First Electric Archtop for Jazz :) for a lefty.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Lucy_Strat

Thanks Steve - just on the way back to the store to try the Broadway vs. the Gretsch G5420...

The G5420 mik seems the most common sense...

Good luck - and in the meantime here's a period photo of jazz guitarist Mary Osborne with her circa-1955 White Falcon:



- and a sampling of her using her Gretsch to good advantage; note what I said in previous comments about the mellowness and punch through the neck pickup with flatwound strings (probably 13's) with the crisp clarity and natural projection characteristic of Gretsch instruments - very different from the Gibson/Epiphone standard, and if you're willing to think outside the box it's the perfect vehicle for crafting your own "signature tone" rather than simply following the herd:

[Lucy_Strat]

Thanks Steve wow love her tone dad and I have just been listening in the car that's one beautiful looking guitar

Totally agree about trying to find your own tone which is something I've been really conscientious of trying to do ^__^ nearly at the store will update soon so I'm out

[Glennwillow]

Lucy,

Jack Fossett has several videos on the Gretsch 5420. On the video below, starting at 15:00, he is using flatwound strings playing some jazz stuff. The guitar sounds great to me!



- Glenn

[Lucy_Strat]

Thanks Glenn I do really love the clarity in the Gretsch really enjoyed playing one again tonight. Decided to record a tiny bit of Impressions with the verb down on the amp same loudness in the room neck pickup on both was a Fender Blackface valve amp. Eq on the amp was all half way, and I tried the tone control off and open on both guitars. The gretsch was a propper lefty and the Broadway was a mic 2017 right hander I was playing upside down so the bass e was on the bottom top e on the top be interesting to see what you all think.

As Joe Bonamassa would say no tones are legally binding haha!
Thanks Glenn I do really love the clarity in the Gretsch really enjoyed playing one again tonight. Decided to record a tiny bit of Impressions with the verb down on the amp same loudness in the room neck pickup on both was a Fender Blackface valve amp. Eq on the amp was all half way, and I tried the tone control off and open on both guitars. The gretsch was a propper lefty and the Broadway was a mic 2017 right hander I was playing upside down so the bass e was on the bottom top e on the top be interesting to see what you all think.

Playing with my thumb

As Joe Bonamassa would say no tones are legally binding haha!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S8aOcm...ature=youtu.be



Personally I thought the epi was a way fuller and warm sounding compared to the gretsch but the Gretsch had a singing quality once the verb was up should have recorded that! Both felt really dynamic to play.

Apparently there's two versions of it now the older and newer version
Older is rosewood newer is laurel and the pickups have changed and its gone from a soundpost to tressel bracing not sure what bearing that has here's the links

https://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/...ded/2516125512

https://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/...ded/2516021512

[Glennwillow]

Hi Lucy,

Both guitars sounded good, but I hear what you mean about the singing quality from the Gretsch. Very cool!

- Glenn

[Lucy_Strat]

Thanks Glenn I just want to say thank you to all of you and especially Steve

I've decided I'm gonna be a Gretsch gal like Mary Osborne ^__^ an try aim to find my own sound. When I played Dragonfly by Danny Kirwan in Fleetwood Mac there was such a shimmery quality to it.

Got super serious GAS though for a white falcon as well now but the 59 lefty they did a few years back seriously tasty!

So the G5420 wins out. With the aim of a vintage epi or gibson acoustic archtop in the future

+ I think it's important to support the brands that cater to us lefties.

[Al Mojo]

Congrats on your new Gretsch, Lucy! And so it begins. Dragonfly is such a cool Kirwan song - it's not on my copy of Kiln House, but recorded at those sessions as I recall

[Lucy_Strat]

Thanks Rob ^_^ yep it's one of my favourite the live at the beat club version when I've got the Gretsch tomorrow n It's plugged into my ToneMaster Deluxe I'll record a lil clip of it doing Dragonfly before I fit some flatwounds.

What gauge flats would you all fit on the 5420 an any recommendation on string brands never had flat wounds before I think they have 11-49 on as standard.

[Al Mojo]

Have been using Thomastik Jazz Swing flats .011-.047 on my Gretsch 6192.

[Lucy_Strat]

Thanks Rob

[Lucy_Strat]

That's interesting I didn't realise the entire bridge assy is floating on the Broadway thought it was pinned to the body like on a les paul learning all the time wouldn't be to hard to string it lefty then. Gonna sleep on it trying to scheme a way to get both lol most likely the Gretsch but gonna sleep on it an decide in the morning.

