Gretsch I haven’t a clue ......

[Bain]

Hi guys ,well I have just bought a Gretsch streamliner guitar with P 90 on it (what ever that means ) in Claret red 2622 model .Now ,just because of GAS I suppose I have ,never ever played and electric guitar before , so ..well if I have or have not made an error really doesn’t matter I bought it it’s on its way now so hey ho. Question have I made an error ? I play accoustic guitar a Furch yellow GA i wanted to venture into electric for fun and the electric blues sound, will this guitar help me in this venture or not I know I should have done more research but I was lazy and I liked the look of the guitar anyway ..... so just your thoughts if any on the Gretsch steamliner 2622 would be helpful .....thanks. 😎

[jersey]

Yes you made a good purchase, I like these models, look at this for an idea of what you can do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_gBBTFd6Z4

This model is not an archtop though fyi

[Steve DeRosa]

Lifelong Gretsch guy (been playing them since 1964) here:

The Streamliner 2000-Series is Gretsch's Indonesian-made entry-level lineup, in the same price bracket as the Ibanez Artcore and lower-end Epiphone hollowbody/semi-hollow instruments; the term "P-90" refers to the style of pickups used on this model, a design developed by and most closely associated with Gibson during the postwar years, until the "humbucking" pickups - so named because they eliminate electronic interference from external sources - became standard fare on their midrange/upper-end models (lower-line Gibsons continued to use P-90's for several decades thereafter). In the case of your 2622, Gretsch seems to have adopted a modified mid-1950's variation on the P-90 theme known as the "staple-magnet" pickup - usually seen on high-end Gibsons like the Les Paul Custom and Byrdland and, interestingly enough, their take on the DeArmond Dynasonic pickup Gretsch was using at that time. Personally, I like P-90's - I use a goldtop Gibson Les Paul with P-90's on straight-up rock gigs for their distinctive punch, snarl, and lack of muddiness when you kick them into the "tone zone"; by the same token I'm also more than a bit of a purist, and prefer to see Gretsch instruments equipped with proprietary Gretsch-design pickups which, if you're not familiar, not only come in a variety of tonal flavors (depending on style/vintage) but also as a whole possess a distinctive clarity and "chime" that allows you to stand out in a band setting without resorting to excessive volume...

Getting back to your original question, if you're looking to get into electric blues a P-90 Streamliner should provide you with a good introduction to the genre assuming, of course, you have a good (and appropriate) amp to go with it - a whole 'nother discussion in itself and well outside the focus of this thread (check in on the AGF Electric Guitar subforum for some excellent advice on this topic); as a total beginner on electric, I'd also strongly recommend getting a good professional setup as soon as possible, in the interest of both tone (acoustic and electric) and playability: it's well-known among experienced players that some manufacturers will use extremely light strings to compensate for/cover up a lack of attention to detail, and you'll find a properly set-up electric guitar - very different in this respect than a typical acoustic instrument BTW - to be a real joy to play...

That said I'd also recommend, as your time permits, exploring the tonal genetic material that constitutes your admittedly hybrid instrument. Just above your price range are the Epiphone Casino, a P-90 hollowbody most closely associated with the Beatles during the Rubber Soul period (and, for John Lennon, through the final days of the band), and the Gretsch 5400-Series Electromatics equipped with either "blacktop" Filter'Tron (Korean-made instruments from 2013-2021) or FT-5E (current Chinese production) pickups - each with its own distinctive sound and either (or both... ) of which would make an excellent step-up axe as you develop your understanding of electric guitar technique and tone; get out to your friendly local guitar shop and get some hands-on experience - half the fun is in the journey...

Use it well, often, and LOUD...

[Bain]

Thank you Steve for in depth and informative reply I do really appreciate that.
Speaking of amps I did also buy an amp at the same time I only want to play at home at this time so I bought a Behringer ha 20 watt, come to think of it I may not get the bluesy jazz sound I am after with that amp but for now it will do .
Cheers

[Aspiring]

I don't know Gretschs particularly but I can add a comment from my own experience moving to a Collings i30 with p90s.

I had played single coils and humbuckers for a while and I found there was a fair learning curve for me on p90s.

As a suggestion don't be afraid to play with all the volume and tone controls on both the amp and the guitar and keep with it until you figure out something you like.

You can get a large variety of tone from p90 but it means you can also create a bunch of tones that aren't so good.

I am very glad I stuck with it as my initial impression was only luke warm and now I love them.