Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Smuggler. A third career, after my experience smuggling a contrabassoon into Brasil last year, as some Forum members may remember...

Bassoons to the 'Contras', eh? That's going into your dossier, Mr. Jangle...

Better a 'Gretch smuggler' than a 'Budgie smuggler' (or is that an Oz only expression?)!!

Robert, there is one on eBay right now, by the guy in Spring, TX, at $1790.00US. Four and one half days to go.

Howard, it's Oz-exclusive. Should it be taken literally or is there a humorous double-entendre in it somewhere?

'Budgie smugglers' is a coloquial term for Speedo swimming briefs, Paul. Sometimes it looks like a guy has jammed a budgerigar or two down the front!!

Har! So it is typically, colourfully Oz in flavour.

Did I get enough "OU"s in there for you, Aitch?

Reminds me of the joke about the two, er, Polish guys and the potato...

Yes..... "ou"s are nice (but optional, of course!)

Er....... haven't heard that one......

I almost won this one last night.as Maxwell Smart would say "missed it by this much"(got sniped 3 seconds from closing).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7340886648&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

That's OK, Mitch. You were right at top dollar for a 4-year-old guitar. A few hun more and you'll have a post-Fender one of much better quality.

I don't really know that much about Gretsch Guitars so I was going by what they sell for new at MF,about $2400 so I thought it was a good deal as this one is "new old stock" but I guess it wasn't such a great deal.Are these still made in America?Who owns Gretsch? Maybe I should just stick to Rickenbackers.

My understanding is that Gretsch still owns Gretsch, but Fender controls marketing, research and development, etc. They are beautiful instruments, Mitch. Earlier this year I A/B'd every Gretsch I could get my hands on (with the intent of purchasing one). It's funny -I hated almost all of them!!! 2 pickups, 39 switches and knobs, and no matter how they're set it sounds like mud. Dark mud. That was MOST of them. I was unable to try a Country Gent or Country Club. In the end I narrowed it down to the two which sounded best: a bog standard 6120 and the MIK Electromatic (with DeArmond 2K single coils). I opted for the low-rent Electro and told myself that if I continue to lean in the Gretsch direction, I'll consider a pricey model.

I will say this: on a recent trip to Chicago I was trying out various guitars. When I plugged a 6120 Nashville into a Fender Twin, turned the reverb on 4, and strummed an FM7, numerous heads turned. That guitar had a buoyant, bright, rich sound which I could only describe as alive. Very responsive instrument.

There is a brassy character to the Gretsch sound which seems hard (for me) to escape. That said, I like it and find it quite useful on some songs.

They will never eclipse my Rickenbackers, but they are great guitars -and the Gretsch humbucker sound is far superior to that of Gibson.

=noel=

Mitch, as I mentioned to Rob Callaghan, there are a whole lot of cosmetic blems that can't be told from new, with full warranties, on eBay, on BIN, at any time. All except the deluxe Setzers and Falcons are under $2K. Many are under $1500.00. For $2400, you can get a Falcon or a lacquer premium Setzer SSLVO on eBay.

Noel has his preferences, obviously. I would never describe a Gretsch as sounding "brassy". My word is "juicy". Filtertrons are superb humbuckers and I much prefer them to Gibbys. The single coil on the Electromatics and some of the Pro line, is a terrific pickup, too.

In the mid-'80's I had a '66/'67 Nashville that was pristine. I had to sell it unfortunately. I now have a Japanese made Country Classic Jr. and I must confess that it is overall a much sturdier and solid feeling instrument. Put some Pyramid flats on it and it really gets a warm sound. I think the Japanese have been building guitars for American companies long enough to get it right. I will give them a thumbs-up.

It's not the price. It's the money!

Xtone