If There Were No Gretsch; What Would You Play

[Synchro]

Being deeply invested with Gretsch guitars, I was thinking of what I would do if some wormhole came along and changed history and the Gretsch line was erased from history.

I‘d probably play my Guild T-400, which comes pretty close to a Gretsch sound, or a Tele, which always seems to suit me. Of course, without Gretsch, there may never have been a Duane Eddy model Guild, to begin with, because it was built to Duane‘s specifications after having made his mark, playing a G6120.

So how about y’all?

 

[new6659]

Now, this is an interesting question! I've come back, time and again through my life, to the Gibson SG - they fit like a glove. For something formatted more like most Gretsches, I think I would stick with my ES-135 and ES-137.

But then again, there's always a Hofner Club.

 

[stiv]

I'd go Guild if the money would be enough, otherwise De Armond. Man I love those M75s with Dyna, and also the Goldtones are great stuff.

 

[Stefan87]

For solid bodies it would be Schecter and Tele's as that's what I did play before being able to afford a Gretsch.

For hollow bodies probably De'armond or Guild but in saying that have been feeling the ES itch lately so maybe a 335 or 339.

 

[audept]

ES335

 

[mbkri]

Fender solids and Gibson hollows.
Ive sold all my Fenders but I’d go straight to a tele and a 61 Jazzmaster.
I love my es295 and my Gibson accoustic but i reckon a 335 would round out my stable.
I wouldnt sound like i do but Id like how i sound. I think id have written different songs and played with different techniques if there had never been Gretsch guitars.

 

[ruger9]

Tele every day. I like my tele pickups to be on the hot side; so my teles sound somewhere in-between a tele and a Les Paul. Very versatile.

 

[oneforsorrow]

T-style for me.

 

[Runamok]

If There Were No Gretsch; What Would You Play

An ocarina!
Its the Pirate’s Life, for me.

 

[Baba Joe]

Probably whatever brand George Harrison was playing on 2/9/1964. I saw him on the Ed Sullivan Show and wanted what he had. Obviously, I liked the tone as well and have been a Gretsch fan ever since, but he is the reason I started playing and wanted Gretsch.

Stretch the original question a little further and if the Beatles never existed, I was always attracted to the ES 335/45/55 and would probably play Gibsons.

 

[thunder58]

My Martins

 

[Ricochet]

Same thing I play now, a Tele.

 

[Synchro]

Some interesting answers.

I hadn’t thought of the ES 335 as an answer, but that makes a lot of sense. The 335 is a great instrument, and one of the most versatile guitars on the planet. They were a staple in the studio world, for just this reason. They are excellent Rock guitars, essentially a Les Paul, but it’s also capable of sounding like a serious Jazz guitar.

OTOH. the Tele is not at all surprising. Once again, harking back to the days of the LA session scene, the Tele was another staple. If you heard a bright, twangy guitar on a record coming out of the LA studios in the ‘60s, it was very likely to have been a Telecaster. Teles are also useful for a sound that is somewhat closer to the classic Gretsch sound, and Teles excel at this. Going back to the ‘90s, I used a Tele for a Chet Atkins sound, and it did quite well.

Probably whatever brand George Harrison was playing on 2/9/1964. I saw him on the Ed Sullivan Show and wanted what he had. Obviously, I liked the tone as well and have been a Gretsch fan ever since, but he is the reason I started playing and wanted Gretsch.

Stretch the original question a little further and if the Beatles never existed, I was always attracted to the ES 335/45/55 and would probably play Gibsons.

Brilliant answer.

 

[radd]

my Fender



Or my D18

 

[stevo]

If there were no Gretsch, I think I'd just bow my head and cry.

 

[J Bird]

Ouch! Just the thought hurts.

It would be my Squire CVC 60s Telecaster. Right now, it's in a case in the closet and my Gretsch guitars are on stands in the living room.

I think I'd beef up the pickups at that point, though.

 

[guitarfarm]

That's easy. Guild.

 

[senojnad]

Collings.

 

[Jelly Roll Horton]

my Fender

View attachment 179475

Or my D18

View attachment 179476

Exactly the same as @radd.

 

[wabash slim]

Tele, Guild acoustic, or Gibson P-90 slab.