So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by zhivago » Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:27 am

I have a feeling there is quite a few of us on this board...

Post some pics of your Gretsch guitars, and if you don't have pics, just post the model you have :)

I'll start,

2017 Gretsch G6134T-58 Vintage Select ’58 White Penguin...had it for almost exactly a month now...big neck, loud and very resonant unplugged, smooth bigsby action, impeccable fretwork, great pickups and the tone circuit options are cool. :-*

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:55 am

zhivago wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:27 am
...and the tone circuit options are cool. :-*
Is there something different than a standard tone circuit? I've never played a Gretsch, but I figured the tone was pretty standard.
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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by zhivago » Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:01 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:55 am
zhivago wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:27 am
...and the tone circuit options are cool. :-*
Is there something different than a standard tone circuit? I've never played a Gretsch, but I figured the tone was pretty standard.
It has two presets for each pickup...in the middle it is normal, up gives you a bassier sound, down it is treblier. It's cool to have these setting on the fly while playing. With the bridge pickup at its trebliest it sounds a lot like a Telecaster. :)
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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:18 am

zhivago wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:01 am
Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:55 am
zhivago wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:27 am
...and the tone circuit options are cool. :-*
Is there something different than a standard tone circuit? I've never played a Gretsch, but I figured the tone was pretty standard.
It has two presets for each pickup...in the middle it is normal, up gives you a bassier sound, down it is treblier. It's cool to have these setting on the fly while playing. With the bridge pickup at its trebliest it sounds a lot like a Telecaster. :)
That's awesome!!! So each pickup switch is a 3-way toggle (the 2 in the upper horn)?
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http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by windmill » Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:42 am

Big fan of that great Gretsch sound.

That is a very nice looking guitar.

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by jakeisjake » Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:52 am

i traded a set of congas and bongos for a gretsch 5120 a couple of years ago (i think i put in some cash, too). it was the best deal ever. the guy thought he got the better deal...and i'm pretty sure i did ok, too!

it is the sweetest guitar! it has the original p/up in the neck and tv jones in the bridge. plays great, has that classic gretsch sound and, in the classic orange, it has killer looks! really nice grain on the wood.

i'm pretty convinced that if something happened and i had to sell off my guitars and only keep one, the gretsch would be the keeper.
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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by zhivago » Wed Feb 06, 2019 5:10 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:18 am
That's awesome!!! So each pickup switch is a 3-way toggle (the 2 in the upper horn)?
One three way switch selected the pickups, and the other three way switch is the tone "shifts" :)
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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by zhivago » Wed Feb 06, 2019 5:11 am

jakeisjake wrote:
Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:52 am
i traded a set of congas and bongos for a gretsch 5120 a couple of years ago (i think i put in some cash, too). it was the best deal ever. the guy thought he got the better deal...and i'm pretty sure i did ok, too!

it is the sweetest guitar! it has the original p/up in the neck and tv jones in the bridge. plays great, has that classic gretsch sound and, in the classic orange, it has killer looks! really nice grain on the wood.

i'm pretty convinced that if something happened and i had to sell off my guitars and only keep one, the gretsch would be the keeper.
I definitely think you got the better part of the deal there!!! TV Jones pickups are just awesome! :)
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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by mynameisjonas » Wed Feb 06, 2019 5:38 am

I was going back and forth between getting a Les Paul Jr (which as you know is what I ended up with) or one of these G5220 Electromatic Jets:
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I played one a while ago, and they're really awesome guitars for the money. A few of the Gretsch quirks have been removed (no tone switch, and the pickups are somewhere in between PAFs and Filtertrons) but it still retains much of the Gretsch vibe. The only thing I don't like is the stop bar, but they come with Bigsbys too.

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Wed Feb 06, 2019 5:42 am

I love the look and sounds of Gretsch. I no longer have this jewel, but I do miss how it looked.

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by Hiwatt Bob » Wed Feb 06, 2019 6:54 am

‘59 double anniversary & G6120-1959ltv

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Wed Feb 06, 2019 7:07 am

Man, that Double Anniversary!
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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by Squirrel » Wed Feb 06, 2019 8:10 am

I'm a huge fan of Gretsch, I wouldn't even consider buying any other make of guitar at this point unless it was something really unusual. Here are mine:

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1965 6120, 1967 Tennessean, 1966 Astro Jet. Aaaand I've just bought another, which shall be revealed fairly soon. :ph34r:

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by Embenny » Wed Feb 06, 2019 8:33 am

Ok, so that Astro Jet is spectacular and I can't hold a candle to those vintage Gretsches, but here's mine. Wanted one of these ever since I was about 13 or so, and it came to me preloaded with TV Classics. It's the best-playing guitar I own.

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Re: So who is playing Gretsch guitars?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Wed Feb 06, 2019 8:50 am

I’ve had a late 60s Country Gentleman and a mid 60s 6120 in the past and the best sounding guitar I ever played was a 1955 Duo Jet with DeArmonds and block inlays, but I don’t currently own one. I always check them out in the shop when I come across a Gretsch, but I am holding out for a Silver Falcon. I love the look and the sound. They always seem so big though.

I know they have thinline Falcons, and that should be right between the Duo Jet and the Full size Falcon, but I haven’t seen one outside Reverb and that makes it a leap. They also don’t have the tone switch, which I prefer over the tone knob, because it’s easy to reach, sounds right, and the tone knob is buried under the Bigsby.

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