GFS Tele pick-ups

[Jamie K]

Hey folks:

I know there are a few GFS pickup advocates on the board, so I thought I'd inquire:

of the various tele replacement pick-ups available from GFS, is there an obvious standout choice, or does it really just come down trusting the descriptions on the website and getting a reasonable match output-wise between the neck and bridge?

The guitar in question is my son's F*nd@r Squire Affinity, and the pick-ups and 3-way switch on this Chinese axe are the weak links in an otherwise (surprisingly) nice little guitar. I plan to replace both using GFS components, then he and I will commence the "relic-ing" process!

Don't want it crazy-overwound p-90 sounding, nor too weak and trebly. Based on the website, I was kind of leaning toward the Repro Vintage Alnico Tele Neck Pickup and the Repro 1950'S Telecaster Alnico Boutique Bridge Pickup (7.2K in the bridge).

They've got a set of ceramic tele pickups they are blowing out here, but they look a bit questionable and maybe the same as what's in the guitar now (more or less).

Any experience or recommendations? Thanks,

Jamie

[tomteriffic]

Jamie, it kind of depends on what you consider to be the 'right' Tele sound. I tend to lean toward the original '52 very fat vintage sound. As the years wore on, Fender (and then CBS) backed off the heat on the Tele bridge pickup until you got to the mid-60's, which sound like an icepick in your ear.

If your idea of the 'right' bridge tone is the mid-50's, than you probably have made a good choice. If you'd like to get into something a little fatter and closer to the very early Broadcaster, look at the Hot Lead Alnico Overwound. It meters at 10K but is not at all P-90-ish. It's pretty close to a Duncan Broadcaster (not quite as fat sounding and almost as loud) for less than half the price. I've got two in a couple of Yamaha Pacifica Telecopies and they sound pretty good. BTW, the neck pickups in both are Duncan '54 necks with gold covers and tonally, the GFS and Duncan are a good pairing.

[Jamie K]

TomT-

Thanks for the good scoop....the Hot Lead Alnico Overwound sounds pretty interesting for the bridge. I think I'd like to have it with the extra oomph, then roll back the volume to tame it down when needed.

If I go with the Hot Lead in the bridge, is there a GFS neck pick-up that would be best to go along with it? (not really interested in going up to the Duncan for this guitar)

Jamie

[serial]

While I really like the stock Tele pickup "Spank", I dont' find it very useful for the stuff I'm playing out (mostly heavier rock and pop-70s-00s) and single coil Tele pickups will squeal louder than Ned Beatty in "Deliverance" in those high gain situations. I found the perfect solution in the GFS "hot" rail humbucker for Teles. Forget the name-something like "Lil' Puncher" or something, but the pickup is thick and toneful and can take loud rock in stride. The added harmonics are really nice too. One of those pickups that I just fell in love with immediately at first listen, thought it was a fluke, but keep hearing nothing but love. I just picked up another one yesterday for another Tele that I love, but again, b/c of the stock Fender Vintage pickup, don't get the chance to gig with.

HIGHLY recommended and unbelievably cheap.

[hardheartedbill]

I've been SUPER happy w/ the GFS alnico hot bridge strat sets, not tried their tele styles but the hot alnicos sound great IMO. I use the alnico hot bridge for everything from The Eagles to Ozzy in Soulbone, happy w/ all the tones from my GFS ( I have 2 strats loaded w/ em )

[Submariner85]

I have to agree with you on the Affinity being very good for the money. My daughter has one and it plays and feels real nice. I was very surprised. I took the single out and replaced the bridge with one that would accept a humbucker and made it a "string through", body ferrules and all since the original bridge was a string through the bridge set up. I put a stock Dean HB in hers that's pretty hot. Sounds great now.

My Hamer TLE has a Duncan Quarter Pounder in it. That might be another good choice for replacing the single but from what I've heard, mostly here, GFS are great for the money. Good luck.

This is what it looked like when I bought it.

This is what it looks like now.

[BadgerDave]

Jamie,

I have a set for sale. Check the For Sale/Pay It Forward Board.

Thanks,

BD

[Jamie K]

thanks for all the inputs....definitely got me thinking outside the box. Looks like I'm gonna buy Badger Dave's GFS set....pretty cool the way stuff works out around here when you throw out a question!

Jamie