Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Hi all, right now I'm talking to vintage clubber to do some pre-assembled pickguard work for me. He suggested me a GFS Fat Alnico PAF Bridge Humbucker and Kent Armstrong Tweedtones in the neck and middle. I was originally going to want to do a duncan setup; TB-5 Trembucker in bridge, Cool rails in mid, and SVR-1 Vintage rails in the neck. It would cost about 325 for the duncan setup compared to the GFS and Tweedtones. I read some reviews on the GFS and some people said it was "crunchy" which is what i would like. Now the problem is I dont know about the Tweedtones because I think they would have low output in the neck/mid position.Should i go with the duncan setup or the one he suggested? Also, my other question..If i were to go for the setup he suggested and probably the pups had mediocre output, should i replace the pots? 500k perhaps? Possibly 1meg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jjpistols Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 you are in good hands, man - VC knows his {censored} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 i know that! but really though,has anyone tried/own this setup on an axe? I really want to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackface Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 I got the kent armstrongs that are supposed to have lower output than tweedtones and they were alot higher than I expected. I'll bet the tweedtones will be pretty hot for a normal single coil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 sweet! Oh wait.. did i ever say that this stuff is going on a Fender Fat strat? Anyhow.. back on the pots.. and pups..anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members powerplayj Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 If you go with the GFS FAT Alnico's for the bridge, I would get the uncovered ones. The chrome-covered ones were not as articulate as I had hoped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 ok got it. I heard that the GSF was extremely cheap..how cheap is it? BTW, Anyone have a picture of the GFS Fat Alnico PAF? all i get is like the Overwound or vintage version of it from guitarfetish.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AtomHeartMother Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 If you're going to go with Tweedtones, get the normal version versus the overwound. The Tweedtones are a little higher output for Strat pickups, but are still very low output...WAY lower in output than the rails pickups from Duncan. They are definately tradition/vintage voiced and sound like a Strat should (unlike the Rails pickups). I have them in my Pro Tone Strat and they sound excellent. They are very crisp sounding and can be thin or thick sounding depending on the amp settings. Do the GFS Fat Alnicos (or whatever) come with trem spacing? I'm not sure. Does Kent Armstrong not carry a trem spaced humbucker. I have the KA PAF in the neck of my Tele and it is surprisingly a very good pickup. Some might find it a bit muddy for a PAF, but it does a really nice blues/jazz sound for me. I believe the GFS Fat Alnicos are around $30-40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Wow the GSF is THAT cheap? jeez i was expecting atleast 50-69$. Since you somewhat agreee with me that the Tweedtones are low output, would you suggest to get maybe 500k pots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JetCityMatt Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Originally posted by GuitarxFreak Wow the GSF is THAT cheap? jeez i was expecting atleast 50-69$. Since you somewhat agreee with me that the Tweedtones are low output, would you suggest to get maybe 500k pots? As you know, single coil pickups have very low output compared to humbuckers. My understanding is that because single coils don't put out a lot of signal 250K pots are enough for them. Corrections from other posters are definitely welcome (if I am mistaken), but I think that you normally upgrade to higher pot values like 500K in order to allow all of the higher output of a humbucker to get through... When you use a 250K pot with a humbucker I think the part of the signal that is cut off and not alllowed through is the higher frequencies. So if I have any idea what I'm talking about here , using a higher value pot will not have a huge effect with single coils- since they are not putting out too much signal for that 250K pot. I'm pretty sure that the main difference you hear from upgrading to higher value pots is increased treble/presence- not so much an increase in output (particualrly with single coils which don't have that much output in the first place). So you guys.......... do I have any idea what I'm talking about here or am I a little mixed up about precisely what effect diffferent pot values have? Does anyone have a link to a good website that describes exactly what different pot values do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JetCityMatt Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Originally posted by AtomHeartMother If you're going to go with Tweedtones, get the normal version versus the overwound. The Tweedtones are a little higher output for Strat pickups, but are still very low output...WAY lower in output than the rails pickups from Duncan. They are definately tradition/vintage voiced and sound like a Strat should (unlike the Rails pickups). I have them in my Pro Tone Strat and they sound excellent. They are very crisp sounding and can be thin or thick sounding depending on the amp settings. If he's putting a humbucker in the bridge wouldn't he