NZGuitars.com : Filling you with GAS since 2003

Pastasauce · Post by **Pastasauce** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 11:21 am

Polar Bear wrote:Rhett, if you knew me for real, that comment would be even funnier.

...There's a thread for that...

Polar Bear · Post by **Polar Bear** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 11:41 am

mr_sooty wrote:
Polar Bear wrote:
sizzlingbadger wrote:Thats sweet, I never really thought of Gretches as dark sounding... is that normal ? (I have no experience of them)
I don't think it's normal. When I think of Gretsch I think Setzer, Living End and Beatles, none of which are dark sounding!
Yeah but with all due respect, what you have there is an Electromatic, not a proper fancy Gretsch with Filtertrons. It's the Filtertrons and Dynasonics that give the traditional Gretsch's their bright jangly character. The Electromatics have pretty ordinary humbuckers, your one would difinitely benefit from a couple of TV Jones': http://www.tvjones.com/pickups/tvclassicplus.html

I do like the look of these new Electromatic Pro Jets though with Filtertrons:
http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/ ... 2517010506

A friend of mine has one of these: http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/ ... 2400408846. My goodness how I would love to have that guitar. So much coin though.

Mostly true Cam, except this is also a proper Gretsch. HAving played both Japanese and Korean, I couldn't pick the difference at low volume between the two, and certainly feel and build wise the 5120 is absolutely stunning. Turns out that yeah, the pickups are a bit muddy as you wind it up, which sucks. I've done a bit of reading and note that there seems to be a few things that other owners have done to mod them before changing pickups.I'm going to ahve a look at pickup heights, change the polepiece height, and I've also seen that changing the cap on the tone pot can sort some things out. I would be happy to hear other opinions on this though.

The TV Jones are actually less than what I thought, but more than I'd ideally want to spend on pickups. I would be interested to know what other Gretschy type options are out there. I see Iain has Sky Filtertrons which are tempting, as I've liked Kent Armstrong stuff before. Does anybody else have any recommendations for a Gretsch?

mr_sooty · Post by **mr_sooty** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 12:15 pm

Okay, well admitedlly the term 'proper' is somewhat subjective.

sopachrga · Post by **sopachrga** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 6:50 pm

mr_sooty wrote:Okay, well admitedlly the term 'proper' is somewhat subjective.

No it's not. The guitar is as much a proper Gretsch as any other Gretsch.

slash-ed · Post by **slash-ed** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:13 pm

Get a Wampler-modded Gretsch. It'll change your life.

mr_sooty · Post by **mr_sooty** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:15 pm

Awesome, let's have another pointless argument over semantics. Wouldn't that be fun.

Vorbis · Post by **Vorbis** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:19 pm

mr_sooty wrote:Awesome, let's have another pointless argument over semantics. Wouldn't that be fun.

Agreed.

sopachrga · Post by **sopachrga** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:24 pm

mr_sooty wrote:Awesome, let's have another pointless argument over semantics. Wouldn't that be fun.

No time for that. Too many other threads where people are happy about their new purchase to go and post backhanded comments in.

Vorbis · Post by **Vorbis** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:25 pm

sopachrga wrote:
mr_sooty wrote:Awesome, let's have another pointless argument over semantics. Wouldn't that be fun.
No time for that. Too many other threads where people are happy about their new purchase to go and post backhanded comments in.

More agreement.

mr_sooty · Post by **mr_sooty** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:54 pm

Look, I don't mean to diss the guitar. Those electromatics are perfectly good guitars for the money. But Tod was saying it wasn't sounding like what he thought a gretsch was so supposed to sound like and I simply pointed out that it was a cheaper version with different pickups so obviously it's not going to sound exactly like a white falcon or a duo jet. I'm sure we're all well aware that the electromatic is a cheaper model in the same way an epiphone is a cheaper Gibson right? I'm also sure I'm not saying anything PB doesn't already know.

Vorbis · Post by **Vorbis** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:55 pm

mr_sooty wrote:Look, I don't mean to diss the guitar. Those electromatics are perfectly good guitars for the money. But Tod was saying it wasn't sounding like what he thought a gretsch was so supposed to sound like and I simply pointed out that it was a cheaper version with different pickups so obviously it's not going to sound exactly like a white falcon or a duo jet. I'm sure we're all well aware that the electromatic is a cheaper model in the same way an epiphone is a cheaper Gibson right? I'm also sure I'm not saying anything PB doesn't already know.

Man, I'm surprised he's not chucked it in the bin already after that.

Post by **GrantB** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:41 pm

slash-ed wrote:Get a Wampler-modded Gretsch. It'll change your life.

I got one...and I still woke up the same this morning. Sending it back Monday.

Nice guitar - dark tho...that's very un Gretsch for sure. I have head some of the pots on these can be way out of spec...maybe start there?

jeremyb · Post by **jeremyb** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 10:32 pm

Wow she's a beaut PB, Gretsch sound to me is Billy Duffy rather than the jangly stuff, good luck with removing the mud, buttah is no good as a degreaser tho'...

Polar Bear · Post by **Polar Bear** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 11:50 pm

mr_sooty wrote:Look, I don't mean to diss the guitar. Those electromatics are perfectly good guitars for the money. But Tod was saying it wasn't sounding like what he thought a gretsch was so supposed to sound like and I simply pointed out that it was a cheaper version with different pickups so obviously it's not going to sound exactly like a white falcon or a duo jet. I'm sure we're all well aware that the electromatic is a cheaper model in the same way an epiphone is a cheaper Gibson right? I'm also sure I'm not saying anything PB doesn't already know.

I certainyl don't take offence at your statement, I jsut don't agree, ya know? I mean a Fender Modern Player is as much a Fender as an American Standard. I mean having to replace pickups isn't exactly a great example of what makes something proper.

But anyway before the thread gets derailed completely...

*UNIQUE* wrote:
slash-ed wrote:Get a Wampler-modded Gretsch. It'll change your life.
I got one...and I still woke up the same this morning. Sending it back Monday.

Nice guitar - dark tho...that's very un Gretsch for sure. I have head some of the pots on these can be way out of spec...maybe start there?

Did you have a 5120 G? If so, what mods, if any did you do to it?

Pastasauce · Post by **Pastasauce** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:43 am

I have a not proper Gibson SG (a special faded) and a not proper Fender Strat (MIM).

Replaced the p-ups in the SG and it's a bit more proper now. But either way, when I take it to church the yoof are still like, "Wow! A Gibson!"

They, at least, are impressed. That makes me happy.

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