Question for Gretsch guys...
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sloop_john_b
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Question for Gretsch guys...
I'm looking to get a White Falcon (Wedding cake?), which comes stock with Filtertrons. I prefer the Dynasonic pickups. Could I easily drop the DS' in, or would there be modification/routing required?
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jingle_jangle
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John, you'll have four holes from the old plastic pickup ring screws which are not covered by the Dyna bezels, unfortunately.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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shamustwin
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Jerry: I'm also interested in Paul's opinion on new Gretsches. There are several models that interest me. My only experience was with a super clean, totally original '66 Tennessean that I sold last year. Owned it for about ten years, and played it rarely. The body thickness made it uncomfortable, but I could have gotten used to that. What really bugged me was the floating bridge. I like to rest my hand on the bridge, but this one moved around too much. The binding was starting to show signs of deterioration, so I sold it for $1800 and almost tripled my original investment. I read somewhere that players used to Gibsons and Fenders find the Gretsch necks must harder to play. What do you know about the new ones?
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jingle_jangle
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Gibson necks (I have only played Les Pauls, SGs, a Hummingbird, and an older es-295). Chunkier than the Gretsches I've played, and most Fenders feel slimmer. It's apples and oranges.
It's the bodies IME that take getting used to. The thicker bodied Gretsches are a handful, but Setzer seems to love 'em and so do thousands others. The thinner-bodied hollows (Country Classic, neé Gent) are more comfortable for me.
Quality gets better by the month, it seems. There was a big problem with the design of the neck extensions in the hollowbodies, leading to a hump in the fretboards at roughly the 14th fret. Fender has changed the structure here, back to the old way, and humps are disappearing.
I've seen a whole lot more variety in playability among Gretsches than any other major brand guitar, even recently. They all seem to look better and better, but some sound dud and some sparkle. The smaller-bodied Gretsches (Duo-Jets and bound Pro-Jets) are my favorites, and of course all of Gretsch's pickups are quite distinctive in sound from each other and from other manufacturers'.
I've had good luck buying Gretsches online--only one dud and that one I could repair. But my advice would be to try before you buy, at least for another few months until all the bugs are worked out.
Randy, if you are persistent, you'll find a new Gretsch that will blow the doors off the '66 you used to have. Japanese QC is much better than the QC used to be in Gretsch's American factories back then.
On another note, I am amazed that the Japanese can produce a quality instrument in the Terada factory--and they do. The place is a dump. It's filthy, dusty, and haphazard; kind of like the old Gretsch place was 50 years ago.
Rickenbacker's plant, on the other hand, is nearly surgically clean, which anyone will tell you is the most efficient way to run a manufacturing operation.
It's the bodies IME that take getting used to. The thicker bodied Gretsches are a handful, but Setzer seems to love 'em and so do thousands others. The thinner-bodied hollows (Country Classic, neé Gent) are more comfortable for me.
Quality gets better by the month, it seems. There was a big problem with the design of the neck extensions in the hollowbodies, leading to a hump in the fretboards at roughly the 14th fret. Fender has changed the structure here, back to the old way, and humps are disappearing.
I've seen a whole lot more variety in playability among Gretsches than any other major brand guitar, even recently. They all seem to look better and better, but some sound dud and some sparkle. The smaller-bodied Gretsches (Duo-Jets and bound Pro-Jets) are my favorites, and of course all of Gretsch's pickups are quite distinctive in sound from each other and from other manufacturers'.
I've had good luck buying Gretsches online--only one dud and that one I could repair. But my advice would be to try before you buy, at least for another few months until all the bugs are worked out.
Randy, if you are persistent, you'll find a new Gretsch that will blow the doors off the '66 you used to have. Japanese QC is much better than the QC used to be in Gretsch's American factories back then.
On another note, I am amazed that the Japanese can produce a quality instrument in the Terada factory--and they do. The place is a dump. It's filthy, dusty, and haphazard; kind of like the old Gretsch place was 50 years ago.
