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Re: Gretsch purchase

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Posted by Marc (from: adsl-141-155-149-84.nyc.adsl.bellatlantic.net) on February 04, 2001 at 17:31:21:

In Reply to: Re: Gretsch purchase posted by frank s on January 30, 2001 at 10:29:02:

Gretsch quality was very inconsistent - maybe better now, made by Terada in Japan.
(Actually a Terada copy of the Gretsch with the Gretsch name on the headstock.
The original Filter-rons look the same but now have ceramic magnets. The originals
were made with Alnico - far superior and much more expensive. T. V. Jones makes
a proper FilterTron style pickup... at $120 a pop)

After the Beatles hit the states in 1964, the Gretsch factory in Brooklyn was swamped
with orders and the quality fell oomewhat. Then in the 70's Baldwin all but sabotaged
the company, similar to what CBS did to Fender.

The Gretsch golden years were the mid 50's to 1963.

Still, many of those guitars have necks which need resetting. The original truss rods
were not very well anchored and chewed into the wood in the neck. I got a great deal
on a 1963 Double Anniversary with FilterTrons (old but not original). The neck was shot
but a good repair shop in NY, for a mere $300, did a beautiful job on this guitar and
now it plays and sounds like a dream.

I played some of the new ones on 48th Street. No comparison. Not even close - in sound,
feel, or weight, though they look the same as the originals.

__________ Marc

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Comments:
: Gretsch quality was very inconsistent - maybe better now, made by Terada in Japan. : (Actually a Terada copy of the Gretsch with the Gretsch name on the headstock. : The original Filter-rons look the same but now have ceramic magnets. The originals : were made with Alnico - far superior and much more expensive. T. V. Jones makes : a proper FilterTron style pickup... at $120 a pop) : After the Beatles hit the states in 1964, the Gretsch factory in Brooklyn was swamped : with orders and the quality fell oomewhat. Then in the 70's Baldwin all but sabotaged : the company, similar to what CBS did to Fender. : The Gretsch golden years were the mid 50's to 1963. : Still, many of those guitars have necks which need resetting. The original truss rods : were not very well anchored and chewed into the wood in the neck. I got a great deal : on a 1963 Double Anniversary with FilterTrons (old but not original). The neck was shot : but a good repair shop in NY, for a mere $300, did a beautiful job on this guitar and : now it plays and sounds like a dream. : I played some of the new ones on 48th Street. No comparison. Not even close - in sound, : feel, or weight, though they look the same as the originals. : __________ Marc

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