The Chetboard

Hello everyone,
I've hed a hankering for a Gretsch guitar and have noticed there seems to be three main price brackets/type.Vintage guitars that can sell for(at least) $1500 upwards,Brian Setzer reissues that are about $1500-2000 and recent archtops made overseas that go for$450-900. I'd be interested in the lower price bracket but have heard variable reports as to their worth. I have a luthier friend who can probably help out(if he's available)but otherwise,can anyone help me avoid a lemon?

I think if you stick with the Japanese makes you'll be OK

Be careful. The chinese are getting into blatant near counterfeiting. There's more to a guitar than how it photographs

Hi Joeb here. I have 5 Gretsch models. The Nashville Classic now called the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman 1622-1959- A double cut 6122-1962 Gentleman ,Two Tenn. Roses 6119 one has the H-T pickups the other one has the standard Filtrons in it . I also have the newer gretsch Electromatic 5120 that. This is the cheaper one of all my Gretschs but guess what it plays just as well as my higher end Gretschs. No kidding. I got mine about 6 years ago for the price of $400.00. Now these newer Electromatics went up about 200. dollars.These guitars went up in prices because they now have the old style fret markers on them and newer pickups on them.The old 5120's had Gretsch humbuckers on them. They sounded okay and where a little more bass sounding to them. I swapped those pickups out and threw in a pair of filtrons in it. That cost me a 100. dollars off ebay. It now has that high end I was missing with the old stock pickups. This guitar IMHO with that nice Orange color and looks stunning and plays just as well as my other high end Gretschs. Plays kinda like it's' big brother g-6120 guitar. Go on Ebay and you can see a lot of them selling a lot cheaper that a music will hit you up for if they even carry that 5120 anymore .The neck on the 5120 is a little bit smaller with the finger board than the expensive Gretschs but I find it a joy to play on as it's easier on my hands. I have smaller hands are not really suited for the wider neck Gretschs such as the N/C or the Tenn 6119 wide body with the real F holes on it. Go and look around on ebay I'm sure you can find a used one for around 400 bucks or 500 bucks. Oh yeah I installed a Bar bridge because I'm not a big fan of tune o matic style bridge. Look on youtube and punch in Gretsch 5120 and hear for your self. Hope you find the guitar that you dig. Take car JOEB

A friend just bought a new Korean-made Rock-Jet for $325.00 w/case, that looks, plays, and sounds like a dream ! ! !

It's quality is quite impressive . . .

A friend just bought a new Korean-made Rock-Jet for $325.00 w/case, that looks, plays, and sounds like a dream ! ! !

It's quality is quite impressive . . .

The Electromatics I've played like the 5120 are very good. I'd check a few out to make sure there's not a QC issue but i think you could get one pretty safely on-line, as they seem consistent. The only thing that really sets my 6120 apart is the pickups which can be swapped out relatively cheaply. You may be happy w/ the pickups too or can swap out later if money is tight and. You're looking for a different sound.

TV Jones makes excellent remakes of the old style filtertrons and a dynasonic that can fit into the filtertron hole (they got that figured out yet? ...if not, soon)

Having a good setup is important too especially if you'll use the Bigsby.