The new Gretsch 12 strings?

[deaconblues]

The Electromatic Corporation of Korea

Ahh yes, the famous Electromatic Corporation...

They must make all those Electromatic Tennessean reissues, huh?

[Zurdo]

The Electromatic Corporation of Korea

Ahh yes, the famous Electromatic Corporation... They must make all those Electromatic Tennessean reissues, huh?

not to mention all the other Electromatics

[just_bassics]

the REAL Gretsch guitars would have a zero fret, the Chinese-Korean "Electromatic Gretsch" do not come with zero fret.

I think you need to qualify that as my former Gretsch was very much a REAL Gretsch guitar and it did not have a zero fret.

And still in very good hands, Jeff!

I purchased one of those new Gretsch 12 strings a few weeks ago and I may not be the best source, since I rarely go around comparing this model to that one, etc... I simply play a guitar and buy it if I like it and I bought this one 'cause I liked it!

[Zurdo]

I think you need to qualify that as my former Gretsch was very much a REAL Gretsch guitar and it did not have a zero fret.

I purchased one of those new Gretsch 12 strings a few weeks ago and I may not be the best source, since I rarely go around comparing this model to that one, etc... I simply play a guitar and buy it if I like it and I bought this one 'cause I liked it![/quote]

using that logic, you could have purchased a Kent 820-12 for an infitessimal fraction of what you paid, and it has a zero fret !

http://www.kent-820.com

[just_bassics]

I could have...if I wanted a Kent...which I didn't... so I didn't...

[Rickadelphia]

Sorry, boys, Electromatics are NOT the REAL Gretsch. they are what they are, but they are not a REAL Gretsch. whether Made in China, Korea, or Japan, same thing >> NOT REAL GRETSCH.

I am NOT SAYING the China-Korea-Japan -made "Electromatics Gretsch" are BAD, I am saying they are NOT REAL GRETSCH and NONE have a zero fret.

Jay Turser makes a decent Gretsch copy, so does everybody else and their brother, but they are NOT REAL GRETSCH.

I hereby Declare Oficially: Electromatics are NOT real Gretsch.

Fred Gretsch is the owner of the Gretsch name. Gretsch has a contractual agreement with FMIC (Fender) to manufacture and distribute "Gretsch" guitars.
I own a 2006 Gretsch 6116PTV Power Tenny. It was made in the Terada factory in Japan. It is a real "Gretsch" guitar (and not just because it has a "zero" fret.
The Electromatic Line hollowbodies are made in the SPG Factory in Korea for Gretsch/FMIC; they are also real Gretsch guitars as are the Electromatic Solidbodies
which are made in China under the same type arrangement. When Gretsch was sold to the Baldwin Company the guitars they produced (despite design changes and lapses
in quality) were also real Gretsch guitars.

[vjf1968]

Gretsch guitars are great instruments and over the years it seems to me that most models have been in transition with changes occurring in one way or another. My Electromatic seems real to me when I am playing it. Zurdo, what makes a Gretsch a real one?

hi Peter

I'll try to qualify my opinion without hurting anybody's feelings. A "real" Gretsch is one that was made in the USA by the Fred Gretsch guitar factory, it was made from the 1950's (or earlier but I am talking about electric guitars) and it was made before the closing of that Gretsch factory, and it usually had a zero fret. I am aware that some "budget" Gretsch models did not have a zero fret, but most of them had zero frets. Moreover, the original Gretsch factory never made "Electromatic" models. of FMIC

If you compare an Electromatic "Tennessean" model to a "real" Gretsch Tennessean model, there is no zero fret in the Electromatic "Tennessean". Same for all other Electromatic models. In fact, there is not one Electromatic model with a zero fret, only the replicas made by the new Gretsch Custom Shop have zero frets like the original Gretsch models.

Not all Gretsches from the 50's and 60's had zero frets. The zero fret appeared on the Chet Atkins models because that's what he wanted on the guitars that carried his name. Some White Falcons (not a budget model but any stretch) did not have the zero fret and neither did the Jet line, Round Up and other models.

The "Pro-Line" guitars are mostly made in the Terada Guitar factory in Japan under guidance from FMIC and Fred Gretsch and Fred is the ONLY person that decides what is a Gretsch and what is not. These guitars are built better than the vintage ones due to the now consistent quality from guitar to guitar. I know of many an old Gretsch suffering from binding rot and necks coming loose due to the hide glue used back in the day. Don't get me started on the Baldwin era. The TV Jones designed Filtertrons are also a great improvement.

The "Electromatic" series is on par with Fender's "Squire" line. They are built in either Korea or China, depending on the model

[fabandgear]

This is my circa '67 6075 12 String. They have a darker, blusier sound than a Rick. If a Rickenbacker is "jangly", I'd say the Gretsch is "pungent". Very full-bodied tone and thanks to the Super'Tron pickups, LOUD! I love both Ricks and Gretsches, but they are so different in tone from each other. I liken it to the vocal quality of different singers.

