Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
- 241.1K All Categories
- 22 >> Start Here <<
- 12 New Members
- 8 FAQs
- 86.5K Gear
- 39.4K Guitar
- 3.4K Acoustics
- 1.3K Bass
- 14.6K Amps
- 17.2K FX
- 263 Digital & Modelling
- 765 Other Instruments
- 8.2K Making & Modding
- 419 Gear Reviews
- 107 Guitar Reviews
- 73 Amp Reviews
- 118 FX Reviews
- 87 Other Reviews
- 748 Made in the UK
- 970 Theory
- 1.8K Technique
- 2.1K Live
- 3.2K Studio & Recording
- 2.1K Making Music
- 218 Events
- 15 Guitar Show 2018
- 827 Plug My Stuff
- 104.9K Classifieds
- 41K Guitars £
- 2.8K Acoustics £
- 137 LH Guitars £
- 893 Basses £
- 10.5K Parts £
- 18.3K Amps £
- 34K FX £
- 2.8K Studio & Rec £
- 6.1K Misc £
- 464 Personnel
- 54.6K Chat
- 36.5K Off Topic
- 1.1K Tributes
- 6.6K Music
In this Discussion
Become a Subscriber!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
NGD: GRETSCH G5422TG Hollow Body DC Walnut Stain
Yesterday, I went to the North West Guitar Show, at Haydock Park.
It's my first time and it was a lovely event.
Room after room of guitars, amps, pedals and everything else, guitar related.
Cool live music and tasty refreshments, too.
I was hoping to find a nice semi.
There were too many there to mention them all.
But 3, really got my attention.
A Peavey Rockingham, that was one of the first batch made, apparently.
Designed by the brilliant rockabilly guitarist, Darrell Higham, it's kind of part Gretsch, part Guild.
There was a Gretsch Country Gentleman, made in Japan.
Great quality but it's overall look/feel is not enough rock and a little too much billy, for me.
That massive paddle of a headstock is just odd.
And a Lever, a beautiful semi, hand made , in England.
With a Rickenbacker inspired body, Gretsch style pickups, a Jaguar tremolo, loads of beautiful woods and top quality hardware, it was something to behold and play.
One of my favourite features, was instead of a 3-way pickup selector, it had a centred pan pot.
Why don't more guitars use this, it gives so much more control over tone.
Bass guitars use it all the time.
I came within a hair's breadth of parting with all my dosh, for this beauty but didn't.
Today I popped over to Reidys, in Blackburn, to check out some Gretsch's and Epiphones.
They had a brand new, Japanese Country Gent and this one had 2 clunky levers, that operate a mute system.
And that stupid, studded on, circular pad, on the back.
There may be authenticity in these things but IMO, they're pointless and ugly.
I initially picked up a white Gretsch G5422TG.
My wife would have loved this one, as it's not a million miles from a White Falcon, her favourite guitar.
I'm not a fan of white guitars though.
I then briefly played a couple of Les Pauls.
An Epiphone Les Paul PlusTop PRO - Heritage Sunburst, which had coil tapped Humbuckers.
And a Gibson Les Paul Classic T 2017, in a stunning Green Ocean Burst.
Both very fine guitars but they confirmed I'm not really a Les Paul guy.
Finally I A/B'd a Gretsch G5422TG in Walnut Stain and an Epiphone Emperor Swingster in Trans. Orange.
A friend of mine has the Epi and really rates it.
And yes, It's a great, nicely made, old style guitar, perfect for vintage Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly.
But in pretty much every way, the Gretsch was nicer.
And fortunately for me it was set up a lot better than the white version, I'd previously played.
Low action but still strong and not buzzy and the Bigsby trem was far more sensitive than I've come across before.
What a gem and those Filter'Tron pickups are very sweet.
With both on, that characteristic, plinky, watery sound is beautiful.
Especially with a little slap-back echo.
individually, the bridge pickup gives you some nice cut and the neck pickup is warm, round and a little jazzy.
It's a classy looking guitar, with great finishing and build quality.
I particularly like the binding, which has the look of aged ivory.
I'm not a massive fan of gold hardware and on the white version, it looked a little gaudy.
But with the brown/wine red walnut finish, it looks really nice.
I'm loving knocking out some Chuck Berry and Brian Setzer riffs, on this beauty.
It's my first time and it was a lovely event.
Room after room of guitars, amps, pedals and everything else, guitar related.
Cool live music and tasty refreshments, too.
I was hoping to find a nice semi.
There were too many there to mention them all.
But 3, really got my attention.
A Peavey Rockingham, that was one of the first batch made, apparently.
Designed by the brilliant rockabilly guitarist, Darrell Higham, it's kind of part Gretsch, part Guild.
There was a Gretsch Country Gentleman, made in Japan.
Great quality but it's overall look/feel is not enough rock and a little too much billy, for me.
That massive paddle of a headstock is just odd.
And a Lever, a beautiful semi, hand made , in England.
With a Rickenbacker inspired body, Gretsch style pickups, a Jaguar tremolo, loads of beautiful woods and top quality hardware, it was something to behold and play.
One of my favourite features, was instead of a 3-way pickup selector, it had a centred pan pot.
Why don't more guitars use this, it gives so much more control over tone.
Bass guitars use it all the time.
I came within a hair's breadth of parting with all my dosh, for this beauty but didn't.
Today I popped over to Reidys, in Blackburn, to check out some Gretsch's and Epiphones.
They had a brand new, Japanese Country Gent and this one had 2 clunky levers, that operate a mute system.
And that stupid, studded on, circular pad, on the back.
There may be authenticity in these things but IMO, they're pointless and ugly.
I initially picked up a white Gretsch G5422TG.
My wife would have loved this one, as it's not a million miles from a White Falcon, her favourite guitar.
I'm not a fan of white guitars though.
I then briefly played a couple of Les Pauls.
An Epiphone Les Paul PlusTop PRO - Heritage Sunburst, which had coil tapped Humbuckers.
And a Gibson Les Paul Classic T 2017, in a stunning Green Ocean Burst.
Both very fine guitars but they confirmed I'm not really a Les Paul guy.
Finally I A/B'd a Gretsch G5422TG in Walnut Stain and an Epiphone Emperor Swingster in Trans. Orange.
A friend of mine has the Epi and really rates it.
And yes, It's a great, nicely made, old style guitar, perfect for vintage Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly.
But in pretty much every way, the Gretsch was nicer.
And fortunately for me it was set up a lot better than the white version, I'd previously played.
Low action but still strong and not buzzy and the Bigsby trem was far more sensitive than I've come across before.
What a gem and those Filter'Tron pickups are very sweet.
With both on, that characteristic, plinky, watery sound is beautiful.
Especially with a little slap-back echo.
individually, the bridge pickup gives you some nice cut and the neck pickup is warm, round and a little jazzy.
It's a classy looking guitar, with great finishing and build quality.
I particularly like the binding, which has the look of aged ivory.
I'm not a massive fan of gold hardware and on the white version, it looked a little gaudy.
But with the brown/wine red walnut finish, it looks really nice.
I'm loving knocking out some Chuck Berry and Brian Setzer riffs, on this beauty.
0
LOL 0
Wow! 0
Wisdom
LOL 0 Wow! 0 Wisdom Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
It's the seetest guitar I've played, for some time.
btw cases are a pain in the bum for these. The Gretsch ones are rubbish, and they are just too big for a 335 type case. I've ended up with a Hiscox dreadnaught case (Pro II GAD) with some pads which holds it firm.
It went straight back to the shop. Thankfully GAK were pretty good on returns though.