Thanks to Julian Lage, I now want the Gretsch Player's Edition DS

Ron Ellis is a legend. I would have no reservations. I'm sure they are not "duds" LOL.

I agree, sound-wise. Totally. But it's about more than that... again, it's like the difference between buying a Porsche off-the-rack (a great car), vs a Ferrari (a more-than-great car). The CS stuff isn't about TONE so much as everything else, imo.

And BTW- I'm with you. If Gretsch made a Vintage Select that was Red Sparkle, I'd already be invested LOL. I love that yellow Collings one, tho... Even if the Gretsch came with Filters, I'd just drop T-Armonds in it (fantastic pickups, I had them in my thin lone Cabronita for awhile).

 

You can hear those pickups in the videos.
Don’t know why you think they’re possibly duds? Search for Ron Ellis. Search for Collings. Search for Julian Lage.

 

I don’t know if it’s been already said but I read elsewhere that the thing that made a big difference tone wise between PE and VS is the neck angle. On PE Gretsch choose a screwed bridge because they wanted to reduce the distance between the neck and the top, that results in more grind, more sustain and a little less clarity (like Les Paul). On VS, the floating bridge (pinned or not) gives the guitar the classic Gretsch tone at his best.

 

I'd say that's a good summary. More ping and sustain from the metal stud bridge, more honk and thunk from the wood based bridge. More "solidbody sounding" from the metal studs, then with the wooden base more of the "hollow" can be heard.... more "modern" tones from the Players, more "old school" tone from the Vintage.

 

Stefan - the pups could be great but youtube is no indication.
Everything sounds rubbish on youtube.
And alleged reputations mean nothing to me

There's no way I would consider paying $6600 for a guitar I'd never seen with pups I'd never heard live.
Plus there's not even any specs of the pups anywhere

 

Honestly, if you feel the need to go that far, you might as well say you wouldn't buy ANY guitar for $6600- INCLUDING one made by the Gretsch CS, sight-unplayed. Period. To say otherwise would be intellectually dishonest, as every. single. guitar. is. different.

 

yes I wouldn't buy any guitar worth $6000 I hadn't played myself - would you ??.

The most I've ever paid for a guitar I didn't play myself was $900 for my Jet 6131 which I got from Sweetwater USA. But I'd played several identical in Australia previous. Plus, I also knew if it turned out to be a dog I could easy sell it for $4000 here

 

th

The Ellis Dynas are freakin wonderful. Marc Rutters uses Ron's pickups, so I've had the privi to play Marc's Duojet builds and have him build me a few jet bodies too boot. I cant really justify the Ellis price when tvjones T-armonds sound almost the same. Ron's are like a marriage of the Seymour and the Tarmond to my ears and I grew up w real dearmonds, so I lean toward tvjones more than seymours. ...this probably doesnt help but I can see why Mr Julian loves them.