The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: 66Atlas on August 24, 2016, 04:16:15 PM

Title: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: 66Atlas on August 24, 2016, 04:16:15 PM
Sorry if this has already been posted but I just came across this. 

http://www.gretschguitars.com/blog/artists-blogs/gretsch-announces-the-tom-petersson-signature-basses/

I had been hoping that they would officially make one available.  Of course, I will probably need to sell a kidney to afford one. :-\
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Pilgrim on August 24, 2016, 04:35:56 PM
I'm safe.  I like Gretsch but have no interest in more than 4 strings.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: chromium on August 24, 2016, 05:00:40 PM
Of course, I will probably need to sell a kidney to afford one. :-\

Thought I saw reference somewhere that pricing on those would land in the $10-16K range(!).  If so, that pretty much guarantees it'll be a rarity right out of the gate. 

Should've called it the 'White Whale'  :o
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: 66Atlas on August 24, 2016, 05:15:09 PM
Shhheeesh! in that case I'll need to sell 4 kidneys.  Anyone have one I can "borrow"?  :o
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: godofthunder on August 24, 2016, 06:24:58 PM
    The pickups are mudbucker in disguise, I supplied examples to Andy Babuick who consulted on the project.  We had a extensive discussion about mudbucker and the baritone switch.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on August 24, 2016, 09:17:42 PM
I'm safe.  I like Gretsch but have no interest in more than 4 strings.

You didn't read far enough, they'll be offering a 4 string version. It won't be a custom shop version..

    The pickups are mudbucker in disguise, I supplied examples to Andy Babuick who consulted on the project.  We had a extensive discussion about mudbucker and the baritone switch.

The story says they're custom Seymour Duncan SuperTrons. I saw an earlier article around the time of the Summer NAMM show that had a direct front view. They look like the TV Jones SuperTron, a twin blade design. Granted, you can't tell what's underneath, could be a sidewinder design, but I can't see how anything that small could be a mudbucker.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: amptech on August 25, 2016, 12:08:29 AM
I can't see how anything that small could be a mudbucker.

Pretty small! I might have posted this before, but two years ago I wanted to see if I could make a mini mudbucker for the bridge position on my EB3. At the time, small enough Alnico bars was not readily available over here, so I bought two cheap mini humbuckers with Alnico magnets and a firebird cover with no holes. I had to use super thin plastic for the top/bottom of the bobbin to make room for enough wire to get it in mud area. It ended up 27K ohm, and is louder than a normal mud - but a lot brighter. It took forever to build, but sounds fantastic!

(http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae259/sjokoladen/P8130683_zps7qszt2j9.jpg) (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/sjokoladen/media/P8130683_zps7qszt2j9.jpg.html)
(http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae259/sjokoladen/P4180480_zps4e154d0e.jpg) (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/sjokoladen/media/P4180480_zps4e154d0e.jpg.html)(http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae259/sjokoladen/P4200483_zps9eada0b4.jpg) (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/sjokoladen/media/P4200483_zps9eada0b4.jpg.html)

Sorry for hijacking the thread!

Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: godofthunder on August 25, 2016, 05:42:29 AM
    Hmmmmmm I never saw the finished product, just gave Andy the pickups maybe they went in a different direction. Come to think of it Andy's White Falcon has a big mudbucker like unit. I'll see if I can dig up a picture.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: chromium on August 25, 2016, 06:53:16 AM
It took forever to build, but sounds fantastic!

That's slick!  8)  The bridge pickup in my EB-3 is like "treble garnish" to the mudbucker... but on its own, pretty useless.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: 66Atlas on August 25, 2016, 07:44:31 AM
Now that would be a fun mod to stick into a Les Paul bass humbucker sized pickup.  I like the TB+ fine but it would be cool to pair one with a little mudbucker like that I bet.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Basvarken on August 25, 2016, 10:29:57 AM
Very cool! A mini mudbucker  :toast:
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on August 25, 2016, 10:40:10 AM
Let's not get our terms confused here. The mudbucker is so called because of its tone, not its sidewinder construction. A sidewinder can be much smaller than a Gibson mudbucker. The Ripper pickups are sidewinders and they aren't muddy or large. The Bicentennial Firebird pickups were Bill Lawrence-designed sidewinders and Bill also sold a sidewinder for steel guitars for years. Neither of them were muddy.

Here's a neat compact sidewinder (http://www.cycfi.com/2014/09/sidewinder/) design.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on August 25, 2016, 10:45:17 AM
    Hmmmmmm I never saw the finished product, just gave Andy the pickups maybe they went in a different direction. Come to think of it Andy's White Falcon has a big mudbucker like unit. I'll see if I can dig up a picture.

Here's the earlier article (https://www.gearnews.com/gretsch-tom-petersson-signature-basses/) with the clearer view of the pickups.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Pilgrim on August 25, 2016, 10:48:47 AM
You didn't read far enough, they'll be offering a 4 string version. It won't be a custom shop version..

The story says they're custom Seymour Duncan SuperTrons. I saw an earlier article around the time of the Summer NAMM show that had a direct front view. They look like the TV Jones SuperTron, a twin blade design. Granted, you can't tell what's underneath, could be a sidewinder design, but I can't see how anything that small could be a mudbucker.

