Gretsch Acoustic Guitar?

[Gostwriter]

Anyone have a Gretsch Acoustic?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Gretsch-...ht_2127wt_1102

[lennylux]

Heavy built guitars that sound thin and weedy.... Just my tuppence worth on it.

I'd say there's better instruments out there for your money.

[Kitchen Guitars]

I have a couple of these

[Clifton]

Look great, sound terrible.

They should stick to electrics.

[steamfurnace]

I've got my wife's father's guitar built in the late 40's or early 50's; never could come up with the exact model. It is a sunburst mini jumbo shape with a large tortoise shell pickguard, and triangular sound hole. Beneath the abalone "Gretsch" logo is an abalone shield shape with "75" in it.

[zombywoof]

I have never played any of the current Gretsch acoustics so can't say anything about them.

The original Rancher though while one of the coolest looking guitars ever was also one of the most gawd awful sounding instruments I have ever played. Real bass heavy with not much else.

On the other hand I was pleasantly surprised by some of the smaller guitars like the Burl Ives. Not bad sounding or playing instruments and a bargain in today's market.

[Wade Hampton]

Most of the Gretsch acoustic guitars I've played have been unimpressive from a musical standpoint. However, some of the modern Asian-made Gretsches, such as the one pictured in the eBay auction, can sound pretty good.

Here's an image of a modern Asian-made Gretsch dreadnought I found online:



Compare the bridge on that guitar to the one on this Gretsch Rancher:




I've never played one of those Ranchers that sounded good to my ear. Which is probably due to that massive tone-killing bridge...

Personally, I really love the looks of the Gretsch acoustic archtop guitars with the cats-eye soundholes:



But, again, I've never had my hands on one that sounded as good as it looked.

Short version: some of the modern Asian-made Gretsch acoustic guitars can sound good, but as others in this thread have pointed out, you can spend the same money and get something better still.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[dirkronk]

About 45 years ago, I had a friend with a beautiful blonde Gretsch archtop with pickups (he played in jazz combos and show bands), so I paid attention to Gretsch acoustics when I went searching for my second guitar. Honestly, I was never much impressed by any of the models I played back then. Fast forward to three weeks ago, and I saw a used Gretsch acoustic in the local GC: small, maybe a 00 or 000, and really interesting looking instrument, but also really uninspiring in the sonics department. Unlike its brethren in the "3 Big G's" of old (Gibson/Guild/Gretsch), the acoustic offerings just don't seem to float my boat. Of course, I'd love for someone to prove me wrong by revealing some instrument that's escaped my notice...hint, hint.

Dirk

[OnTheLedge]

Originally Posted by dirkronk

About 45 years ago, I had a friend with a beautiful blonde Gretsch archtop with pickups (he played in jazz combos and show bands), so I paid attention to Gretsch acoustics when I went searching for my second guitar. Honestly, I was never much impressed by any of the models I played back then. Fast forward to three weeks ago, and I saw a used Gretsch acoustic in the local GC: small, maybe a 00 or 000, and really interesting looking instrument, but also really uninspiring in the sonics department. Unlike its brethren in the "3 Big G's" of old (Gibson/Guild/Gretsch), the acoustic offerings just don't seem to float my boat. Of course, I'd love for someone to prove me wrong by revealing some instrument that's escaped my notice...hint, hint.

Dirk

I'm glad you posted this. I'm saving for a Martin 000-15M but I was tempted to check out this old Gretsch. Guitar #2.

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/msg/2985861056.html

I probably won't bother to now.

[Gostwriter]

Holy Sound Holes Batman!

There seems to be agreement across the board. Everyone who has had one agrees they all have awful sound and isn't that what a great acoustic guitar is all about? Even the average $250 acoustic in tune usually sounds pretty darn good, so I would have to wonder this has anything to with the unique triangle shaped sound hole? I'm no engineer but I would think the shape of the sound hole could greatly affect the sound waves coming through it. I mean it's not like we're talking about one bad apple here, it's more like the whole farm was attacked by locusts or something.

Any other guitars that you are aware of that have awful sound?

[steamfurnace]

You mean besides Esteban?

[dirkronk]

Originally Posted by OnTheLedge

I'm glad you posted this. I'm saving for a Martin 000-15M but I was tempted to check out this old Gretsch. Guitar #2.

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/msg/2985861056.html

I probably won't bother to now.

Well, to be fair, I never played anything as old as what's on offer in this ad...nor an all-hog Gretsch, period. Everything I tried was from the 1960s forward. All those tended to be kind of overbuilt...solid but dull sounding.

The slot-head here IS kinda interesting looking. Thing is, if it's really from the '20s or '30s, is the neck OK and is it even reinforced? Is the needed brace repair just a simple glue job or a more extensive re-do to make it truly playable? So is the $400 starting point going to wind up being $500 or a bit more...or closer to $1,000 or more? Just can't tell without checking it out with a serious luthier.

Hate to take you off the trail if this is a treasure waiting to be discovered. But assuming you want an actual playing guitar, a Martin 15 might be a more practical bet all around.

Maybe someone else can be of more help.

Good luck, whatever you finally decide.

Dirk

[Fatstrat]

Originally Posted by Clifton

Look great, sound terrible.

They should stick to electrics.

My opinion as well. Never could understand why they could build such good electrics. And fail so miserably on acoustics.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Gostwriter

Holy Sound Holes Batman!

There seems to be agreement across the board. Everyone who has had one agrees they all have awful sound and isn't that what a great acoustic guitar is all about? Even the average $250 acoustic in tune usually sounds pretty darn good, so I would have to wonder this has anything to with the unique triangle shaped sound hole? I'm no engineer but I would think the shape of the sound hole could greatly affect the sound waves coming through it. I mean it's not like we're talking about one bad apple here, it's more like the whole farm was attacked by locusts or something.

Any other guitars that you are aware of that have awful sound?

I doubt it's the shape of the soundhole that's the problem. I've played any number of guitars with differently shaped or placed soundholes that sounded just fine.

With the Gretsch Rancher, a lot of the blame has to be placed on the massive bridge on the darn thing:



Even with those Gretsch acoustics that have been built with a more common belly bridge, my general impression is that they tend to be really over-built and overly heavy, which also detracts from the tone.

But the triangular soundhole would hardly even make my list of suspects - I don't consider that to be a factor, at least not on the same level as the bridge and overall heaviness.


whm

[PorkPieGuy]

Originally Posted by lennylux

Heavy built guitars that sound thin and weedy.... Just my tuppence worth on it.

I'd say there's better instruments out there for your money.

My thoughts exactly. I had a friend that had one, but he rarely played it. Triangle soundhole. I think that it was green.