GFS 60's vs. Fender '69's?

[69strat]

Are these pickups pretty similar in build and sound? I really like the 69's, but I've been reading how the GFS are great and real cheap too.

Do they use the same magnets? Seems like the GFS is more calibrated while the 69's are all the same (5.8K ohms according to Fender).

[blueman61]

Can't speak to anything actually made by Fender these days, but the GFs 60's are my favorite Strat pickups. They just sound great. The low price is unbelievable for what you get. I've had Fralins, Wolfetones, Rios and the big guys (duncan and dimarzio) and I'm not knocking anyone's stuff, but these are the ones I'm going to keep. I've also bought the Overwound 64 staggers and they are equally good(I have the Overwound '70s set on the way). No mud, crystal clear and they ring like a bell. To me, they sound equally good clean and all shades of dirty. For the dough, I'd forget Fender. You could buy and couple of GFS sets for what you'd pay for anything else.

blueman61

[cooltone]

I have both sets, in different guitars. I have the CS 69's in my '73 and the GFS in my MIM Vintage Player.

The Fenders look and feel as though they are built a little more solid, but the GFS are winners hands down for tone.

[69strat]

Bummer as they told me the fender covers won't fit on the GFS. I have a relic strat and would like to use the covers. I don't really want new, white covers on a beat up strat.

I'll probably go with the '69's. I really loved the sound of my last set.

thanks for the replies bro's.

[69strat]

Fezz, Jay (?) told me that the magnets are bigger and wouldn't fit with the covers of a relic strat.

The cream covers usually don't look as nice as the CS ones that are aged. I don't know about the GFS ones though. I'd rather just try an age the white ones, but sometimes they don't take stains. It depends on the type of plastic.

I'll just stick with 69's. I know and like those pickups. thanks!

[cooltone]

Fezz, Jay (?) told me that the magnets are bigger and wouldn't fit with the covers of a relic strat

FWIW, my TS pup covers didn't fit either.

[Kap'n]

[refin]

GFS stuff is getting scary......
I remember taking a tour of the Peavey factory with Hartley Peavey (a REAL down to earth honest person) in the late '80s and he had a woman wind a pup right in front of us.He turned to us and and said "I have about 19 cents total in this entire pickup--anyone wanna give me $65 for it?" I'm not dissing custom winders,I use a couple myself (Wolfetone and Zhangliqun,and I will continue to do so) who know their stuff inside and out.But this explains the reality of the GFS pricing.

[69strat]

On the GFS, I read where another guy said the Fender covers fit but sloppy. I guess there's some inconsistancy here. Still I'd love to try those pickups sometime. If this guitar wasn't a CS strat, I wouldn't care. But this one has the covers aged authentically to a perfect patina. Not that new, cream color look.

[wordsonyou]

FWIW I have the GFS Vintage Premiums II and they sounded better to my ears than the 57/62, the Fender 69's and a set of G&L S500 pickups...I don't know how those guys do it but for 1/3rd the price of some of the boutiques they best many fender pickups - maybe I am going deaf?

[chuckocaster]

that works fine, or if you have a drill index...

seems to me that you want to keep your guitar a "fender". that's cool, but why not give those pickups a shot? if they are better then you need to figure out a way to make them fit. opening up the holes in a cover is no big deal. take a look at a 50's strat, they are pretty damn ugly in person, but the sound...

[Marcondo]

There really isnt any more than $5 worth of raw materials in any Fender type single coil pickup. There is a huge markup on something that is really simple.

I know a couple of 12 yr old kids that are winding pickups so it cant be too hard?

[Jack Gilvey]

Anyone else compare these two? Still haven't pulled the trigger on a set
to replace the noiseless in my MIM Deluxe Players and really liked the '69s in the Classic 60's Player I had for a time.