Impulse buy after a really tough week.....

Big-G

So, This past week has been an incredibly difficult week, and one that I want to forget as quickly as possible, but feel will last in the memory for a very long time, which reached its pinnacle with the death of a close friend after a major heart op, so my powers of self moderation reached an all time low!

With the aid of some available cash (after a few more bits of gear sold) burning a hole in my pocket, I somehow found myself considering a guitar a little more seriously than I should have, and somewhat reacted at impulse and bought this....

Its a Gretsch Electromatic Pro Jet. From what I can gather, since there is no model number stamped on it anywhere, and no real way of tracking the serial of the chinese ones, its a G5238, but I cannot be sure of this? The case is the official Gretsch case for it, and is rather plush! Its a beautiful guitar, and is in perfect condition, and not a mark on it anywhere! Plays well, although doesn't seem to be holding its tuning too well at present, although its currently fitted with 9's, which I'm going to replace with 11's, so thats probably why?

As to whether or not I regret the purchase, I am still not sure? Its a stunning guitar, and I've always wanted a Gretsch, but always preferred their full hollows (obviously, but who has that kind of cash available?!), but thought this would be a nice introduction to a Gretsch until I can make my fortune and buy a 'real' one. I'm just not sure yet whether its me?

Its a guitar that requires a delicate touch on the strings, which could be due to the 9's again,so changing the strings should also help the tuning stability with having the Bigsby. Its also somewhat heavy! I think it actually weighs more than an LP despite the hollowed out chambers in the body (its effectively a semi-hollow without f-holes)! With my back, we'll have to see if its manages to stay in the fold or if the weight alone makes it have to go?

Anyways, I'm not going to make any rushed decisions, but it would sure be an easier decision to make if my PRS had sold, as I had been intending to use the money elsewhere! I think thats why I'm having such a hard time coming to terms with my sudden impulse! Whilst I go through a lot of gear, I am usually very targeted and more calculated about my purchases! I do like this guitar, but I'm just concerned I bought it too hastily in light of my shocking week!

Thanks for listening to my somewhat blabbering ramblings!
Regards
G!

vic

That's one sweet looking Gretsch !
Once you have the tuning stability sorted and swopped the stock pups for filtertrons, you'll have great axe there.
Congrats Big G...don't feel too guilty !
?

studmissile

Sorry to hear about the passing of your mate. ☹, life's too short to regret purchasing that beautiful lady. enjoy! She looks great!

singemonkey

It looks great. I'm surprised it's so heavy. Gibson LP Standards are also semi-hollows like this now days btw. ? Tuning stability with the Bigsby will be most affected by the cut of the nut. I also put heavier guage strings on my black LP (.11s) as I'd been advised that they complement the slight change in tone that the tailpiece gives.

An electromatic will probably also benefit a lot from a pickup change. But the ones I've played around with certainly seem like good guitars. Give it some time and stay open minded, I say.

Sorry to hear about your terrible week and especially about your friend.

AlanRatcliffe

As long as you didn't cause any hardship to your family by buying it, no reason to be hard on yourself. Anyway, it can serve as a fond reminder of your friend.

Yes, do slap on some heavier strings before you judge the tuning stability and tone. If all else fails, remove the arm or replace the whole Bigsby unit with a straightforward tailpiece (probably what I would do).

Vic wrote: Once you have the tuning stability sorted and swopped the stock pups for filtertrons, you'll have great axe there.

Unfortunately 'Trons aren't a drop-in replacement for those. IINM, the Dynasonics are though. I also think GFS have a few budget replacements.

Gearhead

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Unfortunately 'Trons aren't a drop-in replacement for those.

I thought TV Jones did just about every shape and form, including at least whatever you get in Gretsches?

Big-G

Thanks for the replies guys!

With regards to Pickups, I believe TV Jones did assist Gretsch with the design of these pups, but they are not 'outright' TV's? Either way, from my brief moment of playing this through the amp, it sounds good. Perhaps not true Gretsch sounding, but different to all the other guitars (in a good way), so that's what I'm after.

I've been playing it unplugged for half the day today, and I have to say its really starting to grow on me! It does require a light touch, with not too much finger tip pressure, but that's not a bad thing! The tuning does seem to have stabilised somewhat, and the thing I forgot to mention in the first post was that the guy selling it did snap a string on it just as I was arriving, so I guess it needed time for that string to stretch in and settle? Seems to be settling well now. I do however find that if I use the Bigsby too much, it goes out rather easily, particularly the G-string (oo-er!!), so I'm going to try and pick up some nice 11's one day this week and get them on it. Tomorrow once the boys are in school, I'll give it more of a run through the amp and see how it fairs!

