Identify this Gretsch, please :)

robinbowes

So, a friend has lent me a Gretsch and I'm trying to find out what it is.

Can anyone help from these (bad) pics:

Thanks,

R.

guitargeek62

Elliot easton electromatic sig.

streethawk

Looks like the EE model without the sig truss rod cover.

robinbowes

Brilliant. I've been looking through endless pictures of Green Electromatics and not found it.

Can you tell me anything else about it, or tell me what to look for? eg. how to date it, approx value, etc?

Thanks,

R.

streethawk

Google hints it's the 5570. Some sort of transitional easton based model.

http://www.gretsch-talk.com/threads/serial-number-on-a-gretsch-5570-post-elliot-easton.55459/

TheMarlin

guitargeek62;1125877" said:

Elliot easton electromatic sig.

Yup. What he said. Early version.

robinbowes

Just looked on the back of the headstock. It says:

CY05022171

MADE IN CHINA

So, Feb 2005.

R.

streethawk

I wouldn't kick it out of bed. 

Shark_Eyes

Doesn't @gassage have one of these? He might be able to help.

robinbowes

OK, so I finally got round to spraying some contact cleaner in the volume pot (it was unusable) and it's all working perfectly now.

Can anyone tell me what the various controls do? I think I've identified:

1. master volume (on lower horn)
2. neck pickup volume (middle knob on bottom row)
3. tone (leftmost knob on bottom rom)
4. pickup selector (rightmost switch)

So, what's the other switch for?

R.

Paul_C

GAK's description says "master volume control, bridge volume control, neck volume control, tone switch, and a 3-way pickup selector switch."

robinbowes

Oooh, OK, so I got it wrong. It appears the controls are:

1. master volume (on lower horn)
2. neck pickup volume (middle knob on bottom row)
3. bridge pickup volume (leftmost knob on bottom rom)
4. pickup selector (righthand switch)
5. some sort of tone thing (lefthand switch)

What is the tone switch supposed to do?

R.

robinbowes

Aha - here we go:

http://www.gretschguitars.com/support/control-guides/

robinbowes

I might try this at next rehearsal, if I can get it to stay in tune

R.

ICBM

If it's the same as a standard Gretsch it's a two-position treble cut with the middle position being normal. The two side positions are subtly different but usually best described as 'muddy' and 'muddier'.

It's possible to get more useful sounds by replacing one or both caps with smaller values.

robinbowes

ICBM said:

 but usually best described as 'muddy' and 'muddier'

Aha, it's not just my ears then.

This diagram says 12nF and 3.9nF - what would you recommend?

R.

ICBM

Try replacing the 12nF with something much smaller, like 1nF.

robinbowes

Cheers - will give it a go.

R.

robinbowes

Looking inside, the two caps are 223K and 473K, so 22nF and 47nF. Even bigger!

R.

ICBM

 And almost pointlessly similar.

Given that they're so large I would maybe not go quite as low as 1nF - replace the one you like least with a tenth of the value of the one you prefer, if that makes sense.

Moe_Zambeek

I don't know anyone who ever actually uses the mud switch. I'm always tempted to wire it up as a kill switch...