Gretsch G5445T Double Jet w/Bigsby

Purchased at Guitar Center for $270 on clearance. I was looking for a lower priced hollow body, but they didn't have the Ibanez artcore I wanted to try out. I couldn't believe the price on this guitar. It played ok, it looked like a million (love the vermillion red). The manager came down on the case so I took it, intending to try it out. I set up the action and intonation and can't bring myself to return it.

I never considered the Gretsch sound as they are so over-priced, but this Korean-made beauty plays and sounds like a dream. They're rare and I like that. I know I'll get compliments when I play out. The sound is 50s - early 60s rockabilly. Beatles, Memphis - it's got this gritty but mellow, warm sound - and very bassy like a Les Paul. The body is luan (plywood essentially) but it doesn't sound it. It does have a maple top and neck, with ebony stained finger board. The black finger board is very striking with the red body, white "Gretsch" emblazoned pickguard and crome "G" stamped hardware.) The guitar also works for jazz and certainly for blues, and because it's the same body style as Malcolm Young's 6120 (# right?) I had to play some Malcolm riffs. The intro to Sink the Pink is a dead ringer. Heavier than any guitar I've played, but weighted nicely. I love the sound I get through my Fender amps. Because it's so bassy, you can crank those springy, shimmery highs and it really sounds great. True vintage, very smooth and warm on top with nice gritty lows.

It came with a bad nut. The high and low e strings are cut too deeply and buzz and are a little dead in spots. I don't want to bow the neck with the truss rod as I like the action, so I'm getting a graphite nut put on. The nut did stick a bit on the d and g strings so that'll be remedied too. I had to do the toothpicks-and-superglue trick to keep the strap knobs in that soft luan. I don't like that the neck side strap points up a bit. I need to get a cheaper, thinner strap so it will stay put in the narrow space between strap knob and body.

Over-all fit and finish are very nice. Just a bit of extra finish on the neck near the joint and a tiny dab of glue around one of the frets. The neck needs some oil, but that's common on the most expensive guitars. The finish seems very tough and brilliantly shiney. Very nice body binding, neck and tuning board binding. It looks so much more expensive than it is.

I feel like I got a great deal and found a guitar I really love the sound and look of. I found the Ibanez artcore guitar at another shop and bought it as well. I really couldn't afford both guitars, so I'm selling my $900 American Strat to keep the $270 electromatic and $400 Ibanez. I think that sums it up.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this guitar at guitar center. List was $750. They were asking $400 and I ended up paying $315 out the door. An excellent deal for such an amazing guitar! I intended on picking up an Ibanez for $200 more than the Gretsch but after I played it I opted not. Just didn't play like I thought it would for the cost. I messed around with a few other guitars for an hour or so and came across this Gretsch. It was up by the desk with all the other $2300 Gretsch guitars so I just over looked it thinking it was at least a grand. Turns out they were asking $400 so it was within my budget. I played it for about 15 minutes and the station I was playing at freaked out and lost power so I came back the next day, played the guitar for 30 minutes or so and had to have it!

I love everything about this guitar. It looks and plays like a much more expensive guitar. Actually it looks almost identical to Gretsch's 1962 duo jet re-issue for about $2000 or so. Minus the Bigsby Tremolo tail piece though. The knobs are the same and it's weighted about the same. It's not a light guitar by any means but very easy to play. The Gretsch dual Humbuckers sound great and it has that distinctive "Gretsch sound". I've been playing it pretty much all day for the past three days neglecting food and sleep, it's almost 3:00 am right now and I'll be getting back to it as soon as I'm done here. Don't plan on picking one of these baby's up unless you're unemployed, out of school, and don't have a girlfriend because you're not going to be able to put it down! Just line up the beers and crank up the amp!

There's really nothing that I don't like about this guitar. It's weighted a tad bit wierd if you're leaning back in a chair while your playing but if you sit up like you're suppose to it's fine. The standard strings are a little harsh but that's an easy fix and the bridge and pick-ups needed a little adjusting to get the sound exactly right. I think someone mentioned a loose pick-up on another Gretsch review. Mine did the same thing but all that needed to be done was to crank up the hieght screws for the neck side pick-up as they are spring loaded at it comes a little loose.

The quality of the guitar is excellent! All the parts are excellent quality or at least they look like they are. I guess in time I'll find out for sure. It feels like a much more expensive guitar. Most of the hardware is the same as seen on all the high end Gretsch guitars regardless of price. The details are excellent. The only thing that is plastic on the guitar is the pick guard. The elevated Gretsch style pick guard, by the way, has to be one of the coolest things in the world! The knobs and hardware are all chrome and the knobs have the Gretsch "G" etched on each one. Very very nicely done guitar. The top of the neck has "Electromatic" written in gold and looks very pricey. Overall an excellent guitar.

The bottom line...... if you find one of these guitars, buy it! It would seem that Gretsch's are not as popular as Ibanez's or Fender's nowadays but I think it's just a better guitar overall and worth every penny if not more.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com