Members table Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Is there a poor-man's version of a Gretsch? Such as Gibson/Epiphone or Fender/Squier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bluesidae Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Check out a Tokai. I have a 335 with a Bigsby. Just what the doctor ordered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triumphant_gleam Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 The Electromatic range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angus_old Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 the Gretsch Electromatics are their 'poor' man's line. MF has one for $5-600 now. Eastwood makes a couple Gretschish things, and Rondo has a couple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by triumphant_gleam The Electromatic range. +1. Very nice guitars, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Rondo Music used to have an Orange archtop electric called a Cool Cat Prestige that put my White Falcon to shame. It sold for around 450.00 and had gold plated hardware and a Bigsby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Caliban Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 I had a oldtimer pick up my Ibanez AFS75T and say "I love this Gretsch" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triumphant_gleam Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by lowbrow +1. Very nice guitars, too. Yeah I've played a couple and I thought they were way better than the Gibsons in that price range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t60 fan Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by guitarcapo Rondo Music used to have an Orange archtop electric called a Cool Cat Prestige that put my White Falcon to shame. It sold for around 450.00 and had gold plated hardware and a Bigsby. Wonder if Kurt will be bringing those back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackamo Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Electromatic - here's one I got recently I don't know if I call it poor man's or not - with case it still set me back $600+tax It is however a VERY nice guitar. Still struggling with the floating TOM bridge / Bigsby combination...lube has helped, but I think I'll have to look into graphtec saddles. If you don't care about the vibrato bar, some Electromatics have gone sub $300 I think, excluding case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slomo Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 The Electromatic's sell used on ebay for as little as $150-200 without a bigsby. Keep an eye on ebay, not as many bidders for Electros as there are for tele's and strat's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by triumphant_gleam The Electromatic range. Bingo. I got this solidbody Gretsch 'Lectro used on ebay for $235: Also, the discontinued DeArmond setnecks with the single coils can get into Gretsch territory on the cheap, particularly the M-75T and M-77T: DeArmond also made hollow or semi-hollow guitars with the same pickups: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by jackamo Still struggling with the floating TOM bridge / Bigsby combination...lube has helped, but I think I'll have to look into graphtec saddles. I've been working on mine that I installed a B7 on. I have a roller Wilkinsen bridge coming that I hope will eliminate the last of the tuning problems. Unfortunately, while I like the looks of the B7, it really puts the mechanics of the Bigsby in about the same place as the factory installed B50. The placement is, in my opinion, a fundamental design flaw and will never properly return to pitch as it comes from Gretsch. There is only around an inch between the tension bar and the bridge, and you need a minimum of two inches to get the proper string angle over the saddles. I think it could be made to work, removing the actual roller part of the tension bar helps the string angle some, and hopefully roller saddles will help too. If I was gonna recommend one of these to someone in the future, it would be to buy the hard tail version, get your own B50 Bigsby and install it at least an inch further back than the factory job (minimum 2" back from the bridge). Then, it would work well, except the stock bridge (and it's saddles) wobble too much for my taste. A B3 might also work, it would certainly stay in tune well, but I worry that there isn't enough string angle over the bridge to keep the strings properly in place. I might remove my tension bar all together some day and try that, as it's effectively the same thing as a B3 Bigsby then. Keep me updated on your progress and I'll do the same.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angus_old Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by lowbrow I think it could be made to work, removing the actual roller part of the tension bar helps the string angle some, and hopefully roller saddles will help too. could you just run the strings over the bar and not have to remove it? that's how i have mine set up but it's the horseshoe kind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by onbongos could you just run the strings over the bar and not have to remove it? that's how i have mine set up but it's the horseshoe kind I was trying to keep them under the bar to see if it could work. There is no effective difference between mine in the photo and the horseshoe kind except mine has a tail piece. Same geometry. So, by running the strings over the bar on yours, did it.. A) Solve the tuning instability?B) Cause any problems with strings jumping out of the notches on their saddles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members waitrose Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 german-made Duesenberg guitars very good value for money, semi-hollow, much cheaper in Europe, at least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackamo Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by lowbrow Keep me updated on your progress and I'll do the same.... Will do... I found on my second change of strings that the wound strings were actually digging into the saddles a bit. Smoothed as best I could with some sandpaper, and applied lube. It really made a noticeable difference. Strings have sat for a couple weeks with no gigs until NewYearsEve, it seems to be back to pretty close to where it was, although I haven't inspected closely, I will probably re-lube for the next show... Actually, many times it stays in tune perfectly, as long as I'm not hammering down on it -- just don't want to take the risk in mid-set if I don't have to... So yeah, if I can find the right fitting graphtec saddles, that'll be my next try -- I figure if the lube helped a bit, the graphtecs should make it acceptable for me...but your route of fixed bridge roller saddles is probably best - I just don't want to get that invasive if I don't have to... Great tip on purchasing the non-bigsby and installing your own though - wish I had heard it sooner... Also interested in the onbongos answer to your questions, as perhaps I might give that a shot as well. It's just bad design really, still a high quality instrument IMO. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guttermouth Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by Brian Krashpad Also, the discontinued DeArmond setnecks with the single coils can get into Gretsch territory on the cheap, particularly the M-75T and M-77T: +1 Great guitars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by jackamo ... fixed bridge roller saddles is probably best - I just don't want to get that invasive if I don't have to...... The one I have coming was $25 shipped and I'm almost 100% sure will be a drop in replacement. I'm hoping all I need to do is loosen strings, remove old bridge, drop new one in and then retune and adjust action/intonation. If so, I'll post a link to the ebay seller I got it from. And...listed new today on MF is a Blem 5120 in sunburst pretty damn good deal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackamo Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Originally posted by lowbrow The one I have coming was $25 shipped and I'm almost 100% sure will be a drop in replacement. I'm hoping all I need to do is loosen strings, remove old bridge, drop new one in and then retune and adjust action/intonation. If so, I'll post a link to the ebay seller I got it from... you say it will drop right on the posts - no drilling and screwing? If so, yeah I'd be interested in hearing about that... I thought I remembered you having concerns that the radius or string spacing, or something of the like might not match..? My memory's not the best though. Looking forward to hearing if it works out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rocktoe Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 I like my Electromatic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted December 28, 2006 Members Share Posted December 28, 2006 Honestly, I'm not sure about radius, but I'm less concerned about that. This seller had good specs in the listing and I took the guitar with me to the GF's last weekend so I could use her micrometer on the original bridge and string spacing. So far, looks like it'll be a drop in fit....slide the old one off the posts, slide the new one on. The posts may or may not interchange, I dunno....dunno if I plan on replacing those....either way, I'll report when I get it on there. Originally posted by jackamo you say it will drop right on the posts - no drilling and screwing?If so, yeah I'd be interested in hearing about that...I thought I remembered you having concerns that the radius or string spacing, or something of the like might not match..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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