What Is It About Gretsch Guitars That You Like?

[just_bassics]

Jim: That Gretsch is a real corker. Please tell me about the tone switch and which of the different settings that you prefer.

To be honest, Peter, I play mostly unplugged these days, since I don't actually own a decent amp. I plan to pick up something next month, perhaps a blues jr. and then it will be time to experiment. The small solid state amps I own now just hurt my ears. I need TUBES! (This is the part where forumites now start piling on to tell me which amp I should buy)

But, just playing that guitar unplugged is magical. The guitar seems to melt into me, it's unreal. I considered having Jeff Scott commited, as he must be crazy to part with such an instrument. Actually, Jeff had his own very sound reasons for parting with it. He wanted it to go to someone who would play and appreciate it and that certainly is the case.

[admin]

Thanks Jim. I have always enjoyed your "tone." Unplugged is good but I suspect that a tube amp will do wonders.

[Pumpkinhead]

Me and my 2005 Japanese Jet Firebird:

Bought on a whim really, I just tried a number of guitars, including a couple of bigger hollowbodies, but it was the Jet that sounded nicest to me. It's a non-bigsby and so I got it relatively cheaply.

It's a fine "rock" guitar, in that general Stones/Black Crowes ballpark, and I'm amazed that more people don't choose them in preference to, say, a Les Paul (although I love Lesters as well). The cleans are nice too - always a bit of characteristic "honk" in there.

The only downside is the massive treble loss that happens when you even slightly roll off the volume pot. I love to control the amount of gain from the guitar but find it impossible on the Gretsch. I've tried the treble bleed mod (values recommended by TV Jones) but it was no better and I'm currently stuck with just an orange drop capacitor across the master volume. There's less treble loss now but the taper of the pot is utterly jiggered such that there's very little drop in volume from 10 down to 2 but then it acts like an on-off switch.

Still, it's not really a problem as I don't play live and it seems wrong to complain about a great guitar in so many other ways.

[admin]

Brenden: Do you also add the resistor to the pot?

I have read about adding a 150 kOhm (1/4 watt) resistor and a .001microfarad capacitor parallel across the first and second leg of the pot.

Apparently leaving out the resistor will increase the amount of treble when rolling back the volume pot.

[Pumpkinhead]

Brenden: Do you also add the resistor to the pot?

I have read about adding a 150 kOhm (1/4 watt) resistor and a .001microfarad capacitor parallel across the first and second leg of the pot.

Apparently leaving out the resistor will increase the amount of treble when rolling back the volume pot.

Peter - Yes I did add the resistor, IIRC it was 150k and in parallel with the capacitor.
It just didn't seem to do that much (i.e. still significant treble loss) and on the advice of someone on the Gretch forum, I just tried a capacitor on it's own. Now there's not much treble loss but not much volume loss either

I have a treble bleed on my LP neck pickup and it works a treat - fantastic clear tones as you roll down the volume - but for some reason the Gretsch just doesn't seem to respond the same way. It's probably me that has funny (or destroyed) ears though as plenty of others seem happy enough with the mod using the values I tried. I'm even wondering if it's something wrong with the pots. You can buy a complete pot/bleed assembly from TV Jones but this involves shipping to the UK and, probably, taxes.

Anyway, I did record something the other day, to show how bad the issue is without the treble bleed. I've used a very bright tone (PODxt) to deliberately highlight the effect. I'm using the bridge pickup with the volume pot fully up then rolling it back very slightly (approx. 10%):
http://www.brendanashbrook.pwp.blueyond ... retsch.mp3

[Zurdo]

hi,
I'm new to the forum but experienced with Gretsch, Vox, Rickenbacker, Hofner, Magnatone, Gibson, etc.

I had a '66 Gretsch Nashville like Rachel's, (orange). I was very stupid to have sold it but the binding was coming off the body and the neck, in fact the whole guitar seemed to be coming undone and unplayable especially the neck binding, requiring total restoration. I have to say I put that guitar through hell, playing in the Caribbean in Cruise Ships, from 1970 through 1976. I sold it to a friend in Nashville who is a John Lennon freak and he wanted one like John's. Larry's his name.

What I loved the most about it was the Zero Fret. I love guitars with Zero Frets. The sound was also very distinctive. Unfortunately the "faithfull reproductions" being made in Asia today do not have the Zero Fret, so they are not for me.
Also, what was good back then is not exactly good today, so vintage is nice, but not neccesarily useful if you are a working musician.

Attached is a picture of me with the Gretsch. (and my Mellotron), 37 years ago in 1973. Yes I'm a lot older now and I'm still a working musician, but the equipment has become extremely heavy

Also the second picture are my other working guitars and amp. The Vox amp is a Series 90 from 1969, (same as a Royal Guardsman but with 90 watts as opposed to 60, a beautiful sounding amp, makes any guitar sound good).

The curious thing is that most of my treasured guitars are from 1966. I still have my Rickenbacker 370-12, which my parents helped me buy in 1967, later it turned out it was a 1966, maybe a Repo! Then I have a 1966 Hofner Beatle bass which was given to me by a fellow band member, we went to the music store together in 1966 and purchased it, it has fared better than the Gretsch binding-wise.

Zurdo (Lefty)

[paologregorio]

Cool pics!

I have a Series 90 too (not working at the moment). Mine has the twin horns. I bought it for the speakers, but it was a cool amp when it was working. I'll get it fixed eventually.

