NGC soon to come

[JeffreyLeePierre]

Ho ho ho, Santa Claus is gonna make me a New Guitar Christmas this year

I finally did it and bought the hollow body Gretsch I've been desperately longing for for so long...

I'd been procrastinating for too long about G512x VS brand new G5420T VS G2420T and circumstances finally helped me:
- new G2420T have that BT2 and colors that I don't like, and there's no way to find one used mark 1 in France,
- orange G5420T are out of stock in all shops and very scarce on the internet (there's only one continental Europe site having Orange TG for EUR 1,300 which is much more than 2 years ago).

Then a beautiful one popped up on the "Zikinf" musicians' website I regularly check. The price is not a miracle but it comes from a pro luthier and then with complete revision and set-up, which is quite valued for me due to my own inability.

And it looks like Santa's coat has bled onto it
(pic from the seller)



So I've done my homework -especially here on Gretsch-Talk which really is a great resource about these old Electromatics- and it appears that this beautiful G5129 is a 05 Samick model, then with the B60, floating Bisgby bridge and probably smaller f-holes (but the pic is not ideal to make sure). I'm also wondering about body depth, most probably 2.75 but still to be confirmed.
The seller told me it's 100% stock, looks like brand new, no scratches at all, seems that it previously belonged to someone who had it for his collection rather than actually playing it.

I just wonder how it will compare to my G3140.
Same pickups, probably same factory (I'm not 100% sure about my G3140, I just stumbled on a post stating G3140 / Historic series guitars come from Peerless whereas I thought they were from Samick). And necks might be very close too.
But I finally decided and confirmed to myself I want another DeArmond 2000 equipped model (I do love these pickups) instead of trying Blacktop Filtertrons.

But the specs are really close:




(Huge kudos to @hayleyfan and @6stings who initially posted these 2 catalog pages).

It should leave the seller by Monday or Tuesday then I should have it by end of the week. Not sure I will wait for Christmas before playing it (also because we will travel to family for season holiday). Of course, complete pics when it arrives so that you'll be in the know.

 

[drmilktruck]

The 512X series is greatly underrated. Congrats and enjoy!

 

[JeffreyLeePierre]

The 512X series is greatly underrated. Congrats and enjoy!

Thank you.

And I can certify after reading most of Gretsch-Talk threads with "G5129" inside that they are far from being underrated here.

 

[JC higgy]

Congrats Jeffrey!

 

[JeffreyLeePierre]

Congrats Jeffrey!

Thank you.

 

[scrimmer]

Oooh, that's pretty!
And with DeArmonds no less, SWEET!
Enjoy!

 

[drmilktruck]

Thank you.

And I can certify after reading most of Gretsch-Talk threads with "G5129" inside that they are far from being underrated here.

You are correct. Gretsch should resurrect the line.

 

[audept]

Congrats and enjoy, Jeffrey!

 

[Tony65x55]

Thank you.

And I can certify after reading most of Gretsch-Talk threads with "G5129" inside that they are far from being underrated here.

Congrats Jeffrey! Of all my Gretsch guitars, my 6118T Double Green Anni is my number one, but my 5129 is my number two. It's an awesome sounding, awesome playing guitar. Get a good setup for it and you have an absolute winner!

Can you tell that I like mine?

 

[LongJohn]

Nice how things worked out for you, well worth the wait.

 

[Zeek]

Conrads, Merry Ho Ho

 

[JeffreyLeePierre]

Oooh, that's pretty!
And with DeArmonds no less, SWEET!
Enjoy!

I sure will, thank you.
I dig these DeArmonds in my G3140 and now I'm impatient to hear them on top of a full hollow body!

You are correct. Gretsch should resurrect the line.

Well the current G5420 looks really great too, possibly more resonant. They definitely should resurrect the DeArmond 2000. I think there was already a thread about that recently. But is that a Gretsch decision?

Congrats and enjoy, Jeffrey!

Thank you.

