Gretsch 12 String Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

Ok. I've had Danelectro, Fender and 3 Rickenbacker 12 strings. I like the extra sizzle.jangle that a 12 string provides. But they usually play very poorly and stay in tune even worse. Even the vaunted Rickenbacker was a general pain to deal with. But a POG doesn't give you the full effect, so I bought this Gretsch 12 string. The guiatr arrived flawless and after tuning was perfect. The classic tones, experimental tones even ripping leads….all quite possible on the Gretsch. Being a kid of 70's I grew up on the Monkees and the Nesmith factor was a big thing for me. But I'm blown away at how well this thing plays and well voiced it is. Ricky-like treble plus the bluesy twang of a Gretsch. Middle setting is especially useful. I run this through massive amounts of distortion sometimes and tune to dropped D. The Gretsch (with a compressor) can handle it all. You can rip leads effortlessly on this thing. It's an extremely useful instrument.Uncle Frank

I'm usually a semi-snobby MIUSA guitar guy – with multiple Gibson, Fenders and Martins, but this Chinese Made Gretsch is a thing of absolute beauty. Gretsch QC is remarkable and I've had others in the past decade that have been equally wonderful. The finish and details are fantastic, even down to binding on the F Holes. The neck is ridiculously playable for a 12 string and I've had fun learning all the classic 12 strings songs, in addition to trying some new stuff. Tuning is easy, and it stays in tune really well. I'll be getting a professional setup done on this soon, but out of the box this guitar was exactly what I was looking to have to noodle around with, but be nice enough to hold a permanent spot. If you are looking to add an electric 12 String to your lineup, this is the one. They've been dipping in and out of stock, so keep an eye out or pre-order one. It took me about a month from when I "reserved".Darren

All of these guitar companies market their guitars with pictures of nice, dark, fretboards, that look like dark Rosewood, or even Ebony. They do that because they know that's what people want, but then what you often end up getting is an ugly, dull, light brown or grayish looking board.Pablo

PROS: audacious, attention-getting appearance. Great action even on 12 th fret…on a 12 string! Sounds great plugged in. Light weight for size. Good price point. CON: mushy tuning gears. Want stay in tune, as with almost all 12 strings. Good luck finding a case which fits due to enormous headstock. Thin sound strictly acoustic.Rich

My buddy has a Fine Guild 512. This compares well to that, at a fraction of the cost. It sounds like an orchestra. As I learn to utilize it's capabilities I get new ideas. Reworking songs I used to play on 6 strings yields interesting new arrangements. Have not had annoying tuning issues as with other mid-range 12s I have tried.Steve

I have several 12 strings. The Gretsch is quickly becoming a my favorite. The action is superb. Has a "chunkier" feeling neck like by old B25-12 but action like my Rick 360. Not real loud when unplugged but loud enough. Plug it in and the Fishman takes care of the rest. Full bodied sound, very rich. And the flash of the guitar definitely gets noticed. It's great and I am very happy with my purchase.Mr 12 String

Bought this guitar wanting a lightweight comfortable player with a good setup. And thats what i got. The chambered body keeps weight down (7lbs 8 oz) and balances well. Fretwork was fine and action can go very low with minimal buzz, unlike a lot of higher priced Fenders/Gibsons. Gretsch guitars with this bridge assembly seem to behave nicely regardless of price. Vol/tone are fine but three way selector might want an upgrade (as well as the strings of course). The chambered body gives u a slight semihollow vibe, but it takes the pickups into muddy-tone territory. I just eq it out with a clean drive/eq pedal for now. Heck, for the price, no tragedy to upgrade the pickups down the line.Go_Pats

I love the look of this guitar. I did have to adjust it a little as I am very picky. It came with a little fret buzz. So I adjusted the neck relief by slightly loosening the truss nut with the supplied Allen wrench. Then I tuned it up and did some slight adjustments to the intonation and bridge height. The fret work, inlays, paint finish and hardware are all really nice. The quality control is great. It just needed a little attention to get the action as low as it can get without fret buzz. It wasnt really bad either out of the box. Like I said I'm picky and check all my new guitar purchases. For the price its definitely a standout cool guitar. I like the stock p.u.'s. Cool look and they sound great to me. I play everything from country to metal. I would recommend this instrument as a first or to add to the collection. Oh fyi it has great sustain and a nice neck joint.Expro70

