So much to my chagrin, or How I changed my opinion on GFS Pup's

[sixstringsamurai]

Okay,

let me start off by saying that I know over the last couple of years I have had nothing good to say about GFS, Mostly because I had a couple of rocky purchases from them.

A Dream 180 soapbar that sounded like shit on a shoe, and a bridge that looked NOTHING like the pictured product on the site.

The One GOOD experience I did have was a P-bass replacement Pup I bought that sounded great.

Now, Down to snacking on some Humble Pie.... :laughing7:

At the urging of my bass player, and an ardent GFS pup fan, I pulled the trigger on the "VEH" Over wound "PAF", supposedly the equivalent to the EVH Frankenstein.

To say the least I was skeptical, and my expectations were none to high, especially with the meager price point of $35.

I have to say, they have redeemed themselves in my eyes, and I am now changed in my opinion of at least of this particular product.

it is SUPER tight and articulate, at 11.2k it is JUST hot enough, and well, it just plain sounds GOOD.....

So the point of this diatribe being I would like to retract any previous statements I have made against GFS in the past , and to Apologize to those I may have rubbed the wrong way with my former bitter, and negative opinion.... :rock-on:

 

[Cagey]

No problem. Opinions, circumstances and situations change. Personally, I've always been more than pleased with everything I've gotten from them. You can't go by price; there's really very little to a guitar pickup. So the only question really is why do some cost so much? If somebody's winding/building them by hand, then I can sorta see it. Time is money, and that's gotta be a job. But, you can't tell me that SD or DiMarzio or any of the major brands are making those parts by hand. They've got it automated down to a fine art, which means they should only cost $20-$30 each, yet they charge for them as though they're wound by nubile virgin wood nymphs who insist on being paid in pure gold.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

I've walked around the SD factory floor and watched what people are doing. For 95% of the pickups, the winding is done by machine (some custom shop pickups are hand-wound). Everything else is done by hand, by skilled labour. Not that I'm saying anything pro- or anti- regarding pricing, I'm just averting the impression that the pickups are rolling off a robotic production line in there.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

either way I got a good one, and I am going to buy a second one for my maple drop top soon.

 

[anorakDan]

Thank you, Samurai for your post. I'm going to be buying a Wilky trem bridge and pups from GFS, I'm just undecided on whether I should try their Dream 90s or Mean 90s for my Brutal Legend V.  :icon_scratch:

If anyone has input about these pickups, I'm paying attention...

 

[dmraco]

For what is is worth, I echo your opinion.  The  dream series of pickups are horrible.

However I am TOTALLY satisfied with the VEH pickups.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

Thank you, Samurai for your post. I'm going to be buying a Wilky trem bridge and pups from GFS, I'm just undecided on whether I should try their Dream 90s or Mean 90s for my Brutal Legend V.  :icon_scratch:

If anyone has input about these pickups, I'm paying attention...

The ONE thing with their hardware you have to watch are the screws(pup rings, tuners etc.), they are very poor quality IMO.

So my suggestion is whatever you buy from them in that vein, purchase a quality duplicate set of screws from Warmoth.

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

But, you can't tell me that SD or DiMarzio or any of the major brands are making those parts by hand. They've got it automated down to a fine art, which means they should only cost $20-$30 each, yet they charge for them as though they're wound by nubile virgin wood nymphs who insist on being paid in pure gold.

I can't speak of DiMarzio, but I've toured the Seymour Duncan factory while it's producing.  The winding is done on automatic machines that precisely measure not only the number of winds, but the tension of the wire as it's put on.  All the rest is actually done by hand.

EDIT: durr, should have read the entire thread before responding.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Some of them excel no matter what instrument you put them in, and others shine only in particular instruments for their intended application.

I like my NEO Tele neck at 7k, which is almost always used with a Blackface or Bassman with a Tube Screamer.  Put it through the Uberschall, not the best combo. 

I like the Tru Coils for Strat, put them through a shredstick though, not so much.

I've been intrigued about the VEH and the '59, as well as the Alnico Pro II.  I've been interested in the filtertron emulations as well.