at least during recording, which was primarily what I was using it for. Pedigree aside, it's pretty much a dream to play, only thing I'd do is maybe sand the neck gloss a bit. I had the VIP pickup options set to a hot-wound PAF sound (8.5k) and modern-sounding high-output (16.5k) respectively for the bridge, (7.2k) and (8.5k) for the neck. Know what? Let's make this a mini-review. On y va.

--Let's get aesthetics out of the way first: I like 'em, you might not, but for the dough this thing is a workhorse, which is why I opted for this over some off-the-wall guitar with pups swapped out.

--Headstock:
Balances well, locking tuners do their job, matches body finish!

--Neck:
Thin and comfy mahogany, but not quite Ibanez-level thin, which is my preference. 25.5". Finished nicely, with more than adequate fret access at the cutaway. The bone nut isn't something I'm used to but have grown fond of, there's something warm about it.

--Fretboard: 
Ebony, my fav for guitars. Slick and fast, with that piano-key satisfaction and clarity. Fretted well, the frets themselves one of the highlights of the guitar for their sound and overall feel on bends--I approve. Radius isn't too extreme on either end--I believe it's 12" and might compound to 14" higher up on the fretboard, I can confirm that for whoever is curious. Side dots only, white.

--Body:
Mahogany x Flame Maple, Natural BlackBurst. Dang ergonomic; you don't notice it, which is the whole point. Pickups are positioned at a perfect height for VIP use--the manual suggested a bit of a convoluted method for raising them, but I never had to. Bridge is tops--hipshot B if I'm not mistaken, comfy and sturdy, easy to mess with. Cutaways allow for all access, and I have small hands. Straplocks are solid.

--Controls:
Surprisingly intuitive to manage, despite the VIP switch, coil-split, AND killswitch--which is easy-access.

SOUND:

This is where things get spicy. I've recorded direct via amp sims primarily (sadly don't have those recordings or the amenities anymore), and the takeaway is that the pickups sound _*STUPIDGOOD,*_ especially considering their versatility. I thought that the swiss-army-knife utilitarian nature of this guitar would compromise the sound quality in some way, and I have to say I'm stunned at how opposite the truth is--the clarity is superb despite the warm-dark tilt of the guitar overall, you've got great vocal quality and dynamics, and you can play literally anything (I despise using the word "literally" for a variety of reasons, too). The one caveat I would make is this: the PAF sounds could be a bit more "dedicated", if that makes sense, given the context. My intuition is this, though: PAFs are usually renown for their specificity and precise criterion, which make them so sought-after--I don't think a guitar like this can deliver on replicating "the best vintage PAF tone ever", but it offers something damn serviceable to that end! What I intended for the guitar to sound like, broadly-speaking, is an awesome marriage of modern, restrained savagery and vintage class. The EQ skews to the mids and low-mids as a mahogany x mahogany guitar, but the warmness and darkness gets really tastefully balanced by a bright ebony fretboard for clarity and articulation of whatever the pickups ultimately put out.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

I've been with this guitar for a number of years now, and I love it dearly. I don't think it qualifies for the PRS-custom-shop-tier, but I had it commissioned specifically to kick the a$$es of everything at its price-point, and it does exactly that. The amount of value in this gweet is absurdly high, and the one issue of the PAF sound not sounding *absolutely perfect* is a physical impossibility in the first place--the fact that the PAF sound is passable using an analogue switching circuit is bonkers. 

I'll leave you with a pic, can't figure out how to embed mine yet; if anyone's interested, I'm thinking of selling it to fund a fanned-fret (bad wrists). I have all the original resources and gator case. I'll put up a classified at some point; if anyone wants first dibs holler at me.


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## Rozz (Aug 1, 2018)

cheezyridr said:


> i didn't even know being allergic to nickel was a real thing. i thought it was like being a vegan or something.


I am allergic to gold.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Rozz said:


> I am allergic to gold.


yeah, my 2nd wife was too. pain in the ass sometimes. not her- she was a pain in the ass _most_ of the time. i meant her allergy to gold


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## Rozz (Aug 1, 2018)

cheezyridr said:


> yeah, my 2nd wife was too. pain in the ass sometimes. not her- she was a pain in the ass _most_ of the time. i meant her allergy to gold


LOL


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