It has been awhile since I had an electric guitar (10 years), and I was ready to get one. After reviewing options of my preferred design and price range, I automatically gravitated to this guitar. I knew Gretsch was a top of the line brand, and saw the good reviews on this guitar. Since I have been playing it I have been loving the tones and feel of the neck. This is my first upper tier electric guitar and I can tell the quality is up there. I soo wouldn't change my mind on this purchase. To top it off I get on a deal! Love this Gretsch!Anthony

I've had my London Grey G5222 for a few months now, and I like it as much as the day I bought it. The pickups are the star here, great tone, covering many musical bases. The guitar itself arrived without a flaw and only needed mild tweaking to get it where I wanted. I'm playing everything from classic Sabbath to Tool on this guitar, and it never sounds forced. The neck is wide, without being overly thick. Those complaining about flaws should remember that there are websites out there that will actually inspect your guitar before shipping it. Unfortunately, G.C. isn't one of them. Just saying…. For the price, you can not beat the overall playability and tone of this guitar. It's fantastic.Patooey G

I was disappointed in the quality of the guitar I received. The master tone knob is viably slanted and does not turn freely. It stops just before half way and requires force to turn more. I am also getting some crackles from the wiring. The guitar shipped with very low action. Fretting out and buzz is more than hoped for even before a set up. The guitar does sound good. I would not replace the pickups. The neck has a good profile. I was concerned that it would be to thin, but it is full enough and feels comfortable. After the problem with the bad knob I got an RMA to return the guitar. After plugging in the guitar I may keep it. I like the sound. But if I keep it, It might need rewiring. Also the knob may not be easily correctable. It is positioned right where to top curves. So if everything worked on this guitar it would be a lot of guitar for the money. The other point is the guitar has small thin frets. Problem with sending the guitar back is high shipping rates for an oversize package.I don't like the idea of having to pay to send a defective item back.Unlucy

This guitar is beautiful. The tone is outstanding. I purchased this *brand new* through the Guitar Center App and had it shipped directly to my house. When it arrived, it was not in the original box, but was in an acoustic guitar box. When I opened the box, it was really evident that the guitar was not brand new, but a heavily played floor model, which was disappointing. The set up was pretty bad. The strings would fret out at the fifth fret, and the bridge pickup was so high it was almost touching the strings. The cover plate on the back of the guitar was warped and pulling away from the guitar, and one of the tone control knobs was really loose. I Adjusted the truss rod, raised the action, and leveled out the pickups, and now it plays like a dream. Guitar Center has already agreed to repair the backplate and knobs, but not sure I would have had the same luck without the warranty (always buy the warranty. It's an outstanding price).Nic, S.

Amazed at how good this guitar is, especially given the price point. Looks and sounds absolutely great – as soon as I plugged it in I was getting exactly the tone I was after (low output pickups for classic rock styles, rolls off beautifully). Set up well although I will very slightly raise the action.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Nice, quick and reliable as always. Ordered the guitar one night, had it despatched the next day and arrived the day after looking just as perfect as you’d expect. The only criticism (if any) I’d give is that it would be nice if PMT would set up their guitars. It’s the one stage where many online shops fall short and their prices are no cheaper online vs in-store where as in store you may be able to negotiate the guitar be setup. PMT are not a shop who just happens to sell guitars, at one time your name stood for professional music technology and now it stands for play music today. A setup on instruments purchased surely seems like a logical way to help this playing startKeith D.

Looks gorgeous, sounds great and is really fun to play. Incredibly high quality finish for a budget guitar. Nut is OK and frets are well finished, tuners are functional but have no issues and tuning stability is generally good for a Bigsby fitted guitar. Even only needed minimal set up out of the box. Holds its own against the cheaper US Gibson and Fenders for build quality and with a few setup tweaks and a couple of minor upgrades to the B50 for sustain it will be a great guitar. Very impressed.Neil D.

This guitar is such a treat to play. The support in the shop was excellent and really useful. I tried a load of different ones, including several that were a few hundred pounds more expensive, but kept going back to this one. It looks stunning and is beautifully made. It’s a really good weight (relatively light due to the hollow sides so not too heavy for long gigs) and it’s balanced well when sat or standing with a strap. The pickups deliver big time, whether you want warm, clean jazz tones, funky bridge rifffs or massive, overdriven grunt. The centre block is ideal for reducing unwanted feedback and the Bigsby offers some great trem effects without putting it out of tune at all. Delivered quickly and safely with good comms from courier and PMT.Ben J.

