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A guy on another site has played a Gretch guitar recently, and likes its tone and feel and asked if he should consider buying one for "jazz"? Have often wondered this myself as it has never figured in my "Jazz Guitar" folio of guitars wishlist. Anyone out there playing Gretch for jazz? As they are great instuments and tried several but never bought. My trouble is every time I've played one I keep thinking of Chet Atkins!
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02-04-2013 10:58 AM
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They are quirky designs, but of course perfectly suitable for jazz, as is pretty much any guitar.
The spruce-topped County Club sounds best to me.
The Filtertron PU design makes it particularly weak on the high E, which does not matter much for many types of playing. But I find it particularly a problem when looking for some clean, full-sounding high notes.
Very well made, relentlessly quirky for "historical" reasons, ultimately a nice sound for many.
My opinion.
Chris
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Scroll to the bottom. That is my G100CE with custom pieces from Antonio over at Ultimaguitar. It has a handwound KA 12 pole PAF with a coil tap. Spruce top and maple back and sides. It definitely is a jazz rig.
ebonyarchtoptailpiece
'Mike
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I have a Gretsch Duo Jet with SM Antiquity Dynasonics. It seems to be the least likely candidate for Jazz but it actually has an incredible lively tone that works well for me as a jazz tone.
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There's a guy on YouTube that plays some incredible jazz on a Gretsch. Dang if I can remember who he is or I would have put the video up here. When I think of Gretsch, I don't think of Chet Atkins, I think of George Van Eps who played a 7 string. Check him out on YouTube.
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I think he plays a seafoam green Gretsch...Sounds great. All with what look like stock filtertrons.
'Mike
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I played a 60's 6120 for some years but could not get away from "that great gretsch sound"...
great for county and for playing Chet Atkins style...and dont for get Duane Eddy.....played the all growing up....discovered jazz guitar in 1965..the gretsch did not cut it for me...
although I do teach the other styles....sold it some years ago and my 62 Strat also...muchp dinero amigo....
now only my 1977 Ibanez 2355 (ES-175)...
time on the instrument...
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I know what you mean. It took me nearly a year to dull that Gretsch 6120 edge. The combination of the PAF-like Super'trons, the flatwounds and the floating tailpiece really helped.
Originally Posted by pierre richard
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barry- do you mean powertrons? because supertrons aren't depicted in the photo you posted, and the powertrons are their paf-ish offering. also not depicted: flatwounds
and yes, you can use a gretsch for jazz. it helps if you change the caps so you can use the flippy switches for "instant jazz presets" or mod for a tone knob if you're more into that. a tru arc bridge instead of the silly space control really wakes things up, too. you could also go with a pup swap, flatwounds and a non bigsby tailpiece if you want something specialized and aren't after the old "great gretsch sound" so much.
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I recently purchased a Gretsch G100CE, strung with DA roundwound 12's through a Fender Princeton RI. I've only gigged it once so far (got another gig this Sat I'll use it on) but I really liked it at volume. Yes, it "twangs" and I like it! Course I'm a swing player so maybe it don't count...
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Ah, yep. Sorry. I have no idea where I got Super'trons. That is actually one of the few TVJ pickups I haven't owned.
They are indeed the Power'trons. Good catch.
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I finally found the video I was looking for. The guitarist is Richard Blake and as you can see, he's playing an older Gretsch but I don't know which model this is.
I hope you like his work.
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Looks like a Country Club. Originally Posted by hot ford coupe
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I had exactly the same guitar with a Bigsby instead of that Tailpiece, I sold it after three month. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
It was the finest craftsmanship I ve ever seen on a guitar, not the smallest flaw. But it didn´t work in my hands.
After I got back to my old Fender D´aquisto, it was like: "Ahhh, I missed you and your sound so much".
The Gretsch sounded too "soft", there was too much of compression after attacking the String.
Don`t get me wrong, it is a fantastic guitar that responded very well, but for some hard hitten Pat Martino Lines I need a Guitar that responds faster.
And even for comping a Ballad it just did not react well and sounded too muddy. Maybe it will work in other Peoples Hands.
By the Way: Gretsches are heavy!!!
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[feet] >>> and yes, you can use a gretsch for jazz. it helps if you change the caps so you can use the flippy switches for "instant jazz presets" or mod for a tone knob if you're more into that.
It is faster and easier to add 100 to 250K trim pots in lone with the two tone caps in the "tone switch" configuration. The tweak the pots for two superbly useful presets.
Works great.
All in my opinion.
Chris
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I have long admired the visual aesthetics of that Smoke Green Double Anniversary. I found a recent model that was practically unplayed (still had the plastic on the pickguard), and at a decent price. I spent a lot of time with it, through several string changes/set-ups and into a lot of rig configurations. The guitar definitely had its own voice, but I never found anything that was meaningful for me. Overall, I also didn't like the feel of the guitar, and very disappointed that I didn't. It is a beautiful, well made instrument that now has a new home. Only have a poor telephone photo of that babie:
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I played one of them..a few times...
played in an old "square dance band" ..the fiddle player had it...beat to death...
played like a gretsch....oh well...
time on the instrument...
love seeing these old guitars...especially ones I have played...
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With paf's.... Originally Posted by barrymclark
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Quirky in what way? Originally Posted by PTChristopher
Mike
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Jazz on a Gretsch thread over at the the Gretsch Forum-
Gretsch guitar thread at Jazz Forum: Vintage Gretsch Guitars: The Gretsch Pages
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I come here from the GDP forum. I'm here to help
. Really.
Of course, anything can be used for jazz. However, just for the purposes of discussion, I'm thinking Barney Kessel's Gibson ES350 with a Charlie Christian pickup as a standard.
Anyway which Gretsch did your friend suggest? The Electromatic 5120 and 5420 series guitars are really popular and very good and economical hollowbodies. However, both of these tend to push the harmonic envelope toward the the treble. Not so much with the 5120 but more so with the 5140.
Even so, with some judicious tweaking, these can make some nice jazzboxes.
On the high end, I'd like to call your attention to the G6040 MCSS.
G6040MCSS Synchromatic? Cutaway Archtop by Gretsch® Acoustic Guitars
Lee
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I think if you are willing to put a little time into a Gretsch and change out pickups or rework the pots/electronics you can hve yourself one hell of a jazz rig. I think Richard Blakes tone is great. Odd setup playing a Gretsch through what looks like a Music Man amp. Neither are going to be the first answers out of most peoples mouths when you ask what a great jazz setup would be.
'Mike
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You`re right here. But I ask myself: Why should I buy a Mercedes Benz, when I plan to make it a BMW? Originally Posted by Jazzman301
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You want the style of the Benz and the performance of the BMW...haha Being a gearhead/petrol head I am very accustomed to making something into what I want and that has carried over into my instruments.
'Mike
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Yesterday at Sol's Pawnshop I saw a G100 non-cutaway acoustic in pristine condition for $325. Took a lot of self-control not to pull the trigger. I envisioned adding a floating hummer...
Of course I recently got a vintage Harmony and sold my Godin Kingpin, very similar to the Gretsch, so I couldn't really justify it. But lots of mojo with that guitar, lots of potential with a pickup.
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