want the overwound single for a volume match between the humbucker and the middle single coil? Or is the GFS a really low output humbucker? Duncan now also makes a Vintage Rails which sounds like a single coil, in addition to the cool rails which they say is like a vintage humbucker and the hot rails which they say is like a high output humbucker.I'm pretty happy with the vintage rails... but I don't have a second guitar to do comparison tests between it and a real single coil. Anyone here done an A/B with a Vintage Rails and a conventional single coil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JetCityMatt Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Originally posted by AtomHeartMother If you're going to go with Tweedtones, get the normal version versus the overwound. The Tweedtones are a little higher output for Strat pickups, but are still very low output...WAY lower in output than the rails pickups from Duncan. They are definately tradition/vintage voiced and sound like a Strat should (unlike the Rails pickups). I have them in my Pro Tone Strat and they sound excellent. They are very crisp sounding and can be thin or thick sounding depending on the amp settings. Shouldn't he go with the overwound for the middle pickup to more closely match the output of the humbuker or is the GFS a really low output humbucker? I have a Duncan Custom bucker in the bridge of my strat and a DiMarzio HS-3 in the middle. The HS-3 is very low output for a stacked humbucker and has just a tiny bit more output than a single and it is WAY quieter than my humbucker- not good. Going with a single that is not overwound for the middle would probably mean that he'd have to adjust it so high that he'd hit the polepieces when picking (which is the situation I am dealing with with the HS-3). Also, Duncan is now making the Vintage Rails, which does sound like a single coil- unlike the cool rails and hot rails, which Duncan says sounds like a vintage bucker and a high output bucker, respectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jim7895 Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 I have the Tweedtones for the neck and middle of the my Godin. I LOVE the way they sound. Very clear and well defined. I don't have very much experience with single coils, so I wouldn't know how these compare in "hotness". All I know is, they really kick butt. I got them from Vintage Clubber. There is a Rio Grande Tallboy in the bridge with a switching mod (see the Godin link in my gear webpage link in my sig). I haven't noticed any volume problems when switching between pups, but this particular Rio Grande model is not high output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Yeah,that was what i was thinking Matt, that the overwounded version would give more output if the regular ones were already low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jjpistols Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 I repeat Originally posted by jjpistols you are in good hands, man - VC knows his {censored} don't worry - all will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jjpistols Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 but yeah.. I think I have been convinced enough to get the fat GSF alnico and Tweedtones. I already emailed back Vintage clubber about my decision. He seemed quite busy on friday and today.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JetCityMatt Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Originally posted by JetCityMatt Shouldn't he go with the overwound for the middle pickup to more closely match the output of the humbucker?Wouldn't going with a normal/low output single (that is not overwound) in middle position mean that he'd have to adjust it up so high to match the higher output of the humbucker that he'd hit the polepieces when picking?Or is the GFS a low output humbucker? Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 I still dont know for no one answered that yet :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JetCityMatt Posted May 21, 2005 Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 Originally posted by GuitarxFreak I still dont know for no one answered that yet :/ Since you are the original poster who asked the question I already know you don't know! So now I'm waiting for some guitar guru to tell me if what I'm thinking is correct... Is there anybody out there? (sorry about the cliche) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 haha!!! ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuitarxFreak Posted May 21, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2005 er..anyhow.. someone please answer my/his question! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted May 22, 2005 Members Share Posted May 22, 2005 trust me. I have done several pickguards with this very set up and the pickups mix just fine. I recently did a HSH pickguard with the GFS FAT Alnico PAF's in the neck and bridge and a Kent Armstrong Tweedtone in the middle with the same great results - they mixed great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted May 22, 2005 Members Share Posted May 22, 2005 Originally posted by GuitarxFreak but yeah.. I think I have been convinced enough to get the fat GSF alnico and Tweedtones. I already emailed back Vintage clubber about my decision. He seemed quite busy on friday and today.. yeah, I do sell cars for a living right now - my day job if you will...I work very long hours at this point so sometimes it does take me a little while to respond... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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