Inside an Artec/GFS lipstick for strat pickup

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:59 pm

Contrary to recent speculation, these are not just a strat pickup in a lipstick tube. They're a coil around a ceramic bar magnet like the originals. Dunnope how it sounds as I've only just installed it, but it's hot for a lipstick @ 7.4k, and is wax potted.

Here's a vintage Danelectro one:

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:03 pm

Top sleuthing Tim! Good to know.

George · Post by **George** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:07 pm

Thanks for sharing! Didn't realise the originals were ceramic

George · Post by **George** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:14 pm

I'm tempted to get one for my dano 12 to beef up the bridge position

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:59 pm

Interesting stuff Tim, very informative.

To be honest I've never been disappointed with anything Artec. Everything I have tried seems to be excellent quality for peanuts.
Makes you wonder how companies like Kent Armstrong keep going, their stuff is way overpriced.

toez10 · Post by **toez10** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:05 pm

Good stuff, Tim! Thanks for sharing

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:16 pm

George wrote:Thanks for sharing! Didn't realise the originals were ceramic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipstick_pickup

According to Wikipedia, they were AlNiCo magnets, not ceramic.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:57 pm

^I have a GFS alnico II magnet pickup. They've had a few different ones.

I knew they weren't Strat pickups inside there because they wouldn't fit (they use the same pickguard slot and the lipstick actually leaves more gappy areas around the edge) plus I don't think the baseplate design would be compatible... they do sound about the same as regular Strat pickups though, which is why I've occasionally subscribed to the "they're just Strat pickups" thing.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:57 pm

even if they do sound just like strat pups, at least there's no need for worrying about string spacing. i actually think i might use the ones i'm holding onto in the future for when i attempt to turn a mini strat into a tenor guitar.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 8:08 am

Actually, I just assumed the magnet was ceramic. The gfs ones use alnico 2 and I can't find any info on this model.

I've now got it installed in the neck position of a strat and it sounds like a lipstick, not a strat pickup.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:00 am

Is it definite that GFS are the same products as Artec? Certainly save me having to make any orders through GFS in the future

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:19 am

Some are just basic Artec pickups rebranded. Others are made for GFS by Artec to GFS specs, I think, so you wouldn't be able to grab them cheaper from Artec necessarily. Also worth pointing out that Artec prices have been steadily creeping upwards in the last two years so they're almost similar prices to GFS now anyway. I expect this is partly because people have become savvy to the fact that gear they're buying elsewhere is actually manufactured by Artec and they now know that it's decent kit.

Some Wilkinson stuff is Artec as well. I think, though I'm not certain, that some Entwistle stuff is manufactured by Artec, too. I have a Nashville filtertron-style minihumbucker in the bridge of my Epiphone Riviera and it's fantastic.

They're very good pickups. I have a hot rails in the neck of my Jaguar which uses an Alnico magnet which is great.

moogmusic · Post by **moogmusic** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:23 am

timhulio wrote:I've now got it installed in the neck position of a strat and it sounds like a lipstick, not a strat pickup.

Do you have a pic - I'm interested to see how it looks?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:24 am

Cheers for the info Eric. it's not so much that I'm after better bargains but rather avoiding both import tax, and dealing with GFS who are royally pissing me off.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:40 pm

moogmusic wrote:
timhulio wrote:I've now got it installed in the neck position of a strat and it sounds like a lipstick, not a strat pickup.
Do you have a pic - I'm interested to see how it looks?

This is still work in progress. It's an ultra low budget strat with an Eden Guitar Parts neck (think they're out of business) some vintage Schaller M6 tuners (which are ace) and a MIM body from Brainfur (thanks fella!) The pickups still aren't right and a new SSS guard arrived today. The super distortion in the bridge is a horrible honking bastard, so I'm going to fit a hottish alnico 5 pup in the bridge, keeping the lipstick and ceramic pickup in the middle.

moogmusic · Post by **moogmusic** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 1:20 pm

Nice crow.

My main guitar is a Danelectro U2 and I've always fancied tracking down a U3 (neigh impossible, never mind for the differently handed) (mainly because more IS more) but fitting up a Strat could be an interesting alternative.

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 1:20 pm

Fran wrote:Interesting stuff Tim, very informative.

To be honest I've never been disappointed with anything Artec. Everything I have tried seems to be excellent quality for peanuts.
Makes you wonder how companies like Kent Armstrong keep going, their stuff is way overpriced.

Artec stuff is o.k., but Kent Armstrong is much higher quality.

Anyways, they cost about the same for me anyways. I checked out how much the shipping for a 35$ GFS pickup is, it's 54$ for the shipping, excluding the pickup. And if I get a Kent Armstrong from WD UK, the shipping used to be 11 quid or something, but they lowered it to Â£7.95.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:06 pm

moogmusic wrote:Nice crow.

My main guitar is a Danelectro U2 and I've always fancied tracking down a U3 (neigh impossible, never mind for the differently handed) (mainly because more IS more) but fitting up a Strat could be an interesting alternative.

What about a Danelectro DC-3? Here's mine. I reckon this would be fine flipped lefty.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:40 pm

i was going to suggest one of these...

...but of course, no lefty handy.

iCEByTes · Post by **iCEByTes** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 6:02 am

how about a lipstick humbucker on bridge , i am kinda curious how is the sound , ive bought one and never found time to install at my Surf-Stang

http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-Pro-Tub ... c_111.html