Thoughts on cheaper Gretsch Guitars?

Calum13

I’ve come to a decision that I’m going to sell my epiphone sheraton and get a gretsch G5422T in black (https://m.thomann.de/gb/gretsch_g5422t_electromatic_bk_2016.htm)
but I can’t play one cause no shops near have one in stock but I did try a 5420 and that seemed fine. What’s everyone’s thoughts on the 5422T? How do the blacktop filtertrons sound compared to real ones?

zepp76

I had a Gretsch G2655T Streamliner, it was an ok guitar but it suffered from terrible neck dive and I got rid of it soon after purchasing it. Great pickups though.

stimpsonslostson

I also had a Streamliner. It was a lovely guitar and sounded great.
Sadly it was let down by poor QC & setup. 

The nut was sticky & it wouldn't keep tune, even without using the bigsby.
Mine had electronic issues too- the switch kept cutting out the pickups. 

There's a great guitar in there, but it needed more work than the shop I got it from were willing to do, so it went back. 

dazzajl

I’ve had several electros, jets and big bodies and let them all go. They’ve all played well, after the usual Gretsch tinkering requirements that even CS models seem to need. 

I found them all totally lacking any character though and to me, a bland Gretsch is a worse than pointless thing. 

The only one I’ve ever fallen for was a 5422 I was given to try an amp in PMT. it actually had a vibe all of its own and there’s denying the blacktop pickups sound excellent 

danban

For an extra £100-150 you could
get hold of a full fat one on the used market.

TheMarlin

Save your pennies, and look for a well priced used Pro Line. A red Brian Setzer Hot Rod just sold on eBay for £1k. There are several beautiful Annie’s available in this forum for around £1k. 
I’ve bought Duo Jets for £800, so bargains can be had. 

If you can’t stretch to that, my recommendation is uk get a G2420, and fit some Filtertrons. 

The G5420/5422 is too expensive for what you get, and needs a heck of a lot of sorting out to get it stable, and playing well. I’m done wasting money on mid priced Gretsches, with crap fit and finish, and nasty hardware. 

Calum13

TheMarlin said:

Save your pennies, and look for a well priced used Pro Line. A red Brian Setzer Hot Rod just sold on eBay for £1k. There are several beautiful Annie’s available in this forum for around £1k. 
I’ve bought Duo Jets for £800, so bargains can be had. 

If you can’t stretch to that, my recommendation is uk get a G2420, and fit some Filtertrons. 

The G5420/5422 is too expensive for what you get, and needs a heck of a lot of sorting out to get it stable, and playing well. I’m done wasting money on mid priced Gretsches, with crap fit and finish, and nasty hardware. 

There’s a nice G5122 in black up on eBay now. I might consider that and get filtertrons.

pintspiller

Several years ago I mistake of having paid the deposit on a Peavey Rockingham going on to a different shop and trying an Electromatic.

The Gretsch was a little more expensive, but came in orange and sounded good. The guitar felt nice, but the licenced Bigsby wasn't a patch on the real one on the Peavey. I later tried a few solid-body Electromatics and thought them nice generally but pricey for what you got compared to, say, Squier and Epiphone.

munckee

I've played electromatics and streamlines. Electromatics seem worth the extra to me. 

There was a hollow body Ibanez on here recently which I think are better value than gretsch As75 I think 

Wolfetone

The most infuriating guitar  I have had is a G5422. Never held tune and didn't sound particularly good either. I have heard that with some knowledgeable fettling they can be transformed thogh.

monquixote

I'm selling a proper Jap one for not too much.

Calum13

Does anyone know what pickups are in the 5235 pro jet? Looks like some sort of Humbucker 

TheMarlin

Calum13 said:

Does anyone know what pickups are in the 5235 pro jet? Looks like some sort of Humbucker 

The infamous Gretschbucker pickups. Fit only got the recycling bin. Pickup cavity takes soapbar pickups well. Popular mod is P90’s

Calum13

TheMarlin said:

Calum13 said:

Does anyone know what pickups are in the 5235 pro jet? Looks like some sort of Humbucker 

The infamous Gretschbucker pickups. Fit only got the recycling bin. Pickup cavity takes soapbar pickups well. Popular mod is P90’s

Ah that’s a shame. There’s a YouTube channel where a guy plays them and the mini humbuckers don’t sound that bad. His name is gellmann1

Gerz6558

I'd also go for a used pro line, in fact I did a few months ago. For me they are in a different league to similar priced guitars.

NelsonP

I tried a g5622t out in a shop. I really wanted to like it but didn't. It felt stiff, hard to play and the bigsby seemed like it would be a source of frustration.  Possibly just the wrong guitar for me.

chrisj1602

I had the small bodied streamliner, very nice for the money but struggled with the neck dive. I’d buy the 335 sized model based on the quality of the small one.

TheMarlin

I personally am not a fan of the streamlines, they are generic guitars with a Gretsch logo shoved on them. All except for the 2420.  That’s a Gretsch design, and a bloody good one. 

Its cheaper than the G5420, got a better chunky neck, and IMHO built to exactly the same standard.   I’d buy the G2420 over the G5420, upgrade the pickups and wiring, job done for less than half the price of the G5420. 

I just looked up the G5420, its now being offered new for £900. That’s crazy, absolutely crazy. It’s doubled in price in just a few years. £900 is Reverend territory, and that’s where I would spend my money. 

Reverends are usually well sorted guitars, thought has been applied, issues addressed, and you get quality hardware.  This can’t be said for the G5420. 

The even smarter move is to save your money and buy a used Gretsch Pro Line. 

brooom

I'd save the money for a used japanese gretsch professional series.

TheMarlin

munckee said:

I've played electromatics and streamlines. Electromatics seem worth the extra to me. 

There was a hollow body Ibanez on here recently which I think are better value than gretsch As75 I think 

Yes, the Ibanez AFS75T is a stonkingly good guitar, I love the way it feeds back, got a great vibe about it, a lovely alive guitar. 

Even the stock pickups are excellent. I had Oil City Filtertrons in mine, plays great, sounds great, just lovely. 

stimpsonslostson

TheMarlin said:

munckee said:

I've played electromatics and streamlines. Electromatics seem worth the extra to me. 

There was a hollow body Ibanez on here recently which I think are better value than gretsch As75 I think 

Yes, the Ibanez AFS75T is a stonkingly good guitar, I love the way it feeds back, got a great vibe about it, a lovely alive guitar. 

Even the stock pickups are excellent. I had Oil City Filtertrons in mine, plays great, sounds great, just lovely. 

I had one of those too. Totally agree about the quality & "alive" feel. They pop up for under £300 on a fairly frequent basis.