Any updates from long(er) GFS Memphis users?

[11 Gauge]

I guess I need to lay a little groundwork.

I've been fighting the humbucker tone for years (as in standard PAF styles). I can get them to work in the bridge quite well, but neck pickups have been just a marathon for me that's getting to the point of exhaustion.

I guess that I'm a true low output neck single coil sound of guy. That said, I currently have two HH guitars in my possession that I will never part with. One has a Strat pickup that's been cleverly mounted in a Gibby ring (reverse slant, no less), but it just has a strange sort of feel to it when flipping from the bucker and back again...

The other guitar currently has an Esquire type of guard that's temporarily covering the slot for a "better" bucker. I had a pair of Dream 180's in it, but pulled the neck unit. Nice extra chime, but still too much woof to it. And when lowered, it got really dull sounding. Probably perfect for playing Cream covers or doing the Steve Morse high gain thing, but not my cup of tea so much.

The output of a standard Strat pickup is nearly perfect, as is the general lack of bass. I don't need the neck pickup to completely abandon any semblance to the fact that it is a HB, but the output level needs to drop significantly, and a bit of the bass has to go away...

The GFS Nash and Liverpool seem to have a bit more bass going on, which is not what I'm really after. The Memphis seems to be the only one that keeps the bass low, the output low, and the trebles up there quite a bit. I'm sure that pickups like the TVJ stuff would probably be way better, but my pockets are too shallow at the moment - maybe someday.

I would really like some input from folks who've been using the Memphis for awhile now, and haven't pulled it in favor of something else. The pickup swapping thing isn't really my bag any more. I know what I like - I just don't know who offers it at a price that isn't a major investment (IMO). Ballpark will do, as long as the output and bass are reduced.

So opinions and thoughts (even on different pickups) would be appreciated!

[onenotetom]

Sorry this does not answer your question but I built a 2 pick-up strat style guitar for a guy with a dream 180 in the bridge and a dream 90 in the neck. Really like the 90 neck pick-up. 3 way switch with a push pull on the bridge. Great sounding guitar.

[wildschwein]

I dropped a set of the Memphis pups into a cheapo Chinese hollowbody LP-shaped guitar that I converted into a Rockabilly machine. I've been using the pups for close to a year. I got mine from an Australian guitar importer who buys the units from the same factory in Korea that the GFS items come from.

Based on your description I don't think you'll get exactly what you're looking for. There is certainly more top end and upper mids on tap than in other humbuckers - especially in the bridge position which gives a good "Kerang-ey" sound - but the neck sound is still reasonably "Jazzy". I have the neck pup screwed down almost flush with the mount to balance it with the output of the bridge pup. I guess it's kind of a warm vintage sound - it has a little edge to it; certainly more so than a regular PAF.

I think that the timbre is just probably the nature of sticking a pup in that position where the sound is harmonically darker; and it will always be a struggle to get a brighter sound without using an uncovered single coil - high output ceramic pups with a coil split option can sound good though in my experience. Having said that you'll probably struggle to find a humbucker with as much top end as the Memphis - and as you probably know - they're not the most expensive units on offer and are worth a go. I think they can't be beat for Rockabilly stuff and with some dirt they do AC/DC and Page crunch tones too. Maybe you could look into the GFS Vintage splits as well - I haven't tried them yet myself - but they're reputed to be quite top-endy:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/visphuclfest.html

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by wildschwein

Maybe you could look into the GFS Vintage splits as well - I haven't tried them yet myself - but they're reputed to be quite top-endy:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/visphuclfest.html

You know, I'm really considering them as well. I had a friend ages ago who had a Starcaster with a pair of the original Seth's, and it just had the coolest top end response that I've heard from a semi hollow. This was roughly 30 years ago, and I can still hear that guitar in my head.

...The GFS Vintage Splits don't have to nail the original Wide Ranges, but the overall response along with the ease of a standard PAF style mount (at a ridiculously low price - cheaper than the Memphis!) is certainly worth considering. I'm totally sold on the Dream 180 in the bridge, so I'm hoping I can pair it up with something that I like in the neck slot.

If I grab one before you do, I'll try to post my findings.

[wildschwein]

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

You know, I'm really considering them as well. I had a friend ages ago who had a Starcaster with a pair of the original Seth's, and it just had the coolest top end response that I've heard from a semi hollow. This was roughly 30 years ago, and I can still hear that guitar in my head.

...The GFS Vintage Splits don't have to nail the original Wide Ranges, but the overall response along with the ease of a standard PAF style mount (at a ridiculously low price - cheaper than the Memphis!) is certainly worth considering. I'm totally sold on the Dream 180 in the bridge, so I'm hoping I can pair it up with something that I like in the neck slot.

If I grab one before you do, I'll try to post my findings.

Cool...that would be good to know. I'm thinking about getting a pair in the next month or so.

[Al Nico]

I've been using a pair of GFS Memphis pups in a Reverend Jetstream (25.5" scale, bolt-on maple neck, TOM bridge) for almost a year now. I play 60s pop to modern hard rock covers. For me the bridge pup is nearly perfect for my needs. The neck is close in terms of covering the spectrum from PAF to pseudo-single coil IN A LIVE SETTING. I really had to play with pickup height and fuss with the volume treble bleep cap (I think I settled on a 0.002 uF cap, no resistor) to get the neck pup to clean up the way I needed it to, and to reduce the woofiness. Most versatile humbucker-shaped neck pup I've used so far... that said, it will never sound like or respond to playing like a strat single coil, esp if you A/B them while playing alone. I never liked the volume/frequ mismatch of mixing single coils with humbuckers, so I WILL be trying a TV Jones Classic in the neck to see if it gets me any closer.

