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USA Mini-humbuckers VS. Stock Asian or GFS


charlie brown

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Do any of you have either, both, all? And, how do you

feel about GFS versions, compared to Gibson, or the "stock"

Epiphone, in say the Korean Rivieras.

 

I have the Gibson's in my Sheraton, and the Korean version,

in my Riviera. They're not bad, really...but I did notice just a

very slight, "tinny"...almost a kind of weird harmonic, in the

Korean version, that's not there, in the Gibson (USA) version.

 

Any other's experience this? Don't know if it's worth changing,

but, I'm just curious if anyone else has this experience, and

what (if anything) you did?

 

Thanks, all...

 

CB

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strictly referring to full sized hums- i swapped out the stock ones epi ones in a sheraton, for some gfs and i am very pleased. so much that i bought more for other guitars and i never got around to installing them. want to really try the usa epi elitist pups before i make a descision on those.

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I replaced the 3 mini's in my Firebird VII with the GFS pups and the difference is HUGE. I have a Deluxe from the 70's with the stock gibby's in it but I can't compare the sound, it's an aged Les Paul and I've had it for ever so I love it.

 

The GFS pickups are a great replacement. Not all Epi pickups need to be swapped but those mini's in the FB were terrible.

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CB I'm a pretty picky guy when it comes to tone and I have to tell you the top end GFS alinco mini's are great sounding pickups. Truth is they are much better than what came stock in my 1980 Gibson LP deluxe. I would say that the GFS neck pickup is every bit as good as a Duncan, although in the bridge I'd give a slight edge to the Duncan but at less than half the price you can't go wrong! I have 4 guitars with mini hums right now and my 2 favorites are equipped with the GFS Alinco's and a 70's NOS set of Lawrence 550/560's. I tried an Epi firebird 3 pickup when they first came out and although I liked the guitar...I passed on it because the pickups were really whimpy sounding IMHO....had I known about the GFS at the time I would have bought it,but to do it up with the Duncan mini's and quality electronics was more than I thought the guitar was worth at the time.

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CB I'm a pretty picky guy when it comes to tone and I have to tell you the top end GFS alinco mini's are great sounding pickups. Truth is they are much better than what came stock in my 1980 Gibson LP deluxe. I would say that the GFS neck pickup is every bit as good as a Duncan' date=' although in the bridge I'd give a slight edge to the Duncan but at less than half the price you can't go wrong! I have 4 guitars with mini hums right now and my 2 favorites are equipped with the GFS Alinco's and a 70's NOS set of Lawrence 550/560's. I tried an Epi firebird 3 pickup when they first came out and although I liked the guitar...I passed on it because the pickups were really whimpy sounding IMHO....had I known about the GFS at the time I would have bought it,but to do it up with the Duncan mini's and quality electronics was more than I thought the guitar was worth at the time.[/quote']

 

 

Thanks, all. Layboomo...When you refer to "top end" GFS, are you talking about the Fat Mini's or Mini Birds?

It sounds like the "Fat Mini's" would be more my choice, but not having any experience

with any of them, I don't know for sure?

 

CB

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I know this sounds a bit cock-eyed, but I didn't want to re-wire my Dot twice. I bought a GFS Vintage '59 (bridge) and put it in my LP Jr. (which was a 5 minute job) just to get an idea of what it could do and if I'd like it. I like it. So now I'm going to order a neck position pup, put that and the Vintage '59 in the Dot and get a dog ear P90 for the Jr.

 

What do you guys think about a Mean 90 in the neck position and a Vintage '59 in the bridge on a Dot? Or should I just stick with 2 'buckers?

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Thanks' date=' all. Layboomo...When you refer to "top end" GFS, are you talking about the Fat Mini's or Mini Birds?

It sounds like the "Fat Mini's" would be more my choice, but not having any experience

with any of them, I don't know for sure?

 

CB[/quote']

 

Yeah sorry Fat mini's ....I forgot what he called them...he has cute little names for all of the GFS pups.

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I know this sounds a bit cock-eyed' date=' but I didn't want to re-wire my Dot twice. I bought a GFS Vintage '59 (bridge) and put it in my LP Jr. (which was a 5 minute job) just to get an idea of what it could do and if I'd like it. I like it. So now I'm going to order a neck position pup, put that and the Vintage '59 in the Dot and get a dog ear P90 for the Jr.

 

What do you guys think about a Mean 90 in the neck position and a Vintage '59 in the bridge on a Dot? Or should I just stick with 2 'buckers?[/quote']

 

I predict you will spend a lot of time with the neck pickup.

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CB' date=' I don't have any experience with the minis but I'm a big fan of GFS overall. I've only used the PAF style but they sound as good as anthing else I have heard.[/quote']

 

Well, that's good to know. They do seem to have a good rep, here on

the forum. So, I may just have to try some "Fat Mini's" in the near furture?

