Members The Rossness Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 I'm looking to get a tone similar to a Gretsch White Falcon, but I want to do it cheaply. What would be the best cheapo (under $500) Gretsch to get? No matter what guitar it was, swap out the PU's for better ones. any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D Carroll Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 http://www.rondomusic.com/wno675so.html And then add some TV Jones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 These are really nice guitars... find one used, get it on the cheap... http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-Artcore-Series-AF75TDG-Hollowbody-Electric-Guitar?sku=515742 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D Carroll Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 The bigsby import on the douglas is of a way higher quality than the Ibanez trem. Haven't played the douglas, so can't speak for build quality, but my gut leans ibanez on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akapuli Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 I'm looking to get a tone similar to a Gretsch White Falcon, but I want to do it cheaply. What would be the best cheapo (under $500) Gretsch to get? No matter what guitar it was, swap out the PU's for better ones. any suggestions? Forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen_Insane Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 Yeah, I've played a bunch of cheaper hollow bodies and they just don't sound the same. If you REALLY want that White Falcon sound, I'd say start saving now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Rossness Posted July 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 Yeah, I've played a bunch of cheaper hollow bodies and they just don't sound the same. If you REALLY want that White Falcon sound, I'd say start saving now. not gonna happen:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 Get a used Gretsch 5122 and swap in some Filtertrons. That's about as close as you're gonna get. The difficulty is there just isn't much out there in that price range with a 17" body of the proper thickness and a 25.5" scale. All kind of important elements to the Falcon sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EllenGtrGrl Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 +1 Lookswise, and sort of soundwise, your closest bet is the 5122. It may not be the right color, but it has a shape close to the double cutaway White Falcon. If you want the single cut version in white - there are a few white 5120s out there, but it'll take some patience to find them, since they are not being made in that color anymore, and not many were made. Realize that the 5120, and 5122 are 24.75" scale guitars. So they won't have the snap to their sound, that the White Falcon, with its 25.5" scale has. Also nothing sounds like filtertron, other than a filtertron. The GFS Retrotrons are sort of in the ballpark (and are a popular retrofit for cash strapped Gretschies), but they are not the same as a filtertron. TV Jones nail the sound, but be prepared to spend like $130 per pickup. If you're willing to scrounge, you can sometimes pick up used Hi-Sensitivity filtertrons (the Gretsch sourced OEM pickup) for quite a bit cheaper than TV Jones, but many players say the TV Jones sound better. Another thing to tell you (and I can vouch for this from first hand experience). Realize that a filtertron is NOT like a PAF-style humbucker. It's VERY underwound by comparison. It was designed for twang and clarity. It can crunch and snarl with the best of them, but that's with the gain really jacked. You can get higher output TV Jones versions (the TV Classic Plus, Powertron, and Powertron Plus come to mind), and they do up the grind and growl factor, but they aren't like (for example) a Bareknuckle Warpig. I'm just bringing this up, because, many players who try out a filtertron equipped guitar for the first time, often end up being underwhelmed by pickups. Personally I prefer dynasonics equipped Gretsches, due to them being punchier sounding. Realize that White Falcons also have also come loaded with dynasonic pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ital_Stal Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 Get a used Gretsch 5122 and swap in some Filtertrons. +1. id grab a duo jet and do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 You can get stock Gretsch Hi-Sens Filtertrons on ebay. For $105 shipped you can buy the pair from this guy. If you play with moderate to high gain, you'll not notice a lot of difference between them and TV Jones Classics, IMHO. You need to fashion hillbilly mounts to get them in a humbucker ring, but it's not hard or expensive to do. And if you think Filtertrons are low output (and they are), you should check out a vintage Hi-Lo Tron. A whopping 3k impedance typically! But there's a chime and clarity (even with lots of gain) that you get with that low output that nothing else will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 if you're looking for "on the cheap" and you want a great guitar...at least try out the Ibanez...has a really cool vibe to it...and sounds really good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cobalt Blue Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 Peerless Gigmaster Custom The Peerless factory has built guitars for Gretsch and for Peavey. Here's the well-regarded Peavey Rockingham. (I do not know if there is a white model.) I don't know if Peerless makes (made?) the Jay Turser Colonel 140, but I lean toward thinking that it does/did, because some Carlos Robelli models were manufactured by Peerless. Reviews for the Turser Colonel are very favorable: http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Jay+Turser/JT-140+Colonel+Hollow+Body/10/1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted July 21, 2010 Members Share Posted July 21, 2010 I would vote Peerless (or any of that factory's product) too, or the Gretsch 5xxx series (providing you're not a lefty... I think the recently released Tim Armstrong sig model is the first southpaw Gretsch have released in its affordable line). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Rossness Posted July 22, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 22, 2010 Peerless Gigmaster Custom The Peerless factory has built guitars for Gretsch and for Peavey. Here's the well-regarded Peavey Rockingham. (I do not know if there is a white model.) I don't know if Peerless makes (made?) the Jay Turser Colonel 140, but I lean toward thinking that it does/did, because some Carlos Robelli models were manufactured by Peerless. Reviews for the Turser Colonel are very favorable: http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Jay+Turser/JT-140+Colonel+Hollow+Body/10/1 Yeah, I don't need it to be white. Actually I think the coolest looking gretsch is the Irish Falcon (geen and gold). I played a new Epi Emperor swingster today and thought it got close sound wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 22, 2010 Members Share Posted July 22, 2010 Bono was playing an Irish Falcon when I saw U2 last fall...awesome guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted July 22, 2010 Members Share Posted July 22, 2010 Peerless aren't cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members surferbeto Posted July 22, 2010 Members Share Posted July 22, 2010 What about (Chinese-made) Arbor guitars like this one?http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Arbor/AJ140+Gretsch+Style/10/1 http://www.arborguitars.net/guitars-cat.cfm?CategoryID=3 They are dirt cheap and have drawn pretty favorable reviews. One is currently offered in my town for under $200. I'm tempted to appease the Gods of Rockabilly and make an impulse buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimtalkbox Posted July 22, 2010 Members Share Posted July 22, 2010 Eastwood Guitars The Classic 6 is sort of a double cutaway Gretsch (and from what I hear, pretty good pickups). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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