Well, I went to the store to buy a Fender T-Bucket™ 300 CE
and ended up with a Rancher Junior G3418!! It's new, but obviously old stock. I tried out the T-Bucket and acoustically it was dead. There was no volume or tone. I was handed a purple Rancher Jr by the shop's manager as a comparison, and it totally blew away the T-Bucket in tone, comfort, volume playability - everything! It's a smaller guitar too!! They same chain also had an orange Rancher Jr, so that's what I ordered. It'll arrive sometime next week. I actually prefer the Junior to the full sized Jumbo too, as I used to own a G5022C. It's a pre-FMIC model, but still made by Peerless who made all the Korean flat tops for Gretsch.

Cool, congrats! Let us know what you think once you get her broke in. Synchro had a Ranch jr. that I played, it was a nice guitar.

Yeah. What surprised me was how much better the Rancher JR is. It's also got the made in USA Fishman Prefix system too - a major step up from the Chinese Fender preamp.

yep! Hope you enjoy it!

yep! Hope you enjoy it!

Well, The Rancher Junior arrived tody! It had to be shipped up from another city. It's the pre-FMIC G3410. There are differences to the G5120 as well!! Of course, I used to own a G5022C.

Firstly, the constuction. The neck of the G3410 has a scarfed on headsock just like the G5120 Electromatics. The colour is differennt too, basically the same orange as the G5120 as opposed to the darker more "tangerine" shade of orange used on the G5022C I used to own. The back and sides are orange too as opposed to "French mahogany". Chrome plated tuners too.

My overall impression - I like this little G3410 a *lot* better than the G5022C.
The finish is flawless, and I believe that the body is solid mahogany, not laminated. It's loud too!! I personallyprefer chrome plated tuners. I had that 7126 Southern Belle with all 24k gold plated hardware. It became a pain in the neck. Beautiful to look at, but not practical.

I don't have any specs on this guitar and couldn't find any advertising material prior to FMIC taking over, so if the body isn't solid mahogany, please let me know. The G3410 seem to be louder acoustically than the G5022C Jumbo.

BTW, would you describe the finish on the G100CE as closer to "amber" than "natural"? When ever I refer to the "orange Gretsch electric" my flatmate says "which one?"

Congratulations, that's a great looker, too.

Congrats on the Jr. I will look later when I go home, I might have some info for yo on that guitar. Might is the key word.

I had a Peerless FMIC version ('05) that had a solid spruce top, but the sides and back were laminated.

Good guitar, but I needed funds for a trade so it went on the block ultimately.

How about some pics!!???

I hope this will help you Anni http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM01/article/Gretsch/G3410-Rancher-Junior.html

Congradulations on a great purchase. I have 4 other acoustics and this is the one I grab the most by far. I also scalloped the braces and it really is loud. The nut width is nice and not too wide. It is small yet projects very well. My Martin and others sit in their cases. Tuners work real great. Nice small headstock. I am wondering how the Jumbo is? This one plays so fast like an electric. Good song writing guitar.
I 've had mine for 3 years. And if I'm don't get too wishy washy. This is a keeper!

Thanks for the link to the specs and article Jukebox. The 3410 Junior certainly is a lot different to the 5022C. Like Muku says,it projects well, and is comfortable. One main difference is the big jumbo 502x series have a 25 1/2inch scale length and 21 frets.