heads on fire « What a Gretsch! »
Published on 03/01/12 at 09:56Made in China
Body Shape: Jet™
Body Style: Chambered Single-Cutaway
Body: Basswood, Gloss Urethane Finish, Arched Maple Top
Pickguard: White Pearloid w/ Gretsch® Logo
Body Binding: 1-Ply White
Neck: Maple, Gloss Urethane Finish
Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Pearloid Hump-Block Inlays
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Finger Board Radius: 12" Radius (305 mm)
Nut: Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 1.6875" (43 mm)
Scale Length: 24.6" (62.5 cm)
Pickups: "Black Top" Filter'Tron™ Bridge Pickup
"Black Top" Filter'Tron™ Neck Pickup
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge
and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master
Volume, Master Tone
Bridge: Anchored Adjusto-Matic™ Bridge
Hardware: Chrome
Tuning Keys: Enclosed Vintage Style
Knobs: "G" Arrow Knobs
Strings: D'Addario® XL110 Regular Light, NPS (.010-.046 Gauges)
Unique Features: Two-Tone Body Color Scheme, “Black Top” Filter’Tron™
pickups, Bigsby® Licensed B50 Vibrato Tailpiece
UTILIZATION
What can I say, it's a Gretsch! Gretsch has long been one of my favorite guitar manufacturers, and this guitar is no exception to that rule. When I found out that most Gretsch guitars are made in China nowadays, I was a bit apprehensive. But I've seen nothing but good quality, affordable instruments from the China-made Gretsches, so I had no initial reservations about this one. When I picked it up, I could tell it had very solid craftsmanship. The inlays and bindings look well done, as does the sunburst finish. Playability is very good, and I have to say these knobs are by far the coolest in the guitar industry!
SOUNDS
Here's where the guitar really shines. This Gretsch has Filtertron pickups, which act like a humbucker for noise cancellation purposes, but have a very snappy, almost single-coil-like sound. The clarity is off the charts - no matter what crazy jazz chord I thought of, this guitar presented each note in high-definition sound. It is a great sounding axe for rockabilly, blues, jazz, country, and classic rock.
OVERALL OPINION
This guitar is an outstanding choice for a person on a limited budget - it absolutely rocks! Nothing is lacking in any way - the finish is excellent, all the detail work is spot-on, the pickups sound great, and the Bigsby vibrato is a big plus, of course. This is a highly versatile instrument that will provide years of enjoyment, and make the player look stylish while doing it! Gretsch is a class-act and is really onto something here. Highly recommended to all.
Body Shape: Jet™
Body Style: Chambered Single-Cutaway
Body: Basswood, Gloss Urethane Finish, Arched Maple Top
Pickguard: White Pearloid w/ Gretsch® Logo
Body Binding: 1-Ply White
Neck: Maple, Gloss Urethane Finish
Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Pearloid Hump-Block Inlays
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Finger Board Radius: 12" Radius (305 mm)
Nut: Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 1.6875" (43 mm)
Scale Length: 24.6" (62.5 cm)
Pickups: "Black Top" Filter'Tron™ Bridge Pickup
"Black Top" Filter'Tron™ Neck Pickup
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge
and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master
Volume, Master Tone
Bridge: Anchored Adjusto-Matic™ Bridge
Hardware: Chrome
Tuning Keys: Enclosed Vintage Style
Knobs: "G" Arrow Knobs
Strings: D'Addario® XL110 Regular Light, NPS (.010-.046 Gauges)
Unique Features: Two-Tone Body Color Scheme, “Black Top” Filter’Tron™
pickups, Bigsby® Licensed B50 Vibrato Tailpiece
UTILIZATION
What can I say, it's a Gretsch! Gretsch has long been one of my favorite guitar manufacturers, and this guitar is no exception to that rule. When I found out that most Gretsch guitars are made in China nowadays, I was a bit apprehensive. But I've seen nothing but good quality, affordable instruments from the China-made Gretsches, so I had no initial reservations about this one. When I picked it up, I could tell it had very solid craftsmanship. The inlays and bindings look well done, as does the sunburst finish. Playability is very good, and I have to say these knobs are by far the coolest in the guitar industry!
SOUNDS
Here's where the guitar really shines. This Gretsch has Filtertron pickups, which act like a humbucker for noise cancellation purposes, but have a very snappy, almost single-coil-like sound. The clarity is off the charts - no matter what crazy jazz chord I thought of, this guitar presented each note in high-definition sound. It is a great sounding axe for rockabilly, blues, jazz, country, and classic rock.
OVERALL OPINION
This guitar is an outstanding choice for a person on a limited budget - it absolutely rocks! Nothing is lacking in any way - the finish is excellent, all the detail work is spot-on, the pickups sound great, and the Bigsby vibrato is a big plus, of course. This is a highly versatile instrument that will provide years of enjoyment, and make the player look stylish while doing it! Gretsch is a class-act and is really onto something here. Highly recommended to all.