Who owns or has played Gretsch G2622 Streamliner?

[FingahPickah]

https://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/...ail/2806200597

I'm very intrigued, especially with the Broad’Tron pickups...

I like a 24.75" scale. Curious (unfamiliar with) about the 12" radius neck (pretty flat) and a thin “U”-shaped profile.... Hoping to play one this week .. a local GC shows one in stock..

What are your reviews?

How does it compare to Guild's https://guildguitars.com/g/starfire-i-dc-cherry/

[Rogerblair]

Gretsch Streamliners are a fantastic value. The quality and playability is very, very good. You may need a setup to tweak it to your preference, but they’re great guitars.

I love the neck and fretboard radius..

Let us know what you decide, happy hunting.
Roger

[Steve DeRosa]

Never played the 2622, but I have played several other Broad'tron Gretsch models - the 2420 jazzbox, 2627 3-PU/cats'-eye semi, and a few of the pre-2013 5100-Series Electromatics - and I'll address your comments from that standpoint...

First off, the current Broad'tron is a revival of a pickup Gretsch discontinued on the Electromatics in 2013, in favor of the tonally-superior blacktop Filter'tron and Super Hi-lo'Tron pickups (the latter my personal favorite of the "new-generation" Gretsch pickups, and unfortunately discontinued) - and with good reason. If you're expecting "That Great Gretsch Sound" associated with the vintage Brooklyn stuff, the Japanese-built Professional Series, or the Korean E-matics from 2013-2021, prepare to be sorely disappointed; to my ears they sound like a generic full-size humbucker with a treble boost (think DiMarzio Super 2 or Humbucker from Hell, without the power or tonal refinement) - with little if any resemblance to the complex, focused chime and twang characteristic of the smaller-bodied true-Gretsch designs. FYI if it's matter of price, good used Korean 5400/5600-series Electromatics can still be had in the $500-600 bracket - better fit/finish/materials (including a rosewood fingerboard), and simply more guitar for your money IME...

If you're familiar with most Gibsons of the last 60 years you're already acquainted with the 24-3/4" scale/12" radius combination, and even though my 3-PU Gretsch 5622 gets first call 90% of the time I enjoy working out on my '11 Gibson LP Studio limited-edition '60s Tribute P-90/goldtop (amazing surf guitar BTW). As far as the "thin-U" neck is concerned it's not only comfortable, but in the case of my own 5622 close enough to the Double Anniversary I bought brand-new in 1964 (just a tad thicker than the vintage piece) that it could pass for a minor production-line variation back in the day; BTW you'll also find the typical 24.5-24.6" (depending on year/model) real-Gretsch scale to be slinky and fast-handling, without being too tight for comfort (a common complaint about the 24" Fender models)...

I haven't had the chance to play any of the Starfire I guitars yet (had my eye on the bass version for a while, though - used to have a near-mint '67 Epiphone Rivoli and I miss that big-body feel), but from the very favorable reviews I've read about the 3-PU Starfire I (including at least one owner here on the Electric subforum) the double-cut version would be well worth a play-test before making a final decision. If you're sold on the idea of full-size humbuckers I'd also check out some of the Ibanez offerings: I've A/B'd them against the Gretsch Streamliners at Sam Ash and GC, I've owned several Ibanez instruments over the last 40 years (still have two basses in my tone arsenal), and as far as I'm concerned they own the entry-level hollowbody/semi-hollow market hands-down - it looks good in the factory pics, but that Guild has an uphill battle if it's going to make a serious dent in Ibanez' market share...

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Never played the 2622, but I have played several other Broad'tron Gretsch models - the 2420 jazzbox, 2627 3-PU/cats'-eye semi, and a few of the pre-2013 5100-Series Electromatics - and I'll address your comments from that standpoint...

