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NickGretsch · June 13th, 2012, 03:04 PM

Well the day finally came, my Pro Jet G5435T in Black arrived today. Ordered by my local Fender dealer, good guy Andy Pascoe of Modern Music.

Am very pleased to say its better than I remember when I tried one just after they were introduced. Neck pickup sounds great, not dull and unfocused, Bigsby works like a dream. No noisey duff pots. No dodgy nut.

Have played it a lot since getting it home this afternoon and NO tuning problems to report even with a reasonable amount of Bigsby wiggling.

I think we're going to get along just fine

Last hurdle will be using it in the band situation. With our band practice scheduled for next week, that'll be the clincher. But at home, playing through both the Fender Deluxe Reverb and Orange Dual Terror it sounds great.

RhineO · June 13th, 2012, 04:35 PM

Hi Nick. Have fun with your new plank! I love my recently acquired Duo Jet. Haven't had the chance yet to run it through my trusty old Vox, tomorrow I'll be recording that setup for the first time. Really excited about it.
Cheers.

6stings · June 13th, 2012, 05:11 PM

Congratulations Nick! Enjoy your new Jet!

Drewgrass · June 13th, 2012, 05:19 PM

Congratulations Nick!

S. Rock · June 13th, 2012, 05:29 PM

Congratulations, Nick !!! you finally did it.

I'm really happy for you. now all we need to do is get our friend John Reardon to get a Gretsch.

ha ha

spayne99 · June 13th, 2012, 05:40 PM

Seriously love my G5435! The Tele is getting dusty. Enjoy!

NickGretsch · June 14th, 2012, 09:04 AM

Thanks guys

Wrote a song on it his morning, except for lyrics (where's Sgt.Rock when you need him

) so shows what an inspiration the sound and feel this guitar has.

Did a test too, running against my modded Fender Tele and standard Burny SG, no guitar amp, just straight into ye olde cassette multitrack I use for jotting down song ideas. Using the line in only for monitoring, not actually for recording I must add.
Result? Pro Jet sounds better than SG and as good if not more strident than the Tele. So Nick is most defiinately a happy chappy.

My only comment is, having small hands I'm surprised that I find the neck a little on the narrow side. It's not a problem, just an observation but makes me wonder how people with big mits get on with it.

Eagerly awaiting Russian caps which Darko has kindly sent me.

So far, no problems with the bridge but am pretty sure I'll be getting a Compton for it at some point in the future. And what good news that Guitarist has run an article about them, well done Mr.Compton.

Those pics I posted, can't work out why they were so small, sorry folks

Flynnski · June 14th, 2012, 09:13 AM

Welcome to the Jet club !

Fredo · June 14th, 2012, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickGretsch

My only comment is, having small hands I'm surprised that I find the neck a little on the narrow side. It's not a problem, just an observation but makes me wonder how people with big mits get on with it.

Narrow or thin? I think my 5435T's strings are further apart than those on my 5129 (which is in the shop, so I'm going on memory). So I don't think the neck is narrow. The nut width is 43 mm. The profile is similar to the 60's neck on my LP junior. The Pro Jet may have slightly more meat to it. I love the neck of my new Pro Jet, and I have huge hands. I find the 5129's neck too chunky.

spayne99 · June 14th, 2012, 04:53 PM

Agree with Fredo, I like the neck too and I have biggish hands. It's the same or a bit bigger than the neck on my Hwy One Tele.

S. Rock · June 14th, 2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickGretsch

Thanks guys

Wrote a song on it his morning, except for lyrics (where's Sgt.Rock when you need him

) so shows what an inspiration the sound and feel this guitar has.

ha ha

let me see what I can come up with, buddy. blues, ballad, or boogie ? have you tried that other song that we "penned" ? that one should work real good on your new Gretsch.

NickGretsch · June 15th, 2012, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S. Rock

ha ha

let me see what I can come up with, buddy. blues, ballad, or boogie ? have you tried that other song that we "penned" ? that one should work real good on your new Gretsch.

No I haven't gone back to that song, it's onwards and onwards...or maybe backwards and onwards, no possibly onwards and backwards

Ok, this neck observation I mentioned: by 'narrow' I'm referring to the width of the neck as from 1st string down to 6th string across the fretboard, not the neck profile behind the fretboard palm of hand area.

Seems like the strings are fairly close together may be the better description and Appologese for my previous foggy description.

Personally this not a problem as I find the neck and fretboard very comfortable. My main band guitar is the trusty modded Fender Baja Tele which does have quite a chunky v neck, which I find is excellent and comfortable.

