Guitar question - Gretsch 5120 vs Gretsch 6120

[matei]

so for all those budding musicians...

Has anyone who plays the Gretsch Electromatic series guitars upgraded to the "pro" 6120 or White Falcon?

Is it worth it? or is it more or less the same.

Wondering about trading in my Rickenbacker 330 for a Gretsch 6120 or White Falcon. At the moment I have an Electromatic Gretsch 5125 which I use for gigs, but sort of wonder whether I should upgrade. The bass player keeps egging me on.

Hi... the 6120 is a better guitar overall than the Electromatic, however it depends on which variant. I've got a 6120 Hot Rod and a 6120 Setzer, and they're a more modern take on the bar-bridged 6120 that Chet Atkins made famous. They stay in tune better (locking tuners, Delrin nut) and have better pickups.

A 6120 is likely to have better pickups, made from better wood and have a different internal structure, plus better hardware.

Of course the sound is in your hands.

Gretsch quality control is pretty consistent, but the factory setups are usually not good. If you're in London, there is a Gretsch expert on Denmark Street (Regent Sounds), named Crispin.

[BlasterBates]

Know what you mean, someone once leant me their Les Paul just to play during a jam session and I was happier to get my Westbury, Les Paul "similar" back. Has brighter pick ups which I rather like. Still like to practice on this £100 guitar. Took it round to another guitarist once and he couldn't get enough of it, with distortion it sounded pretty brilliant, though I'm more of a "clean country/jazz" player, and the cheaper Gretsch is better than the Rickenbacker 330 but mainly because it's more suited to what I play. I must say though generally I like the Epiphones and it might be an idea to get an Epiphone Emporer Jazz guitar and upgrade the pickups and shove on a tremelo arm.

[Cliphead]

Had a couple of Les Paul Custom's in the collection as well as a Strat but the DBZ Bolero I bought last year blows them all away and a damn sight cheaper as well.

[KimberleyChris]

Yeah, a lot of people are beginning to see these big-name brands for what they are...all hype.

I know when I bought my present bass a few years back, in the shop were a reasonable S/H Fender Precision, and a brand new 'humble' Ibanez SR300FM.

Of course my eyes were drawn to the Fender, because of the name on the head.

But after playing one then the other a few times, I realised that the Ibanez was actually the superior instrument. There wasn't much in it, but with your eyes shut, the Ibanez just somehow felt and played better. So I bought it and I've never regretted it.

[BlasterBates]

Yup my feeling is there aint a lot of difference. Need to fink about it....hmmm

[TestMangler]

real men play whatever the hell they like.

And if they're real men, they'll like to play Strats.

[DS23]

Real men play Strats.

real men play whatever the hell they like.

[petergriffin]

Real men play Strats.

Only if the Strat is pre-CBS. I have never liked the single coil sound though.

[stek]

Don't take a 2700 quid Gretsch out to gigs...keep it at home and cuddle and polish it.

Are any of the numpties in the audience going to be able to tell the difference between the Gretsch and a similar Ibanez artcore??

Don't listen to bass players, we are all tossers.

Tradetang. Chinese, had two LP's for my lad, quality superb, badged as Gibbo's - honest, I feared the worst but the they're both A1, for 250 quid ea worth a punt - they do Rick copies and Gretsch copies too for the 350 quid mark, so far I've not been tempted but I know the LP's are really good. Copies. But throwaway and 95% as good as the real thang...

[KimberleyChris]

Don't take a 2700 quid Gretsch out to gigs...keep it at home and cuddle and polish it.

Are any of the numpties in the audience going to be able to tell the difference between the Gretsch and a similar Ibanez artcore??

Don't listen to bass players, we are all tossers.

[TestMangler]

Real men play Strats.

[mudskipper]

I hate to see a thread in general with no replies.

[BlasterBates]

so for all those budding musicians...

Has anyone who plays the Gretsch Electromatic series guitars upgraded to the "pro" 6120 or White Falcon?

Is it worth it? or is it more or less the same.

Wondering about trading in my Rickenbacker 330 for a Gretsch 6120 or White Falcon. At the moment I have an Electromatic Gretsch 5125 which I use for gigs, but sort of wonder whether I should upgrade. The bass player keeps egging me on.