**UPDATE** After making the video, while I was handling the HBZ pickups, the hookup wire completely came out of one of the pickups! I think this could possibly explain why I was unable to get a CLEAN sound out of the stock pickups. I uploaded a video discussing this specifically : ruclips.net/video/gNFPxyETkhg/видео.html
I built a tele using the GFS Lido brand body, Neovin (spelling) bridge pickup which is essentially a humbucker and an overwound single coil at the neck. It turned out so good that I am building another tele with a full red active GFS humbucker setup. You are correct in your assessment of the GFS being superb.
It’s hard to find a good review of these. I’m grateful that you included clean tones. I’m building a budget super strat and was going to dish out $$$ on a set of EMG 85/SA/SA but these GFS Golds sound incredible for 1/4 of the price! Wish there was a review with an HSS setup but this review was great! Even if they are being paired up with EMG 81’s! I actually slightly prefer the GFS sound to be quite honest. They’re ever so slightly warmer which is great!
Okay D Man, I was going to go for some crazy expensive actives for my Jem Jr project, but along the way someone suggested GFS actives and I scoffed, high on my snobbery and attitude. This cleared it up for me and yes, GFS will go into my Jem Jr as they come in white. Sounding good is first on the list, but looks are a second and not missing the single coil is a big thing for me as I like that single coil option and they're cheap as borscht. Maybe cheaper depending on the borscht, I don't know, but Im sold. Borscht. The last one was for giggles. Cheers and good work man!
I'm glad it helped! GFS has really good pickups. I've tried a good number of them from humbuckers to strat and tele pickups. They seem to be pretty well made. Haven't had any issues with any of them. I think you'll be happy with the GFS actives. The bonus is that you won't have to dip into your borscht budget to get them either! 😆 Thanks for watching. Rock on man!🤘
I actually like the Harley Benton active pickups and actually have a set in two of my guitars but contemplating getting the gfs pickups for another guitar I got
I really like the GFS pickups for the money. They definitely hang with the EMG's....they actually sound just a little better to me. Not quite as compressed. GFS passive pickups sound great as well....for the money, they are incredible.
@@dmanguitar yeh the price, cause i bet you any amount of money if he didn't tell you what pickup it was and you only had the sounds you wouldn't be able to tell any apart or say what one is what
Indeed. The pickups aren't *literally* identical. But the EMGs are in no way 5x "better" than the GFS pickups. They just sound **slightly** different. Someone may prefer one over the other, but anyone saying that they both don't sound absolutely fine is full of it. It's very clear that after a certain point you're just getting mild differences in tone, and there's no magic sauce that allows a manufacturer to pour $100+ into a pickup to make it somehow sound better than a cheaper, but perfectly well made, alternative. Pickups are really such a simple component that unless we're talking some factory pumping out literal garbage with zero QC they should all sound basically fine with only some variations based on how they chose to assemble them.
Those EMG sound killer, the definition and balance of frequencies is amazing!! It's so good to hear a demo where ppl know what they're doing, understand tone and play very well, congrats buddy, killer demo... I've been researching HB guitars but 90% of the demos and reviews are all CRAP. Ppl don't know how to record and most don't even know how to actually play... lesson number 1 for reviewing an instrument: LEARN HOW TO PLAY lol
**UPDATE** After making the video, while I was handling the HBZ pickups, the hookup wire completely came out of one of the pickups! I think this could possibly explain why I was unable to get a CLEAN sound out of the stock pickups.
I uploaded a video discussing this specifically : ruclips.net/video/gNFPxyETkhg/видео.html
D Man, great shootout! I'd like to add that I really like what you were playing!!! That was really cool!!!
I think that the GFS actives have a more focused tone…with even better low-mids, than the EMGs.
I agree. I’m sure there is an EMG combo I would like but for this particular comparison I think I preferred GFS.
I was going to shell out a lot of money on an EMG 81 having forgotten gfs was even a thing. I remember the power rails being superb.
I built a tele using the GFS Lido brand body, Neovin (spelling) bridge pickup which is essentially a humbucker and an overwound single coil at the neck. It turned out so good that I am building another tele with a full red active GFS humbucker setup. You are correct in your assessment of the GFS being superb.
