1st. Electric Guitar

[paulin]

As an acoustic player for about 20 years now I am looking into buying my first electric. I'll be playing mostly "clean"; hybrid picking and strumming in a sometimes loud band doing mostly country, early R&B, and old standards.

I've narrowed my research down to a Gretsch semi hollow body with center block and probably a junior size. So, my question is, do I need a tremolo bar or would it be better to start out without one?

Thanks in advance,
Paul

[rmp]

I'd just buy one with.

They are cool, and when you want to use it,, it's there!

I have a 5422TG and it's an amazing guitar

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by paulin

As an acoustic player for about 20 years now I am looking into buying my first electric. I'll be playing mostly "clean"; hybrid picking and strumming in a sometimes loud band doing mostly country, early R&B, and old standards.

I've narrowed my research down to a Gretsch semi hollow body with center block and probably a junior size. So, my question is, do I need a tremolo bar or would it be better to start out without one?

Thanks in advance,
Paul

Strictly a matter of preference, which you may not know until you explored your playing on electric. There are certain moves (chord shimmers and up and down vibrato) that are harder to do without a 'wiggle stick" - but many players don't miss those and there are ways with a fixed bridge (even bending the neck, something I would do with my Telecaster often back in the day).

The "just get one" and decide later is one answer. There is an element of weight, complication, and a bit of fuss with string changes (the Vibramate "Spoiler" device it great if that last thing bothers you). On the other hand if you've played acoustic for two decades you may be fairly sure that you don't need a vibrato bridge. The structure of an electric guitar's bridge has some impact on the guitar's overall timbre when played clean, so there's that difference too.

For myself, I stayed away from vibrato bridges for the first couple of decades I played. I've moved to use them more in the past decade as my joints and strength no longer allows me to rely on my fingers as much as I did.

[1neeto]

Get a fixed bridge and another with a vibrato bridge. I think you would be more at home with a fixed bridge.

[RoyBoy]

Not trying to talk you out of the Gretsch, they're fantastic and unbeatable for Rock-a-billy.
"I'll be playing mostly "clean"; hybrid picking and strumming in a sometimes loud band doing mostly country, early R&B, and old standards."
To me this screams Tele! You also need a decent amp to pull this off. Welcome to the dark side! ;-)

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by RoyBoy

Not trying to talk you out of the Gretsch, they're fantastic and unbeatable for Rock-a-billy.
"I'll be playing mostly "clean"; hybrid picking and strumming in a sometimes loud band doing mostly country, early R&B, and old standards."
To me this screams Tele! You also need a decent amp to pull this off. Welcome to the dark side! ;-)

I kind of thought the same thing you did! Particularly with the availability of a wide price range and ample choices for good Telecaster types out there new and used. But the OP has made his choice and it's a valid one. We electric guitar players though are often too stuck on the "right outfit" visual concept when choosing an electric for a particular role.

Maybe he likes the Gretsch neck shape, or the scale, or the look, or he's got some other sentimental attachment to the Gretsch. They're neat guitars for sure.

One thing I thought today (while playing a Bigsby equipped Tele!) was that that guitar's Bigsby seemed more stable than other designs that allow both up and down wobbles when one does oblique bends where finger vibrato is bending one string while another sounds too.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by paulin

...I'll be playing mostly "clean," hybrid picking and strumming in a sometimes loud band doing mostly country, early R&B, and old standards.

I've narrowed my research down to a Gretsch semi-hollow body with center block and probably a junior size. So, my question is, do I need a tremolo bar or would it be better to start out without one?

Long-time Gretsch guy (since 1964) and former Tele owner (first-run late-CBS '52 RI) here - in no particular order:

• Most Gretsch hollow/semi instruments worth owning (more about which below) come with a Bigsby as standard and, if you choose not to use it, it's simply a matter of having the correct setup to insure tuning stability (see also below) and folding the handle out of the way - check out some old photos of George Harrison's Country Gent...
• When it comes to modern Gretsch, center-block = good (depending on model)/junior = not so good /Korean-made Electromatic = best value you'll ever find in a true professional-quality electric; it's become common knowledge among Gretsch aficionados that, along with the move of the 5600-Series E-Matics to Chinese production, a full-size humbucker design dating to the early-2K's (Broad'tron) was reinstated - simply put, if you want the classic 60 Broadway "Great Gretsch Sound" you're definitely not going to get it here - and the smaller body is going to thin out the natural low/low-mid body resonance that makes up a major part of true Gretsch tone (probably another reason for the big-bucker pickups). Speaking as one who plays much the same type of music (with some first-wave British Invasion, Motown, and surf thrown in) the discontinued G5622T-CB would be your ideal Gretsch, for not a lotta bucks; here's mine:
  
  
  