Lovely guitar – set up nicely – rings out nicely acoustically. I will replace the Bigsby B70 with a B3/30 – the B70 seems a bit too heavy and cumbersome for the size of the guitar (Les Paul size). Great feeling bound neck, with thumbnail inlays – Good pickups and controls – love the master volume. Decent tuners, but will replace with Grover Statites. Had many guitars – this is a 'keeper' – love the feel of it….may refinish in the future – amber, orange or even sunburst…then it'd get 5 stars from me!Richard R.

Ok. I've had Danelectro, Fender and 3 Rickenbacker 12 strings. I like the extra sizzle.jangle that a 12 string provides. But they usually play very poorly and stay in tune even worse. Even the vaunted Rickenbacker was a general pain to deal with. But a POG doesn't give you the full effect, so I bought this Gretsch 12 string. The guiatr arrived flawless and after tuning was perfect. The classic tones, experimental tones even ripping leads….all quite possible on the Gretsch. Being a kid of 70's I grew up on the Monkees and the Nesmith factor was a big thing for me. But I'm blown away at how well this thing plays and well voiced it is. Ricky-like treble plus the bluesy twang of a Gretsch. Middle setting is especially useful. I run this through massive amounts of distortion sometimes and tune to dropped D. The Gretsch (with a compressor) can handle it all. You can rip leads effortlessly on this thing. It's an extremely useful instrument.Uncle Frank

I'm usually a semi-snobby MIUSA guitar guy – with multiple Gibson, Fenders and Martins, but this Chinese Made Gretsch is a thing of absolute beauty. Gretsch QC is remarkable and I've had others in the past decade that have been equally wonderful. The finish and details are fantastic, even down to binding on the F Holes. The neck is ridiculously playable for a 12 string and I've had fun learning all the classic 12 strings songs, in addition to trying some new stuff. Tuning is easy, and it stays in tune really well. I'll be getting a professional setup done on this soon, but out of the box this guitar was exactly what I was looking to have to noodle around with, but be nice enough to hold a permanent spot. If you are looking to add an electric 12 String to your lineup, this is the one. They've been dipping in and out of stock, so keep an eye out or pre-order one. It took me about a month from when I "reserved".Darren

All of these guitar companies market their guitars with pictures of nice, dark, fretboards, that look like dark Rosewood, or even Ebony. They do that because they know that's what people want, but then what you often end up getting is an ugly, dull, light brown or grayish looking board.Pablo

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

Gretch has so many awesome and different style guitars and I have wanted one for a while, I came across this beautiful guitar in Airline Silver! It is stunning! The finishes are impeccable it looks like a 5k guitar Im not even joking. The guitar came setup pretty good but Im very picky, I set the intonation and lowered the action to my taste, and this thing flies! so many great sounds and tone scapes, a very versatile guitar I would pit against any Les Paul, but Im am really happy with the craftsmanship and quality of this instrument. Picked up the case as well. I dont know how you couldn’t be blown away by this guitar. On the last note, Stock tuners seem good no tuning issues. Glad I bought this beast of a guitar, Its a little heavy, but it doesn’t bother me.Perryman

I'm an experienced player and musician having been playing for the last 15 years and being in multiple bands. This is my first Gretsch guitar as I am more of an Epiphone fan, however I am a huge Nick 13 and Tiger Army fan and as you know this is his signature model so I couldn't help myself. The guitar itself is beautiful and plays like a dream. I'm a Punk musician however I dabble in Psychobilly, Rockabilly, Ska, and Reggae and this guitar has no problem adapting to any style of music. The bridge pickup is nice and bright with the perfect amount of twang you would expect from a filtertron. The neck pickup and smooth, warm, and most importantly satisfying. However, a few days ago my toggle switch unfortunately went out and I can no longer switch between the bridge and the neck pickup. I bought this Gretsch in December and while it isn't 100% "new" anymore I am very gentle with my toggle switches so it is a bummer that it is already on the fritz. I'll be bringing it into my local GC to have the technician (Josh) to look at it and see if we can get her back into 100% working order. The other negative that I have is that the fret ends are a little sharp but that is an easy fix. Overall I am extremely happy with my Tiger Jet.Michael, C.

