GFS Pups for an Epiphone G-400

[Jbnaxx]

I have an Epiphone G-400 SG copy that is a sweet guitar, but the pickups sound like I have a blanket over the amp. I want an SG with twang. I have been eyeing some TV Jones for it, but the TVs would cost as much as the Epi..... Then I ran across the GFS brand on this site. I was thinking of trying a set of GFS Liverpools in it.

Any thoughts?

[motorfin]

I have a number of their pickups. I'm impressed with everything I've tried EXCEPT the over wound "fatbody" for the bridge. Ive got Duncans in one of my epis and dimarzio's in another and the GFS stuff I've tried has been great comparitively. They make a set of p-90's that fit into a humbucker space that I think would make your instrument come alive. Actually anything you put to replace the epi pickups should be a big upgrade for you. Their pickups tend to be pretty dark. At least the ones I've had come stock. All the GFS stuff I've tried have their own vibe. Different from some of the big name brands I've used.

[Jbnaxx]

I tried the Seymour Duncan Hot-Rodded set, but it still is not the jangle I am looking for. I would really like to get into a Gretsch-ish type of sound. I like a mostly clean type of sound..... I really love my Fenders, but this SG just has a thing going for it. I love the feel of the neck.

[scantron81]

Another, less invasive option (something useable on all sorts of instruments) is the BEE Sonic Maximizer pedal. It is described as "taking the blanket off your amp."

[motorfin]

If your looking for that open jangly, pop sound you don't want p90's. SG's are real rockers. It'll be a fun, interesting experiment getting that type sound out of one. The pickups your looking at, the TV's and the liverpools are going in the right direction.

[Delta Blues]

If you want jangle get a set of Crunchy Pats. They are only $25 a piece. The alnico 5 magnets will brighten things up and if you spend a extra $10 bucks and get the potentiometer with a coil tap, you'll be able to go from Gibson to Fender with a pull of the knob. Crunchy Pats are the best bang for the buck in pickups I've seen.

[Whoa Tele]

I've got a set of Nashville Retrotrons in my Gretsch 5120 which sound better than the stock pickups. Not exactly the Chet type tone I was after but close enough for the $ spent.

[Dan German]

There's a lot of love around here for the various versions of the Retrotron. I put the Nashvilles in a semi-hollow that had muddy cheap stock HBs in it before, and it really woke the guitar up. Jangle is definitely a good word to describe it. As you say, TV Jones would be great, but my guitar only cost $200, so it's hard to justify big pickup money. The only thing I did wrong with that one was to give it to my bro-in-law for a wedding present. Stupid stupid generous stupid me.

[stilesg57]

In the GFS price range, also check out the offerings from ToneRider. If you're willing to spend a little more and get an incredible set of pups, take a look at Zhangbuckers.

[Jbnaxx]

Update....

I chickened out on the GFS pups. Instead, I just ordered a set of Stew Mac Parsons Street humbuckers. That original Gibson PAF sound seemed to be a proper fit for the Epi SG. We will see when they arrive.............

[TG]

I've tried loads of pickups in SGs and, although I could get a good bridge pickup sound, I had a terrible time with neck pickups. Pickups I loved in my Les Paul would mid-mud in the SG.

I've also gone through at least 15 GFS pickups and they all came back out and were sold on.
I think most of their claims are BS and some of the advertising comments are 'economical with the truth', to say the least. I've not been an advocate of their's around here.
(And I'm a Mighty Mite and Tonerider fan, so price snobbery isn't an issue.)


However...

I gave it one more go and solved both of the above 'problems'.

GFS Mean 90 neck pickup.

In my SG it's fantastic and, along with the Duncan 59 humbucker in the bridge, I now have a 3-switch setting usable SG for the first time ever.

And GFS have finally made a pickup I approve of.

[Hoodster]

Dream 90's are great!

[Codger]

Originally Posted by Hoodster

Dream 90's are great!

+1
That's what I'd try.

[Jbnaxx]

I had a Tele with P-90s in it for a while. It was love, not-so-love. I loved the sound of both of them together, but wasn't too wild about either position alone. To me, that vintage Gibson sound is something special. I hope the Stew-Macs capture a little of that.

[Hoodster]

IMO Dream 90's have much better clarity than traditional P90s.

[el cheapo]

Whatever pickups you settle on, take the time to adjust them. Pickup height can make a big difference! So can a little patience, by the way.

[htwheelz67]

get a Fat pat bridge and 59 in the neck, the fat pat still has a nice PAF sound but hotter and the 59 just sings in the neck, the crunchy pat is more like a super distortion and has ceramic mags and doesnt have the warmth as the Fat Pat. Also before you do anything replace the stock epiphone pots with full size cts pots and capacitor, just doing that will make your stock pickups sound 100 times better, I did it on my epiphone Les Paul Plus top and I almost didnt want to change the pickups but they had some microphonics at high volumes, I swapped in the fat Pat and 59, frankly the Fat Pat is only slightly hotter than the stock Hotch bridge but clearer but the 59 neck sounds like a really high end PAF, I have A/B it to the duncan 59 and the GFS sounds better. I dont quite know the sound you are after but if you want a set of pickups that will completely transform your SG into a tone machine and wont break the bank get a set of Bill Lawrence (Wilde Pickups the real ones) L90's or L500's The L 90's are about the sweetest sounding humbucker made, BUT they are kind of ugly but 60 bucks each and I dont think at even twice the price you will find a better sounding pickup.

http://wildepickups.com/Wilde_Bill_s_Twin_Blades.html

[Jbnaxx]

Update.... I installed the new Stew Mac Parsons Street humbuckers in the Epi SG. The Stew Macs were well made with a vintage type 2-wire set up. They came with their own screws and springs... installation was easy.

The sound?.... there is no question that these are a vast improvement over the stock Epi pups. Very smooth tone over the entire range from highs to lows. I A-B'd them with my tele with a Duncan 59 HB neck... the Stew Macs are similar in tone to the 59, not as strong as the 59s but there is a certain smoothness to the Stew Macs compared to the 59s.

I can't say they nail the vintage Gibson tone, but are a very nice step in that direction...... I am pleased.

[mulic3]

Gfs' pickups offer great value imho