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I have really been struggling with the tone of my bridge pup. I took out the ceramic Gibson for a S.D. sm-3 and although the tone was better, it still left a lot to be desired. I do like the neck pup tone. I have the pick up even with the ring and the neck sounds good as well as the middle postion. So, I've tried to find a bridge pup with some girth to it and came across the GFS Fat Mini- Fat Alnico V Magnets.

It is a darker sounding pup, which is what I was looking for. I would not call it the "classic Firebird" tone, but it is beefy and I seem to like it so far. It sort of reminds me of the burstbucker 2 I have in my gold top. It has an open, airy tone to it. But it is thick, not thin like most of the F.B. bridge pups I've heard. (I've only heard the new firebird offerings)


Anyhow, for the price, I figured it was worth trying out and so far I am content with it's tones.

Ed

I like the SM-1 myself, but that wouldn't match well with your neck pickup. I have GFS pickups in my all rosewood Tele & have been pretty happy with them. Pickups are pretty much a matter of personal taste. I'm glad you've found your flavor...or flavor of he month, hehe!
I love when it all comes together!

Tony

Sleepingtiger wrote:I like the SM-1 myself, but that wouldn't match well with your neck pickup. I have GFS pickups in my all rosewood Tele & have been pretty happy with them. Pickups are pretty much a matter of personal taste. I'm glad you've found your flavor...or flavor of he month, hehe!
I love when it all comes together!

Tony

Yeah,

Flavor of the month is right!! I can be happy with my tone today but tomorrow is a different story. Although, I am still happy with the Trobaks I've installed in my Les Pauls. I just wish Jon would make a mini for the Firebirds. I'd really like to try one of those one day.

I'm not a traditionalist, I'd like to find a Les Paul tone in a Firebird pup. And I think with the GFS, I am pretty close. As a matter of fact, I'd even like to buy one of Doug's Firebirds with P-90's in it. I was seriously considering routing out my bird for P-90's, but now that I have seen Doug's work, I think I will have him build me one instead. (just a matter of funds)

Ed

Does this pickup have exposed pole pieces like Les Paul Deluxe pickups?

The Duncan SM's have no polepieces, but do have the ugly logo stamped in the cover. A cover from Allparts is an easy fix though.

Tony
PS - Welcome to the forum Slo!

This is a great forum! Has anybody tried Kent Armstrong mini humbuckers? They look like regular FB pickups, the specs seem attractive and the price is lower than SM or Lollar.

That'sone for our man Doug. He's a big fan...Doug, this one is all yours!

Tony

Slo1 wrote:This is a great forum! Has anybody tried Kent Armstrong mini humbuckers? They look like regular FB pickups, the specs seem attractive and the price is lower than SM or Lollar.

Tony can give you a comparison against other brands but here's my impression of the KA's

1. The neck pup is FANTASTIC
2. Because he only makes 1 version of the pickup (at least atm), neck only, it makes for a good middle and a weak but ok bridge.

Its odd but I've actually grown to like and actually use the weak bridge sound. I use it with a Greer Ghetto Stomp (www.greeramps.com) and its fantastic.. but its more of making something work where it doesn't normally.

HOPEFULLY Tony (and I maybe...?) will get to try some new mini's here pretty soon!

Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Tony

As an experiment, I have replaced my stock Gibson ceramic pickups with two Kent Armstrong mini humbucker pickups. It is difficult to describe using words but now this 95 Firebird sounds more like my SG 61 reissue. The two pickups are installed out of phase so that when they are both on, the guitar sounds a bit like Peter Green's LP.