Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: gwEm on October 17, 2011, 04:00:03 PM

Title: low end gretsches
Post by: gwEm on October 17, 2011, 04:00:03 PM: what do people think of the cheaper bolt-on gretsch guitars? the phrase 'laminated hardwood top. doesn't have great promise, but maybe they are cool?
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Andrew W on October 17, 2011, 04:08:31 PM: I tried one of the Duo-sonic-a-like "Jet Clubs" and really didn't like it. I might have picked up a bad one but I thought it was no where near as good as a similarly priced Epi Les Paul copy. Also they're sooo different from a "real" Gretsch in terms of construction and hardware that it didn't really feel at all Gretschy to me apart from the name on the headstock.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: gwEm on October 17, 2011, 04:13:12 PM: thanks andrew, i thought as much.. was eyeing up this:

(http://images4.thomann.de/pics/prod/160280.jpg)
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: WezV on October 17, 2011, 04:58:39 PM: Quote from: gwEm on October 17, 2011, 04:00:03 PM
the phrase 'laminated hardwood top. doesn't have great promise, but maybe they are cool?

but that is what most gretsch are, even the $20000 george harrison jet is a 3 ply maple top - as it should be

dont let it put you off, play one and see
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Philly Q on October 17, 2011, 05:07:21 PM: Quote from: gwEm on October 17, 2011, 04:13:12 PM
thanks andrew, i thought as much.. was eyeing up this:

(http://images4.thomann.de/pics/prod/160280.jpg)

Sorry G, but that is hideous. :(
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Ian Price on October 17, 2011, 05:08:43 PM: I agree with Philly here. I've never understood that style!
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: HTH AMPS on October 17, 2011, 05:32:52 PM: I dig the square Bo Diddley guitars, I'd have one.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Andrew W on October 17, 2011, 05:33:48 PM: Quote from: HTH AMPS on October 17, 2011, 05:32:52 PM
I dig the square Bo Diddley guitars, I'd have one.

+1
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Philly Q on October 17, 2011, 06:36:03 PM: I've never really "got" Gretsch, to be honest. I don't have a Roo-style aversion to them, but I've never wanted to buy one either.

The only ones which appeal a bit are the smaller-bodied, Les-Paulish ones (Jets and White Penguins) and the one with a bit of an SG/Epiphone vibe (Electromatic?).
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: ztikmaen on October 17, 2011, 07:30:32 PM: Btw you do know that recently they've drastically changed their Electromatic lineup rigt? I think it's gotten worse... They swapped chambered mahogany for solid basswood in some cases, and MiniBuckers for larger Filtertron style pickups. I liked the old ones more. And actually even then the whaling isn't that great.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: sgmypod on October 17, 2011, 09:14:36 PM: I had a cheap goldtop gretsch about 2004 think loved it, tried recent one which was junk
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: WezV on October 17, 2011, 09:38:05 PM: they certainly messed up the latest version of the corvette

(http://cdn.mos.musicradar.com/images/Product%20News/Guitar/sept11/gretsch/G5103%20ELCTRMTC%20CVT%20III-chry-660-80.jpg)

compared to the other electromatic version

(http://www.gear-vault.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/gretsch-g5135-electromatic-corvette-electric-guitar.jpg)

ok, its twice the price - but i think they should have kept the basic design there - not stick the neck so far into the body
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Ian Price on October 17, 2011, 09:40:46 PM: That Corvette looks very shoddy indeed. I'm wondering if it is the same design team/person. Lots of differences in there and none of them are an improvement on what they had previously. Very strange.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Philly Q on October 17, 2011, 10:34:04 PM: That's nasty - and doesn't really look like a Gretsch anymore.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Ian Price on October 17, 2011, 11:02:42 PM: Nasty indeed. It's one of those guitars where if you look at it from the headstock down all looks rosy until you get to that hideous neck/body over-run. It gets worse every time I look at it!
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Deadstar on October 17, 2011, 11:06:53 PM: Mothef$%&*rs, I loved the old electromatic corvette

That just ruins the retro styling that made that guitar stand out
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: hunter on October 17, 2011, 11:08:27 PM: I'd love one of these

(http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/images/artist_perry.jpg)
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: ztikmaen on October 18, 2011, 03:01:02 AM: Quote from: hunter on October 17, 2011, 11:08:27 PM
I'd love one of these

(http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/images/artist_perry.jpg)
Wow! Looks cool
Just a question though, are most fully hollow guitars that thick? That looks like a converted acoustic guitar of sorts
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: WezV on October 18, 2011, 07:11:11 AM: Quote from: ztikmaen on October 18, 2011, 03:01:02 AM

Wow! Looks cool
Just a question though, are most fully hollow guitars that thick? That looks like a converted acoustic guitar of sorts

pretty much - unless they are 'thinline' like a 335 style guitar. obviously there is quite a lot of variation between builders. the hofner verithin is fully hollow and only 1 1/4" thick, others go up to about 4" deep - most fall between 2-3"

but then these gretsch designs do really date back to the time people were converting archtop acoustics into electric. even the cutaway was present in their acoustic form - the rest is just stuff that has been added. of course, they loose functionality as an acoustic because of all the extra weight, holes and laminated construction on the top
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: ztikmaen on October 18, 2011, 09:53:50 AM: Wow, really informative Wez! Thanks for that reply :D
I wouldn't mind a full thickness hollow electric guitar if only the body size was reduced a bit
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Ratrod on October 18, 2011, 11:44:03 AM: In the pic you see a Black Falcon. That's a big guitar; 17".

6120's are smaller. Tennessee Roses are smaller and thinner. And if that's still too big there are Junior models. Most Gretsches are still thinner than your average jazz box.

Some Electromatics are great like the 5120, the Armstrong signature, the Corvette. Others are too much like a Gibson/Epiphone. I do like the fact they gave the revamped models black top filtertrons though.

But I'm not gonna trade in my DeArmond M-75T for one of the (semi) solid Electromatics any time soon.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Telerocker on October 18, 2011, 12:19:03 PM: The 5120 is nice for the money. For me I would be a guitar that I use in a couple of songs. I wouldn't buy a expensive Gretsch for that.
Title: Re: low end gretsches
Post by: Ian Price on October 18, 2011, 01:05:44 PM: I used to have a 5120. Nice guitar for the money. I sold it though as it had HBs and I couldn't be bothered trying to retrofit some P90s into it.