GFS Pickups H52 Vintage '59 Alnico PAF

Chrome covered passive humbucker made in Korea by Artec (www.artecsound.com-- you can find some Artec brand pickups on ebay for about 30% less than their GFS counterparts). Output's about 8k each.

Korean made Epiphone G 400

Both positions

Replaced stock Epi pickups

No one famous uses them, AFAIK, and I changed because I wanted a smoother, fuller, clearer clean sound. The stock Epi ceramics were too muddy with the volume rolled off and sounded like crap clean.

Both pickups have a modest "vintage" output, but I had to put the neck way down and adjust the bridge pickup all the way up to get a decent balance between the 2 volume wise.

I bought these to get a rich, smooth sound. Think 60s acid rock, 70s punk and prog, 80s new wave, and 90s grunge-- all of which used PAF style pickups extensively. Honestly, I'm disappointed.

In the neck, the clean sound is slightly better and it doesn't mud up nearly as bad as the stock pickup did, but the bridge isn't much of an improvement at all. These pickups have no sparkle, no complexity to the tone. I actually liked the sound of the stock pickup better under gain! Now, I wasn't looking for metal. I wanted Santana, Jimmy Page, Allman Bros, etc, with some occasional trashy garage stuff thrown in. I didn't find it here.

The tone isn't fat so much as it is nasal, and I do have the 4 conductors wired properly. These pickups sound "congested." I can't get a decent clean sound to save my life-- the bass is mushy and there's just not enough natural high end in any position. Even with the treble turned up on my amps it sounds either dull or shrill. Distorted, they're ok, but then what humbuckers don't sound at least "ok" distorted? Again, they lack the harmonics in the upper register that gives a good distorted tone its "sizzle." You can roll off the tone knobs for a decent woody sound for solos, but rhythm work is total mush. Maybe in a brighter guitar they'd sound better, but in the all mahogany, 24.75" scale G400 all I get is sludge.

For the price I paid ($69 US after shipping) I'm disappointed. They aren't expensive pickups, but they're not great, either. I may try to exchange them for some Dream 180s or Fat PATs. I have a set of Dream 90s in a Tele and love them now, but these are definitely not for me.

HUmbuckers. 4 conductor on the nickels. 2 conductor on the golds - so check with Jay if you definitely want 4 conductor.
Impedance in about 8. Similar to a paf.

A fender strat plus deluxe.
A gibson 175.
Epihone joe pass.
Both positions both guitars.

Seems funny putting pafs in a strat, but it sure sounds good.

I rely on a good axe and a good amp. These pickups deliver. The vintage type lower impedance pickups give a full tone with sweet singing sustain. High impedance pups sound vey midrangey and muffled to me, so I like these. People ask me at every gig how i get such a good tone (really). Okay so a nice boogie amp helps, but these pups are as good as any others i have used.
To compare to gibson '57 pafs I would say the gfs has less gain and snarl in the mids, but a much clearer, wider tone. I guess to get the same sound as the gibbos, turn up the gain a notch or 2 and roll off the tone on your axe. For me, low gain and clear tone are good starting points so honestly, I would (and have) happily remove gibson pups and replace them with GFS.
On the 175, I have an sd jazz in the neck. Jazz's are a little toppier and less mid again. They both give sweet singing tone, the gfs's are a little fatter and more forgiving. Both good pups.
On the joe pass there is no comparison to the sad epiphone pickups.
I have installed a few gfs pups of different types into different axes and they are every bit as good as anything else on the market.
The 10 is not hyperbole. They will not make you play better, but the other top shelf boutique stuff is no better - just different depending on ypur tastes.
Coil taps make for some great extra sounds. The output halves, but you can get some really clear almost acoustic rhythm tones also. (Esp. using 2 pups)
20 something years of playing. 15 years as a pro. Tried heaps of stuff. Gfs is good.

Yes - GFS is great. My hard working paf strat does just about everything I need.
Recipie for any given gig/setlist: One good guitar, good pups and a good amp and that is about all you need. (Maybe a tube screamer as well)
I prefer these to gibson pups, but that is not to say gibbo's aren't cool- they just don't do the sounds I am after.
They have been in for over a year, so I am pretty happy now.
3rd set of these pups alone.

Pickup features: humbucking open coil
Impedence or other specs: 8.3 classic braided wireing

Model of guitar or bass: epiphone 67' v factor
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock epiphone's
Other pickups on guitar: replaced both
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): classic rock,blue's
Reason for pickup change: stock pickup's were to muddy and hot.

Perceived output level: normal vintage paf output
Tone: very balanced,nice low's and high's not trebly at all.
Sonic evaluation: i use a fender 65'showman and a behringer vtone head with bg412v loaded with bugera speaker,s. sound's great with both.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play a lot of blue's material now,these pickup's match up great.

Comments: i have been playing for over 25 year's now,alway's thought you had to pay alot of money for good sound.you don't have to anymore..if you research these gfs pickup's,you'll buy em.i own three different set's,luv'em all..you can't beat them for the $$$$.

Pickup features: Humbucking PAF Alnico magnets vintage construction
Impedence or other specs: 8.5

Model of guitar or bass: Squier Master Series Esprit
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Duncn design ceramic 59 copy
Other pickups on guitar: BOUTIQUE OVERWOUND PAF BRIDGE PICKUP H10
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Duncan Designed Ceramic neck 59 harsh sounding piece of junk

Perceived output level: standatd PAF output the same as a regular Duncan 59
Tone: warm and clear
Sonic evaluation: I am using this with a traynor YVC50 combo and a Boogie 1x12 theile ported cab loaded with vintage 30's. Effects: Barber Direct Drive, Ibanez TS-10, Analog man TS808 true vintage mod, Meistersinger chorus, and Line6 delay . I bought the Esprit for my Robben Ford tone lust but found the pickups really lacking. Thought I try GFS and what a differance. The 59 neck sounds very close to a USA Duncan 59 but with more warmth and clairity. It sounded great clean or distorted.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues,Jazz,Rock

Comments: Been playing for 34 years. I have been playing Duncan 59 necks (in my other guitars)for 15 years. Thought I would try somthing different and the (Korean made) GFS reviews were good. Also the price was a plus too. I am glad I bought these pups because the sound is so good. Only negative is you can only buy these on ebay and the spects are not listed on all the Ebay listings. But if you email Guitarfetish he gets back right away. Yes I would buy this pup again. I am thinking about changing all my guitars to GFS. One more thing the GFS boutique overwound bridge (I bought) really smokes too.