Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

MetalManiac

MetalManiac

Li'l Junior Member
..They don't do classic jazz, they don't do classic rock..their appeal is strictly limited to Chet Atkins style melodic finger picking, or Setzer stye rockabilly, niether of which I am remotely interested in..it's weird, cause the tone of the Getsch is so amazing, but sadly irrelevant.I lusted after THE Gretsch tone, but after careful considertion, I have realized I wouldn't have the least bit use for it ..much rather have a Gibsons PAF style Semi hollow with PAF's or P-90's for Jazz or Classic rock.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Listen to Rev Horton Heat or The Living End to understand some of their Rock appeal
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

^ Thank you sir. I love Setzer, and Horton Heat is amazing, and I googled Living End and also amazing, but all firmly Rockabilly/Pshcoybilly/ Rockabilly Punk. Not my deal. I forgot about Malcom Young though.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

If you can only ever see a guitar doing the same thing it has done before, then maybe it has no possibility of working for you.

But the truly gifted players take something unexpected and transcend.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

I've played a number of Gretsch hollowbody guitars down through the years.... The vintage ones are kind of limited to country and so on, but the new ones can handle anything short of djent IMO. Versatile, and nice sounding. Give them a shot.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Not a hollow person, but if I needed one it'd be a Gretsch by far; much more my style than the Gibson alphabet soup models.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

The New York Dolls did a reunion show a few years ago. There is a documentary about it. One of the guitar players is playing a Gretsch through a Marshall. It is a fantastic rock sound.
And, of course, Billy Duffy. And Malcolm Young.

But I will say when I was in a punk band with hints of '50s here and there I bought an ES-335 and not a Gretsch.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Guitars are what you make 'em. Yeah, some are better suited towards certain things, but a pickup and cap swap can go a long way. Not to mention cab selection. I have a PRS style guitar with a Floyd Rose that does an amazing jazz tone.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Dave Locher said:
The New York Dolls did a reunion show a few years ago. There is a documentary about it. One of the guitar players is playing a Gretsch through a Marshall. It is a fantastic rock sound.
And, of course, Billy Duffy. And Malcolm Young.

But I will say when I was in a punk band with hints of '50s here and there I bought an ES-335 and not a Gretsch.
Click to expand...


Yes Sylvain/NY Dolls plays a lot of Gretsches. Mal did play a hollow body occasionally but his main guitar was only chambered.

Duffy of course and so did Matthew Ashman who played with Adam Ant and Bow Wow Wow and was a killer guitar player (RIP)
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Surprised no ones mentioned George Harrison.

He played some delicious licks on some delicious Gretsch guitars.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Surprised no ones mentioned George Harrison.

He played some delicious licks on some delicious Gretsch guitars.
Click to expand...

Ya beat me to it by about 10 seconds.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Chet sounded better on his Gibson. I will give you George Harrison, though.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

You could probably get better playability by putting DeArmonds or FilterTrons on other hollowbody platforms and still have Gretsch tone.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

^yes

Also. Brian Adams guitarist used Gretsches a lot too
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Never heard of Rune Gustafsson before, but the guy can swing. Great tone, too.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

Hmm, I've used my Dynasonic 6120 to record Soundgarden covers and my Filtertron 6120 to record Who covers and my 6122 to record AC/DC covers. You know, irrelevant music like that.
 
Re: Explain to me the appeal of a Gretsch Hollow guitar...

I just realized the correct answer: if you have to ask you will never get it.
FWIW, I have never owned a Gretsch because they were out of production and quite pricey when I was doing my serious guitar shopping. I actually bought my ES-3335 with factory Bigsby for LESS than they were going for at that time! But they always make me drool. Just so. Damn. Cool. And the few I played had narrow necks, which I like.
 
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