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

I sat down tried all of the Ibanez, D'Angelico, Epi, and Gretsch's from $400-1k and walked out with this one. If buying online please read… The frets are not medium jumbo… more like vintage medium, they are thinner and shorter than a typical medium jumbo. Also the neck profile in the hand is a tad thicker than an Epi 335 and also a bit narrower… closer to my LP with a 50's neck… which for my hand was perfect and why I chose this over the Epi's/D'Angelico's. I will say all of the Streamliner Gretsch's in the store played well. You can tell the guitars were set up nicely prior to shipping and came out of the box that way. I was able to grab a new in box from the back of the store and the setup was great. No fretwork needed at all… which is something I RARELY see in the sub 1k price point. Tuners are die-cast nickle but they are smooth as can be and do not feel the need to change. Pickups sound good to me as well. The neck is very Jazzy and soft and the bridge has some bite but in the upper-mids, not ice-picky, and cuts well. Because they are standard humbucker size, replacement options are plenty. In order to make this guitar stay in tune with the Bigsby, you'll need to work that spring in a little and do some work and lubing the saddles and nut. Not a knock, just a warning if this is your first Bigsby bridged guitar. All in all a great playing guitar with a good size and comfortable neck with room to grow/upgrade if you feel the need. I was looking for a semi-hollow with Bigsby preferably to add to the collection, and this fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of that Gretsch vibe and at no point does it look like nor do I feel like I am playing a cheap guitar… Which is what ultimately drove me away from the Ibanez's in this price point.JJ in SC

Great guitar for the money. Bigsby included. The Torino Green is a great colour and at night or in the shade the guitar looks like black on black, with the pick guard standing out. All the trim is immaculate, though the machine heads are not the best and may need changing out for stability of tuning. The setup is pretty damn good straight out the box though I adjusted the string height to lower the action and checked the intonation which is all quite easy with a small screw driver. The playability is great though one needs to go easy on the strings when playing chords so as to not unintentionally bend them out of tune (Typical for a Bigsby setup). But, as I got this guitar more for playing leads and melodies this is not an issue and will facilitate ease of bending. All in all, a great guitar that looks great, feels great and sounds great, at a pretty unbelievable price. Well done Gretsch.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Guitar came set up great for my playing feel. The neck shape feels really comfortable for my hand, with great playability up and down the neck. I typically practice at home on the couch with no amp, and the acoustic sound is great, and quiet enough to not bother my wife. I have been a Strat player for a long time, and wanted a guitar with a different sound for some of the different bands I play with. This guitar does a good job of taking me out of my "comfort" zone. I typically play pretty hard with a heavy pick for solos, and thus can break strings more than I would like. That being said, this is not a good guitar to have a string break on , as changing a string on a gig with this Bigsby is quite a challenge to do quickly . I always have a spare guitar with me for this reason. All in all this is a great affordable guitar!ridinrog

After playing religiously throughout adolescence and my teens, I fell off the practice wagon and piece by piece, my collection dwindled to nothing. After a nearly 7 years absence, I decided it was time to pick the instrument back up and this turned out to be perfect specimen to do so with. THE GOOD – it's a Gretsch – long had I dreamed of owning a Gretsch when I was younger, it seemed to meet the perfect amount of "cool" without being a typical gibson or fender option. – playability out of the box – this thing required very little work to get it into playing condition. The action was near perfect for my preference and the pickup positions weren't too hard to hone in to my desired tone. – the looks – this thing is a gorgeous piece of equipment. I went with the Bristol fog coloration and couldn't be happier. It has a unique mix of vintage yet new age appeal to it that fits my tastes exactly. THE BAD – fret buzz – as some others have said, yes there is a small amount of fret buzz out of the box. However it isn't enough to be a real issue. The buzz doesn't even translate through to the amp. So you only really hear it when you're playing unplugged. – the knobs – while i understand the desire to find a niche, the pickup volume knobs are just weird. It doesn't really make sense to me why I would want to have volume control instead of tonal control when I could just switch the pickup with the switch. It really only works in the middle position, and even then the effect isn't really noticeable unless you have one turned all the way down. Which At that point it makes more sense to just switch to the neck or the bridge instead of both.Thom

