Chet's Gibson CG

[Norm]

not sure what a GC is

If you're putting gretsch pickups on a gibson it won't sound quite the same as either guitar. I mean it won't sound like a gretsch country gentelman

The gibson humbucking and the gretsch super tron meter out fairly close at around 7-8 K

The 4 K pickup on the fingerboard is the key. As Paul said once... "If you want loud, get gibson, if you want tone, get gretsch.


I think David is sanbagging. He's a fine player

[srgntschultz]

I have a lot of footage of Chet playing both guitars but i think his gibson sounded every bit as good as the gretsch no matter which model of gretsch he played. His gretsch was made in the USA which i think they still should be. And the gibson country gent was also made in the USA. I bet Chet would not like that the gretsch guitars are made in japan and neither do i and probably wouldnt of signed a deal like that. And Pauls custom gibson the thicker red one he used on his video he did also sounded excellent.

[Norm]

Well, when Baldwin 'bought Gretsch all the workers didn't want to move to Arkansas so they lost the core working crew.

I wouldn't presume to speak for what Chet would or would not have liked as far as where a guitar is made. I do know the Terada guitars don't have near the problems the New York Gretsch's had. I used to work in a music store that sold them and I'll tell you there were some real problems with some of the Brooklyn Gretsch guitars that I saw with my own eyes.

The Gretsch clan sold the company to Baldwin and Baldwin ran it into the ground. Fred got the family name rights back and had the guitars made in Japan. I would bet it was because he didn't have the money to furnish a guitar factory from the ground up.

Chet was a businessman. He made a royatly from every guitar with his name on it. He modified his personal instruments and played company product as per contract.

He was sensitive about quality control of guitars with his name on them and had some issues when Baldwin got to making sloppy guitars. Between that, a couple of factory fires and their refusal to develop what we now know as the electric classics Chet saw the company getting ready to auger in and bailed.

The Gibson Gents are a fine guitar. They don't sound like Gretsch guitars and some, like myself, are of the opinion that, even in Chet's hands, the Gibson Gents don't measure up to the 59. That one, like his D'Angelico, was a unique sounding guitar and Paul did us a tremendous service having it replicated.

I think its great that Gibson still manages to build guitars in this country but I think Fred took the only option open to him. At least he chose Terada to build his guitars. Terada does top of the line work.

But, again, you see it your way and I see it mine and we're both just stating opinions which, with a couple of bucks, will get you a cup of coffee someplace.

Since Chet is not around to ask, opinions are all we have...

[Norm]

...and let's not forget the effect FMIC had on the Gretsch line. Fred's guitars looked good but the wiring harnesses and switches were sub-par. FMIC took care of that and made them closer to what they used to be when Gretsch meant something in the guitar world and it looks like the arrangement worked for everyone.

[Ray Bohlken]

[quote="Norm"]I think Fred took the only option open to him. At least he chose Terada to build his guitars. Terada does top of the line work.quote]

On page 92 of the Tony Bacon Book "50 Years of Gretsch Electrics", Duke Kramer said they tried to get Guild, Heritage, and even Gibson to build the Gretsch guitars for them, but couldn't get them to agree, so they went to Terada, "since they were used to making hollowbody guitars".
Ray

[srgntschultz]

I have owned a Cgp and a 59 gretsch and still have 2 gibson gents,one with original ray butts pickups in it and it sounds every bit as good as the gretsch's i have owned. The gretschs look good but have no tone,and i still buy everything i can made in the USA. Just the way it should be.

[Norm]

Sounding "as good as" is subjective and dependent on the listener. As for claiming Gretsch guitars "have no tone" I guess there are several hundred guitar players that made a bad purchase if that is true.

I'm just saying the guitars will sound different and it is up to the individual which sounds best in their own estimation particularly if buying an instrument.

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford several high dollar guitars.

Opinions are just that...opinions.

[David Elliott]

I have owned a GP and a 59 gretsch and still have 2 gibson gents,one with original ray butts pickups in it and it sounds every bit as good as the gretsch's i have owned. The gretschs look good but have no tone,and i still buy everything i can made in the USA. Just the way it should be.

There are, of course, a number of things that can affect "tone" with a guitar, strings, pick-up height, etc. but I would respectfully suggest you have your Gretsch CG checked out by a competent technician, as if it's one thing a Gretsch guitar definitely HAS, it is tone! Is it possible that the problem could be in your amplifier adjustments, as opposed to your guitars?

David

[srgntschultz]

I did sell the gretsch guitars. Looking at a Heritage Hollowbody!

[George Beasley]

The first really good guitar I ever got was a 1995 Heritage Golden Eagle....all acoustic. I'd put it up against any acoustic L-5 sized guitar.