Anybody try a GFS lipstick tele pickup?

[sjohnbruton]

I just ordered a lipstick tele bridge pickup from GuitarFetish. This one:



It's for my Danelectro inspired Tele build here.

Anybody ever use one of these? I would love to hear how it sounds. Any comments would be helpful too. Thanks.

[crazydave911]

Well, I put a set in a Squier 51 for a friend (exc the bridge pup was one of the humbucker jobbies ). I tried to buy it from him for over a year . I think they sound good, but what do I know?

[Picton]

I put one on my challenge build. I can't say enough good things about those ProTubes. I actually like the low-output ones a little better, but they obviously won't fit in a tele.

Perfect for surf.

[sjohnbruton]

Originally Posted by crazydave911

Well, I put a set in a Squier 51 for a friend (exc the bridge pup was one of the humbucker jobbies ). I tried to buy it from him for over a year . I think they sound good, but what do I know?

You know plenty. Thanks for the input Dave.

Originally Posted by Picton

I put one on my challenge build. I can't say enough good things about those ProTubes. I actually like the low-output ones a little better, but they obviously won't fit in a tele.

Perfect for surf.

I'll have to go back and look at your Challenge video again. I must have missed that... Anyway, thank for the comments.

[Flakey]

Yep and I put a strat middle pickup in the neck position. Sounds great! I get a nice clean Duane Eddy tone from mine. Great pickups!

[sjohnbruton]

Got my Pro Tube bridge pup a few days ago.

It looks great, but when I was trying to test fit it to the bridge (a StewMac #4583 traditional style), I found that the pickup adjustment screw holes are not placed properly. The pup fits the hole, but the screws don't!

I know the bridge is correct. I have other pups, both Fender and others, that do fit. It seems the screw hole nearest the neck is slightly too far forward.

I can't redrill/ retap the baseplate because the new hole would overlap the mislocated hole. Only thing I can think of is to extend the hole on the bridge to accommodate the pickup and maybe cover the elongated hole with a small washer. Not ideal...

Anybody got an idea on how to fix? Or at least how to make it work?

[Shidoin]

I put a set of low winds in a MIJ Strat. I think it sounds great; still stratty, but with it's own funky, compressed tone. Wonderful for roots type music, surf especially.

[Flakey]

Originally Posted by sjohnbruton

Got my Pro Tube bridge pup a few days ago.

It looks great, but when I was trying to test fit it to the bridge (a StewMac #4583 traditional style), I found that the pickup adjustment screw holes are not placed properly. The pup fits the hole, but the screws don't!

I know the bridge is correct. I have other pups, both Fender and others, that do fit. It seems the screw hole nearest the neck is slightly too far forward.

I can't redrill/ retap the baseplate because the new hole would overlap the mislocated hole. Only thing I can think of is to extend the hole on the bridge to accommodate the pickup and maybe cover the elongated hole with a small washer. Not ideal...

Anybody got an idea on how to fix? Or at least how to make it work?

I just don't use the middle screw. The pickup doesn't have pole pieces in it anyways. The dano pickups were just a long magnet with copper coils wrapped around it the two end screws would adjust the height enough for those pickups.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by sjohnbruton

Anybody got an idea on how to fix? Or at least how to make it work?

I'd email GFS first, after all, it is new . I had issues with one of their pups once, they sent me a new one and had me return the old one in the same box, post paid. Can't beat that

[sjohnbruton]

Originally Posted by crazydave911

I'd email GFS first, after all, it is new . I had issues with one of their pups once, they sent me a new one and had me return the old one in the same box, post paid. Can't beat that

I've already started that process. I'm sure they will fix the situation. They seem pretty responsive.

I just hope that the one I got is the lone mistake, not a tooling error on all of them!

[Picton]

Originally Posted by crazydave911

I'd email GFS first, after all, it is new . I had issues with one of their pups once, they sent me a new one and had me return the old one in the same box, post paid. Can't beat that

This is what I would do.

I used the exact same pickup/bridge combo and had no issues at all. Must be a minor error someplace; either GFS or StewMac will make it right. You're probably not too far wrong to assume the error is GFS', but if not you'll get good service from StewMac as well.

[littlericky]

Couldn't you just drill out the hole enough to allow some wiggle room yet still have the screw head cover it?

[sjohnbruton]

Originally Posted by Picton

I used the exact same pickup/bridge combo and had no issues at all. Must be a minor error someplace; either GFS or StewMac will make it right. You're probably not too far wrong to assume the error is GFS', but if not you'll get good service from StewMac as well.

I think the error is GFS. The StewMac bridge fits several other pickups perfectly.

Originally Posted by littlericky

Couldn't you just drill out the hole enough to allow some wiggle room yet still have the screw head cover it?

Yes and no. Yes, I could lengthen the hole to make it work, but no, I don't think the screw head would cover the larger hole completely.

BTW, GFS wants me to email them a couple of photos of the error. I will post here, too.

[sjohnbruton]

These are the pics I'm sending to GFS.

Here is the offending pickup.



Here it is lined up with the bridge. Sorry for the slightly out of focus...



And here is a close-up of the misaligned hole.



It's pretty far off. Much too far to be workable.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by sjohnbruton

BTW, GFS wants me to email them a couple of photos of the error. I will post here, too.

Cool!

Originally Posted by sjohnbruton

It's pretty far off. Much too far to be workable.

It actually looks like they're all off a little. It doesn't seem to be centered in the bridge plate even with the back two lined up

[Jimmy Dean]

Love 'em. Put one of these plus a Strat neck tube in my Squier 51.