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GFS Pickups in Guitar Player

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(@Anonymous)
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Filtertron is the high-end Gretsch humbucker - think Brian Setzer. It's a quite distinctive, nasal (IMHO) sound. You'd have to love it to want your guitar sounding like that!

The GFS humbuckers that I've heard are very good, sound more like DiMarzio (Parker Fly) than anything else I can think of... haven't heard their PAF replacements, but I should think they'd be good and quite authentic-sounding. Their single-coil pups are excellent, almost Seymour Duncan-ish in sound.

Thanks for the info PV...Now I know who to call when I attempt to install them!!

On a side note...GuitarFetish ships FAST!! I ordered them this morning and had a tracking number before 3pm! I like that in a company!! If I like these pickups I may just purchase a cheap SX LP or other humbucker guitar and upgrade with GFS.


   
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(@pvtele)
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Now I know who to call when I attempt to install them!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

It's a fair step from Dorset, UK to Rochester, NY, just to wield a soldering iron! And I'm hopeless with a router - carpentry scares me :shock:


   
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(@slejhamer)
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Filtertron is the high-end Gretsch humbucker - think Brian Setzer. It's a quite distinctive, nasal (IMHO) sound. You'd have to love it to want your guitar sounding like that!

I think that's a somewhat limited description of the classic Gretsch tone. :)

Yes, definitely rockabilly and country.

But Billy Gibbons plays a Gretsch with "powertrons" (basically just hot-wound filtertrons.) Nothing nasal about his tone.

http://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/index.php?product=G6199&cat1=&cat2=&q=&st=1

Anyway, the GFS "retrotron" series is supposed to be based on the Gretsch filtertrons. You can hear sample clips from four of them here:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsrehotnaov1.html

And one more of them here:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/meal2ritovij.html

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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(@artguitarhendsbee)
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Joined: 18 years ago
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Would the Fat Pafs give me a good high end crunch sound on the bridge, pinch harmonics and stuff?


   
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(@duffmaster)
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Newb Question: What does PAF stand for?

Who needs a signature?
I mean really...
It's almost always lyrics...
or a cliche...
or garbage about me...
Lets just save YOU from the pain, ok?


   
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(@off-he-goes)
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Newb Question: What does PAF stand for?

I believed it originally stood for "Patent Applied For" but I think know its more so a genre name. Pickups of the same style as the original PAFS.

Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.


   
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(@the-dali)
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Yes, Patent Applied For. PAF was the standard Gibson humbucker back in the day... they had applied for a patent on the design, and the Gibson humbuckers became known simply as PAF. Newer versions (and different windings, etc) of humbuckers surfaced but the "classic Gibson sound" humbucker is known as PAF.

PAF will get you more of a creamy, classic rock sound. If you want a more aggressive sound you want to look at "hotter" pickups.

GFS humbuckers are great.

Mike - you changed your avatar! Took me a second to recognize you! Hey, why didn't have the Sabres logo at the start of the season (and not deep into the playoffs yet)?!?!!?

-=- Steve

"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"


   
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(@Anonymous)
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Mike - you changed your avatar! Took me a second to recognize you! Hey, why didn't have the Sabres logo at the start of the season (and not deep into the playoffs yet)?!?!!?

I am originally from Buffalo (currently in Rochester) and been a Sabres fan my whole life. However since this is a GUITAR forum I kept the logo related. Since this is the playoffs I decided for the short time this avatar would be fine. Don't worry, I am not just hopping on the band wagon!


   
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(@the-dali)
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*sigh* from a long-suffering Bruins fan...

-=- Steve

"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"


   
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(@pvtele)
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Filtertron is the high-end Gretsch humbucker - think Brian Setzer. It's a quite distinctive, nasal (IMHO) sound.

I think that's a somewhat limited description of the classic Gretsch tone. :)
Well, I did say IMHO. I tend to judge everything against single-coils, which isn't really fair to humbuckers.

But Billy Gibbons plays a Gretsch with "powertrons" (basically just hot-wound filtertrons.) Nothing nasal about his tone.
No, but his very thick overdrive changes it a lot. But listen again to his pinch harmonics - that bridge-of-the-nose sound comes through again. Well it does to me :wink:

I listened to the GFS Retrotrons - and the Memphis one is just what I'm getting at! I don't dislike the sound, don't get me wrong, but it's such a strong flavour I couldn't live with it for my main axe. It'd be like putting Jalapeno peppers in everything you cook. Delicious in the right place, but not all the time :shock:


   
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(@doug_c)
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No, but his very thick overdrive changes it a lot. But listen again to his pinch harmonics - that bridge-of-the-nose sound comes through again. Well it does to me :wink:Of course now I can't find the article where Billy was talking about pinch harmonics, but I thought he'd called them "buzzies." It just might've been "squealies," in which case, there might be some stuff in the outro of "La Grange" that fits the above description. But, that's . ("Everyone's got one . . . ")
I listened to the GFS Retrotrons - and the Memphis one is just what I'm getting at! I don't dislike the sound, don't get me wrong, but it's such a strong flavour I couldn't live with it for my main axe. It'd be like putting Jalapeno peppers in everything you cook. Delicious in the right place, but not all the time :shock:I like that analogy. 8)
"The jalapeño rates between 2,500 and 8,000 Scoville units in heat. Handling fresh jalapeños may cause skin burns - wear latex or vinyl gloves while cutting, skinning, or seeding jalapeños." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalapeno
And there are varieties out there that rate seven to eight million Scoville units!


   
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(@duffmaster)
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2 notes here: One japalapino's are not hot enough for me. Habarnaro's on everything

Second, I have played the gretch billy gibsons plays, and I do not like it. But thats just me.

Who needs a signature?
I mean really...
It's almost always lyrics...
or a cliche...
or garbage about me...
Lets just save YOU from the pain, ok?


   
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(@off-he-goes)
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Posts: 1259
 

*sigh* from a long-suffering Bruins fan...

I'm suffering to man, Leafs fan myself. Hoping for Edmonton to take the cup though. But it took me a while to realize who it was, with the avatar change, I needed a second glance.

Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.


   
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(@pvtele)
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It just might've been "squealies," in which case, there might be some stuff in the outro of "La Grange" that fits the above description.

If I remember rightly, it's "squealies"! Yes, "La Grange" would fit, I think... He usually slips one in somewhere - does 'em as well as anyone, does Billy!


   
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(@slejhamer)
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Jeez, do I need to mention the Kings? Or the Caps? My teams blow.

Love chipotles! Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.

I'd pick P90s over Filtertrons any day - I have a pair of GFS Dream 90s in my Artcore. Spicy hot!

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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