Possible Refinish of Gretsch G5120 Electromatic.

Greg

Hello GuitarForum.co.za!

This is my first post here, so I thought I'd at least try make something useful.

I've recently bought a Gretsch G5120 Electromatic, I got a great deal on it and the reason I got that great deal is because (I think) it looks like this:

These "Jimmy C" Gretsch's are standard 5120 Electromatics that have had paintwork done on them by pinstripe artist "Jimmy C". They're done with fairly cookie cutter approach with there only being orange and black as base colours and a few colour variations on the pinstriping itself.

Now, I'm not normally a fan of over the top crazy guitars, but I got a good deal on this and the ridiculous paintwork doesn't really bother me. Having said that, I'm not particularly attached to the artwork and after ordering a pair of TV Classics (Gretsch FilterTron Style Pickups) from the states for it and buying an orange Gretsch G6120-DSW, I thought I might like to get the guitar refinished in a different colour than orange and with less "in-your-face" pinstripe work.

What do you think?

*EDIT*

Here's the link to my stuff, it's the 3rd one: http://www.guitarforum.co.za/your-gear/these-are-my-things/

Gearhead

What kinda pups come out? You can do the refin any time, why not first play it for a while?

Greg

Gearhead wrote: What kinda pups come out? You can do the refin any time, why not first play it for a while?

I've been playing it solidly since about November last year, I bought it after Synergy. The "Gretschbuckers" it comes with are just standard humbuckers and don't really have that real FilterTron/Gretsch sound. I've been looking at the TV's for a while now. They come standard on the Brian Setzer HotRod guitars and they seem to be the first thing replaced by most players of Electromatics.

G5120 Electromatic® Hollow Body: http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2505811512
Gretsch G6120TV Brian Setzer Hot Rod w/ TV Jones® Pickups: http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2400112806
TV Jones Pickups: https://tvjones.com/

My G6120-DSW has Dynasonics, so it would be nice to have my other Gretsch be a FilterTron Gretsch.

The new pickups do require some drilling and plugging to be done (which I'll get done by someone that isn't me) so I'd do the pickups before I got the guitar refinished.

AlanRatcliffe

The orange is a common and acceptable Gretsch colour - consider just taking the clear and pinstripe coats off and reapplying the clear over the orange.

I recently played a Country Gent with the Gretsch pups and a White Falcon with TV Classics and the difference is quite striking. The TVJs are hands down better pickups.

Gearhead

Ooooh those Powertrons are naaas... Big part of Billy Gibbon's tone...

singemonkey

If you don't like a Gretsch in orange, then chocolate brown, black, and off-white are common colours on Gretsch guitars that do a lot to make them look distinctive. A near-olive green is another finish that is quite distinctively Gretsch.

I confess, I'd also refinish it if I had one. The electromatics seem like nice guitars from the one I played in the store. After a pickup change I'm sure they're real work horses.

Greg

I was also considering just removing the pinstriping. It has a deep orange but you can see the grain through it. Previous orange Electromatics I've seen have had the solid orange, so perhaps just taking the pinstriping off is the best idea!

singemonkey

Why the heck's it called pinstriping? ???

Norman86

lines should be as thin as a pin's stripe?!

shaunf

singemonkey wrote: Why the heck's it called pinstriping? ???

The term in this case refers to decorative techniques used mainly on cars, bikes etc rather than clothing.

aja

singemonkey wrote: Why the heck's it called pinstriping? ???

Greg

I'm taking it in right now to Rob Drake to get a quote for the work I want done.

aja

Greg wrote: I'm taking it in right now to Rob Drake to get a quote for the work I want done.

Cool, let us know how it goes!

Greg

aja wrote:
Greg wrote: I'm taking it in right now to Rob Drake to get a quote for the work I want done.
Cool, let us know how it goes!

Looks like refinishing it won't be THAT cheap and it will take a decent amount of time. So he's putting the pickups in and I'm getting him to change the cheap plastic nut it comes with to a nice bone nut. I'd rather do tone/sound mods than cosmetic stuff anyways so the pinstriping STAYS! (for now...)

chris77

A refinish, no matter how well it's done, will always affect the guitar's resale value. (mind you, in this case it might just do so in a positive way ?) But I agree, rather spend the moolah on getting the most out of the guitar's sound and playability. Sometimes the ugly girls are the most fun to hang out with.
Then again, british racing green or piano black................ hmmm. :-\

Greg

chris77 wrote: A refinish, no matter how well it's done, will always affect the guitar's resale value. (mind you, in this case it might just do so in a positive way ?) But I agree, rather spend the moolah on getting the most out of the guitar's sound and playability. Sometimes the ugly girls are the most fun to hang out with.
Then again, british racing green or piano black................ hmmm. :-\

Black sounds pretty nice..

Norman86

british racing green... mmmmm!

there was a custom shop fender done for Bono in that colour... gretsch type too... daaaayum!

Greg

Norman86 wrote: british racing green... mmmmm!

there was a custom shop fender done for Bono in that colour... gretsch type too... daaaayum!

SICK!

Thats the right colour, the right pickups, the right trim... AND ITS A TELE! Seriously awesome.

aja

green yummy

singemonkey

Erm... I think this is what you were looking for: