What is a good(cheap) Gretsch?

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:02 pm

I always wondered about the cheaper Korean and(now)chinese made Gretsch guitars. Good? Bad? Can you get that "Great Gretsch Sound" for $300-$700? Anyone have one? Post pictures if you do

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:18 pm

i picked up a corvette at a shop and it was shit. i am scared of $500 gretsches now.

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:21 pm

Sloan wrote:i picked up a corvette at a shop and it was shit. i am scared of $500 gretsches now.

Really?That is what I was afraid of.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:21 pm

My mate has a g5120, top one you posted I think. To be honest when I played it I didn't like it, and was pretty shocked when I later saw the price. It felt cheap and didn't sound that great.
...BUT it was set up sooo badly. I'm sure it plays well when set up properly.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:32 am

I think people on the Gretsch board dew mods and make them better. It depends on the model. May have to play it first.

StevePirates · Post by **StevePirates** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:42 am

Most people swap out the pickups on the G5120 and report a huge improvement. I've liked the G5120s that I've played.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:43 am

DanHeron wrote:My mate has a g5120, top one you posted I think. To be honest when I played it I didn't like it, and was pretty shocked when I later saw the price. It felt cheap and didn't sound that great.

Exactly the same here. The only good-ish ones I've played were the LP-style ones.

Rox · Post by **Rox** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:36 am

I had a 5120. I checked the reviews and such on GC and other sites . Played it in the store and liked it . Till I brought it home . After a week it just seemed cheap and it would buzz when plugged in . I never disliked a guitar as quickly as that 5120. Traded it in for a Schecter Corsair and haven't looked back since .

As for the Stump-o-Matic ...... It's ok. I liked it but wasn't enthused enough to drop the coin and buy it . I was looking for a funky guitar at the time and it came down to that and a $400 Alden .. Took my chances on the Alden and still think it played better than the Gretsch . To be honest I'm always drawn to the Electromatics till I actually play em. I think the only one I ever really liked was the 3161 . If you want a Gretsch cheaply try to find one of those .

LimpDickCheney · Post by **LimpDickCheney** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:41 am

You can just about pick up a vintage Corvette, Clipper or Bacon Belmont in that range. I had a Bacon Belmont that I later sold when I got a good deal on a '58 Country Club.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:48 am

Theyre pretty disappointing to be honest, you could get a peerless in the same price range that would be much nicer.

pumpkin · Post by **pumpkin** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:19 pm

I'm in the "do not want" category.

The new Gretsch guitars are much. Made in Japan, have inked serial numbers and tons of poly. I picked up one and thought "this should be inexpensive" when I found out they wanted nearly â‚¬2000 for it I laughed my arse off.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:54 pm

yeah, i'm pretty sure you can pick up a 60's double anniversary for less than the retail price of a new tennessee rose, and i know which one i'd rather have.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:18 pm

Mm more or less the same price and I know which I'd pick:

1967 Gretsch Tennessean:

New Gretsch 6119 Tennessee Rose

awfurby · Post by **awfurby** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:38 pm

I disagree - the new Gretsches from Japan are very nice guitars. Old Gretsches can be great guitars but it's hard to find one that doesn't need a lot of work. Rotten binding and neck resets are common problems. A friend has a '59 6119 and was a bit shocked to discover the neck on it was warped. Quality control was variable back in the sixties and once Baldwin took over it got worse. You can buy new models with nitro finish if you really want to as well. Maybe in the US you can get a Clipper for the same price as a modern guitar - but it doesn't work elsewhere.

pumpkin · Post by **pumpkin** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:36 pm

awfurby wrote:I disagree - the new Gretsches from Japan are very nice guitars. Old Gretsches can be great guitars but it's hard to find one that doesn't need a lot of work. Rotten binding and neck resets are common problems. A friend has a '59 6119 and was a bit shocked to discover the neck on it was warped. Quality control was variable back in the sixties and once Baldwin took over it got worse. You can buy new models with nitro finish if you really want to as well. Maybe in the US you can get a Clipper for the same price as a modern guitar - but it doesn't work elsewhere.

I bought a new USA made Duane Eddy signature Gretsch in 1999, it was great. These were made out of the Gretsch "custom shop".

plaidbeer · Post by **plaidbeer** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:15 pm

I looked at a G5122 when I was considering a hollow body. But like others have mentioned, the stock pickups would have needed to have been replaced--I would have gone with Filtertrons--and that's another $100 or so on top of what you're paying. It's a shame they don't include Filtertrons from the get-go.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:25 pm

just for the record, the OP asked about about the cheaper Gretsch made from Korea or China.

Vintage Gresch are cool. The sound good, play well, and look fantastic. The new Gretschs look ok, play medicore, and feel terrible.

arcadedave · Post by **arcadedave** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:29 pm

On the subject of Gretsch, check this out

DAS LINK

61fury · Post by **61fury** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:20 pm

Sloan wrote:i picked up a corvette at a shop and it was shit. i am scared of $500 gretsches now.

I've taken a liking to these, can you elaborate on what's wrong with them? I've never seen one in person.

sonicboom · Post by **sonicboom** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 6:06 pm

I swopped out the stock 'buckers on my 5120 for Filtertrons, put a bar bridge on, and set it up properly. It was a crackin' guitar already, but these brought it to life. Dunno how variable the quality is on these Korean jobbies - mine's a 2006 from the Samick factory and it plays, sounds, looks, and feels luvverly.