The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: uwe on December 27, 2012, 08:14:51 AM
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Edith has endowed ze Kölleckschün with a brand that had not yet graced it, what a lovely surprise:
"The G5440LS Electromatic Hollow Body Long-Scale Bass is a stylishly seismic new Gretsch bass guitar armed with two powerful new “Black Top” Filter’Tron™ bass pickups that endow it with an electrifying deep-end voice and identity.
Its single-cutaway hollow and bound body resonates with full bass tone and balance, and features sound-post bracing and elegant bound f holes. Other features include a maple neck, bound rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and hump-block pearloid inlays, three-position pickup switch, classic “G” arrow control knobs, rosewood-based four-saddle Adjusto-Matic™ bridge and “G”-cutout tailpiece. Available in Black and Orange."
Mine is an orange one like this (and looks even better than on this pic!)
(http://media.fmicdirect.com/gretsch/images/products/guitars/2518000512_alt_wlg_001.jpg)
It's long scale and utterly sustain block-less which I like. Previously, the short scale size of many other Gretsches has held me back and I found the long-scale Falcon a bit too overdecorated/ZZ-Top'ish for my taste. It's Korean-made and the workmanship is flawless. Love the sound which is even more semi-acoustic than a Gibson Les Paul Sig and puts a Ric 4005 and the Gibson semi-acoustics with all the way thru (back to top) sustain blocks to shame. Neck pup is full and phat, bridge pup brings mid-bite without being thin.
Marco of the Session Music Store in Frankfurt who gave Edith the tip for this one (initially, she wanted to buy a Sandberg, Marco talked her out of it: "Uwe hates anything Fender looking ..." :mrgreen:, in fact I wouldn't have minded a Sandberg at all, variety is the spice of life) plays mine in this vid (the colors are all wrong though, the orange of the bass is a lot more wood-tone and is translucent), but talks mostly about it ("don't slap with it, it's a crime)". The plonky sounds at the beginning are owed to overdampening by Marco, but towards the end of the vid at 3.44 he gets out the pick and that is then how it pretty much sounds when the neck pup is either off or dialed (mostly) down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rLTLOLydG1I
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I do like the looks of those.
Back in the day I wanted one of the big Gretsch hollowbodies in the two-tone smoke green finish.
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The look is breathtaking, pretty much like Edith! :)
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Impressive sounding both at the start and end of the video.
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He's playing a 5123, which is the short scale model I have! I agree, the orange is classically Gretsch lovely. Although the 5123 has ThunderTrons and the 5440 has FilterTrons, I doubt the difference is drastic between them. If the 5440 follows form with the 5123, it's also a deeper body than most...something that required an extra-long strap in my case.
Wonderful new acquisition, Uwe!!! I hope it finds a permanent home in ze Kollekschun.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Gretsch%20G5123B/P1010112-1.jpg)
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Lucky man (wife and instrument) ;)
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He's playing a 5123, which is the short scale model I have! I agree, the orange is classically Gretsch lovely. Although the 5123 has ThunderTrons and the 5440 has FilterTrons, I doubt the difference is drastic between them. If the 5440 follows form with the 5123, it's also a deeper body than most...something that required an extra-long strap in my case.
Wonderful new acquisition, Uwe!!! I hope it finds a permanent home in ze Kollekschun.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Gretsch%20G5123B/P1010112-1.jpg)
Huh, what Marco is playing looks long scale to me (and mine certainly is, I believe he played my specimen for the vid), aren't the short scale sister models double cutaway?
(http://media.fmicdirect.com/gretsch/images/products/guitars/2518002506_alt_wlg_001.jpg)
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Yes, you are a lucky man, Uwe. (not for the bass)...
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My 5123 is shown in my shot - it's medium scale but definitely not double cut.
The 5440 is a later model, and I believe there are versions in both long and short scale. (Note that your model number is 5440LS for long scale) The G5123B is definitely 32" medium scale, but it's a LONG instrument - overall from tip to tip, it's longer than my 34" scale Casady.