And Alan, as for the 'upsetting' family members, my missus wasn't too pleased that I'd bought yet another guitar, but I got away with it because I'd paid for it from selling my other stuff, and the 'house' hadn't paid for it! Hehe! Plus I told her that the PRS was hopefully going, so that helped I think?

I had also thought that this guitar could serve as a nice reminder of my friend, so hopefully if I do decide to keep hold of it, it'll be a happy bonding with it, and become one of my favourites.

As for the pups you mentioned Alan, are they expensive, and going to make this much more 'Gretsch' Sounding?

And finally, Singe... I believe I'm very close by to where you live, so I'd be happy to pop around with this guitar if you'd like to have a 'jig' on her some time?? Its about time I started mingling with the GFSA's in my area!

Regards
G!

vic

studmissile wrote: Sorry to hear about the passing of your mate. ☹, life's too short to regret purchasing that beautiful lady. enjoy! She looks great!

+1

Condolences Big G.

Big-G

Thanks man, it was somewhat of a shock to say the least, and a very rough 'end'!

As for the Gretsch, the more I play it, the more it grows on me! I don't regret buying it, but if I don't sell the PRS, or any of my other gear, I may regret loosing out on the 'other item' I had originally been aiming for?!

Time will tell, but for now, I'm going to enjoy her, and worry about the rest later! The PRS I also enjoy, and is a great guitar, but I just can't get into it with it being black... I just look at it and think, 'nah, not today'. I have been reminded that the look of the guitar is as inspirational to me as the sound and playability! Having never liked black guitars, I should have known better when i got the PRS, but I didn't, so its got to go! I had intended to replace it with the natural coloured one on the 'tree', but this beaut came along!

Regards
G!

rikus

That's a great looking guitar! Keep us posted on your upgrades and enjoy!!

Norman86

well, she is a looker! hopefully she sounds and plays just as well! enjoy her ?

singemonkey

Yeah man. We must hook up and play some of these. We should find a day when EZ's free too and play all the things.

Greg

Condolences good sir.

She looks great! My recommendation is that often the stock Electromatic pickups can be a bit uninspiring and TV Jones has just released a DeArmond/Dynasonic style pickup and they could possibly slot right in the original holes.

A pair of those would give your guitar a whole new scope of tone, I highly recommend TV Jones.

Big-G

Thanks again for the replies everyone!

I've been doing a good bit of digging around, with regards to fitting some TV's, and this page pretty much covers what I need to do....

http://tvjones.com/wp/gretsch-pro-jet-mod-%E2%80%94-replacing-stock-mini-humbuckers-with-tv-classics

So, it would seem that I need to do some routing in order to fit the TV's in. This makes me less eager to fit them, but I may well consider it if money and time allows?

Is there an SA distributor for TV Jones, or can you only order direct? Has anyone ever ordered from them? Any issues? They recommend either the TV Classics, Classic Plus, Super-tron, or TV-HT for the electromatics. If I'm after that real Gretsch sound, which is going to be the best choice/combination?

Regards
G!

AlanRatcliffe

Classics. Some like a Classic + bridge for more of a hotter rockabilly sound.

I know a few guys who have bought from TV with no problems.

Big-G

So, I've been doing a bit more digging, and if I go with a pair of TV Classics, once I've added in the blaock set and surrounds required, and the postage here, a new set is going to set me back between R3k and R4k depending on postal options chosen.... And that's not even considering the cost of getting someone to route and fit them, and any Taxes etc that I may get stung for when my package comes through customs?!

So I guess in reality, I'd be looking at between R3.5k, to R4.5k! Are these pickups going to give me the kind of improvement to sound to justify this kind of expense?

Regards
G!

AlanRatcliffe

See if Bothners in Claremont still has that Cort Sunset 1, plug it into a Vox and see if you like the sound. That's a Classic at the neck and Classic + at the bridge. Now mentally add a bit more chime to the bridge pup and a bit more chime and "gonk"/"quack" to the middle setting and you have something similar to what you can expect from a pair of Classics. It is a truly great sound that spans country to jazz and blues to rock.