NGD Gretsch 5420 (aspen green) - Page 3

Gdjjr · #31 09-03-2021, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

One other thing I meant to mention... These guitars have black top filtertron pickups. Setting the height of the pickups is imperative. Don't assume they are set correctly from the factory. The filtertron are very picky in this regard.

Oh good! Now I have to learn more! My learner is getting crowdeder.

gfirob · #32 09-05-2021, 05:44 PM

+1 on the suggestion of using fingerpicks. I have a '67 6120 Nashville with Filtertrons and I am a finger picker. These are great guitars and pickups for fingerpicks.

FrankHudson · #33 09-08-2021, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

One other thing I meant to mention... These guitars have black top filtertron pickups. Setting the height of the pickups is imperative. Don't assume they are set correctly from the factory. The filtertron are very picky in this regard.

A big hat tip to you! It's not that I didn't know pickup height changes things, but I hadn't fiddled with the adjustment on my Gretsch Electromatic archtop from what it came with out of the box. I had to loosen and move the pickguard to get to the treble side adjustment screws, but that was so worth the trouble. I set both pickups up a bit and now so much more bite and treble! If you had blindfolded me, made those changes, and handed it back to me I'd have sworn you did a pickup swap, it was that different.

BoneDigger · #34 09-09-2021, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

A big hat tip to you! It's not that I didn't know pickup height changes things, but I hadn't fiddled with the adjustment on my Gretsch Electromatic archtop from what it came with out of the box. I had to loosen and move the pickguard to get to the treble side adjustment screws, but that was so worth the trouble. I set both pickups up a bit and now so much more bite and treble! If you had blindfolded me, made those changes, and handed it back to me I'd have sworn you did a pickup swap, it was that different.

Thanks Frank! Yes, I have had several of this model and currently own a Fairlane blue version. Every one of them, except one I bought used, had to be adjusted. It can transform them from a very average sounding instrument to a real player!

rmp · #35 09-10-2021, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

A big hat tip to you! It's not that I didn't know pickup height changes things, but I hadn't fiddled with the adjustment on my Gretsch Electromatic archtop from what it came with out of the box. I had to loosen and move the pickguard to get to the treble side adjustment screws, but that was so worth the trouble. I set both pickups up a bit and now so much more bite and treble! If you had blindfolded me, made those changes, and handed it back to me I'd have sworn you did a pickup swap, it was that different.

this just got added my weekend task list..