Gretsch 5420T - any users?

ThePrettyDamned

These seem great value. There is also the 5422T which is the same as far as I can see, but double cutaway.

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/gretsch-g5420t-2016-electromatic-hollow-body-w-bigsby-fbl

Anyone used one? 30th birthday this year so I'm having a think... 

NervousJohn

I’ve got a walnut 5422TG from 2016. Other than a new bone nut to help with the tuning it’s stock, and I love it to bits. 

So yes, buy one, stick 11s on it and enjoy. 

AlexO

Great guitars and that’s a bargain price. Tempted myself.
add a pair of TV Jones pups and you ain’t far off any Gretsch pro line.

imalrightjack

They're great - and looks very cool in blue.  I've now got a 6119T (Tennessee Rose) and it's noticeably better put-together - but it's three times the price!

ThePrettyDamned

It does look good on blue. There is a white double cut with gold hardware as well - yummy.

Aspen green looks nice too, and orange stain... 

TheMarlin

Get it nicely setup by a luthier who knows Gretsches, Pay special attention to the nut, the source of 90% of Gretsch tuning issues. . 

See TV Jones website for instructions on how to set up their pickups (same instructions for all Gretsch pickups), pickups have to right up under the strings, pretty much as close as they can get without touching the strings while playing. 

Get a set of 11’s on it, and enjoy. The Blacktop Filtertrons are great pickups.  

ThePrettyDamned

TheMarlin said:

Get it nicely setup by a luthier who knows Gretsches, Pay special attention to the nut, the source of 90% of Gretsch tuning issues. . 

See TV Jones website for instructions on how to set up their pickups (same instructions for all Gretsch pickups), pickups have to right up under the strings, pretty much as close as they can get without touching the strings while playing. 

Get a set of 11’s on it, and enjoy. The Blacktop Filtertrons are great pickups.  

I was hoping you'd come along are these actually like old school black top filtertrons, or are these cheap standard pickups in a fancy shell a la some older cheaper fenders with their wide range humbuggies? 

The nut is the source of all tuning instability of almost every guitar ever... Mick Thompson has a Floyd locking nut on his just so he knows it'll never go out, despite not having a vibrato! So I'll definitely make sure it's seen to nicely, should I get one. 

I want something for rock n roll, country, and unplugged noodling. My jazzmaster fills this nicely, super loud unplugged, but I'd like a shorter scale length and, to be honest, these are mega pretty... 

ThePrettyDamned

Actually, @TheMarlin, do the bridges rock back and forth a la jazzmaster? This would be a huge benefit, I think it's a crucial part of a particular janglyness I love. I can't imagine strings will glide over a tune-o-matic... So I assume the bridge itself rocks? 

Corvus

Blacktops are proper alnico Filtertrons but have quite a different voice to trad 'trons; less bottom end, more cutting. Work really well with dirt.
The bridge doesn't rock by design but in reality it can a bit from gaps/tolerances. It's less often the cause of tuning problems with these but I used to call them Rattle-o-matics cos many do. The other end is the main problem because of the splaying out of the strings. A bone or Tusq nut cut to suit helps a lot. The standard plastic one is hollow and not great for Bigsby use.
A Compton bridge is a great mod for tuning and tone, but might need some bridge mods with these because the studs go into the body, fixing the base's location.

ThePrettyDamned

Corvus said:

Blacktops are proper alnico Filtertrons but have quite a different voice to trad 'trons; less bottom end, more cutting. Work really well with dirt.
The bridge doesn't rock by design but in reality it can a bit from gaps/tolerances. It's less often the cause of tuning problems with these but I used to call them Rattle-o-matics cos many do. The other end is the main problem because of the splaying out of the strings. A bone or Tusq nut cut to suit helps a lot. The standard plastic one is hollow and not great for Bigsby use.
A Compton bridge is a great mod for tuning and tone, but might need some bridge mods with these because the studs go into the body, fixing the base's location.

Weird, they claim these have a nubone nut - they're solid, not hollow... 

Maybe misprint? 

Corvus

Ah maybe they changed then with the model overhauls. Mine was 2012 with the old shape headstock and all that.

