HFS - who else loves it?

daveyisgreat

Incompetent Hack
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Aug 8, 2013
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Chicagoland
I'm planning to send my CU24 to the PTC for some TLC -- it's a 17-year old guitar! But reading about all the new updates and advances tempts me to think about getting a pickup change while it's back in the hands of its creators in MD. But then again, I really love how the HFS and VB pickups sound in it! Fat and juicy, articulate but not too trebly, and just tons of fun to play. It's just super right now and I don't think I want to mess up a good thing!

So I put it to all of the lovely folks here at the forum -- who else loves the HFS? Or would you change out the pickups just because it's back at the factory where all the latest and greatest pickups reside? Let's hear your thoughts!
 
I love the HFS/Vintage set. My first PRS was a Cu24 with them. They will be in that guitar forever. If the only reason is because it's going back to the factory, that's no reason IMO. Now that being said, when I found my Cu24 stoptail someone had put an SD custom custom in the bridge and that wasn't so good. I put a 59/09 squabbin set in it and they are a really good match. So it isn't sacrilege to drop in something different. I just don't see changing if you like what you have. One last idea though, is to go ahead and get something new you like and then put them in something else if you want the old sound back.
 
I also love the HFS...
This and the Dimarzio Tone Zone are two pickups that I am really used to, since I've been playing them for more than 20 years.
I always like to play different pickups, I love the lower output Dimarzio 36th Anni PAFs, My 513 is an absolut joy to play, but the HFS and the TZ are like returning home for me...
I don't think it would hurt getting new pickups. I would like to try the new 85/15s. The PTC will put your old ones in the case, so if you don't like them you can always swap them back.
 
I was complaining to a friend of mine about my HFS/VB set, and he started defending it -- he said they sound great, why would you want to change them, and then he pulled out his pre-factory guitar and played it for a little bit, and it did sound great, so yeah...not a fan, but going to try harder to dial in pickup height and see if maybe I'm doing something wrong.
 
I was complaining to a friend of mine about my HFS/VB set, and he started defending it -- he said they sound great, why would you want to change them, and then he pulled out his pre-factory guitar and played it for a little bit, and it did sound great, so yeah...not a fan, but going to try harder to dial in pickup height and see if maybe I'm doing something wrong.


I find the HFS to be too harsh and I could never get that pickup to soften up. Having said that, I watched a friends band play over New Years. He plays an older cu 24 hfs/vb through a kemper and it sounded fantastic. Maybe it's me.
 
I couldn't get rid of mine quick enough, i thought the vintage bass was good on clean but that was it. I went to dimarzios for a while but they were just ok. I scored some of the recent 85/15's and now im totally stoked with it.
 
I've played a few hog bodied CE24s with the HFS and I really liked it for higher gain tones. It seemed to work really well in that guitar with that wood combo.
 
I love the HFS/VB combo in my CU24. The in between tones are pretty darn good as well. However, when I played in a band, I got complaints that the guitar wouldn't cut through the mix very well. Never got that with the Al Di and 5708's. YMMV. The HFS/VB set I had in my CE24 on the other hand was for some reason hotter and sounded great in a band mix.
 
my favorite pups just behind 85/15s. Those are the best pups ive ever had.
 
I love mine in my S2, even though I know they aren't "true" HFS/VB pups. I have entertained the thought of getting the Core versions (squabins for the win) but I'm not sure how much of a difference it would really be.
 
Always a big HFS fan. Switched to 5708s at launch and some things were better some not. For me the Suhr Aldrich is the best of both. All the heat and grind of the HFS but with the clarity of the 5708.

Also, at the neck position I gave up the VB for a 5708 on my #1. (Though I have had 3 others sets of 5708s where the neck was not as good as this ONE)
 
I've always been a fan of the Hfs/ vintage bass pickups. Great pickups for metal/ hardrock in my opinion and a first choice back in the day. But my style of playing has changed and I lean towards the 59/09 now. And I'll be super honest, if I was back in my old band I'd grab my custom 24 loaded with the hfs any day, hands down
 
I love the HFS/VB combo in my CU24. The in between tones are pretty darn good as well. However, when I played in a band, I got complaints that the guitar wouldn't cut through the mix very well.
The HFS/VB set I had in my CE24 on the other hand was for some reason hotter and sounded great in a band mix.
It could have been that they were in a completely different guitar also
 
My Tremonti's loaded with HFS and i love'em.
Sure they can be a bit harsh but they sound so crisp and every tone rings out perfect.

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