I just received our Gretsch 5220 in Jade Grey after eyeing it for a few years. I'd read all the glorious reviews and was prepared to be underwhelmed but it's all it was advertised as an more. The 2020/21 models seem to differ from some earlier ones in that it has a great black walnut fretboard as well as full sized pots. The taper is different from my other guitars but it allows for some great alternative tones. The finish is flawless and the Broad'trons have a unique voice as compared to both the standard probuckers that came on my Epi Les Paul as well as the Seth Lovers I dropped into it. For the price it is without question the best guitar purchase I've ever made when factoring everything in. I highly recommend this guitar to someone who is looking for a versatile guitar that is different from the standard LP/Strat/Tele.JFie14B2

Overall: My initial feelings about the guitar were ones of disappointment. The box had arrived smashed up from FedEx. I unboxed the guitar and inspected it carefully and couldn't see any damage. However, the neck pickup was almost completely sunken into the body cavity. The adjustment screws had almost completely backed themselves out of the guitar. In order to tighten and raise the treble side of the pickup I had to remove the pickguard. I want to remove the pick card I found a dime-sized blemish in the finish of the guitar. This wasn't a scratch or a ding, it was a flaw in the paint. I debated sending it back, but then I plugged the guitar in.This is where the disappointment ends. This guitar sounds amazing. From crystal clear cleans to grungy rhythm sounds this is a versatile guitar. I really like the master volume setup I can adjust the neck and middle pickups to my liking and then raise and lower the overall volume without changing the balance between the pickups. Right now I can't see any reason for swapping out the pickups. The binding around the guitar is nice and neat, the mahogany back looks spectacular, nice deep color, beautiful grain and nicely matched. You really have to look hard to see where the individual pieces were joined. The frets could use a bit of a polish but they were nicely beveled at the ends, no sharp or rough spots. The neck binding is flawless. The neck is a bit shallow, I prefer a chunkier neck, but that's personal preference and I got used to it quickly. The only other place that I think the guitar falls short is with the tuning pegs. I will swap them out for some locking tuners in the near future. But overall for its price this is a great guitar.When it arrived besides the loose pickup, the action was very low and the truss rod needed to be tweaked, I had a professionally set up and now it plays incredibly well. Overall this is a fantastic guitar especially given the price.Pete

I picked this guitar up when I was in my local Guitar Center selling some gear that I didn't have a use for. I had been looking at this guitar for a while, and it was on sale, so I snagged it. I have always loved the way a Gretsch plays and sounds, and it's a beautiful guitar. I have played it through many different amps and effects, and this guitar always sounds great. Right from the display it plays great, but having it professionally set up will make a difference. That said, I have zero complaints about how it played or sounded with out any modifications or adjustments. It has quickly become one of my favorite guitars in my arsenal, and it's almost always the first guitar I pick up when I'm sitting down to write. For the price, it's a hard guitar to beat.Jeffrey