The label on the video indicates that it's a 5123 But I can assure you that playing a 32" scale Gretsch is a very nice experience. The only real difference in sound should be the pickups. I have a pair of FilterTrons upstairs I've never used, but Dr. Bassman had FilterTrons in one of his projects and can offer an opinion.
About the only thing on my "to do" list for the 5123 is a stronger set of springs under the neck pickup - when it's well adjusted it's far enough out that it wiggles a little bit when I brace my thumb on its side. Not a problem, but stronger springs under it would hold it a bit more firmly.
AH! Found it! Here's the G5442BDC...as far as I can tell, it's the same as the 5440 but shorter scale (30");
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/gretsch-guitars-g5442bdc-electromatic-short-scale-hollowbody-bass
(http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/18/001/718/298/DV016_Jpg_Large_H86456000001000b.jpg)
I have no explanation for all of the Gretsch model numbers. Maybe they have some ex-CIA guy making up acronyms for them.
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Ironically, when I played mine first I thought it was medium sclae, it sure felt like it, but then my mind might have been tricking me because I assumed that all Gretsch semis were non-long-scale (I had forgotten about a long scale Falcon I once played at a Gretsch booth at a music fair).
So to clarify: You have the now deleted predecessor model to mine which seems to be identical except for the change in pups and the medium vs. long scale? Your bridge position certainly seems to be identical which is why I didn't even realize you were talking about a bass different to mine!
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Ironically, when I played mine first I thought it was medium sclae, it sure felt like it, but then my mind might have been tricking me because I assumed that all Gretsch semis were non-long-scale (I had forgotten about a long scale Falcon I once played at a Gretsch booth at a music fair).
So to clarify: You have the now deleted predecessor model to mine which seems to be identical except for the change in pups and the medium vs. long scale? Your bridge position certainly seems to be identical which is why I didn't even realize you were talking about a bass different to mine!
As an academic, I am pleased (and nearly obligated) to add detail which potentially can make this even more confusing.
Ahem..... :sad:
The 5123 model is not deleted or discontinued, although the orange color on that model is NLA! In the US, Gretsch made the 5123 available in late 2011 through Guitar Center as a stealth offering (one flyer for Thanksgiving 2011, no store or online ads). Evidently they wanted to see how it sold. It became the subject of a discussion on TB, which alerted me to it. I went to my local GC, told them about the bass and asked them to find me one. They got one from a store in Denver and I bought it sight unseen.
The GC outlets were only getting one each, but over time they kept appearing - when a GC would sell one, then another would appear in a week or so. This made it apparent that there was some kind of ongoing supply, and possibly more than one production run. Gretsch has done stuff like this before to test the market for a model they're considering putting into production.
This sell one - get one process went on until fall of 2012, when the 5123 suddenly appeared online and in the GC regular lineup with the price $100 higher, but no longer available in orange - only in burgundy.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/gretsch-guitars-g5123b-electromatic-electric-bass-guitar
So if you see a 5123 in orange, it's one of the early market test models. If it's in burgundy, it's a later version that's part of the regular inventory at GC, Musicians Friend, etc.
And yes, as far as I can tell from the info available, scale length and pickups are the only differences between the 5123 and the 5440 and variants. I am not sure how much difference there might be between these Electromatic models under $1000, and the high-zoot models like the Broadkaster and White Falcon which sell for more than twice as much. That's why I jumped on the 5123 - it appears to offer 90% or more of the characteristics of the top Gretsch models at less than 50% of the price.
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??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Ok, I always knew that getting a Gretsch would cause complications!!!
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From what I've read, it was the same way in the 50s. Just about everything was a transitional model.
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??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Ok, I always knew that getting a Gretsch would cause complications!!!
It's not a bug, it's a feature. You vill enjoy it, jah?
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Congratuliations Uwe!
Awesome present.
Edith rocks!
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She was cutely uncertain about it! "Do you really like it, not just the looks?" Marco in that vid had been raving so much about the look and "the vibe" and not really saying much about how it sounded at all, she was concerned it might only be a looker.
But in fact this bass sounds as good if not even better than my erstwhile "best-sounding semi", namely the Gibson Les Paul Signature. It will be interesting to hear the new Midnight in comparison.