Rickenbacker's plant, on the other hand, is nearly surgically clean, which anyone will tell you is the most efficient way to run a manufacturing operation.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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sloop_john_b
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Paul, thanks for the reply, even if it isn't what I wanted to hear. ::sigh:: I can make due with the 'trons, they're great sounding pickups, I just like the DS' more.
I also agree about the great quality of the new Gretschs. I have played some older ones that just felt awful, and these were vintage, expensive, US made instruments.
When I was buying my first Grestch earlier this year, I didn't know they were Japanese-made until I looked at the back of the headstock for the serial number. I have to say, it was a little strange to be paying $2000+ for a non-US made guitar, but it never let me down and was superb in every aspect, as i'm sure my new White Falcon will be.
I also agree about the great quality of the new Gretschs. I have played some older ones that just felt awful, and these were vintage, expensive, US made instruments.
When I was buying my first Grestch earlier this year, I didn't know they were Japanese-made until I looked at the back of the headstock for the serial number. I have to say, it was a little strange to be paying $2000+ for a non-US made guitar, but it never let me down and was superb in every aspect, as i'm sure my new White Falcon will be.
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jingle_jangle
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6122-1962. Thin body, good upper fret access. Old double cutaway "Country Gent" body style (name now owned by Gibson, but the guitar remains roughly the same).
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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jingle_jangle
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Wow, do I have a killer idea for a color for that one, Aitch... (smiley face declined)
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
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jingle_jangle
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Rob:
You're in the UK, I see. On US eBay, there are at least three dealers who manage through connections to get their hands on brand new factory cosmetic blem Gretsches and who sell them at about half suggested retail. Even adding the cost of shipping, these can be good buys.
That means that a 6122-1962 would go for about $1700-1800US, which should be a snip these days.
I've bought two of these blems (not 6122s) and they were both terrific guitars. One had a tiny yellow glue spot on the neck binding and the other a little bit of black paint under the clearcoat inside an "f" hole.
Since Gretsches do not have finish warranties, these were a bargain even here.
Two I suggest are Warpdrive Music and Shaker's Screamin' Guitar Shanty. There is a third guy who doesn't have a name, but who is located in Spring, TX, which you can see on his auctions. He's good too.
Full-time? Right now my career is in design education (not engineering) and after 35 years as a consultant designer and fabricator, it's fun and challenging to deal with students and watch them mature and leave the nest for the world of design commerce.
Part-time? You bet. It's the second most fun I have had (after my job) in a long time. BTW, as I mentioned before, I will be coming to the UK in May to pick up some restoration projects to hand-carry back with me, and meet some Rickenbacker folks in the UK.
You're in the UK, I see. On US eBay, there are at least three dealers who manage through connections to get their hands on brand new factory cosmetic blem Gretsches and who sell them at about half suggested retail. Even adding the cost of shipping, these can be good buys.
That means that a 6122-1962 would go for about $1700-1800US, which should be a snip these days.
I've bought two of these blems (not 6122s) and they were both terrific guitars. One had a tiny yellow glue spot on the neck binding and the other a little bit of black paint under the clearcoat inside an "f" hole.
Since Gretsches do not have finish warranties, these were a bargain even here.
Two I suggest are Warpdrive Music and Shaker's Screamin' Guitar Shanty. There is a third guy who doesn't have a name, but who is located in Spring, TX, which you can see on his auctions. He's good too.
Full-time? Right now my career is in design education (not engineering) and after 35 years as a consultant designer and fabricator, it's fun and challenging to deal with students and watch them mature and leave the nest for the world of design commerce.
Part-time? You bet. It's the second most fun I have had (after my job) in a long time. BTW, as I mentioned before, I will be coming to the UK in May to pick up some restoration projects to hand-carry back with me, and meet some Rickenbacker folks in the UK.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut