GFS pickups

[AdamRandall]

I'm looking to upgrade the mud-tastic epiphone pickups in my dot studio without spending more than the actual guitar cost.

What's the best stuff out of GFS?

Not necessarily looking for jangle, but some brightness is nice. Definitely a rocker though.

 

[Kepi]

I put some GFS Dream 90's in my Fernandes Monterey a few years ago - I absolutely love those pickups. They sound great clean and really shine through my tubescreamer or bluesdriver pedals. I get a lot of great classic rock and blues tones out of them.
Unfortunately I don't know much about the other GFS offerings, but I'm really happy with the Dream 90's.

 

[kleydj13]

I really like the mean 90's. Plenty of beefy pissed off P90 goodness going on there. Very versatile as well.

 

[Chicago Slim]

I've replaced most my PRS pickups with GFS, both SE imports and American. I had good luck with the Dream 90, Dream 180, Memphis and the Retrotrons.

 

[Mudder]

dream 180s, Fat Pats, mean 90s, lots of solid options.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Another vote for the Mean 90 - surprisingly good P90-ish tone for next to no money.

The Dream 180s are a good option if you need humbuckers.

But, I'd also suggest hunting around for some better names on the used market, even if they don't work out you can always turn around and sell them for exactly what you paid.

 

[AdamRandall]

what'd go good in a dot for the sounds I'm describing at that price?

 

[radiac]

I've had both the dream and mean 90's. I prefer the dreams.

 

[Whiskeyrebel]

Retrotron, especially if you can wire in a series-parallel switch. I have a Hot Nashville neck pickup. The parallel setting is very clear and detailed. Dream 90's nice too.

 

[Andy J.]

Dunno about brightness and jangle, they're not the terms I'd associate with P-90 pickups, but the Mean 90 IS an excellent P-90 in humbucker size.

 

[VH5150]

Just remember you get what you pay for........I've tried a few of the gfs pickups didn't care for any of them.

 

[AdamRandall]

Just remember you get what you pay for........I've tried a few of the gfs pickups didn't care for any of them.

Yeah, but I'm also new to this, so I don't wanna mess up a set of 57's or something trying to solder them in.

 

[Jim85IROC]

I've got an xv-900 semi hollow, and I absolutely love how it sounds. Wonderful complex cleans, and great with overdrive. It gets wonky with high gain, but it's a semi hollow. I forget which pickups it came with... fat pats maybe? I'm sure the description on the website will say. This guitar is a HUGE improvement in tone over the dots I've played. I'm happy with the gfs pickups in my strat too. They might not be lollars, but they're great for the money.

 

[ef_in_fla]

Pickups are tough, you can't just A/B a bunch of them. It's a crapshoot. Read the descriptions, take your best shot and see how it works out. I've never tried GFS but I've heard enough good that I'd give them a go.

 

[silvertone1481]

I want the Crunchy PATs for my SG...but I'm trying to sell it now.....

 

[Rena Rune]

Kind of want to do the same actually - bought my Dad a dot but it sounds a bit dull with anything but the newest strings. It's an awkward guitar to get at, though.

 

[Funkwire]

I bought an Xaviere that came with Crunchy Pats. They were great overdriven--nailed that 70s classic rock sound--but not so great clean. I replaced them with Vintage 59s and was much happier. Lower output pickups that had a good clean sound and still sounded good with dirt.

 

[AdamRandall]

Kind of want to do the same actually - bought my Dad a dot but it sounds a bit dull with anything but the newest strings. It's an awkward guitar to get at, though.

What do you mean by awkward to get at?
High fret access? I agree with that. It can be done, but not too easily, but I like using it for thick, smooth rhythm stuff.

 

[teleman55]

Pickups are tough, you can't just A/B a bunch of them. It's a crapshoot. Read the descriptions, take your best shot and see how it works out. I've never tried GFS but I've heard enough good that I'd give them a go.

This is true. And what works on one guitar doesn't always work on another.

That said I've got some Mean 90s in an Ibanez AS73. That combo kicks ass. Also got some of their Classic II humbuckers in an Agile AL2000. Those sound real good too.

 

[AdamRandall]

I just ordered some dream 180s for my other guitar.