After reading a lot of reviews I thought maybe it's time for a more in depth look at this guitar. I've played a lot of guitars – HUNDREDS over the course of thirty two years, but this is one of the very best that I've had the personal pleasure to play! The pickups sound very sweet, and pure Gretsch vintage. They aren't exactly the same from guitar to guitar since they are made to varying specifications from model to model. This is something that shouldn't be expected to sound the same with every amplifier as this is something that is impossible to recreate perfectly from one amp manufacturer to another! It's unreasonable to say that these sound differently from each other when playing the same model as these are wound with CNC powered pickup winding machines. The difference is in what string guage, and the settings of your amp, and the guitar are according to your own preference. I used a Fender Deluxe Reverb and this sounded exactly like all the old recordings of songs that I listened to from the 60's! Although I don't own one yet as I'm still on the fence as to what colour I want, I have played a lot of Gretsch and other brands of guitars and this is one of the best values for what some call an "entry model" which this guitar isn't. The Duo Jet, and the Double Jet are considered entry models, but not this kind of guitar that uses this hollow type of construction. This the affordable version of the USA custom shop models costing thousands of dollars, but the features, and appointments are on par with their USA counterparts. The fit and finish are perfect with no buffing marks on it, and the fret work is great. Although one inlay on the one that I played (white with gold hardware) was a little less than perfectly fit into the hole cut for it. It was very easy on the hands with the U shaped neck that was much like a Les Paul Custom with a fairly thick body that allows for that true hollow body honk that only comes from a guitar such as this! The weight is what you'd expect of a hollow body. The action could've been a little lower to my taste, but it was pretty decent with no choking out when bending notes, or playing chords. It stayed in tune really well even when using the tremolo bar with a little aggressiveness – it played all the way through songs without the need for retuning afterward! Even after an hour playing straight through it only had to be retuned twice since the strings were still new. The finish and the fit on the machine heads were nicely done with the tightness that you'd expect from USA made machines. The nut was precisely cut and allowed the strings to ring true which you won't get with just any type of material, but the synthetic bone kept it true to form tone wise. The bridge isn't the best, but it allows for unilateral tuning which is nice, but not authentic to the original Melita bridge design, nor is it as attractive. The control layout is correct, and a great looking setup for this guitar and it's easy to use, and makes sense. The bar is in the just the right place for easy use when needed swings out of the way when you don't want to use it. The finish on the chrome is smooth with no apparent scratches in the metal beneath that you usually see on overseas guitars made in the orient. The binding is well done with no finish overlap, or paint smudges. All the wood is smoothly sanded, and properly shaped with no high or low spots, and the grain doesn't show through the finish surface when looking at it at an angle, or straight at it. There are no joinery lines in the finish and all the plastic is uniformly cut with the wood where the two join together. All in all I say that Gretsch did their homework when deciding to capitalize on their own history and appeal rather than going with some new radical strat inspired designs, and stuck with the one true hollow body manufacturer shape that has withstood the test of time, and is the most beloved. Sure you could put a solid block through the middle, but it would lose a lot of the characteristic quality that Gretsch guitars are known for! The same is true with their pickup design – this isn't something that you're going to get from just any guitar. The same is true as if you put a strat pickup in a Les Paul and vice – versa. It may sound a lot like it, but the true guitar that this pickup was designed for won't be exactly the same! I nitpicked, and thoroughly inspected this particular model with several different guitars, and they all passed with flying colours! I'm a guitar maker, not just a builder, or one who modifies them, but I make them from scratch. Not all guitars are going to please all people, but that's where I come in; to alter either an existing guitar with whatever pleases its' owner or to make one from scratch with the appointments that anyone would appreciate. However, this guitar is one of those right off the rack! I wouldn't change it, or any of its' appointments. Gretsch's truly one of the few that got it right the first time!redwithbnwstripes

I want to know hollow body so I ordered this one it fit my budget. Was advertised as next day shipping but took 2 days to get it no big deal, finally shows up and I unbox it leave it sit out in the house overnight play with it the following evening which is today 5-17-2020. Looks great sounds okay noticed a little bit of fret buzzing so first thing I check is straightness of neck lo and behold I find about 5 frets that are not level with the rest of them so being curious as I am I checked the neck relief there is none maybe one thousandth of an inch. so I go ahead and do the truss rod cover go to adjust it and the truss rod is loose meaning I cannot put any under bow back into the neck so right out of the box just guitar was no good not to mention the inspection tag was dated 7 6 2018 which means this sat on the shelf for almost 2 years and we all know that that is bad for guitars or any stringed instrument for that matter. So hopefully when I get the replacement it's not an absolute turd like this thing is if it is I don't know what's going to happen probably refund and never buy a gretsch again, which is sad because I always wanted one but if you're spending close to $1,000 you shouldn't have to put up with that kind of poor quality. I would expect this out of epiphone but not gretsch so my message is directly to fender musical company get a handle on your quality control.David

1st it is just so cool looking 😀 just kidding, 1) For #1 it is hard to determine between build quality and comfort. I have a bad shoulder that makes my standard acoustic guitars uncomfortable. The thin hollow-body of the Gretsch G5420T overcomes that. But as well I am really impressed with the build quality. The fit and finish if the body and neck is impeccable, the knobs for the volume and tone have set screws so they won't fall off even if handled rough. The screw in strap holders make sure the strap won't accidentally fall off. Every fret extends the edge of the neck and is perfectly finished and all 22 are absolutely identical. The tuning machines are identical with the same stiffness feel in and they all hold evenly. The acoustic sustain on this guitar is as good as regular acoustics. The material, fit and finish are excellent. 2) The sound, I put the sound second because it is peculiar. It isn't good or bad, just peculiar. If you like it, you like it, If you don't you don't. I like it but that is probably relevant to my other guitars, it carries some qualities and tones the other don't. I have four guitars and they are all different and that makes each one of them special. 3) Finally, it is a totally cool looking guitar.johnintaegu