Congrats Jeffrey! Of all my Gretsch guitars, my 6118T Double Green Anni is my number one, but my 5129 is my number two. It's an awesome sounding, awesome playing guitar. Get a good setup for it and you have an absolute winner!

Can you tell that I like mine?

Thank you. It already had a set-up, I hope it's good and will not be messed up by the travel.
And sure, I've read lots of nice things you already wrote about that guitar in lots of GT posts.

Nice how things worked out for you, well worth the wait.

Across the years, I'd already spotted a few 512x from the very same website, and you're right: that one is the nicest (if not the cheapest) I saw there.
Thank you.

Conrads, Merry Ho Ho

Thank you. Ho ho ho, it's Christmas!
(As a non-native, I was checking the internet if there exists a usual way to answer to "Merry ho ho" and I just discovered the double entendre. Amazing!)

 

[stiv]

Lovely color. And great guitar. I don’t know about France, but here in Italy the 512x prices skyrocketed recently (apart from the 5120, but it doesn’t have the Dearmonds, that’s mainly the reason I’d buy one). Last week a guy was selling one (in gold ) for 800 plus shipping. For these reason, I think I’d rely on a more affordable DeArmond Starfire (same pickups).

 

[Trash Kidd]

Wow! Congrats

 

[Dana Rudd]

Congrats Jeffrey, that's a fine looking G5129T. Looking forward to a thorough review when you get it. More pictures too.

 

[JeffreyLeePierre]

Lovely color. And great guitar. I don’t know about France, but here in Italy the 512x prices skyrocketed recently (apart from the 5120, but it doesn’t have the Dearmonds, that’s mainly the reason I’d buy one). Last week a guy was selling one (in gold ) for 800 plus shipping. For these reason, I think I’d rely on a more affordable DeArmond Starfire (same pickups).

No, prices have not increased too much here on these used 512x. I had mine at EUR 700 including EUR 25 for shipping. That's not the bottom of the range but it aldo includes revision and set-up by thr seller luthier.
I got it from here: https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/search/?q=g512
There are used G5420 too: https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/search/?q=g5420

Wow! Congrats

Thank you.

Congrats Jeffrey, that's a fine looking G5129T. Looking forward to a thorough review when you get it. More pictures too.

Thank you, yes I will post pictures and my impressions.

 

[Stefan87]

Congrats, these are really cool, good score.

 

[Randy99CL]

Congrats! Beautiful guitar!
You obviously know what you are doing and what to expect, I share your joy at finding a good G5129!

I stumbled onto mine with a local seller and didn't really know what I had until I researched it after I bought it. It is my only full-size hollowbody Gretsch and with those pickups I feel I don't need any other.
I like the sound of single-coils above all others and these just may be the best you can get. I also love my Fenders and G&L MFDs and P-90s but these are so sharp and clear and pure that they amaze me every time I hear them.

My 2004 Samick, looks exactly like yours:

 

[JeffreyLeePierre]

Congrats, these are really cool, good score.

Thank you, I'm happy I found it.

Congrats! Beautiful guitar!
You obviously know what you are doing and what to expect, I share your joy at finding a good G5129!

I stumbled onto mine with a local seller and didn't really know what I had until I researched it after I bought it. It is my only full-size hollowbody Gretsch and with those pickups I feel I don't need any other.
I like the sound of single-coils above all others and these just may be the best you can get. I also love my Fenders and G&L MFDs and P-90s but these are so sharp and clear and pure that they amaze me every time I hear them.

My 2004 Samick, looks exactly like yours: View attachment 172024

Thank you.
Actually, I already knew about DeArmond but apart from that, I made all these readings after I bought it. And that comforted me that it's the right choice.
It's gonna be my only hollow body too, same as you. I'm happy it's a 2.75" body depth (seller confirmed yesterday): the real thing, not the 2.5 earlier version (even if I also read some are very happy with the resonance of larger f-holes).
And after seeing your avatar pic once again, now I know why I got the idea that a white strap would be appropriate

 

[Outlaw]

Really great guitar!
I've been hankering for one of those for a while and this is' nt helping!