Tonefiend Forum

I have a pair of Harmonic Design Z-90's in a set neck guitar I made and gave to my son 8 years ago. I also have a set of GFS lipstick tube pickups in a swamp ash bolt on neck axe that I made and has been my main guitar for a couple years. Boutique vs. Oriental cheap... I used to love that set neck guitar and those z-90's, the thing sang, crystal clear clean tones and compressed nicely when pushed. Loved it. My son brought that guitar over recently and we swapped for a few weeks so I could clean and do a proper setup on it. For the week I played it before breaking it down I sure missed those GFS lipsticks. The guitar was harsh, brittle & sterile and we just fought for that week...

My take away from this is just reinforcement from something I read in an interview with David Lindley years ago. The gist of that was that all instruments (pickups) have a sonic space and way they want to be played, and style of playing that brings out the best in that instrument. The musicians job is to find the sweet spot for that instrument and get the most out of it. I absolutely adore those GFS lipstick pickups in that swamp ash body... In the end I'll buy boutique pups for some projects and cheapies for others...