gretsch guitars?

[data187]

anyone here own a gretsch semi hollow guitar?
i wan looking into getting one and don't know which model to get.
also, anyone here have any other alternative brands jazz box?
thanks for the info!!!

[hippietim]

Re: gretsch guitars?

Mmmm... Gretsch.

I lusted after one for many years. Not too long ago I had a really kickass looking SparkleJet:



That green was way cooler in person. The flakes were huge - not like a metallic finish. These have chambered bodies I ended up selling it because the itty-bitty little vintage frets and that skinny neck made bends a pain and upper fret access was poor. It sounded killer. Not a metal guitar but it could get pretty dirty plus did everything else very well.

The SparkleJet was just a stop gap for my true lust which has been a Setzer Hot Rod. I almost pulled the trigger when GC had them on blowout for $1599. I resisted. Then a few months later they did it again. Still, I was strong. Then about a month ago they dropped down to $999 - presumably to make room for the new model with TV Jones pickups. Needless to say my credit card was promptly pulled out.



This thing plays and sounds incredible. A couple days after I got it I took it out to play and it was great. It worked clean or dirty, blended with pedals, and it cut through when I wanted it to.

[data187]

Re: gretsch guitars?

nice guitars man.... [img]graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]
$1000 is a bit out of my price at the moment.
i was thinking about one of their historic series.
anyone here have any experience with those?

[fritzreiser]

Re: gretsch guitars?

HippieTim:

That guitar is so cool. I saw one of those $999 specials at GC when I bought a Petrucci and I shoulda bought the Setzer. I'm still kicking myself for that.

[j2379]

Re: gretsch guitars?

ive had a couple older 60's ones. a corvette & a duo jet i think, its like a white penguin but black?....watever. they are pretty cool guitars but they are never perfect as far as playing. the bridges are kinda iffy & i had to put sperzels on mine to make it even playable, bigsby trems will do that.
dont know what price your looking at but the older ibanez george bensens kick major but in the jazz box world. you may want to try high end epis too but ive heard bad things about there quality. hamer make some cool semis too?

[hippietim]

Re: gretsch guitars?

Originally posted by fritzreiser:
HippieTim:

That guitar is so cool. I saw one of those $999 specials at GC when I bought a Petrucci and I shoulda bought the Setzer. I'm still kicking myself for that.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Nothing to regret there my friend, the Petrucci is a cool guitar. Did you get the one with Piezos? Those sound surprisingly good on that guitar.

[hippietim]

Re: gretsch guitars?

Originally posted by data187:
nice guitars man.... [img]graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]
$1000 is a bit out of my price at the moment.
i was thinking about one of their historic series.
anyone here have any experience with those?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've never heard of a historic series from them. Are you maybe talking about the Synchromatic/Electromatic line? Those are totally hit or miss - some are awesome (like the Elliot Easton) and some aren't. I'd watch Ebay.

[Jim Shine]

Re: gretsch guitars?

I have had a couple 6120's and a Country Club. The older open F hole Gretsch was a very nice guitar, but the slightly newer closed hole was a real turd. If you want an old one, play it first. They are real hit or miss. Some of the worst factory fretjobs I have seen were on old Gretsch's.