NGD! (Non-W)

[erogenousjones17]

No pics yet (a cardinal sin on the internet, I know), but I got a pretty sweet Gretsch electromatic--a 5420 in Aspen Green--last weekend. I'd been pining for a Gretsch since pretty much the day after I started playing guitar, so my dad says to me a few weeks ago "Here, go buy that guitar you keep talking about " (the "and then shut up about it" was implied) and hands me a wad of cash. Not like him to shell out for presents for no real reason, but I figure this will be my Christmas and birthday presents for the next little while.

Overall impression is very positive: it plays really well, has nice low action with very little buzzing, the neck contour is super comfortable and it sounds great. It does, however, need some tinkering, as the intonation is a bit off and tuning stability is, as expected, not so great. Nonetheless, I'm very happy with it. Besides, what guitar is perfect right out of the box?

Now if I could only find time to snap a few pics. Easier said than done with a four-month-old baby, a full-time job and a new guitar to play with. :laughing7:

 

[bagman67]

Congratulations, John - I really like the look of those Gretsch axes.  Yer a lucky fella, presumably - ONCE YOU SHARE THE PICTURES we will know for sure.  :icon_tongue:


If you decide you need to replace the tuning machines, I have an unused set of Grover 3x3's I'd let go cheap.  Let me know.


They're this model:  http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/102N?device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CMLSocWZn74CFYxufgodyEsASg


Bagman

 

[drewfx]

Congrats!

I actually got one of those a while back and am very pleased with it. Mine is a sort of weird but attractive color called "Smoke Green", which varies from a very light sort of lime green color to a greenish vintage white variation depending on the lighting. But the aspen green is also really beautiful.

In my case, it was to try to cure me of a White Falcon lust that I really can't justify splurging for. And I wanted something with a Bigsby.

I have to say it's a very nicely made guitar that looks and plays really nice.

 

[erogenousjones17]

Bagman: Thanks for the offer. I think what this guitar needs is a good set-up, but I've noticed that a lot of people mod the hell out of them, so I may take you up on it in the future.

Drew: I've never seen the Smoke Green in person, but it sure looks cool on Google. Is it possible they don't offer it anymore? Did you have to tinker with, mod or upgrade yours much? Based on the tiny bit of research I've done, people seem to buy these guitars and immediately replace all the hardware and electronics. Makes me wonder what the point is? But your story sounds a lot like mine: I had a longtime Gretsch itch that needed scratching, but I wasn't about to shell out several thousand bucks to do so.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

al·leg·ed·ly
əˈlejidlē/
adverb
adverb: allegedly
used to convey that something is claimed to be the case or have taken place, although there is no proof.
"he was allegedly a leading participant in the coup attempt"
synonyms: reportedly, supposedly, reputedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently, putatively, by all accounts, so the story goes

Just saying  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[drewfx]

Drew: I've never seen the Smoke Green in person, but it sure looks cool on Google. Is it possible they don't offer it anymore?

I'm not sure what the exact deal is, but my understanding is it is/was some sort of special finish option.

Did you have to tinker with, mod or upgrade yours much? Based on the tiny bit of research I've done, people seem to buy these guitars and immediately replace all the hardware and electronics. Makes me wonder what the point is? But your story sounds a lot like mine: I had a longtime Gretsch itch that needed scratching, but I wasn't about to shell out several thousand bucks to do so.

I haven't modded anything yet, as the only major problem is with one of the volume pots, and on a hollowbody it's one of those things where the hassle of replacing a pot currently outweighs the issue itself.

I know a lot of people swap the bridge, but I don't think I'll go there.

The PU's seem OK to me, but I'm not really all that clued into what the finer points of Filtertrons are. I do know that the "Black Top" Filtertrons that come on these have a far better reputation than the PU's on the previous model which people seemed to despise.