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Delighted to hear it. I think mine also sounds fine - I did install light gauge Labella Deep Talkin' flats on it, although the factory rounds were decent. I've done the same for my Casady. They some different, of course, but both sound great.
I haven't had any feedback problems with the Gretsch, but I don't tend to play at extremely high volumes. I also know that I can step away from in front of the amp to mitigate any feedback problems.
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I don't play at huge volumes either unless I do it for fun at the end of the set or a good rehearsal to have the bass feedback leaned against the amp Alvin Lee style, dialing up the Ampeg full throttle. I think the top is too thick for it to be a real issue plus that bracing under the bridge. My "feedbackiest" bass is my one-off Super 400 Gibson acoustic bass with a - passive! - Piezo. That thing has a cigar box-thin top which lives and breathes with every note played, but immediately feedbacks at anything above the most demure living room volume.
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My "feedbackiest" bass is my one-off Super 400 Gibson acoustic bass
:o a Gibson acoustic bass?? could you post a pic for us, please?
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My "feedbackiest" bass is my one-off Super 400 Gibson acoustic bass
:o a Gibson acoustic bass?? could you post a pic for us, please?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/_ZEN6029.jpg)
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That is downright pretty. Are those gut strings, or is it just the light?
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crazy cool, Uwe! not sure how one forgets that bass :P, I'm sure you've posted pics before.
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At that point, it had a set of Thomastik acoustic strings on it, the ones with the silk inside. Those sounded nice, but they had so little pull the neck was too straight even with the trussrod fully relieved.
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I reviewed the 32" Gretsch and I love it. Very hard to send it back to Fender:( Love it! Maybe I reviewed the one of the store:) Great bass great looker and it even sounded good without much feedback on high volume with my band.
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I played it at the rehearsal and we played loud this time (after a longer break), no feedback issues at all, not even near. The front pup alone on its own is too deep/mushy to cut through in a rock band, but does fine work if dialed in at 3/4 and the bridge pup full throttle.
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There is a 1963 Gretsch 6070 on eBay (no affiliation) that looks in excellent original condition, and the starting price ($1,300) is low enough. Also has the original leather gig bag - important since this bass will not fit in any other gig bag you can find.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gretsch-Bass-1963-Country-Gentlemen-6070-/330853380703?pt=Guitar&hash=item4d0865f25f
Believe me, the new ones are nothing like the vintage MIA Gretsches.
If I didn't already own one, I'd be all over this one like white on rice.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vintage-Gretsch-Bass-1963-Country-Gentlemen-6070-/00/s/MTYwMFgxMTk1/$(KGrHqVHJF!FDH)CLo3(BQ5nSjDy4!~~60_57.JPG)
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STOP TEMPTING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sad:
Dangit.
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STOP TEMPTING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sad:
Dangit.
I've seen a few of these and every one had a massive neck. Ilan can probably confirm that. Just be aware.
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Yes, massive neck. Thick front-to-back and wide side-to-side, and feels like it's a 36" scale (it's really 34") because the bridge is at the center of the body and the neck is "pushed" out. You reach for the low G and your hand feels like it's low F on a Fender bass. And the fretboard is flat, not radiused at all. It's a beast.
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Thank you. The neck offset would be a non-starter for me.
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Still, after two hours playing upright, the old Gretsch feels like a mandolin :mrgreen:
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I can imagine! Are the older Gretsches deeper (front to back) through the body than normal...like the newer ones?
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Edit: That Gretsch has the loveliest drone feedback of all of my basses, period. I did get it to feedback eventually by turning my SVT three quarters up and holding it against the fridge 8x10 cap plus resting it on the 18" cab. The bass fought valiantly, but in the end surrendered to the laws of physics and a lovely musical drone ensued that never ever got nasty or squealish, you could always hear a note too. We were towards the end of our U2 cover With or Without You and I could have filled a stadium with that D/A/B Minor/G-drone forever.
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A totally exquisite bass. Gretsch rarely fails.
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I have to stop reading this topic:) Too tempting.
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Over time, I'm becoming persuaded that one could stock up on Gretsch basses and be prepared for just about anything. Not a cheap way to go, however.
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I rediscovered my Billy-Bo lately:)