Got a big birthday whizzing towards me (50th... I know, I know) and would like to acquire a 'special' guitar for a special birthday.... any excuse....
So, Im interested maybe in a Gretsch... a proper one, not a £400 job....
Are the new ones any good ? Dan on That Pedal Show has a nice video on one, and Guitar Guitar have got plenty in, such as these;
http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars.asp?brandname=Gretsch&order=2Are the Players models the ones to go for ? What are the differences etc ?
Also, must be stable tuning.
Cheers in advance,
Warren
Comments
The only downside (on paper) is that they're finished in poly rather than nitro, but the necks on all seven (!) of my Gretsch guitars are simply some of the nicest and smoothest feeling that I've played. The neck profiles are nicely rounded and reasonably slim - a really nice profile.
personally I'd go down any of the 6120 models or White Falcon models
The way they play and sound is there own character and as such it somehow makes you step away from a Strat/335/LP style of playing - I love 50's style swing/jazz/blues/rock n roll and for that they work so well - even tried a few with 9s and 10's if required and they work but many say go 11's
A players/signature 6120 is only a tweak on a 6120 - some of the Setzer models more so - but a classic 6120 or White Falcon be it vintage replica or player/signature model should be fine
Tuning is fine if you keep it slight and not aggressive rock style
There are occasional runs of nitro finished guitars - I had a White Penguin and a White Falcon both with nitro, though to be honest there wasn't a big difference in feel. Those were both special editions - the Penguin had a Bigsby & nitro, the Falcon was a Dave Lee model with black binding & Logo, locking tuners, a nickel bigsby and TV Jones Powertrons in black P90 style soapbar covers. Maybe should have kept that one...The penguin I don't really miss. You can get the Setzers in nitro and I think the Rev Horton Heat model is also nitro finished.
I would recommend having the bridge and also possibly the Bigsby pinned to the top. It can be done invisibly by a good tech and will help enormously with tuning stability.
I'd keep an eye out for a used CS version as they hold their value pretty poorly (as indeed do the Japanese versions).
I've always fancied a White Falcon (probably from my early days of The Cult) but may be a bit too wide bodies for me...
Thoughts on this below ? And is it USA or Cap ?
http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_detail.asp?stock=160901301862008
Yes Cult and indie/pop/rock styles where melody beats speed and they work so well
Though of course the rise in new prices may drag it up a bit.
the falcon is really surprisingly versatile.
it is a big beast to handle, and getting past the 14th fret is a nightmare.
Definitely give a few a test. They are great guitars.
sounds like you have fun times ahead!
edit - forgot to say when Gretsch shopping, I found the non white falcon scale length too small and toy like to get on with. Personal preference.
Custom Shop is USA, Proline is Japan. There are lacquer finishes but not that many.
Falcon is bigger-body and Fender scale as mentioned, the Country Club is big & deep-bodied. There are some centre-block models like the Panther too. The others can be fully-hollow or trestle-braced (I assume this is still current), a half-way between open & centre blocked.
The Anniversary I had, ex Marlin and now TonyR on here, had ML bracing which is really excellent and I don't know why it's not more common. Was also lacquer finish.
Pickups can be Gretsch HS Filtertrons, TVJ Classics (a more 'polite' version of the Filter), Dynasonics, and others.
6120 is the classic Gretsch, the Annie is pretty much the same with less binding. Creeping Fenderisation means there's tons of models with variations between them.
The Country Gent is another iconic one, at least two variants of that with difference scales, heels and real or no f-holes, mutes and what have you.
Bigsby tuning is down to the nut and bridge. Personally I'm not keen on zero frets, fast wear/notching and string hang-ups don't go well with a trem. With some fettling they can work well, I was able to deck the handle on mine and have it come back to tune.
Not necessary - a bit of cello rosin will provide the necessary friction to keep the bridge stable on the top without modifying the guitar. It also allows you to re-position the bridge to get good intonation, which is especially important on a rocking-bar bridge.
A Gretsch Penguin is on my bucket list, it plays beautifully. Sounds great into a BF Fender.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=malcolm+young+white+falcon&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiosL-QxIzQAhXGnBoKHcbyDp4Q_AUIBygB&biw=375&bih=559&dpr=2
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
The necks never felt right on every model I tried.
I think I played every single one in guitar guitar Birmingham and the best for me was the Chet Atkins. The problem was I wasn't willing to pay more than a grand for it. The pricing doesn't seem to match the feel of the guitars, dare I say it they feel cheap.
I ended up leaving with a CS 345 which wiped the floor with the Gretschs
All my opinion of course. I'm still disappointed, I love the looks and sound of a Gretsch, I just wish I found one I liked playing
Interesting that.... Last Sunday, I had a very brief look into the new extension at GG in B'ham.
The shop looked very nice indeed, BUT I did think the Gretsch looked at bit cheap somehow... I didn't have time to play one, as Mrs Meister was sitting in the car