The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: Bubbalou88 on October 11, 2020, 02:57:07 AM

Title: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Bubbalou88 on October 11, 2020, 02:57:07 AM
Bought a 2020 Gretsch  G5440LSB Hollowbody bass. Love this bass.
Pleasantly different than my Fender, and ESP basses

https://imgur.com/gallery/1dLSDtc

Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: morrow on October 11, 2020, 08:32:09 AM
Well howdy !
Nobody does orange like Gretsch .
Beauty !
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Granny Gremlin on October 11, 2020, 08:39:38 AM
Those are always fun when I see them in a store.  Congrats.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Dave W on October 11, 2020, 08:58:43 PM
Nice! I really like the pickup placement too.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Bubbalou88 on October 13, 2020, 01:10:14 AM
Thanks all of you. I am enjoying this bass quite a bit. Love the tone plucking the strings on the neck with TI Jazz Flats for that sorta upright sound. I went ahead and put TV Jones Thundertron Pickups in it as I knew from previous experience  with his guitar pickups were good. These exceeded all expectations. Good String to string balance, strong clear lows, mids and smooth sweet highs
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Pilgrim on October 13, 2020, 01:29:05 PM
Real Gretsch lover here.  Lovely bass!  Enjoy. That one won't grow old, you'll just like it more and more.

It's a wonder that Gretsch doesn't get more respect. Nice instruments!
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: slinkp on October 13, 2020, 02:38:48 PM
Those are really pretty.
What's the control layout?
It's got one knob way off by itself!
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Rob on October 13, 2020, 05:02:39 PM
Really nice!
Congrats
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Dave W on October 13, 2020, 08:32:15 PM
Quote from: Pilgrim on October 13, 2020, 01:29:05 PM
...

It's a wonder that Gretsch doesn't get more respect. Nice instruments!

I think Gretsch has earned a lot of respect under Fender's management. Before that, the brand was a non-factor in the market for a number of years, and even after Fred Gretsch started it up again it was limited.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: doombass on October 14, 2020, 12:55:25 AM
Quote from: slinkp on October 13, 2020, 02:38:48 PM
What's the control layout?

Volume/Volume/Tone

Quote from: slinkp on October 13, 2020, 02:38:48 PM
It's got one knob way off by itself!

I believe that's a master volume control.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Bubbalou88 on October 14, 2020, 06:07:27 AM
That is correct. Master Volume
The other three are Neck volume, bridge volume and tone and of course the familiar 3 way pickup selector switch. All pots are 500k audio and tone cap is .022ufd which is a bit unusual for bass but I am liking its "no mud" approach the more I play it
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Pilgrim on October 14, 2020, 10:18:54 AM
Quote from: Bubbalou88 on October 14, 2020, 06:07:27 AM
That is correct. Master Volume
The other three are Neck volume, bridge volume and tone and of course the familiar 3 way pickup selector switch. All pots are 500k audio and tone cap is .022ufd which is a bit unusual for bass but I am liking its "no mud" approach the more I play it

Yup, Gretsch does their own thing with the function and placement of control knobs.  They tend to have a cleaner, brighter sound, which is probably why I like them best with dead flats.  Kinda balances them out sound-wise.

Thanks for the note on the pots. I have a Dean Cabbie that I dropped FIltertrons into, and it needs a change of pots and cap.  That helps me identify options.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Bubbalou88 on November 17, 2020, 05:23:38 AM
Since posting I put a set of GHS Pressure Wounds on it and so far (4th week) I really like them.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: patman on November 18, 2020, 10:23:50 AM
I tried the pressurewounds.

I really liked them also.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Pilgrim on November 18, 2020, 01:36:18 PM
Quote from: patman on November 18, 2020, 10:23:50 AM
I tried the pressurewounds.

I really liked them also.

Interesting. Some of the reviews of pressurewounds say they look like rounds but don't create the "zing" sound when moving fingers quickly up and down the strings.  Is that true?
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: gearHed289 on November 19, 2020, 08:29:56 AM
I like pressure wound better then ground wound. Even though the ground strings are "flatter", I found the pressure wounds to be smoother. If you think about the process, it makes sense. I haven't used either in years, but now I'm thinking about trying some PW on my fretless. I've always used rounds on fretless. My bass has an ebonol fingerboard (bowling ball material), so it takes the abuse pretty well.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Bubbalou88 on December 27, 2020, 10:35:26 AM
Quote from: Pilgrim on November 18, 2020, 01:36:18 PM
Interesting. Some of the reviews of pressurewounds say they look like rounds but don't create the "zing" sound when moving fingers quickly up and down the strings.  Is that true?

They have less zing than rounds and much easier to dial out finger noises without mud to the mix

Sorry guys I will check more often. Been a hard 2 months after major spine surgery
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Rob on December 27, 2020, 12:24:53 PM
Quote from: Bubbalou88 on December 27, 2020, 10:35:26 AM
They have less zing than rounds and much easier to dial out finger noises without mud to the mix

Sorry guys I will check more often. Been a hard 2 months after major spine surgery
Yikes hope your recovery is going well.
Title: Re: NBD Gretsch G5440LSB
Post by: Bubbalou88 on December 28, 2020, 10:22:17 PM
Thank you! A ways to go but getting better each day.