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Kessel Pan
http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=7323		 Page 3 of 4
Author:  Barry [ Tue 19 Apr 2011 03:53 PM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Lurchin wrote:
Nice job :up: I never noticed that the F holes are 3 piece , how cool is that ! I don't think I've seen f holes like that before.

Me neither. Good eye. I totally missed that!
Author:  Gribb59 [ Tue 19 Apr 2011 04:49 PM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Quote:
Let us know how you like your new GFS min HB 59's... I have seen GFS on Ebay but do not know of them...They offer lots of variations....Would be interested on your opinion on them and why you chose them?



I've had really good luck with GFS pick-ups myself, though I have never tried the mini-humbuckers. I'd be interested in your opinion on these as well. My old Epiphone Riviera has mini's on it and it sounds fantastic. I don't know why you don't see them on more guitars. An inspired choice and well done, your guitar looks terrific! :D
Author:  Frenchy [ Tue 19 Apr 2011 08:31 PM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Gribb59 wrote:
I've had really good luck with GFS pick-ups myself


Hey Gribb, do you know the models of your GFS?...
Author:  Fajah [ Wed 20 Apr 2011 04:10 AM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
First, thanks to everyone for the compliments on the guitar. In answer to some of the specifics:

Barry wrote:
I'm still not a big fan of Bigsby's on these guitars.


I was never a big fan of Bigsby's in general. However, I've got a new blues/jazz band project starting and we'll be playing some Beck and Johnny A, so I'll be needing a trem. I happened to like the look of the Bigsby on the Gibson Johnny A Signature, so I thought I'd give it a shot. It's a solid unit and I like using it.

Quote:
Frenchy wrote:
Let us know how you like your new GFS min HB 59's... I have seen GFS on Ebay but do not know of them...They offer lots of variations....Would be interested on your opinion on them and why you chose them?


Gribb59 wrote:
I've had really good luck with GFS pick-ups myself, though I have never tried the mini-humbuckers. I'd be interested in your opinion on these as well. My old Epiphone Riviera has mini's on it and it sounds fantastic. I don't know why you don't see them on more guitars. An inspired choice and well done, your guitar looks terrific! :D


Regarding the GFS pickups, I've been using them for a number of years now and like them. I have a Lil Killer strat pickup (Vintage 6k version) installed in my Douglas Pisces bass.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/Lil-Kille ... p_461.html

I've installed three Pure Vintage Neovin neck pickups in three tele style guitars for friends of mine, including my own SX STL Ash.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/Neovin-ne ... c_142.html

In all cases, I found the pickups to be warm, clear, and totally noise free. GFS' price point makes it easy on the wallet to experiment with and IMO, a decent investment relative to the cost of the instruments. I've been lucky that they've all worked for me. That being said, here are my initial impressions:

1) I chose the 59's first and foremost for the size. They were the closest to the stock pickups.
2) I had to improvise a bit when installing them for the mounting hardware is not designed for a hollow body guitar without a center block. I managed to get small screws and nuts from Home Depot and used the stock springs. It worked out fine but I have to remove the pickups to adjust their height.
3) They are super quiet (which I like) and the output is low..... which is what they're supposed to be. I have them wired to 250k CTS pots with .047 orange drop caps. They're warm but not muddy. GFS doesn't recommend any pot/cap values for the 59's. 500k pots with .022 caps would certainly make them brighter. They would probably be too bright for my taste.

I have a jazz trio rehearsal tomorrow night, so that will be the first crack at how they sound at volume. I'm going to do up a video with more specifics on Friday.
Author:  Barry [ Wed 20 Apr 2011 08:03 AM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Thanks for that information on the GFS pups Fajah. Many of us here are interested in this brand for mods and replacements.
A few of us have already made the replacement and others, like me, are waiting on a happier financial situation to try them. I haven't really heard any negative comments on the GFS pups, either here or elsewhere.
Looking forward to hearing them! :hyper:
Author:  Gribb59 [ Wed 20 Apr 2011 10:06 AM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Quote:
Corsair wrote;
Hey Gribb, do you know the models of your GFS?...


Of course!

In the recently aquired "Cat" I have a pr of the Alnico "Fat Pats". Made a HUGE difference in this guitar, and even with the coils split there are a lot of good usable tones there.

The Skylark project has one each of the Dream and Mean p-90's. Sounds great and they're pretty quiet for single coils. ( I wasn't trying for anything speacial by mixing the Mean and Dream PUPS. It was a back order situation and I didn't want to wait !)

My PE-450 has 2 of the "Filtertron" copies, a Nashville and a Liverpool. Again not going for anything in paticular with the mixing, it was just getting what they had available at the time. Impatiant, aren't I ? :blush: These were probably the nicest surprise and as advertised nail that Gr*tsch and Ric sound repectively. The PE-450 is definately a go-to axe when I'm looking for something a little different.

In general have had really easy dealings with the folks at GFS. For bang for the buck it's hard to imagine a better deal out there, at least stateside. I'm sure the higher-end boutique pups add yet another level tonaly, but I'm not about to drop a $300 pick-up into a $200 guitar! Call me cheap, that's ok! :D

I'm a little less enthralled with their hardware, but you get what you pay for in most cases.

Some day I'll get around to posting some sound clips of these. It's on my to-do list, but my "honey-do" list keeps getting in the way. :)

_G
Author:  Barry [ Wed 20 Apr 2011 10:21 AM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Gribb59 wrote:
...I'm not about to drop a $300 pick-up into a $200 guitar!...
Exactly! It's great to have this option eh?

addendum
I was thinking as I wrote the above that I had purchased my chrome pup mounting rings for my Urchin resto from these folks. I checked, and I did!
They were top quality and the price was unbeatable at $10 for the pair. So in that instance at least, the hardware exceeded expectations.
http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6058&hilit=u60t&start=140#p42176
Author:  Frenchy [ Thu 21 Apr 2011 12:35 PM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
I would like to thank Fajah :thanks:

He was generous enough to send me his pick ups without asking anything in return.... Just got them in...

I will be able to advance on this little project of mine:

Attachment:
File comment: Aria Rebuild
9438.jpg
9438.jpg [ 94.65 KiB | Viewed 792 times ]


Again, Thank you....

Pierre
Author:  Fajah [ Thu 21 Apr 2011 01:46 PM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Frenchy wrote:
I would like to thank Fajah :thanks:

He was generous enough to send me his pick ups without asking anything in return.... Just got them in...

Again, Thank you....

Pierre


Great....you got them! Again, my pleasure. Looking forward to seeing your project completed.
Author:  Fajah [ Fri 22 Apr 2011 04:52 PM ]
Post subject:  Re: Kessel Pan
Barry wrote:
Thanks for that information on the GFS pups Fajah. Many of us here are interested in this brand for mods and replacements.
A few of us have already made the replacement and others, like me, are waiting on a happier financial situation to try them. I haven't really heard any negative comments on the GFS pups, either here or elsewhere.
Looking forward to hearing them! :hyper:


Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqAfGHZVcPA
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