GLS Active Pickups

Who Are Active Pickups For?

Active pickups excel for players who want:

High Output Without Muddying Tone Active preamps produce strong, clean signal levels that avoid the harsh clipping or “flubby low end” common in passive pickups under high gain.
Consistent Tone Regardless of Cable Length Low-impedance output means tone stays stable even at 50+ feet of cable or with large pedalboard chains.
Ultra-Low Noise Floor Perfect for: Metal, Prog, Industrial, High-gain studio work, Ambient layers with heavy compression
Studio-Ready Precision Active systems reduce hum, RF interference, and environmental noise — ideal for capturing polished, professional tracks.
Modern Tone Control Actives maintain clarity at all volume levels and allow for more predictable EQ shaping.

Why Choose GLS Active Pickups?

1. Boutique Engineering + Modern Electronics

GLS actives are individually tested, calibrated, and tuned by hand. Unlike mass-produced active pickups, each GLS unit is verified for:

Dynamic sensitivity
Output balance across strings
Frequency response accuracy
Low-noise performance

2. More Natural Sound Than Typical “Sterile” Actives

Where many actives sacrifice character for precision, GLS designs retain musical warmth and harmonic richness while still delivering tight low end and crystal-clear highs.

3. Custom Voicing Available

Choose your tonal focus:

Modern Punch tight lows, aggressive mids.
Transparent Clean studio flat response.
Vintage-Active Hybrid more organic top end

No major brand offers this kind of flexibility at the boutique level.

4. Superior Shielding & Noise Rejection

GLS employs:

Multi-layered magnetic shielding
Preamp-level filtering
Low-impedance grounding topology

This results in noise floors below -90 dB, far quieter than most passive systems.

5. Power Options: 9V or 18V

18V gives:

More headroom
Cleaner transients
Less preamp clipping

GLS active pickups are optimized for both power standards.

6. Perfect Integration for Complex Rigs

GLS actives are ideal for:

Digital modelers (Helix, Kemper, Axe-Fx)
Long cable runs on big stages
Large pedalboards
Stereo setups
Re-amping workflows

Technical Specifications

Electrical

Output Impedance Under 2kΩ (low impedance)
Recommended Power 9V (standard) or 18V (extended headroom)
Current Draw Avg 1.8–2.2 mA per pickup
ONoise Floor Typically -90 dB or lower
Frequency Response 20 Hz – 18 kHz flat (model dependent)

Construction

Coil Structure Precision-wound OEM coil with low-inductance profile
Preamp GLS-designed low-noise Class A/B hybrid preamp
Current Draw Multi-layer shielding jacket + filtered ground
ONoise Floor Typically -90 dB or lower
Pot Values Works with 25k or active-specific controls
Connector Standard 3-pin low-impedance active pickup harness

Tone Characteristics

Clarity Very high—retains string separation under extreme gain
Dynamics GConsistent across entire volume range
Noise Reduction Outstanding (studio-grade shielding)
High-End Response Tight, controlled, non-harsh
Low-End Tightness Exceptional for palm muting and modern metal

Are Active Pickups Right for You?

GLS Active Pickups are an excellent match if your rig or playing style includes:

High-gain tones
Polished studio-quality cleans
Long stage cable runs
Digital modeling processors
Heavy compression or effects stacks
Need for absolute signal consistency
Preference for tight low end & crisp articulation

Why GLS Beats “Big Brand” Actives

Compared to major-brand actives, GLS offers:

Better harmonic content
More customizable EQ voicing
Hand-matched components
Higher headroom at both 9V and 18V
Heavy compression or effects stacks
Higher headroom at both 9V and 18V
PBoutique detail at a competitive price

GGLS Active Pickups — Full Specification & Buyer’s Guide