[Lucy_Strat]

4am an I'm still up oops! Been watching luthior vids it's so fascinating.

Quick question on the Broadways been up reading trying to find out, does anyone know what the changes are between the MIC or the MIK ones? Know the board changed but we're there any other changes in favour of one or the other? I'd read something about F holes but was there any difference to the Neck or the rest of the body shapes or how they are put together

It's really interesting to get a understanding of the difference I've got no complaints about the MIC one I've played in the slightest but just curious really. Was the pickguard different? An does anyone known if either were soldered wiring?

Really fancy both guitar models just gotta decide which order to get them in

Thanks in advance,

Lucy

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Lucy_Strat

...I've decided I'm gonna be a Gretsch gal like Mary Osborne and try to aim to find my own sound. When I played Dragonfly by Danny Kirwan in Fleetwood Mac there was such a shimmery quality to it.

Got super serious GAS though for a White Falcon as well now, but the '59 lefty they did a few years back - seriously tasty!

So the G5420 wins out...

That "shimmery quality" you describe is one of the defining (and endearing) characteristics of what the company referred to as "That Great Gretsch Sound" back in their Brooklyn heyday, and while it's enjoying a second renaissance in the pop-music world, it's almost unheard of in the contemporary jazz arena; from your posts you sound like a young lady with very definite ideas about her musical goals and direction, and historically that's just the kind of player who has been drawn to Gretsch. While I wouldn't presume to tell you how to spend your money, I (and Glenn, Jeff, and several others) won't hesitate to offer suggestions to help steer you in the right direction; although I may be a bit prejudiced after 58 years as a Gretsch player, I'd say you're the perfect candidate for any instrument that sets you apart from the crowd tonally - and if it makes a visual statement as well, so much the better...

On that note (no pun intended), while the G5420 is a fine guitar and a great value at its price point, if you've got the urge for that White Falcon visual vibe there's still the option of the G5422GLH at Andertons - tone and neck feel should be the same (allowing, of course, for the usual instrument-to-instrument variation), and although I'm here in the States I'm willing to wager that you'll be the only player (most certainly the only jazz player) on the local circuit slinging one of these white-&-gold beauties; not to muddy the waters, but I'd give it some serious consideration before making a final purchase - the fact that it's also a built-from-the-ground-up lefty (not a conversion like the Epiphone) is, to me, a strong selling point as well...

As far as strings are concerned, on a modern Gretsch I'd start with a set of flatwound 11's (with a wound G) and, if you're going to be using it strictly as a jazz guitar, go up to 12's (or even 13's, if you can handle them and you're after that Bop-era response and feel) if need be; the D'Addario Chromes ECG24 11-50 set is relatively cheap as flatwounds go, long-lasting and tonally consistent IME, and readily available - they're the go-to set on my own Gretsch Electromatic 5622, most of the Gretsch players here on the AGF Electric subforum use them (for the same reasons), and you can install them without the need for major adjustments (other than a very slight tweak of the bridge saddles for intonation, particularly on the G string). Another advantage is that if you're going to be making the occasional excursion into rock styles, with the 24.6" scale they're loose enough to do some moderate bending - roughly equivalent to a 10-gauge set on a longer-scale guitar (the setup on my own White Falcon, BTW) - so this may indeed be a bast-of-both-worlds option for you...

Since I've been talking about them for a while, I'll post pics of my two main squeezes (the 5622T-CB and the double-cut White Falcon - the former my all-purpose gigging axe, the latter being the realization of a 55-year quest):





Now, get some sleep - wishing you pleasant dreams, and a successful day tomorrow...

[Glennwillow]

Congrats, Lucy, on your Gretsch 5420! And how cool that you have a Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb! What an awesome combination! I can see why you are losing sleep!

Awesome!!!

- Glenn

[Lucy_Strat]

Wow Steve those are beautiful guitars!

Thanks again for all the awesome advice I was just looking at the 2022 Gretsch's to find out the differences the main ones are different pickups apparently, the trestle brace v sound post and they are no longer made in Korea which is a shame. Actually found a couple of dealers that still have new lefty g5420s that were the ones with rosewood boards they are Laurel now which was on a guitar I let go an the dye kept coming off on my fingers. The older 5420s one was black an one was orange.

The white G5422GLH sure is one stunning guitar though