Gretsch Electromatic

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Hey guys,
I've borrowed this guitar off my dad and I'm really liking it so far. Anyone else use one? It feels really well built and solid for what is essentially a mid price point guitar. The tuning stability isn't the best but I've never had a guitar with a bigsby before, so maybe that's it?


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Comments

  • Lovely stuff. I have an older G5122 that I love. A bigsby will never improve tuning stability but even with one the nut is usually the cause of any tuning niggles. 


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  • cf1988cf1988 Frets: 13
    Do you reckon it'd be worth having a bone nut put in?
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  • cf1988 said:
    Do you reckon it'd be worth having a bone nut put in?
    Not really. I'm pretty sure I used 11s when I had a G5420T. They Electromatics were shipped with 10s IIRC. Take it to a decent tech and have him look at it. As mentioned already, it's usually the strings binding in the nut that causes the problem.
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  • cf1988 said:
    Do you reckon it'd be worth having a bone nut put in?
    Not really. I'm pretty sure I used 11s when I had a G5420T. They Electromatics were shipped with 10s IIRC. Take it to a decent tech and have him look at it. As mentioned already, it's usually the strings binding in the nut that causes the problem.
    I reckon it would help, as the plastic ones they ship with are a bit shit. But a good setup and careful filing of the nut is more important - a well-cut plastic nut will be better than a crap bone one.
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  • TheMarlinTheMarlin Frets: 7744
    Great guitars.  The tuning issue is nut related.  Make sure the nut slots are not gripping the strings.  Also, open up the back of the nut slots to enable smother travel of strings towards the tuners.  Get some lube on there too. My G5420 had rattley tuners that wouldn't hold tune, so i put locking tuners one.  It's way better now. 

    Gretsch Filtertrons are highly sensitive to pickup height.  They like to up right under the strings. Experiment with height, it really pays dividends.

     I'm a bit of s Gretsch buff.  I have five...
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  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2924
    tFB Trader

    The stock nuts are hollow plastic, re-cutting helps but a well-cut bone nut's better. But after making a couple I found Tusq was better still.
    The splayed angle of the strings out to the tuners causes drag. I make slots angled towards the tuners and flared out at the back so there's no hard edge where string exits to the tuner, as Marlin says. The Tusq nut didn't take much work to be good, just the flaring out thing.
    The bridge can be an issue too but the nut is most of it usually. I had 9-46 on my 5420 and could dip the Bigsby hard but took some setting up and regular lubing etc.

    Other commonish things are the selector switch going duff, can be revived for a while with a clean (fishes out the f-hole with nothing else needing to be shifted), and the tuners can go wobbly.

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  • LordOxygenLordOxygen Frets: 319
    edited December 2016
    I have a 5422, it's the only guitar I've owned that goes out of tune up in pitch, not down (far too often). It's been professionally set up but it's still flakey. I wouldn't buy it again, but it's a very nice guitar to play. 
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  • TheMarlinTheMarlin Frets: 7744
    I have a 5422, it's the only guitar I've owned that goes out of tune up in pitch, not down (far too often). It's been professionally set up but it's still flakey. I wouldn't buy it again, but it's a very nice guitar to play. 
    It's the nut.  Get the nut sorted properly, keep the nut lubed, it'll be fine. 
    As Bill said, maybe try a decent bone or Tusq nut. The stock nut isn't great.  Gretsch should really sort that out. 
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  • Yes they should sort it out, not really fit for purpose out of the factory. What should i use to lube the nut?  
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  • TheMarlinTheMarlin Frets: 7744
    I use Nut Sauce. 
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  • TheMarlin said:
    I use Nut Sauce. 

    Thanks v. much, just ordered some. It if does the trick I'll be very happy. 
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  • merlinmerlin Frets: 6594
    All the above suggestions are good, but how about changing the break angle at the Bigsby end too. I put a BricksBiggsfix tuning stabilizer plus a super squishy spring on my Bigsby fitted guitar. Totally changed the game! 

    http://bricksbiggsfix.com/


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