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Gretsch Players Edition MIJ


ArnieZ

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I'm a big fan.  I've owned a few vintage Gretsch guitars, and played tons more.  Honestly?  In my opinion, most of them wouldn't be considered "professional" guitars by today's standards.  The inconsistency from the old Brooklyn builds may add to the mystique for some, but I've played (again, and owned) more vintage Gretsch dogs than great ones.

Now...about the Japanese-built Gretsch guitars?  

I honestly have never played a bad one.  I'm not saying they don't exist (somewhere), but the overall build quality and attention to detail is light years ahead of what Gretsch did here in the States back in the '50s and '60s.   I've got a 6129 Reissue that quickly jumped up the ranks to become one of my favorite guitars.  It's not Shishkov nor Hamer quality, but it's a really great instrument.  I've spent considerable time with these after pre-ordering a couple of the original reissues back in 1989, and they're consistently good.  The west-coast Custom Shop stuff is off-the-charts great too, by the way.

I'm looking heavily into picking up another Players Edition guitar...which means Mike needs to get working on my next Shishkov or I'll blow the $$ I've been putting aside!  ;)

 

My 6129 060122 2.jpg

My 6129 053122 1.JPG

My 6129 060122 1.jpg

 

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4 hours ago, ArnieZ said:

Anybody familiar with this model? What do you think?

 

I have one. Got it from Adorama a couple years ago when they were moving them on the cheap side. They appear to be more on the pricey side now.

Nice guitar. What cmatthes said, better made than a lot of the older US ones. By the mid to late 60's, they were a mess and a half. Even at their late 50's/early 60's peak they were pretty inconsistent.

It's some of the Gretsch sound without having to go full giant Setzer body. Not the same, but kind of in the neighborhood. I liked the bridge, I've never been able to get used to a Bigsby, this one feels more familiar. But it does change the sound, like everything else.

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I've owned a Player's edition Anniversary Model and generally agree with all of the comments on quality.  I've also had a few of the Japanese made Jets and a Chet Atkins western motif big hollow body.

My problem with these guitars is that they all had surprisingly thin necks.  You'd think that guitars that were based on designs form the 50's for jazz players would have thick or at least medium neck profiles.  Nope.  Every one I've played has felt like an Ibanez.  Maybe 0.820" -0.850" 1st - 12th fret.

The Bigsbys on the Players Edition guitars are string-through w/o pins, so re-stringing is easy. 

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13 hours ago, BadgerDave said:

My problem with these guitars is that they all had surprisingly thin necks.  You'd think that guitars that were based on designs form the 50's for jazz players would have thick or at least medium neck profiles.  Nope.  Every one I've played has felt like an Ibanez.  Maybe 0.820" -0.850" 1st - 12th fret. 

I can't speak for Gretsches, but I once bought an '80's USA Guild X-500 that I found relatively cheap years ago...BIG laminated archtop guitar, a real armful, heavy too.  It also had the scrawniest neck I've ever encountered on a guitar (though I've never tried a 'shredder' Ibanez :rolleyes:), which makes me think that some trad jazz guitar players like thin necks for pretty much the same reason that shredder players do...speed and precision.  The '90's USA Guild Starfire 3 hollowbody I once had, had none of those characteristics (they were both Waverly RI-made), and had what I would consider a 'normal' medium-thickness neck.

I don't miss that X-500, except for the amount of money it's probably worth nowadays.  And of course, YMMV.

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16 hours ago, crunchee said:

I can't speak for Gretsches, but I once bought an '80's USA Guild X-500 that I found relatively cheap years ago...BIG laminated archtop guitar, a real armful, heavy too.  It also had the scrawniest neck I've ever encountered on a guitar (though I've never tried a 'shredder' Ibanez :rolleyes:), which makes me think that some trad jazz guitar players like thin necks for pretty much the same reason that shredder players do...speed and precision.  The '90's USA Guild Starfire 3 hollowbody I once had, had none of those characteristics (they were both Waverly RI-made), and had what I would consider a 'normal' medium-thickness neck.

I don't miss that X-500, except for the amount of money it's probably worth nowadays.  And of course, YMMV.

Man.....Stay away then from Gibson Byrdlands. I really lusted after them for years. Then I got one. I liked it EXCEPT for the neck. It was very thin, had a narrow nut and all that on top of the very short scale (23.5"). I do not have big hands but they would feel tied up in knots after 15 minutes of playing. Long gone!

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On 9/11/2022 at 11:19 AM, Disturber said:

I believe it needs a Bigsy. That tail piece looks really weird.

Looks like it could be replaced with a straight tailpiece. No Bigsby would be a positive for me

arniez

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On 9/13/2022 at 1:12 PM, ArnieZ said:

Looks like it could be replaced with a straight tailpiece. No Bigsby would be a positive for me

arniez

Duesenberg trem? https://www.thomann.de/gb/duesenberg_les_trem_ii_nickel_tm85n.htm?shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NCwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjJ9&reload=1&glp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmouZBhDSARIsALYcouqXfn3iWjXlWKKnRq3mWVLn2McrlSgjGGHoNEWtTv7d4lwXEgJCanAaAm6jEALw_wcB 

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On 9/13/2022 at 3:37 PM, MCChris said:

I rather like the bent tailpiece on that. Adds a bit of visual flair to the otherwise aesthetically boring stop/tuna combo.

It kinda grows on you.

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I owned one of those. 6128 Player's Edition. Fantasitc build quality, and the sound was like a pretty muscular version of the Gretch growl. Honestly I sold it because MusicGoRound had it at $1200 in mint shape, and I could flip it and make $250. I sort of regret that. Neck is not too big, so if you like a baseball bat, be warned, but it's not a pencil either.

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I’ve got one Gretsch a Rev Horton Heat model. Something of a 6120. I bought it off an older guy on Craigslist. It had the Rev’s and his bass player’s (Jimbo Wallace ) signature in Sharpie on the body. I don’t really go for that stuff. I asked the guy how do I know the Rev even signed it? He pointed to the truss rod cover which had that exact signature engraved on it. Ohh and he had a picture of the Rev signing it at The Stone Poney. Cool guitar. And I’m a fan of the Rev.
My first Bigsby and my first and only Gretsch. The guy also had a Roundup a western themed solid body. I probably should have grabbed it but I was after that 6120 vibe. 
MIJ great quality and cool pickups TV Jones Classics I believe.

 

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