First off, the current Broad'tron is a revival of a pickup Gretsch discontinued on the Electromatics in 2013, in favor of the tonally-superior blacktop Filter'tron and Super Hi-lo'Tron pickups (the latter my personal favorite of the "new-generation" Gretsch pickups, and unfortunately discontinued) - and with good reason. If you're expecting "That Great Gretsch Sound" associated with the vintage Brooklyn stuff, the Japanese-built Professional Series, or the Korean E-matics from 2013-2021, prepare to be sorely disappointed; to my ears they sound like a generic full-size humbucker with a treble boost (think DiMarzio Super 2 or Humbucker from Hell, without the power or tonal refinement) - with little if any resemblance to the complex, focused chime and twang characteristic of the smaller-bodied true-Gretsch designs. FYI if it's matter of price, good used Korean 5400/5600-series Electromatics can still be had in the $500-600 bracket - better fit/finish/materials (including a rosewood fingerboard), and simply more guitar for your money IME...

If you're familiar with most Gibsons of the last 60 years you're already acquainted with the 24-3/4" scale/12" radius combination, and even though my 3-PU Gretsch 5622 gets first call 90% of the time I enjoy working out on my '11 Gibson LP Studio limited-edition '60s Tribute P-90/goldtop (amazing surf guitar BTW). As far as the "thin-U" neck is concerned it's not only comfortable, but in the case of my own 5622 close enough to the Double Anniversary I bought brand-new in 1964 (just a tad thicker than the vintage piece) that it could pass for a minor production-line variation back in the day; BTW you'll also find the typical 24.5-24.6" (depending on year/model) real-Gretsch scale to be slinky and fast-handling, without being too tight for comfort (a common complaint about the 24" Fender models)...

I haven't had the chance to play any of the Starfire I guitars yet (had my eye on the bass version for a while, though - used to have a near-mint '67 Epiphone Rivoli and I miss that big-body feel), but from the very favorable reviews I've read about the 3-PU Starfire I (including at least one owner here on the Electric subforum) the double-cut version would be well worth a play-test before making a final decision. If you're sold on the idea of full-size humbuckers I'd also check out some of the Ibanez offerings: I've A/B'd them against the Gretsch Streamliners at Sam Ash and GC, I've owned several Ibanez instruments over the last 40 years (still have two basses in my tone arsenal), and as far as I'm concerned they own the entry-level hollowbody/semi-hollow market hands-down - it looks good in the factory pics, but that Guild has an uphill battle if it's going to make a serious dent in Ibanez' market share...

Thanks again, Steve. Always appreciate your input. BTW, still very happy with the Guild Dynasonic II you pointed me to.

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
Not to muddy the waters, but since you're looking for an SC Starfire I/II-type design you might also find this (recently discontinued) model - which I have played - of interest:

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

Thanks again, Steve. Always appreciate your input. BTW, still very happy with the Guild Dynasonic II you pointed me to...

Glad to hear it, and not surprised - as I recall you're running it through a ToneMaster Twin, which should give you all the tone, power (when required) and clarity you're after. BTW I don't know what strings you're using, but rather than pursuing a Streamilner in search of tones that aren't there, a set of wound-G flatwound 11's (12's if you can handle them and you want more "wood" and natural body resonance in your tone) on that Guild Starfire DS should get you closer to a real mid-50's Gretsch tone than even anything in the current Gretsch line under $3K...

[TobyB]

+1 to Steve's thoughts on the pickups.
I have a Korean-build 5622 with the Super Hilotrons, and compared a more recent Chinese made version... build quality not obviously different, but the Broadtrons made it sound far less twangy and Gretsch-ish... more like a 335-wanna'be? Not bad, but uninspiring to me.lots of fish to fry in that pool.
FWIW ... Not played the 2622 ...

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Glad to hear it, and not surprised - as I recall you're running it through a ToneMaster Twin, which should give you all the tone, power (when required) and clarity you're after. BTW I don't know what strings you're using, but rather than pursuing a Streamilner in search of tones that aren't there, a set of wound-G flatwound 11's (12's if you can handle them and you want more "wood" and natural body resonance in your tone) on that Guild Starfire DS should get you closer to a real mid-50's Gretsch tone than even anything in the current Gretsch line under $3K...

Right about the ToneMaster Twin..

Interesting point about trying flat-wounds (even a wound G)... My adult son uses flat-wounds on his Comins and plays through an older Fender Customer Vibrolux Reverb.. Gets a classic jazz sound.