I wanna like Gretsch

Thanks.

Proper stringing is a must with a Bigsby. A well set up hollow body will be just fine with 9.5's or 9's.

With all the above, it's all in your "touch" with any guitar.

With the right body shape and size, you'll be set.

Happy hunting. Lol

 

It's strange but very true - they all feel and play differently. I've been through that with most of my guitars.
So when I try them out I ask to see and play several of the same guitar if possible. If I have to I go to other stores.
I spent nearly 4 hours going through various Les Pauls & SGs before I settled on the one I bought back in December. This also rings true for amps as well. I played 6 Voxs AC 15s and about 10 Fender Princetons before I found the one that sounded great to my ears. The differences were not small.

 

You know, especially if you're in the very early stages of your guitar learning, it can be helpful to play a guitar that feels stiff. It may be a bit unpleasant at first, but you'll get stronger, which will help you all around. And, the guitar will meet you part way as it gets played in. It will get mold itself to your playing style and get easier as it breaks in. I had one of the first Eric Johnson Strats, which I thought played stiff but I stuck with it and ended up gigging with it for several years. I have a Collings acoustic now that I find a little hard to get around on, but I love the guitar so I'm working with it.

 

Wanted to share a recreation of an ad I did for my Dad's American Orchestra Gretsch circa 1930s. Hope you all get a kick of it.

 

With Gretsch it's the mojo of the Bigsby and the proprietary pickups. Last week I put a Bigsby on a Epiphone LP Special I P90. It sounds different than it did without the Bigsby, yet not really a Gretsch, more like Gretsch-like. Still a good sound from an Epiphone with a Bigsby & P90's though. Gretsch pickups, even Airline (Valco) have their own unique single coil sound. Gretsch is owned by Fender anyway, I figure eventually they'll be Fenderized with the next generation of pickups just the same, at a base level the Gretsch sound will be there, just enhamced/updated by Fender.

 

Some guitars are more difficult to bond with than others. A lot of years ago an old guitar player told me that a guitar isn't really yours if it doesn't have a strap and a name. I know it sounds a bit crazy but I have named each of my guitars ever since and, yes it may be just a personal thing, my guitars are my friends. (please don't call the asylum to have me locked up. I might be a bit crazy but so far, I'm not dangerous lol)

 

Fender does NOT own GRETSCH.

 

Welcome! We have Roch cha cha & Gretsch in common. Unfortunately I love my Setzer Gretsch and I can’t speak to your specific issues except to try another one (same model or different). You don’t have to like it or love it, ...and if you don’t it’s time to sell / trade it. Funny that people know about The HOG!

 

Yes, the Japan factory puts out second to none quality, however the Streamliner line (produced in Indonesia) is probably the best bang for the buck out there for price/playability/quality.
The factory Gretsch is using in Indonesia is excellent/very high quality. I have played a Streamliner or two in stores and I am very impressed - but with 20 guitars the wifey has me o a very short leash so I'm sticking with my Jet, New Yorker and Country Man.
The pick ups are very good and can give you that Gretsch "sound" when through a clean channel.
They also growl with the best of them, a really very good guitar all around. Anderton's music has a great review on them on their You Tube channel.

 

What does your wallet say?!

 

Hi, rochrec. Like you, I'm not yet really a player, and also like you I really value a well playing (easy to play) instrument. I wanted Gretsch tone, and my first foray into Gretsch was trying out a 5420 in a store. The guitar felt so awkward to me! Eventually, I decided to buy a 5422, sight unseen, under the premise that if any Gretsch hollowbody would work for me, that'd be the one. But out of the box, it was horrible to play! I changed the strings to 10's and got a good setup, and I've really enjoyed playing it ever since. I don't find it stiff; on the contrary, it plays smoothly and easily. The body size isn't overwhelming, but the neck feels a little bit wide and also a bit shallow (I'm medium build with smallish hands). I'm using solid nickel strings, a brand that's no longer made, and they're slinky as they come. May I suggest you look for the slinkiest strings you can find, and definitely try out some boutique-quality pure nickel strings.

 

I suggest giving 3 alternatives a try--in a brick and mortar music store--first. I have experience with two of them, e.g. I own them*.
Streamliner G2655* ~3" smaller lower bout diameter than G2622 or G5420, & consequent lower weight
Electromatic G 5655 ~2" smaller lower bout diameter than G2622 or G5420, & consequent lower weight
Electromatic G5410* 1/2" thinner than G5420, matte finish, higher perceived volume with better resonance as well, according to many here. The black version reminded me of the circa 1967 Black Falcon I fell in love with as a kid. It's just sweet, unamplified, straight outta the box!

 

If you liked the PRS so much...I would play a few more of them. Sounds like that guitar has what you're looking for.

 

Not just you...me also. My brother has one and couldn't understand why I bought an SG instead of a PRS.

 

FMIC also owns Bigsby. Bigsby is in Scottsdale, AZ. FMIC is looking to move it to Pooler, GA (Savannah, GA). What relatively means anything to me about that ? The Mighty Eighth AF Museum is located there. My Dad, a WW2 Vet served in the Mighty Eighth, just before he passed away in 2018, we took him to the national museum or rather he took us there for his final visit late 2017. Coincidentally, my Dad also lived in Scottsdale, AZ, near Phoenix, AZ, where the eldest son in our family was born.

"FMIC is currently working with a team in Pooler, GA., to integrate the business into its systems before moving it physically to a new location."

https://www.gretsch.com/2019/01/fender-musical-instruments-acquires-bigsby/
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/company-insights/091516/top-5-companies-owned-fender.asp

 

Yes, Fender bought Bigsby from Gretsch, but Fender doesn't "also own Gretsch.

Fred Gretsch still owns the company.

 

I can just see it now: FS: Bigsby B6 Scottsdale model before the move to GA.