I think I want a Gretsch

S

Shakuan

New member
I've been playing accoustic guitar for 5 years and I'm ready to buy a quality electric guitar. So I went to the store and stumbled on the Gretsch Duo Jet G6128. It played really awesome and I think I'll order the G6128T (with Tremolo) next week.

I'm just wondering what everyone has to say about it before I spend 2.5k on it! :)
 
Cool.

Gretsch is a wierd company. Their vintage stuff is all total crap but that is how they built their name. All their pre 1970 guitars are known for the binding coming apart, loose necks, and the glue joints cracking. The guitars apparently weren't put together very well and they literally fell apart. Nearly all of them have to have major surgery to keep going.

But all the new ones are made in Japan and appear to be quite good quality wise. They do their thing very well. I've always wanted to find one of the Malcom Young models, but those things are nearly impossible to find!

H2H
 
Hard2Hear said:
Cool.

Gretsch is a wierd company. Their vintage stuff is all total crap but that is how they built their name. All their pre 1970 guitars are known for the binding coming apart, loose necks, and the glue joints cracking. The guitars apparently weren't put together very well and they literally fell apart. Nearly all of them have to have major surgery to keep going.

But all the new ones are made in Japan and appear to be quite good quality wise. They do their thing very well. I've always wanted to find one of the Malcom Young models, but those things are nearly impossible to find!

H2H
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The one I'm looking at is made in USA I beleive. The Japan ones are 500$, not 2.5k$ Correct me if I'm wrong plz! There was like 2 sections in the store, one with Gretschs at 500$, and the other wiht Gretschs at 2k+$ so I asked the sailesman: "What's the difference beetween the ones at 500 and the ones at 2500?". He said: "The ones at 500$ are made in Japan and it's not the same pickups\electronic, the fabrication is cheaper too".
 
What the salesman told you may be true (I honestly don't know), but don't let him dismiss Japanese craftsmanship (or Korean for that matter) as inherently inferior. The Japanese make some fine instruments. A lot of the Korean made stuff, like the PRS SE series, is also a great value, and at 1/4 the price you can afford to swap out all the electronics and still come out way ahead.

In your case, I would definitely at least play a few of the Ibanez Artcore guitars. The ones I have played have been pretty darn nice for the money.

Of course, if you want a Gretsch you want a Gretsch and nothing else will do. I love the Gretsch sound too, but they do have a reputation for being very fragile, and a couple design issues that I have never liked are the floating wooden bridge and the open tuners. I guess it's all part of that particular sound and the whole look. If I were getting one I would certainly get a new one over a vintage one.

A
 
Go here and all your questions will be answered:

www.gretschpages.com

All new Professional Model Gretsch's are built by Terada in Japan. The Electromatic line is built in Korea (orpossible somewhere else in the exotic orient). There are a few Custom Shop models that may be US made, but not many. Don't let the Japanese construction fool you, they are built to very exact specs. The Post-Fender Guitars are absolutely fantastic. I have a new 6118 Anniversary in 2 Tone Green. It's definitely got that sound. When you are ready to buy, call Joel at Shanghai Music in Ponca City, OK, or any of the other board sponsors at Gretsch Pages. You'll get a much better deal.

As for Vintage Gretsch, YMMV. There's good ones and bad ones. The ones after 67 are generally considered to be less desirable, but there are some good players out there for relatively few dollars.
 
Yes, there are no US made Gretsch guitars. Don't let salespeople tell you lies. All they care about is making money. They do not care about you. Never forget that. There aren't even custom made US Gretsch guitars, as there is no Gretsch shop IN the US. I don't think the Fender Custom Shop even has the tooling to make Gretsch's. And they're the ones who own the company now. There's a tiny chance that Fender will build a custom Gretsch model at the Guild factory in TN, but I dont' know if they will do that or not. Anyways, then you would have a Guild with a Gretsch headscock.

They're all Japanese, but they're very well built now.

H2H
 
Shakuan said:
I've been playing accoustic guitar for 5 years and I'm ready to buy a quality electric guitar. So I went to the store and stumbled on the Gretsch Duo Jet G6128. It played really awesome and I think I'll order the G6128T (with Tremolo) next week.

I'm just wondering what everyone has to say about it before I spend 2.5k on it! :)
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I want the Country Classic.
 
Hard2Hear said:
Their vintage stuff is all total crap but that is how they built their name. All their pre 1970 guitars are known for the binding coming apart, loose necks, and the glue joints cracking
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Actually that isn't really true. Their pre 1967 (I forget the exact year) is excellent quality stuff that is highly sought after for the top notch quality. After they got bought out by Baldwin they got a horrid reputation for what you speak of and cuase people to to not want any Gretch guitar of any manufacture date.

After Fender bought them (which was after Fender ditched CBS) they got their quality back.
 
Shakuan said:
The Japan ones are 500$, not 2.5k$ Correct me if I'm wrong plz!
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I believe it's the Korean models that are that low in price.

Gretsch's top stuff is made in Japan. Unless that's changed since they merged with Fender.

I picked up a used 6118 Cadillac Green Double Annie(japanese), circa 1999-2000, in mint condition with case, at GC a couple of years ago for 1k including tax. They're close to 2k, new.
 
Hard2Hear said:
Yes, there are no US made Gretsch guitars. Don't let salespeople tell you lies. All they care about is making money. They do not care about you. Never forget that. There aren't even custom made US Gretsch guitars, as there is no Gretsch shop IN the US. I don't think the Fender Custom Shop even has the tooling to make Gretsch's. And they're the ones who own the company now. There's a tiny chance that Fender will build a custom Gretsch model at the Guild factory in TN, but I dont' know if they will do that or not. Anyways, then you would have a Guild with a Gretsch headscock.

They're all Japanese, but they're very well built now.

H2H
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100% agreed on the fact that there are NO new gretsch's from the US. Production went to japan in 1980, and I understand that the more expensive models are still MIJ and the cheaper ones in korea or china

In my humble opinion I would head for a 1970-1980ies Gretsch. The older ones are high maintainance, the newer ones lack "vibes" ... (IMHO)

take care and best of luck
alfred
 
Shakuan said:
I've been playing accoustic guitar for 5 years and I'm ready to buy a quality electric guitar. So I went to the store and stumbled on the Gretsch Duo Jet G6128. It played really awesome and I think I'll order the G6128T (with Tremolo) next week.

I'm just wondering what everyone has to say about it before I spend 2.5k on it! :)
Click to expand...


I hope nobody minds me posting this here but ... for 2k you could own this rather nice guitar -

- 30 yrs old ... the reason why Peter Green gave his 59 Les Paul to Gary Moore :D

http://www.pbase.com/alfredbc/inbox


enjoy the pics
alfred
 
Vintage Gretsches are crap

don't tell my 1963 baby. My stepson just bought a Rancher acoustic with the triangular sound hole, and it is a fine guitar.
 
Tremolo models look very cool, but they WILL sound and play different from non-trem models. I strongly recommend you try out a tremolo model before plunking down $2500 and ordering one.
Even with two of the exact same "spec" guitars, natural variations in the wood and workmanship can make them sound or feel different from each other.
If you can buy the guitar you tested that might be a good way to go. No surprises and maybe even a "demo" discount.

Good luck!
 
I have a Gretsch broadkaster 7667 or something. New Gretsch's are pretty crappy in my oppinion, ever since fender bought them.
 
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