Only mentioned this as I thought it might be difficult for people with BIG hands.

Will wait until band practice Tuesday evening but I'm pretty confident that the Pro Jet will replace the SG as my other live band guitar. I always take and use two different sounding guitars.

Cheers

The Marlin · June 15th, 2012, 03:39 AM

Congratulations Nick. Glad you found a great one. Mine is in the middle of surgery at the moment, ripping the pots, caps, and wiring out, and rebuilding this bionic beauty. It sounded good, buy then pots were pretty bad.

Got any tips for optimum pickup/pole piece heights?

All the best

Paul

Fredo · June 15th, 2012, 07:31 AM

For my Pro Jet, there's 35 mm between the center of the first and sixth strings at the nut. For my LP junior it's 37 mm. The nut width is the same so, if I had a problem with the Pro Jet, I could just get a new nut with the slots spread out a little more. Except that the stock nut's been lacquered and painted, which is a little stupid.

NickGretsch · June 15th, 2012, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Marlin

Congratulations Nick. Glad you found a great one. Mine is in the middle of surgery at the moment, ripping the pots, caps, and wiring out, and rebuilding this bionic beauty. It sounded good, buy then pots were pretty bad.

Got any tips for optimum pickup/pole piece heights?

All the best

Paul

Cheers Paul,
As fore pickup heights all I've done is raise the bass side of the neck pickup a tad and that pickup sounds really nice anyway. The bridge will at some point get a makeover with a Compton, am rather nervous about those very fine measurements needed though

but generally I'm surprised just how nicely setup and good to play it is. TBH the tone pot is the only one I have an issue with, as in it's not totally effective and acts more like a vol.control than a tone control. And no I've sussed which pot does what before someone thinks I don't know my arse from my elbow

So at some point soon I'll replace pots, wiring and add those Russian caps.

Fredo, do you have the 52XX Pro Jet? Haven't got a painted nut on my G5435T.
Indeed, being painted its a hassle.

My biggest problem is getting a hard case to fit it. Spoke to Hiscox and they tell me they don't do a case to fit it as the Les Paul is different. At the moment I'll be having to use a gig bag which, bless him, Andy threw in with the deal. But soft cases and gigging worries me a bit.

Any advice on this?

Fredo · June 15th, 2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickGretsch

Fredo, do you have the 52XX Pro Jet? Haven't got a painted nut on my G5435T.
Indeed, being painted its a hassle.

I have the same model you have. There's lacquer on the top and bottom edges (by the binding) and I think it's over white paint. If I take off the truss rod cover I can see that the bottom of the nut doesn't match the edge of the white on the nut. Also, with the truss rod cover off, it's clear that the headstock was painted up onto the nut slightly.

S. Rock · June 15th, 2012, 11:31 PM

Nick, here's a link from ebay for a hardshell case.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gretsch-Guit...item4600487a33

NickGretsch · June 16th, 2012, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fredo

I have the same model you have. There's lacquer on the top and bottom edges (by the binding) and I think it's over white paint. If I take off the truss rod cover I can see that the bottom of the nut doesn't match the edge of the white on the nut. Also, with the truss rod cover off, it's clear that the headstock was painted up onto the nut slightly.

Cheers Fredo,

must say I didn't know that and haven't taken the truss rod cover off. I fact so far the only thing I've taken off is the protective tip cover on the Trem arm

Think that nut is going to stay on mine.

NickGretsch · June 16th, 2012, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S. Rock

Nick, here's a link from ebay for a hardshell case.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gretsch-Guit...item4600487a33

Many thanks. It does look rather expensive but I'm happy to pay that kind of price to keep her protected. The problem I see with that eBay offer is I'm on the wrong side of the pond, so will endeavour to find one here in merry olde England. Actually I lie, it's not so merry, the weather here has been atrocious for the time of year, more like November or March.

A reason to get a good case!!!!

rockyrockingham · June 16th, 2012, 05:10 AM

Morning Nick.
Have the same guitar as you,but in gold.Same problem finding a case that fits.
However a friend of mine knows a guy who bought a hard classical guitar case for his.I have had a look around and what you need to do is measure total length,body length,top bout width,bottom bout width and waist.The one he found was by Gaitor or so he thinks.The ones I have tried did fit ok,but were all ply and I prefer the hard moulded ones.The classical cases however are deep enough to accomodate the Bigsby.
Have a browse around and if you do find anything suitable,please let me know.
Regards Mike