GFI and Lawrence 710

Craig Bailey · Post by **Craig Bailey** » 12 Feb 2022 6:03 am

I am looking for alternate pickups to put in my GFI. Does anyone know if the 710s are a good choice? Will the 710s install easily in the GFI? What other pickup options might be good options for the GFI Ultra?

Thanks
Craig

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 12 Feb 2022 7:33 am

The main issue with replacing pickups in a GFI guitar is that there is no provision for height adjustment (the factory pickup is hard mounted directly to the cabinet) so you will need to determine the height of any pickup that you choose to install to insure proper clearance between the strings and pickup. The factory unit is a slightly modified George L 'E66' so any choice with similar dimensions should theoretically work. That being said, the 'BL 710' is a fine alternative especially if your issue with the stock unit is the brittle high end. Another option is the George L '10-1' which has a smoother tone overall and should be a simple drop in replacement.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Feb 2022 8:56 am

I had an Ultra D-10 and installed 710's. Much improved over all sound (to my ears). I sold the D-10 and now have a new Ultra S-10 with pad and have a 710 on order to replace the GFI III pickup which is too bassy. Pickup height was not an issue on the D-10, I didn't measure the distance between the pickup (mounted directly to the cabinet) and strings, but I had plenty of volume and no distortion (that can happen if its too close to strings).

I did have to trim the mounting lips a little to get it in the smaller GFI mounting cavity (1 3/4" wide).

Here is a picture of the D-10 with 710's installed

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 12 Feb 2022 9:12 am

GFI’s are already a bright guitar. The 710 is a brighter sounding pickup. Tone is subjective and we all have different taste in what we’re trying to achieve. Darker pickups work best for me on GFI’s and they’ve been my preferred guitar for many years. I used 10-1’s for quite awhile and then switched to the SS-10, which was a vast improvement to the 10-1. Single coil Emmons pickups were even a further improvement but I eventually settled on re-issue 705’s after side by side comparison with original 705’s. They’ve given the best overall tone and far exceeded any of the GFI pickup incarnations.

There’s limited room in the pickup cavity and all will need to be modified on the bottom plate for wide mounts, but only an eighth inch or so each side near the mounting holes. Height isn’t adjustable but standard height wide mounts will fit fine. I’ve had many guitars I’ve the years including the holy grails. But GFI with the 705’s is where I’ve settled.

Craig Bailey · Post by **Craig Bailey** » 12 Feb 2022 12:49 pm

Thank you for all the replies. Do the BL 705 reissues mount right up to the GFI or do you have to modify the pickup in any way to get it to mount? If the 705s will mount right up to the GFI without modification, Also does anyone know if the Wallace True Tone pickup will mount up to the GFI without modification?
Thanks
Craig

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 12 Feb 2022 2:25 pm

Most any wide mount pickup, with the exception of the specifically made GFI pickups, will require the base to be filed down to fit in the cavity. At least that’s been the case with all the pickups I’ve installed on GFI’s. Not a major undertaking of about 15 minutes.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 13 Feb 2022 6:14 am

I'm with David on the tone of GFI. I have a new Ultra SD10 with the GFI III pickup and it's still too bright. I have a 705 and a George L E66 that I'm planning on trying. The 705 will be 1st. I hope that solves the bright sound.

Craig Bailey · Post by **Craig Bailey** » 13 Feb 2022 7:03 am

Yes mine has the GFI-III pickups. Please let us know how the 705 works out. If it goes good, I will order a set and give them a try in my GFI.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Feb 2022 7:14 am

Larry Dering wrote:I'm with David on the tone of GFI. I have a new Ultra SD10 with the GFI III pickup and it's still too bright. I have a 705 and a George L E66 that I'm planning on trying. The 705 will be 1st. I hope that solves the bright sound.

I'm surprised that your GFI III is too bright, where my evaluation is its bassy. I'm using a Quilter Travis Toy 12 amp (Quilter TB202 amp) I've had to cut way back on lows and increase mids and highs, compared to the L710's in the Ultra D-10 I had. Maybe one of us has a bad pickup?

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 13 Feb 2022 7:49 am

Jack, does make me wonder. I use a Goodrich passive pedal, Goodrich 7a buffer and Telonics TCA 500 15 inch combo amp. I've been all over the place with EQ, tried directly from guitar to amp, tried a few other amps, tried a Pod xt in circuit, bypassed the preamp, etc. The bass is manageable but the high end, especially on the 4th sting E is harsh. I have a Derby with E66 and a Justice with 705 and both sound fantastic. I have to try another pickup just to compare, because at this point I can't stand the tone.

Craig Bailey · Post by **Craig Bailey** » 13 Feb 2022 12:11 pm

Thanks guys. All this info is very helpful. Yeah i have never been one to change out pickups but I just cant get a decent sound out of these GFI III pickups compared to my Mullen and Emmons. Surely both my pickups aren't bad in the GFI. Its interesting to hear what all of you have tried in your GFI guitars.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 13 Feb 2022 1:51 pm

Craig, just today as a last effort I carried my Peavey Session 400 limited into my music room for the GFI. With the treble at 9 o'clock, mids at 9 and shift at 750hz, bass heavy at 3 o'clock, presence off, pre gain 1 o'clock and sensitivity at 1 o'clock. I believe that I got the best tone ever from this amp and steel. I'm using a line 6 pod xt for reverb and delays only ran into the front of the amp. Honestly I played for 2 hours. I have a house full of gear and thought I tried about all of it. Go figure. I will give it a few days before I settle but the Telonics just don't get it for this steel. I ran steel to pod xt, pod to volume pedal and pedal to high gain input of amp. What amp are you using?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 14 Feb 2022 3:18 am

My setup with the "bassy" GFI III is guitar to Telonics VP to POD X3 for delay and reverb to Quilter amp. However, I've tried guitar direct to Quilter amp and get the same "bassy' sound. Tried different guitar cords and the same.

I don't have the test equipment to properly measure AC coil parameters. I did measure the DC resistance of the coil wire and its 18.5K ohms.

Update: the red wire is connected to the hot (tip) on the jack.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 14 Feb 2022 2:10 pm

Different guitar but my Justice SD10 3X5 has the 705 pickup. I plugged into the Telonics and had to severely cut bass. I'm plugged straight from guitar to V pedal to amp. Got to try a few other things. That Justice sounds great on a Quilter 101 head into a 12" open back cab with a TT speaker. No serious cuts on the single tone control.

Craig Bailey · Post by **Craig Bailey** » 14 Feb 2022 3:39 pm

Thanks for all the info guys. This is a very interesting topic. Anyone else have any luck with changing out their pickups in their GFI?

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 14 Feb 2022 8:16 pm

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GFI and Lawrence 710

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