Either, on the Riviera, or my (Gibson) Les Paul Deluxe. Right now, the LP

Deluxe pickups are out being rewound, and wax potted. They had gone

so "microphonic" I couldn't even use them, anymore. But then, they were almost

40 years old, so...??? Anyway, if they sound great, after that...I keep them

in the LP (they sounded great, before the went "mircrophonic"), and use some

"Fat Mini's" in the Riviera, most likely. I'm not going to touch the (USA) "Sheri"

as I LOVE the pickups, in it.

 

CB

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Do you mean faffing about with it or selecting the neck pup when playing?

 

Yes. In every multi-pickup guitar I own' date=' the selector is in center or rhythm well over 90% of the time. I don't even think about it any more, I love the bridge-only sound of my juniors, whether P-90 or humbucker, but the bridge-only sound of most multi-pickup guitars often sounds hard, tinny and metallic to my ears, so I mellow it with a bit of neck added in - amazing how many different sounds there are when you use all four knobs. Especially if you have access to any of the Fender tube amps, most especially with 2 or more speakers. The "Joe Pass Sound", if you will. IMHO, a P-90 style of neck pickup will widen the gap over an average humbucker and stretch your smile as far as it will go. Of course, that means you'll be "faffing about with it" constantly, just checking to see if [i']one more[/i] tweak of the knobs will take you even closer to heaven.

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So, are the GFS mini's "fatter" sounding, warmer, less "metallic," or how

would you describe them? I'm thinking now, that I would probably do my

(Korean) Riviera, first. The pickups it came with, are OK, really...but have

just a bit of a "metallic" undertone. I don't have that, with the USA "mini's"

on my Sheraton. And, I don't remember that kind of undertone, on the

Gibson LP Deluxe, (before they went so "mircrophonic")! But, maybe I just

wasn't looking for it? Who knows?

 

CB

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I would probably do my

(Korean) Riviera' date=' first. The pickups it came with, are OK, really...but have

just a bit of a "metallic" undertone. I don't have that, with the USA "mini's"

on my Sheraton.

CB[/quote']

 

I did the Duncans on my MIK Riviera. The stock PUs sounded kind of thin close to a "Gibson" version of a Ric. I know a guy that has the Elitist Riviera and his has the full tone unlike the MIK stock. Now mine sounds like a clear 335 and a lot like my Valensi.

 

I just learned about GFS since joining the group here and would have gotten their minis had I known, but I'm very happy with the Duncans on that guitar. I still need to order the GFS 59s for my Supernova.

 

I know some of you guys here have the GFS 59s are they more like a Gibson 57 or a burstbucker? I put a set of burstbuckers into one of those blue G400s and just didn't like it and dumped it. I like 57s better. I thought about yanking them and putting in my Supernova but think I want 57s but am willing to try the GFS 59s. Thanks for any insights.

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I have a pair of Duncan Antiquities in a rockabilly box that I have. They are VERY nice. I've also liked every GFS pickup I've ever tried, but that said, I've only tried Strat single coils. I have a friend who has tried GFS's version of Filter Trons, and those are pretty darn good.

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Well, I've never really been a "modder" much. But, listening to all the folks on this forum, and how they seem

to love, their "mods," it's given me some "GAS," to get some GFS's and try a few things. Especially, since they

are really reasonably priced!! Can an "old dog," learn these new tricks? Stay tuned...

 

CB

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Well' date=' I've never really been a "modder" much. But, listening to all the folks on this forum, and how they seem

to love, their "mods," it's given me some "GAS," to get some GFS's and try a few things. Especially, since they

are really reasonably priced!! Can an "old dog," learn these new tricks? Stay tuned...

 

CB[/quote']

An announcement like that deserves its own thread, charlie brown.

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  • 3 weeks later...

hey everyone,

just a quicky... i just bought a dot studio as a cheap travelin guitar. love the neck and this thing.. was thinking about swappin the pups for dream 90's.. anyone had any experience with this guitar/pup mix? gfs seem to get great reviews for the dream 90's and ive got some gfs in my mexican tele and they sound great! cheers

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hey everyone' date='

just a quicky... i just bought a dot studio as a cheap travelin guitar. love the neck and this thing.. was thinking about swappin the pups for dream 90's.. anyone had any experience with this guitar/pup mix? gfs seem to get great reviews for the dream 90's and ive got some gfs in my mexican tele and they sound great! cheers[/quote']

 

I have a vintage '59 neck, mean 90 bridge, and it's all kinds of versatile vintage.

It's got the blues, rock n' roll, and even jazz DOWN.

 

Double 90's would sound, welll...

Listen to live at leeds and tell me what you think of 90's.

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