This is currently my favourite electric guitar. It has such a wide tonal range. Play soft finger style and you can get soft blues tones. Pul on the strings and it really twangs! Played with a pick you can easily push it from teang to breakup. Overall volume overall tone and two independent volumes gives great range with even small twists of the dials. Playability is great if you prefer a wider Gibson style neck. Great for sweet clean slide playing too.Vincent

The bad – very thin packing material in the shipping box & it arrived with the box open. There was a nasty quarter size ding and cracked finish on the back. MF took care of that issue. The Good – came out of the box perfectly set up for my playing style – Classic style rock and Blues. I mainly play thru a Fender twin reverb & The P-90s sound amazing to my ears. The strings feel like 12s but not sure. I use a Ibanez overdrive and then a touch of chorus when playing clean. Stays in tune well and the bigsby works as it should. I'm semi-pro This is the first time in my adult life I've bought a guitar that didn't come with a case but I had a spare archtop case that works fine. All of my guitars are made in the U.S, but this one plays and looks just as nice ( except the ding) I can't imagine anyone kicking this guitar out of their herd. Good finish and seems to be well made, so far anyway.Mitchell

I went to guitar center looking for a professional ii telecaster in Miami blue, but saw this gem out of the corner of my eye in my way out. I picked it up and it was just the magic I was looking for. Absolutely stunning guitar! The p-90s are Hot and clear, really good low end response and the bridge is nice a twangy how I like it. So glad I bought it and the neck feels super great. The nick is a little chunky on the sides but nothing you can't get used too. Only complaint is the tuning stability, it isn't bad just isn't ideal. Nothing a little lube on the nut can't fix. Overall 9/10!!Isaac F.

I record and play in a few different bands. Mostly rock, blues, and some country. This black and gold finish on the G5420t is just striking. Out of the box, the setup was good, just a quick tune up and we were off to twangsville. Components on this Electromatic were great. Filtertron's responded terrific and brought that sparkle-twang that only Filtertron's can. I play this through a Carvin VT50 out to a 2×12 cab with Celestion greenies. In the effects loop I have a Danelecto Dan-echo. Instant Setzer! Unplugged, you can definitely pick up the sparkle in this guitar. Throaty bass response, top end sparkle, and twang is a tasty and addictive combo. I have a Les Paul with Burstbucker pros, and they are my favorite pick ups ever. I also have a tele with Texas Specials, and that has a beautiful spank to them. The Filtertron's are somewhere in between the humbuckers and single coils. These Blacktop Filtertrons are pretty good sounding but from what I have heard, a swap to TV Jones will give the G5420 unmatched clarity in tone. These are great guitars and I found mine to be finished fantastically. Frets were dressed and polished, nut was cut and fit perfectly, and as nutty as this might sound, the action was a little too low for my tastes. I will probably raise the action a tad, but that's just my own thang! So, if you are in the market for a big ol', hollowbody rock box with some pretty, piano like qualities, this G5420T might be what you are looking for. Cheapest way to That Great Gretsch Sound!Strick 9

Overall: I wanted a hollow body sound to go with a Les Paul and a Telecaster. This deep bodied beauty was set up almost perfectly from the factory, in fact, only personal preference would cause you to tweak it. The neck plays noticeably better for me than competitors' necks in the same general price range. I got the Fairlane blue with a hard case and the appearance is stunning and pro looking. It is my main squeeze on stage now and it plays fast and accurate with lead parts. Best of all, it retains the great harmonics of an acoustic with the medium black-top filtertron pickups for a clear and full sound. I use it with a Vox 40 watt modeling amp which allows for tube-like tones and many different sounds in overdrive/distortion tones. Glad I went for it.John

Overall: Out of the Box I simply Tuned it Up and began Playing. Plays Very Well and Sounds Great. This Guitar was Made in KOREA and the Fit and Finish are Wonderful. Frets are well rounded and the Trim assures you No Fret Bite even if the Frets were a little Sharp. The Appearance of this Guitar would project the Impression it was a Much More Expensive Guitar than it Actually is. I Own a couple of FENDER Guitars and an Epiphone Guitar, I am here to tell you, This Gretsch Guitar is every bit as Nice and Plays just as Nice as any of my other Guitars, the Difference being this is a Hollow Body Guitar and you can certainly Hear the Difference over Solid Body Guitars and that was what I was Looking For. I enjoys many types of Music, Classic 60's, 70's 80's Rock and Country, Blues and Blue Grass. I do Believe This Guitar would Play ANY of those Genra's Very Well. It can Play Old Country Twang to Today's Shredding if one wanted to. The Range of this Guitar in my Opinion is just Incredible. Beginner or Professional, I do Believe this Guitar would Serve Any of them Very Well.Sandy

Beautifully crafted, lightweight guitar with 2 awesome P90 version pickups. Thin neck gives easy playability. An absolute stunner yo look at and just as good to play. Feels light but solidly built to last with the majority of playing styles. Great for a aspiring guitarist or a seasoned professional. Go try one you won't be disappointed.Jason W.