[guitman]

I see a lot of misinformation being given out in this thread by people who don't really know what they're talking about. OK, I own a real Gretsch Country Club, made in Brooklyn in late 1953 for the 1954 model year which was the first model year for the Gretsch Country Club. The serial # indicates it is the fourth Country Club made. It is a superb playing and sounding guitar and has been my main electric guitar since I bought it in Reno, NV in 1965. It does not have a zero fret. I have owned a few other Gretsches since then and in my opinion the worst were made during the years that Baldwin Piano Company owned Gretsch, not that these guitars were junk, they just weren't quite as good as the pre-Baldwin ones. I have also owned a few Rics in my time and currently own a Ric 450-12.

First of all, today the Gretsch company has for a number of years been once again owned by members of the Gretsch family, descendants of the original founder back in the late 1800s. They have entrusted the manufacture and distribution of their guitars to the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation. Fender has the current top line Gretsch guitars made to specification by the Terada factory in Japan which is one of the best builders in the world. The build quality is actually even better than when they were made in the United States. I have no problem with the fact that they are made in Japan. Unfortunately, it is expensive to make guitars in Japan so the prices are high. In my personal opinion the only U. S. manufacturer of electric guitars reaching the quality level of the Terada made Gretsches is Rickenbacker. All of the rest of the U. S. makers...you know the names...don't build the kind of quality that comes from Terada except for "custom shop" guitars. Gretsch custom shop guitars are all made by Fender as far as I know but the rest are all made overseas. Gretsch's "affordable" Electromatic line is made in Korea to a very high build quality though the pickups are not quite as good. A friend of mine has one and it is pretty damn nice. I have no problem calling it a "real" Gretsch. There are fake Gretsch, Gibson and Fender guitars being made in China but these are usually marked "Made in USA". As far as I have been able to determine there currently are no Gretsch guitars made in China except fakes, and pretty bad ones at that.

I have played older Gretsch 12-strings from the Baldwin era and they aren't bad guitars though not the finest guitars produced by Gretsch. They don't sound like a Ric, they sound like a Gretsch. I saw the pics of a new Gretsch 12 which were in an earlier post. I notice it had Supertron pickups which happens to be my favorite Gretsch humbucker. I have no doubt the new twelves sound great. Notice I will tell your that I haven't as yet held one in my hands and played it. They won't sound like a Ric...if you want a Ric, get a Ric. If you want a Gretsch, get a Gretsch, you pay your money and you take your choice. Just don't go writing a bunch of **** on a forum without getting your facts straight first...and oh yeah, make sure you actually have played the guitar and compared it to whatever you consider a "real" Gretsch before you run your mouth.

I do prefer the single coil Dynasonic pickups on my old Country Club. These are the pickups used by Duane Eddy, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochran, early George Harrison and a host of other rock'n'roll greats. You'll also notice the likes of Brian Setzer and T Bone Burnett with Dyna loaded Gretsch guitars. Setzer and Burnett have no problem with MIJ Gretsch guitars and neither should anyone else.

[Rickadelphia]

IMO, the Gretsch guitars being built at the Terada Factory in Japan may be the best made mass produced hollowbodies today. You might prefer the looks, feel or sound of a Gibson, etc but from a consistant quality of build and workmanship, the Terada Gretsches are really outstanding.

[billydlight]

Gretsch guitars are great instruments and over the years it seems to me that most models have been in transition with changes occurring in one way or another. My Electromatic seems real to me when I am playing it. Zurdo, what makes a Gretsch a real one?

hi Peter

I'll try to qualify my opinion without hurting anybody's feelings. A "real" Gretsch is one that was made in the USA by the Fred Gretsch guitar factory, it was made from the 1950's (or earlier but I am talking about electric guitars) and it was made before the closing of that Gretsch factory, and it usually had a zero fret. I am aware that some "budget" Gretsch models did not have a zero fret, but most of them had zero frets. Moreover, the original Gretsch factory never made "Electromatic" models.

If you compare an Electromatic "Tennessean" model to a "real" Gretsch Tennessean model, there is no zero fret in the Electromatic "Tennessean". Same for all other Electromatic models. In fact, there is not one Electromatic model with a zero fret, only the replicas made by the new Gretsch Custom Shop have zero frets like the original Gretsch models.

I am pretty sure my 1955 Jaguar Tan "Electromatic" Corvette is a real gretsch... After all it falls into all of your categories and proves they had Electromatics in the 50's

http://www.acousticvibesmusic.com/wp-co ... 3410-2.jpg

[deaconblues]

If you liked this thread here's some more classic trollage:

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=408836

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=409286

[guitman]

IMO, the Gretsch guitars being built at the Terada Factory in Japan may be the best made mass produced hollowbodies today. You might prefer the looks, feel or sound of a Gibson, etc but from a consistant quality of build and workmanship, the Terada Gretsches are really outstanding.

My opinion exactly!

[Chrome Aardvark]

Love my Japanese Gretsch Tennessee Rose. Best action neck of any of my six stringers. What? It should a zero fret? Better get out my hammer and some fret wire and rectify the situation.

[Folkie]

Here's a hands-on shootout between the Gretsch G6122-12 Country Gentleman and a Rickenbacker 620/12:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=411027

Although the Gretsch is better for string-bending and vibrato (it's probably set up with very light strings), the Rick wins, hands down, IMHO!