It’s hard to find a good review of these. I’m grateful that you included clean tones. I’m building a budget super strat and was going to dish out $$$ on a set of EMG 85/SA/SA but these GFS Golds sound incredible for 1/4 of the price!
Wish there was a review with an HSS setup but this review was great! Even if they are being paired up with EMG 81’s! I actually slightly prefer the GFS sound to be quite honest. They’re ever so slightly warmer which is great!
I’m glad you found the video helpful! I actually thought the same thing and also slightly preferred the GFS.
This is a VERY useful video. I'd say a lot more people should have liked it!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks!
Redactive ,singles and Humbucker, Love, love, love them.
Okay D Man, I was going to go for some crazy expensive actives for my Jem Jr project, but along the way someone suggested GFS actives and I scoffed, high on my snobbery and attitude. This cleared it up for me and yes, GFS will go into my Jem Jr as they come in white. Sounding good is first on the list, but looks are a second and not missing the single coil is a big thing for me as I like that single coil option and they're cheap as borscht. Maybe cheaper depending on the borscht, I don't know, but Im sold. Borscht. The last one was for giggles. Cheers and good work man!
I'm glad it helped! GFS has really good pickups. I've tried a good number of them from humbuckers to strat and tele pickups. They seem to be pretty well made. Haven't had any issues with any of them. I think you'll be happy with the GFS actives. The bonus is that you won't have to dip into your borscht budget to get them either! 😆 Thanks for watching. Rock on man!🤘
Yeah thanks man, tells me what I need to know about those GFS REdactives. Nice chops btw.
Thanks!
I actually like the Harley Benton active pickups and actually have a set in two of my guitars but contemplating getting the gfs pickups for another guitar I got
i like the hb better then the gfs in this video.
I really like the GFS pickups for the money. They definitely hang with the EMG's....they actually sound just a little better to me. Not quite as compressed.
GFS passive pickups sound great as well....for the money, they are incredible.
It sounds like the GFS and EMG have a low pass filter on them almost. they are very focused where the lows on the benton's sound boomy to me.
That's exactly how they sounded to me also. The low end is definitely much tighter on the EMG and GFS.
EMGs all the way!! The song you're playing is Defy You by The Offspring
they all sounded the same....
Nah, there are definitely differences....
@@dmanguitar yeh the price, cause i bet you any amount of money if he didn't tell you what pickup it was and you only had the sounds you wouldn't be able to tell any apart or say what one is what
I think GFS is really close to EMG, but HBZ is sounding too sharp for my ear@@dmanguitar
Indeed. The pickups aren't *literally* identical. But the EMGs are in no way 5x "better" than the GFS pickups. They just sound **slightly** different.
Someone may prefer one over the other, but anyone saying that they both don't sound absolutely fine is full of it.
It's very clear that after a certain point you're just getting mild differences in tone, and there's no magic sauce that allows a manufacturer to pour $100+ into a pickup to make it somehow sound better than a cheaper, but perfectly well made, alternative.
Pickups are really such a simple component that unless we're talking some factory pumping out literal garbage with zero QC they should all sound basically fine with only some variations based on how they chose to assemble them.
Is it just me or do the GFS and EMGs sound identical all the time, except that the GFS are a tiny bit brighter?
Yeah they are very close. I actually liked the GFS a little more than the EMGs.
I thought the GFS had better articulation. The EMG were slightly muddy.
@@dmanguitar I really wanna go into actives, mate, so GFS might just become my weapon (s) of choice! Thanks again!
Those EMG sound killer, the definition and balance of frequencies is amazing!! It's so good to hear a demo where ppl know what they're doing, understand tone and play very well, congrats buddy, killer demo...
I've been researching HB guitars but 90% of the demos and reviews are all CRAP. Ppl don't know how to record and most don't even know how to actually play... lesson number 1 for reviewing an instrument: LEARN HOW TO PLAY lol
Just bought the GFS modern redactives! Thanks for this much needed demo!! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🫡🫡
Where's you buy that guitar?
www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_ja_20hh_active_sbk.htm
the harley benton sounds the best ngl.
he biggest scam in the guitar world is over priced pickups.
The biggest scammers are DUncan DImarzio and FIshman.