ThePrettyDamned

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/gretsch-g5422tg-2016-electromatic-hollow-body-w-bigsby-wl

Mmmmmmm

TheMarlin

Corvus said:

Blacktops are proper alnico Filtertrons but have quite a different voice to trad 'trons; less bottom end, more cutting. Work really well with dirt.
The bridge doesn't rock by design but in reality it can a bit from gaps/tolerances. It's less often the cause of tuning problems with these but I used to call them Rattle-o-matics cos many do. The other end is the main problem because of the splaying out of the strings. A bone or Tusq nut cut to suit helps a lot. The standard plastic one is hollow and not great for Bigsby use.
A Compton bridge is a great mod for tuning and tone, but might need some bridge mods with these because the studs go into the body, fixing the base's location.

Couldn’t have put it better myself. 

That’s pretty much everything that needs to be said.  Wisdom duly awarded

birtner

Used to have one. Nice guitars. Tone controls didn’t do much on mine but I don’t remember needing them much. Sound glorious turned up. I play heavily overdriven and never had any feedback issues 

TheMarlin

ThePrettyDamned said:

Corvus said:

Blacktops are proper alnico Filtertrons but have quite a different voice to trad 'trons; less bottom end, more cutting. Work really well with dirt.
The bridge doesn't rock by design but in reality it can a bit from gaps/tolerances. It's less often the cause of tuning problems with these but I used to call them Rattle-o-matics cos many do. The other end is the main problem because of the splaying out of the strings. A bone or Tusq nut cut to suit helps a lot. The standard plastic one is hollow and not great for Bigsby use.
A Compton bridge is a great mod for tuning and tone, but might need some bridge mods with these because the studs go into the body, fixing the base's location.

Weird, they claim these have a nubone nut - they're solid, not hollow... 

Maybe misprint? 

It’s a recent upgrade by Gretsch. They used to come with cheap hollow plastic nuts that had a vice like grip on the strings.   

I used to be in a real downer about this model, but it looks like Gretsch are listening to feedback, and they’ve upped the build quality of late, particularly hardware, pots and wiring. 

I had one of the blue ones when it first came out, and EVERYTHING needed sorting on it. Wiring was crap, pots crap, nut crap, bridge rattled like crazy, frets weren’t level. 

I got it all sorted, at some expense, the when it was perfect, sold it cheap as I was so pi$$ed off with it. 

Gladly, they’re great now. 

TheMarlin

....but do okay as many as you can before you buy one. Buy the one that gives you the fizz. Many won’t. 

ThePrettyDamned

TheMarlin said:

....but do okay as many as you can before you buy one. Buy the one that gives you the fizz. Many won’t. 

Advice heeded. I've got a while till my birthday, so I'll keep saving and nearer the time book a good long slot to try them all thanks for the advice. Hoping to get somewhere like peach, where you get the set up service etc. 

JayGee

Recent (just before lockdown) 5422TG owner here - It could be I’m just lucky but the very first one I picked up was lovely with no setup issues at all. Really classy, nicely turned out guitar, slinky as you like to play, no tuning issues, Bigsby stability no worse than any other non-locking tremolo and somewhat better than my Peerless). Can’t speak to how well the blacktop filtertrons match vintage ‘trons or the likes of TV Jones but (both on the Gretsch and my Mexica La Cabronita) they’re great sounding and characterful in their own right and that’s good enough for me...

NervousJohn

ThePrettyDamned said:

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/gretsch-g5422tg-2016-electromatic-hollow-body-w-bigsby-wl

Mmmmmmm

Correct. That’s my guitar. Sickeningly good price too. 

JayGee

NervousJohn said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/gretsch-g5422tg-2016-electromatic-hollow-body-w-bigsby-wl

Mmmmmmm

Correct. That’s my guitar. Sickeningly good price too. 

Blue ones are better... :-)

Rowby1

Yes, mines an older (2014 I think) G5420T in Aspen Green. I’ve modded it somewhat, pickups are now Oil City’s, replaced the wiring harness (old pickup selector acted more like a kill switch) and a Compton SS bridge. If you get it for a good enough price the mods make sense if you need them.