Quote:
Originally Posted by Hot Vibrato
...for a good plugged in tone, the Gretsch guitars are possibly your best bet. I've been impressed with the look and sound of their budget archtops...
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I've been a Gretsch aficionado since I started playing in 1962 (my grandparents lived two blocks from the old 60 Broadway factory), an owner since early 1964, and I've played every one I could get my hands on over the last half-century, so I speak from a lifetime of experience here; simply put, you're not going to find comparable fit/finish/QC for anywhere near the price - I bought a 5622T semi-hollow back in May, and it's every bit the equal (and in some cases the superior) of not only the MIJ Professional Series, but also the honest-to-Chet Brooklyn originals. I will say right up front that "That Great Gretsch Sound" is not for everybody - if you're looking for that thick, smoky ES-175/L-5CES humbucker-jazzbox tone that most people associate with the term "jazz guitar" you're not going to get it; however, if your taste runs more to string-to-string definition, single-note clarity, and chording that cuts through an arrangement without the need for overpowering volume, you won't find anything better - and the under $1K price just sweetens the deal...