Dangit!  Back in jeopardy...nah. Between the Coug bass and my ThunderJet, I'm covered.

I do love the 50's names Gretsch gives their pickups...as Dave noted...

Middle pickup (Seymour Duncan® Super’Tron).
Neck pickup all-new Rumble’Tron.

Ya gotta love those names. They'd fit right in with Oldsmobile's Hydra-Matic transmission, Chevy's Powerglide, Buick's Air Poise suspension, Lincoln's Invincible 8 engine, and Chrysler's Hydraguide power steering and Firepower V-8.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: godofthunder on August 26, 2016, 10:17:24 AM
   Just checked Andy's fb page his White Falcon bass has a very mudbucker looking pickup in it. I'll ask him about it next chance I get.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on August 26, 2016, 01:34:22 PM
   Just checked Andy's fb page his White Falcon bass has a very mudbucker looking pickup in it. I'll ask him about it next chance I get.

Just looked at it. Now that looks nice! Obviously Gretsch didn't go with it for the "production" CS model.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: godofthunder on August 27, 2016, 07:04:21 AM
  Here is a picture of Andy's Custom shop White Falcon. The pickup is described as 33k with a baritone switch. Sounds like a mudbucker to me. lol (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/Andy%20white%20falcon_zpsgwvwhuqh.jpg)
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on August 27, 2016, 09:29:38 AM
Must be. And it looks like the black plastic cover, unless that's some odd reflection.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: chromium on August 29, 2016, 10:44:26 PM
Wow - that one's a looker!  Cool bass  8)

Electronics on that do look like a EB-2 type of an affair.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Lightyear on September 05, 2016, 09:54:02 AM
Saw a teaser the other night for Cheap Trick appearing on Daryl's House -Tom Petersson was playing this bass in the commercial.  Some of the guests he has on the show make we scratch my head - Billy Gibbons comes to mind.  The show is up on the site - episode 75. 
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Alanko on September 05, 2016, 01:44:31 PM
Looks like the mudbucker has a clear cover, and the coils are wrapped in black tape?
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: D.M.N. on September 14, 2016, 11:23:39 PM
It's actually a gold plastic cover I believe, although it might actually be a black top with gold surround, it's hard to tell from the reflection. But I think it's all gold. Here's Tom doing a Q&A at a Gretsch exhibition demoing his new basses, he brings the 4 string out at around the 30 minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFEcHnx2m4Y&ab_channel=smauge


Here's a more short and sweet version, just playing, no talking, 4 string around the 7:10 minute mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1xfZm3TBvg&ab_channel=smauge


EDIT: Turns out is is black with gold surround:

(http://www.mixdownmag.com.au/sites/default/files/images/G6136B-TP-AWT%20Tom%20Petersson%20Signature%204-String%20Bass.jpg)
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: cheyenne on October 09, 2016, 07:34:36 AM
I saw the "Live at Daryl's House" episode. He does indeed play it on the show. He's produced way down in the mix though.  :P
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Lightyear on October 09, 2016, 07:44:20 AM
I tried to watch it - I think the producers are really pushing the envelope for poor Daryl  :o  The Cheap Trick show was almost as bad as the one with Billy Gibbons - some types of music just don't fit in with Daryl's skill set....
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: 4stringer77 on October 11, 2016, 08:15:33 AM
So the mudbucker is back in a current production bass and it's Gretsch instead of Gibson that brings it back? What bollocks!
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on October 11, 2016, 06:20:13 PM
So the mudbucker is back in a current production bass and it's Gretsch instead of Gibson that brings it back? What bollocks!

There's no reason to think that a mudbucker will be on the production bass. Nothing on the Gretsch website yet other than the blog post (http://www.gretschguitars.com/blog/artists-blogs/gretsch-announces-the-tom-petersson-signature-basses/) from June which says the pickups are Seymour Duncan SuperTrons.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: 4stringer77 on October 11, 2016, 07:12:05 PM
It's the all new rumble'tron in the neck position of the 4 string short scale, same as what's in the vids D.M.N. posted.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on October 11, 2016, 07:22:49 PM
Rumble'Tron, I like that. What makes you think that the bass in the video is a production bass?
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: 4stringer77 on October 12, 2016, 03:57:30 AM
I guess we won't know for sure until someone gets their hands on one. It seems logical that the bass he demos, with the pickup that matches the one pictured in the blog, would be the same. What doesn't seem logical, is that Gretsch would expect to sell many basses with such a non modern sounding pickup. Maybe Scott can clear up the confusion?
*edit: I realize the pic of the four string wasn't from the original blog. All the same, it still seems like the rumbletron will be a mudbucker based on it's description and the available images.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Pilgrim on October 12, 2016, 12:50:16 PM
Ya gotta love Gretsch pickup names.  They are still in the 50's terminology mode.
Title: Re: Tom Petersson Gretsch
Post by: Dave W on October 12, 2016, 08:08:04 PM
Ya gotta love Gretsch pickup names.  They are still in the 50's terminology mode.

No problem, I'm still in the 50s terminology mode.  :)