Leaderboard

Ooh, you’ve asked the wrong question for me as I’m a Gretsch fanboy. Worst thing I ever did was let my old customised Streamliner. If it were me, I’d get a Electromatic 5420, with a Bigsby (well set up, they’re pretty stable and definitely add something to the sound of the guitar) you don’t have to use it, but it’ll be there if you fancy a wobble.

Taking up any musical instrument is a permanent learning journey, there’s always something new to take on board, be it a scale, chord, technique , whatever. However, as Dad says, it should be enjoyable. When I first picked up the guitar as a youngster, I was taught some chords and I had a book or two, but what I did most of all was learn tunes that I liked and wanted to play and I didn’t get too bogged down with scales and theory. This may not have been the wisest course with regard to musical proficiency but, 50 years on, I’m still playing and playing tunes that give me pleasure, not what some book, course or latest internet craze tells me to. What makes you smile, when you’re playing? Do that more and the other things you want to learn, but give you trouble at the moment, will become easier. You may not ever perfect everything to your personal standards (who does?), but you will perfect some things and that’s not bad.

I'm rather a fan of hollow-body guitars, but the Gretsch range has never really appealed to me. I can't speak for any modern, current, models, but 'back then' ('70s...), the ones I came across didn't inspire me much at all, with a rather limited tonal range, electrified, and not much tone at all as an acoustic. I found them to be extraordinarily heavy and clumsy, too, compared to other arch-tops or acoustic guitars. I suppose if one just has to have that particular sound, they don't have much competition, I certainly won't be scouring the small ads to find one. What is it that draws you to them, and what models are your present guitars that you're willing to sacrifice..? At the risk (nay, certainty...) of sounding like an old frump, I'm not a fan of tremolos on any guitar, and definitely not the Bigsby version. Heavy, clumsy, detrimental to the tone and robustness of any arch-top guitar sound-board, it's a deal-breaker for me. Do they mess much with tuning..? They certainly don't if they're not fitted..! Again, it's a matter of what one wants to play, and I've never wanted to play in any style that uses such an effect, soooooo... Not for me, thanks.

correct!