Overall: I have been looking at the G2655 for several months, debating between the G2622 and the G2655. Both have center block construction, but I decided to try the G2655, given it's a tad differently shaped. It is a smaller bodied guitar, about the size of a Les Paul DC, I'm guessing. A 'blemished' one was available, so I took a chance. If there's actually a blemish, it would be the pickguard, which belied a little bit of use. Other than that, I could not, nor could my Tech/Luthier, find any flaws in the fit and finish. It took little or no setup, just a tweak here, a tweak there, and it was good to go.It's size is a bit deceiving, in that you are not expecting as powerful of voice, regardless of the Broad-Trons that are in it. Given its size it is a tad more trebly, but not in a bad way. I sort of like to think of it in terms of it being low/mid baritone, (beginning at "mi" in the baritone voice), to full tenor. It is concise, articulate, and full bodied in sound. The neck is fast, plays like butter, and is extremely comfortable. The controls are sensitive and responsive, and in the standard Gretsch layout. Whether the V tailstop has any sonic benefit, I really cannot tell at this juncture, but it is an aesthetically pleasing look. Mine is a the Jade Gray Metallic which matches my G2622.I Love the Broad-Trons, because they handle clean fabulously, and yet, you can hear that growl, just behind the clean, waiting to be let loose. I play through a JVM410, so even using the clean channel, I have 3 stages of gain, which, allow the Broad-Trons to really show their stuff. Kick into Crunch, (3rd gain stage), and get ready to melt faces. The sound cuts like a knife through the air, full, robust, and sizzling.Here in a week, the G2655 will get it's test, when we play in a multi-band rock and roll show. I have a notion, people are going to have the same surprised look on their faces, when I strike that first note or chord, wondering where that amazing sound is coming from and how it can be coming from this "little" sweet Gretsch.Mikki

I've been playing this guitar regularly for the past six months and am very happy with my purchase. The pickups sound fantastic, my drummer immediately complimented the sound and said it delivered the mid-range he had been missing from my rig. All three pickup positions sound different from each other, and they all sound clear and punchy. The guitar itself is fairly light; I experienced a bit of neck dive so I bought a suede guitar strap to help me keep it level when standing up. The volume knob under the neck pickup will reduce volume to about halfway but does not completely kill the volume (I would prefer a master volume in this position so I could fully roll down the volume on a middle pickup selection with one knob, but not really a big deal). The color (gunmetal grey or something like that) is beautiful in person and takes on slightly different hues, depending on the light. Overall, this is probably one of the better performers in the semi-hollow category. It can take overdrive/gain fairly well (although you might get some unpleasant feedback, depending on the pedal/amp). I was able to source a specific case for this online for a decent price.lipperskip

I find a guitar to be very nice. Theres a slight reverberation in the E Sting against the fret board. Other than that I find the guitar in excellent condition. It plays well. This is my first Gretsch. Ive owned Gibsons les Pauls and others. This is a well made instrument. Reminds me of the Guitars used by the Stray Cats.kriyayogi108

New 'Gretsch' Guitars Are Now Made By 'Fender'; Which Is Why They All Sound Like 'Telecasters' – AND Are Cheaper. If LOOKING Like A 'Gretsch' Is All You Seek, Knock Yourself Out. But If You Want An ACTUAL Gretsch Guitar, Buy An Old One. These Imitations Are A Rip-Off In My Humble Opinion. THIS Is A 'Fender'.ec80-a

You always have to adjust the bridge before you play a fresh hollowbody. Just like a violin, you adjust your bridge almost right above the soundpost to achieve tone, stability, and intonation. If you don't even know how to take care of a hollowbody vs a solid body. LEARN. Don't complain like this dud below. Btw, it's a MIK (Made in Korea), which means it takes 4,000 miles to reach the East coast, and if came in perfect condition in the package, you're the luckiest player to own such a beautiful instrumentDYO