[Zurdo]

Cool pics! I have a Series 90 too (not working at the moment). Mine has the twin horns. I bought it for the speakers, but it was a cool amp when it was working. I'll get it fixed eventually.

Paolo, you must have the Super Beatle-sized Series 90 ? There were two sizes made, one was sized like the Royal Guardsman (like mine), and the other one like the Super Beatle, which had the twin horns like yours. Also, the Beatle-sized Series 90 has a Power Meter on the preamp head. I've been told these were the last Thomas Organ Vox amps made before they closed down. Mine has been reliable for years and it is very loud. The amplifier itself is inside the speaker cabinet, the head is only a preamp. ( I always carry a spare amp don't want the Vox to leave me stranded in a gig! ), but so far, no problems.

Zurdo

[Pumpkinhead]

Great pictures of some fantastic gear Zurdo.
I can't imagine what lugging a Mellotron to gigs was like
It's also nice to hear that vintage gear isn't always the best choice, especially for those of us who can't possibly afford it!
I'd love a guitar from 1966, if only because it was the year I was born. In fact I was born on the day Revolver was released in the UK so I think I should at least be entitled to a vintage Casino or something

[lennon211]

hi,
I'm new to the forum but experienced with Gretsch, Vox, Rickenbacker, Hofner, Magnatone, Gibson, etc.

I had a '66 Gretsch Nashville like Rachel's, (orange). I was very stupid to have sold it but the binding was coming off the body and the neck, in fact the whole guitar seemed to be coming undone and unplayable especially the neck binding, requiring total restoration. I have to say I put that guitar through hell, playing in the Caribbean in Cruise Ships, from 1970 through 1976. I sold it to a friend in Nashville who is a John Lennon freak and he wanted one like John's. Larry's his name.

What I loved the most about it was the Zero Fret. I love guitars with Zero Frets. The sound was also very distinctive. Unfortunately the "faithfull reproductions" being made in Asia today do not have the Zero Fret, so they are not for me.
Also, what was good back then is not exactly good today, so vintage is nice, but not neccesarily useful if you are a working musician.

Welcome! Great pics of the gear.
When you were talking of the zero fret, a lot of the new reissues do have them now. I don't know how long it's been going on now, but they've been there for a while. Might be worth another look.

[Pumpkinhead]

When you were talking of the zero fret, a lot of the new reissues do have them now. I don't know how long it's been going on now, but they've been there for a while. Might be worth another look.

I've just checked the website and you're right.
e.g. this Country Club: http://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/inde ... 2=&q=&st=1

[Zurdo]

Great pictures of some fantastic gear Zurdo.
I can't imagine what lugging a Mellotron to gigs was like
It's also nice to hear that vintage gear isn't always the best choice, especially for those of us who can't possibly afford it!
I'd love a guitar from 1966, if only because it was the year I was born. In fact I was born on the day Revolver was released in the UK so I think I should at least be entitled to a vintage Casino or something

Pumpkinhead,
Geez, I was born in 1952

the Mellotron was easy to move, it had a padded, form-fitted, thick vinyl cover with buckled straps that was easy to put on and remove; Once you had the cover on, it had sewn fabric handles on three sides, two of us could move it easily, it was very light. It had the standard Violins, Cellos, and Flutes, plus the optional Choir and Orchestra.

You are entitled to a Casino, but get one of the original ones made by Epiphone, not the repros.

Zurdo

[Zurdo]

thank you Matt for the welcome!

yes I am aware that some of the Gretsch reissues have Zero Frets, apparently some people have complained about the "faithful reproductions" not having the zero fret unfortunately, the reissue models that I would consider, like the single-cutaway Tennessean, (Beatles' "Help") does not. I think they need to get all the reissues zero-fretted.

The Hofner Beatle bass has a zero fret. makes for very comfortable playing in the first 5 frets of any instrument, especially the F notes or chords.

Many guitar brands had zero frets, like Hofner, Mosrite, Acoustic Control Corp.'s "Black Widow", and some mid-1960's Japanese brands like Kent had them also. And talking about Kent, I have three Kent model 820, (one is a 12-string), these are some of the best guitars I've ever played, they stay in tune all the way to the highest frets! you know, they stay in tune better than my Gibson ES-150 DCW, I don't get it. Also they have large single-coil pickups, very powerful pickups. I love them Kents, especially the Natural one, it has a sound all it's own, between a Gretsch and a Gibson. Here's a picture of them and also a picture of the zero fret and brass nut of the 820-12:

regards,
Zurdo

[lennon211]

Check out the Gretsch website. My Tennessean with the HT's does have the zero. I think that they've updated across the board.

[drumbob]

Brendan...I have a new Silver Jet and had trouble with getting any treble response at all with the bridge pickup, so I called Joe Carducci, Gretsch Product Specialist in Scottsdale, AZ, and I shipped the guitar back to him at Gretch's expense. He fixed the problem and shipped it right back with a box full of Gretsch swag and goodies. He's a terrific guy. You might want to contact Joe yourself, although you'd be shipping from the UK, of course.

There must be something weird about those guitars and high end response. In my case, I believe the "mud" switch was wired all wrong. It's much better now. I haven't noticed any fall off in treble response when turning the volume down. My issue was I had a lot of midrange muddiness, even at full volume. When I use my Janglebox compressor, I get more treble on it. Also, I now have a Hip Kitty Glaze pedal that gives me high end clarity, like a volume boost with fangs. Very nice box.