For not as much bucks, you might also look into Bill & Becky Lawrence L600 (formerly L450) alnico-pole humbuckers. Very close to fender single coil sounds in a humbucker package. He should be able to wind one to the right impedance to match your needs. I had a set years ago - I would say they are less bassy than the Memphis, but just didn't have the top end liveliness and response under OD that i prefer with the Memphis.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by Al Nico

The neck is close in terms of covering the spectrum from PAF to pseudo-single coil IN A LIVE SETTING.

Most versatile humbucker-shaped neck pup I've used so far... that said, it will never sound like or respond to playing like a strat single coil, esp if you A/B them while playing alone.

For not as much bucks, you might also look into Bill & Becky Lawrence L600 (formerly L450) alnico-pole humbuckers. Very close to fender single coil sounds in a humbucker package. He should be able to wind one to the right impedance to match your needs. I had a set years ago - I would say they are less bassy than the Memphis, but just didn't have the top end liveliness and response under OD that i prefer with the Memphis.

Thanks - all GREAT info. The Memphis has to work at club volumes, and in a mix. I don't expect it to mimic a SC - I just want more top end and less low end than the typical PAF, so that's fine. The L600 info is also helpful - options are good. And it's also nice to have your insight on how those two in particular behave when overdriven, which is not uncommon when I'm using a neck 'bucker (hence the need to kill the woof and have good treble detail).

[11 Gauge]

Well, potentially bad news, at least for one of the two guitars in question.

I tried to drop the Dream 180 in the neck slot just as a test fit - sucker won't fit. No way, no how. I noticed that the GFS units appear to have a little bit of flare on the bottom of the cover - don't recall seeing that on actual Gibby pickups.

...Either way, I'm not opening up the route at all to drop in a $30 pickup that I might not be sold on. And I'd obviously have to repeat it to get a Dream 180 or similar in the bridge position.

The other guitar is not an issue - it's a basswood Squier that's already been adequately clearanced for the GFS stuff.

Man - too bad. I was going to actually grab a Memphis and a Vintage Split, and put one in each guitar. But this changes things.

...I guess my "last hope" would be a Pro Tube Humbucker, which I know will drop right in. But the reviews on those seem very mixed - not nearly as consistent and favorable as the M and the VS.

I was even considering pulling the covers, but I love the potting on my Dream 180's - nice and stable. I'd hate to compromise it.

I guess that the DiMarzio EJ bucker is starting to look more and more favorable. Or the aforementioned Lawrence, but I'd think the dust is still settling with Bill's move.

[JohnS]

Interesting. I put 2 Dreamatron 180's in a Gretsch G2626 and never noticed any flair.

[spauldingrules]

The Dimarzio "Humbucker From Hell" sounds like it would fit the bill perfectly. The name is very misleading - the pickup is much brighter and less powerful than PAF. I have a Duncan '59 in the bridge and the Humbucker from Hell in the neck, and through a tube amp it is like throwing a clean switch on when I go from bridge to neck. It sounds very much like a bright strat neck pickup, with no noise.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by spauldingrules

The Dimarzio "Humbucker From Hell" sounds like it would fit the bill perfectly.

I've played a couple of LP's with one of those in the neck slot on occasion, and did enjoy it quite a bit. I like how it held onto just enough PAF vibe to be interesting. And I knew one guy who put one in the bridge position of his LP - too bright for me personally, but it really worked for him.

...That's why I mentioned the new EJ pickup, because I have a feeling that DiMarzio borrowed a little bit of the design of the HfH when designing it. And they're the same price. I just don't know if the EJ possibly goes a bit too far from PAF land.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by JohnS

Interesting. I put 2 Dreamatron 180's in a Gretsch G2626 and never noticed any flair.

I'm looking at a Dream 180 right now, and the lower "lip" of the cover is definitely flared, I'm assuming for either added strength, or maybe the GFS covers use a thinner gauge of metal, and they're needed for sufficient strength. Mine are only about a year old, so maybe it's a production change.

On a guitar that originally had pickups with covers, or a semi hollow or full hollow archtop, I'd imagine anything with covers would drop right in. In the case of my particular guitar, it's a carved top solidbody that has always had exposed coil pickups in it, and they (ESP) seem to have gone to a bit of trouble to minimize the space in the pickup cavities. If it were an Epi, I could probably drop a GFS and a pocket full of loose change in there, with room to spare.

[Al Nico]

Hey 11 Gauge - any luck with finding something that fits (physically and sonically)?

Just wanted to update you with some more impressions of the Memphis neck. I actually got to try a TV Jones Classic in the same guitar, and surprisingly the Memphis compared very well. The TV Classic by comparison was lower output, had less woofy bass, less chimey top end, and a more smooth/balanced sound overall. The Memphis seemed a little more aggressive, and also had a more PAF character with OD. In the end, I thought they were both great pickups in the same sonic ballpark, just a bit different personality.

I'm actually going to order a custom Magnatron from TV Jones (A3 magnets, Powertron wind) to get the sound I want from this guitar, but just wanted to let you know my thoughts on the Memphis vs. the TV Jones Classic.