GFS Dream 180 (or Dream 90) pickups, anyone?

[Gear_Junky]

Hi. I'm curious if anyone here has these. I tried the search, but it wouldn't work.

I'm sure that not too many gibson owners replace pickups, but all you Epi and other LP players, how about you?

Thanks!

Uhm, just a guess but I dont think any LP owner, Epi or real Gibby would use GFS... They are ok for someone who doesnt play much or looking for a general tone for a cheapie guitar but not a LP Just MHO

Around these parts The big guys Like WCR and WB and other boutique makers are the norm..

BY the way, I have had several GFS Pu's just to see what the hype if any is and they are nothing special. Just in case you were wondering about the tone. I will probably get flamed for this but I call it like I sees it. I wind Pickups myself but make no claims about them being better or best etc....and will say another guys work is great if thats what my ears tell me. GFS uses a lot of buzz words but has been wrong in a lot of his ad type. Saying things about plain enamal fromvar, I know of no such wire made, formvar or plain enamal but not the 2 combined?? A lot of hype IMHO......

[Gear_Junky]

Madia, I understand about Gibsons (but maybe not the ceramic pups), but Epi pickups have a pretty bad rep, no? Unless you mean the high-end epis, which aren't the gibson copies, like the les pauls.

i used to have an epi lp custom years ago and had gibson classic '57 (and '57+ in bridge pos.) installed and i have to say, those are nice, but overpriced.

GFS does sell many cheap ceramic pups, some aren't even theirs, but the dreams and the "vintage '59" seem to have pretty good reviews on harmony central. even compared to classic '57's.

which ones did you try, by model? thx!

Hi, actually what I meant was most people who own LP's swap the pickups out for people like the boutique winders, some dont and thats cool if they like their tone more power to them. I dont know of a lot of LP gibby or epi owners who use GFS, I may be wrong, which I often am but none that I know of, mostly WB, Wolfe, WCR, Me, Spence, Possum, Smits, Manlius and on and on, never heard GFS in a Paul??

The ones I have tried were, the Fat PAF model, bridge was no where near fat, the neck muddy. The Tele model, dont remember which one, ok but not my bag, The strat PU's I have tried which are very few and some I have heard, forgive me for not knowing models and such but they all seemed to have the same tone, not really a vintage strat tone, more modern to my ears, bridge PU was thin on all. Thats the extent of my dealings with them. You may love them, I dont personally.

The people who seem to give them rave reveiws are the guys who dont have a lot of cash to lay down for a great custom wind nor have they really ever heard any boutique PU's. The GFS guy really had a great market angle and it is working but guys who really play for a living or even gig a lot know real tone and wont use anything but stock or custom PU's, that includes, Duncan, Dimarzio etc... Like I said this is Just my opinion, that and 1.00 will get you a small cup of coffee.

OH and the Gibby 57 classics are real good, they could have been even better had they not wax potted them to death, robbing them of overtones......

[PoorMan]

Originally Posted by Gear_Junky

Madia, I understand about Gibsons (but maybe not the ceramic pups), but Epi pickups have a pretty bad rep, no? Unless you mean the high-end epis, which aren't the gibson copies, like the les pauls.

i used to have an epi lp custom years ago and had gibson classic '57 (and '57+ in bridge pos.) installed and i have to say, those are nice, but overpriced.

GFS does sell many cheap ceramic pups, some aren't even theirs, but the dreams and the "vintage '59" seem to have pretty good reviews on harmony central. even compared to classic '57's.

which ones did you try, by model? thx!

I've never owned/heard one, but from what I've seen the GFS production methods and materials appear to be very similar (if not the same as) Epiphone. So I'm not sure it would be an "upgrade" or an improvement.

If you want inexpensive pickups, I'd look for used Duncans, DiMarzios or something to that effect.

[Gear_Junky]

Ok, guys, i'm really not in position to argue with you, i've only tried the dream 180's, the classic '57's and whatever stock they replaced - not much to go on, but a lot of reviewers on harmony central actually mention many expensive pickups they compared them with, so they're not all clueless, i'd think.

that's not to say that all GFS's are good. but i was hoping to hear from someone who tried/compared.

stock pickups on most budget guitars are ceramic (and throwaways) - i call them placeholders, because they couldn't really sell a guitar without pups.

i can really hear the diff with mine, very clear low-end, sweet/warm tone, but plenty bright. i'll be writing a review when i played them enough.

[J S Moore]

Epiphone is not far off the mark. As I understand GFS pickups are wound in Korea to the GFS guy's ( I can't remember his name) specifications. The 3 wire conductor is a dead giveaway. I have only ever seen that on Korean or Japanese pickups. The comment I hear with these is usually " good bang for the buck" which kind of says their not worth much more than the $20.00 or so that I have seen them go for.

[Gear_Junky]

My Dream 180's came with 5-wire lead (4+shield).

Maybe I could have this thread moved to "other Les Pauls" forum?

It's cool, no argument from me. If you dig em then rock on bro.... It's all personal taste anyhow.

All i'm saying is if and when you hear a custom wound boutique PU you will throw rocks at the GFS.... Seymour makes some really nice affordable stuff too. He still hands winds special order stuff for people and Seymour still has his MOJO when hand winding.... But hey, it's all about the music and having fun right?

Later Bro....

[hbucker]

I have experience with several GFS models and would say they compete well with pickups in the $60-70 range. Every GFS pickup I've ever played is better than every Epiphone pickup I've ever played. No contest.

The site text is a bit overblown. No doubt. But that doesn't diminish the value of the pickups, if you fit into the right market anyway.

[plecoman]

Originally Posted by Gear_Junky

Ok, guys, i'm really not in position to argue with you, i've only tried the dream 180's, the classic '57's and whatever stock they replaced - not much to go on, but a lot of reviewers on harmony central actually mention many expensive pickups they compared them with, so they're not all clueless, i'd think.

I wouldn't trust 80% of HC reviews anyways. You get people writing reviews on Marshall Tranny amps saying how it sounds better than His Original 60s PLexi, Bassman, and Dumble put together... Just cause they type it it doesn't mean they mean it.

I guess Hype is dangerous. As Madia said... they use all the BUZZWORDS I'd like to read when I choose a PU. their discriptions sound more fantastic than alot of handwound custom PUs... When that happens alarm bells should ring.

I have only heard a set, and I 'd rather get stock gibsons, or just some nice Duncans for that price range. A 2nd hand set of Duncan Seth lovers, 59s would smoke those GFS PUs away, for the same or less money. They might be ok for an epiphone guitar (*since the stock Epi PUs are pretty frighteningly toneless), but why bother when they are so many other cheap, good alternatives?

I also 2nd what Madia said, if you've heard a set of Handwoud PUs side by side to them, you will understand why the extra 100-200 Bucks. But if you like the GFS great! I have guitars with $600 set of humbuckers in them, but I still play an old Jackson with cheap Duncan JBs and Jazz in them because its still great tone.