  Those Super Hi-lo'Trons (based on a modified Filter'tron humbucking design, unlike the Brooklyn-era Hi-lo'Tron which was a true single-coil) are IME some of the best pickups Gretsch ever produced - every classic Gretsch tone you ever heard and, thanks to that middle pickup, a bunch you'll never get from any other guitar; if you're interested, good used ones can be had in the $700+/- range - TMK there's also some NOS out there if you're patient - and unless you get into death metal it could well be the only electric you'll ever need. Be advised that they tend toward the heavier side of things - mine scales in at 9 lbs. 3 oz. (similar to many Norlin-era 335/345/355 semis) - so you'll need a wide strap if you go this route. Note: the two-pickup successor version is significantly lighter (usually in the low/mid-sevens), can still be had brand-new (albeit only in '65 Chevy-style Georgia Green metallic), and can be distinguished from the current Chinese model by its sand-colored pickguard/rings and smaller Super Hi-lo'Tron pickups...
• A Gretsch of any era is very much sui generis when it comes to getting the best out of them - they're not guitars for everybody and were never intended to be - but with proper setup you'll have the most toneful, playable instrument you're likely to encounter. With the natural upper-mid chime and short (24.5 - 24.6" depending on where/when produced) scale, forget about the skinny strings - you'll want to start with a set of 11's (preferably flatwound - which lends itself to your styles of music as it is) to get some "wood" into your tone, and possibly work up from there; that said, these babies have a way of telling you in no uncertain terms exactly what they like (or not) - my double-cut 2013 White Falcon has a 25.5" scale and only sounds right with flatwound 10's (they came with 12's back in the Brooklyn days - many players stepped up to 13's/14's - and the Japanese Professional Series versions were strung with plain-G 11's) - and as long as there's enough countertension to keep the Bigsby stable there shouldn't be any tuning issues...
• Roy's comment about a decent amp is dead on - you'll want something that captures the characteristic Gretsch chime and clarity, with sufficient headroom to keep it clean under most club conditions; while there are many viable options, given your style I'd avoid the modeling stuff and keep it old-school analog. My personal road warrior is a mildly-modified Bugera V22 1x12" combo (tweaked to produce a mid-60's blue-check Ampeg "key club" Gemini II tonality) - enough grunt for a 600-700 seat hall but still powers down for bedroom practice with no loss of tone - and at under $500 (well under during Holiday/Coupon sales) about the best bargain you'll find in a tube amp in the Deluxe Reverb/AC15 power class; if you still need more headroom/volume there's been a recent $200 factory price drop on the Vox AC30S1, a single-speaker version of the legendary British Invasion amp with all the tone you'd expect - I've played a two-pickup Korean 5622 through one of these, and if you're a fan of early Beatles/Stones it's a must-have. In the solid-state world I'd seek out a pre-1985 Randall RG-120 "orange-stripe"/"grey-stripe" combo (available in a variety of speaker configurations), old-style independent-channel trem/reverb rigs in the blackface Fender mold and arguably the first SS amps with any real tone; in spite of the bulletproof construction (and weight ) - and pedalboard-friendly nature if you're so inclined - they're real sleepers on the market, and can often be had in the $200-300 range with some careful shopping...

Good luck - let us know how it goes...

[varmonter]

You might also consider a tele.
Classic country. And more.

[rwmct]

My first and only electric is a Tele and I love it.

[paulin]

Hello to all and thanks for your input.

So many things to consider but after much deliberation I have decided on the Gretsch G2655. The jr. size will fit this old man's body better and it's well within budget. I just ordered one from Sweetwater in gunmetal color.

Sweetwater will be replacing the 10 gauge strings with 11's and adjusting the nut slots, truss rod, etc.

Can't wait.

Paul

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by paulin

Hello to all and thanks for your input.

So many things to consider but after much deliberation I have decided on the Gretsch G2655. The jr. size will fit this old man's body better and it's well within budget. I just ordered one from Sweetwater in gunmetal color.

Sweetwater will be replacing the 10 gauge strings with 11's and adjusting the nut slots, truss rod, etc.

Can't wait.

Paul

Congrats! Create a NGD thread when it comes in and give us a review.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by paulin

Hello to all and thanks for your input.

So many things to consider but after much deliberation I have decided on the Gretsch G2655. The jr. size will fit this old man's body better and it's well within budget. I just ordered one from Sweetwater in gunmetal color.

Sweetwater will be replacing the 10 gauge strings with 11's and adjusting the nut slots, truss rod, etc.

Can't wait.

Paul

Cool guitars. Enjoy your choice, and yes let us know what your impressions are after you get acquainted.

[Treeman1]

Congrats on your choice. I play an older 2655T with the Bigsby. I have really enjoyed mine as my only electric so far. If I had to do it again, I would probably order it without the Bigsby, since I don’t use it much, but you never know until you try. Now I know. I really enjoy the small size and light weight of it. It’s very handy to pick up and play. The strings are super slinky for easy bending and fretting. Fit and finish is great. Only complaint I have is the tone pots are not the best, so I make adjustments on my amp. Enjoy it!

[1neeto]

Wow nice can’t wait to see pics. Pretty cool they’re putting the strings of your choice.

[paulin]

Once again want to say thanks to all who replied.

Sweetwater shipped the guitar Tuesday with an ETA of next Tuesday the 1st. of December (keeping my fingers crossed considering Thanksgiving, Fed Ex, weather, pandemic, etc.).

I think this will be a good guitar for me considering it's my first electric after so many years on acoustic only. Also, without a tremolo bar it will be less complicated for an electric newbe. I'm just a little concerned the gunmetal color will not be as light as shown on Sweetwater's website, other suppliers show a much darker color.

Paul