GFS Home Office Visit

[classicrocker]

I recently visited with the folks at Guitarfetish at there Medway, MA showroom. Instead of me rambling on, just let me say that they have their pickups made in Korea, but don't hold that against them. The ones I heard sounded great.

They also broker different odds n ends from other suppliers. I believe if you google Guitar Fetish, you'll see some well written interviews.

[mikesr1963]

I just put a set of their pickups in one of my Squier Strats and they kick butt regardless of where they are made.

[covar]

Hi, I'm using the magnificent brass bottom set !!!!!!!!!!
It is an outstanding pickup set !!!

[vonFrenchie]

i was going to buy some gfs pickups but i was worried because they cost less than my shoes (which arent much for shoes like these)... but i think you guys have changed my mind. I think im gonna get two strat style pickups and their dream-90

[Keebo]

A bridge humbucker for my tele is on the way from them. I had to email them tonight because the shipping number they sent me would not track. They shot me email back with the following:

Apparently our shipping guys should not mix sleeping pills and vodka-

Try this <insert correct tracking number here>

Funny guys! At least I hope that was humor .

[vonFrenchie]

Have any of you heard the Mean 90 or their Wild Dog (oversized humbucker)?

[ashcatlt]

i've got Lil Killers in my 3 Humbuckers, No Pots strat, and they're insane. For some reason, the split-coil M+(N or B) positions don't seem to give as much "phaseyness" as I think they should, but that might just be me.

Ther customer service has been good when I've worked with them. They sent me brass finish tele knobs rather than the chrome ones I'd ordered. As soon as I informed them they sent the right ones out the same day with a return label. I don't remember them mentioning pills or booze.

[mch]

I have recently bought some Dream 180s for a semi-hollow and it certainly improved the sound. The bass much clearer and tighter with less shrill treble. In my mocking bird build (shown in gallery) has the Vintage 59 and Fat PAF. I'm very pleased with those also. My next build I'm going to use the Lil Killer combo utilizing 3 push-pull volume controls for series/parallel and 3 on/off switches. This should provide some interesting combos.
The price and service is great.

[spud1950]

I'm using a set of the GFS Premium Alnico 60's Repro's. I love them. Great vintage sound,nice and punchy,and really well balanced bass,mids and highs.Great pickups for the money.

[Big K]

Dream 90's & Lil Killer's both have tone and some power...

[pmccook1]

I just put a set of the Boston Blues / Texas Wound, and they are awesome.
They came with clear covers which are also awesome and shows off a little of the blue wire which gives it a unique look.

[tattooedindian]

I have a lp copy with a dream 90 in the neck very nice tone, I also just put together 3 lil killers in a strat copy with 3 mini toggles all I have to say is WOW Great pickups for the money

[pswoods]

I have ordered hardware from them for lots of guitars. They deal good quality stuff and they have a tidy operation. Never tried the pickups for which they are famous. They have the best retail prices on Wilkinson stuff AFAIK.

[ltb]

I have used two different types of their pickups and find them very good especially for the money.
Presently I use GFS Nashvilles on an Agile guitar. Normally I only like Alnico II pickups but due to their writeup about how these specially designed ceramic magnet pickups sounded smooth etc, I decided to try them. I can tell you they are very nice! Not harsh at all and chimey sounding like Alnico II's are with Nickel Wound strings.

[jkemmery]

I'm just relating my own experience with GFS. I ordered a couple of sets of "blow out" pickups that were supposedly from anther manufacurer, and the actually seemed like they were discontinued GFS pickups. Niether the single coil set, nor the humbucker set were all that terriffic ... but then, they were "blow out" sale pickups. So, I ordered a set of GFS Fats. Within a week they send the neck pup. After another two weeks, I had not yet recieved the bridge pup, so I contacted them, and they said they were getting them in within the next two weeks. So I waited, 3 weeks later, still no pup. I looked on EBay, and they were selling the exact same pup. So I asked them if they could send one from an auction. They said they didn't have them in stock, and were expecting them in (guess what) about 2 weeks. I said, you told me that 6 weeks ago! They offered to refund my money, but since I needed a set for my project, I had them refund my money for the one pup. They had chrome covered fats in stock, so I ordered a set of them, along with a single brass bottom to round out an HSH set for my current project. I haven't completed the wiring as of yet, but, I don't think I'll be dealing with GFS again, personally. Just my little story.

[mlrpa]

I've used the blowout sets from GFS, and I love them! Duncan clones with just a hair bit less output.

[jkemmery]

The humbuckers I installed sounded a bit muddy ... could have been the wiring scheme I designed though ...

The single coils were "hot" singles, and also sounded muddy with a bit of a harsh sounding distortion ... maybe the "vintage" one's would have suited the application better.

[hammeroff]

The single coils were "hot" singles, and also sounded muddy with a bit of a harsh sounding distortion ... maybe the "vintage" one's would have suited the application better.

I bought a set of 60's repro overwounds from Guitar Fetish. They just would not be cool.

So, I sent them back and got the weakest, most soul-full Alnico IIs premiums they had. (store.guitarfetish.com/gfspiialiiha.html)

Not only does my guitar sound better, but I also lost 5 pounds, got some free beer, and have an interview to join Clapton's band next week.

[sumgai]

Matt,

That should have been posted to the Lies thread in the Coffee Shop! ;D


sumgai

[duosonicboy]

Most pickups are made cheeply overseas. The nice thing about GFS is that they don't tack on outrageous markups like other branders.

[guitaristz]

I think they are great. I have order pickups, wiring, etc from them and I love it all. Great stuff for the money. Cant beat the value people..

[blank]

I recently tried out one of the Lil Killer rail single sized humbuckers in the neck position of one of my guitars (10K version). I liked it just fine though I'm more of a bridge pickup player. So I'm not going to say it blows away a Duncan or DiMarzio because I'm not all that picky with neck pickups. I also wasn't about to spend $60-70 on it. I just needed the neck to be humbucking rather than single for my occasional use of that position. I just ordered another one for my back-up guitar so they will both have identical pickups in them.

I wouldn't hesitate to order again. Shipping is pretty fast.

[stratotak]

I believe Artec makes GFS's pickups..a Korean company..I just bought one of Artecs hot rails and they look exactly like GFS's pickups..If you go to Artecs site you'll see there pickups are the exact same thing..the Artec one was
www.artecsound.com/pickups/index.html
less money than GFS's..the Artecs ones were like $5 cheaper .Also..another good sounding pickup you dont hear much about are the Lace Powered By Lace brand..I bought a set of those and they sound real nice..The couple reviews i have read about them say they sound sort of like a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gate..I went over to Duncans site and listened to samples of the Pearls and they did sound somewhat they same..