Cap'n Squirrgle Wrote:
Hmm.
I don't know much at all about the cheap Gretsches. Where's it made? Is the top solid or ply? How have they been holding up for people? Is the quality consistent, or are they hit/miss?
I ask these particular questions because they relate to the closest thing I DO know anything about, which is the cheapish Gibson ES135 (edit: just searched and they do not seem to be making / selling these now) but back 4 or 5 years ago you could find them new for less than a grand. They were "Gibson" branded, foreign made, and the quality was so-so. People reported that one would play really well and stay in tune, and the next would have a warping top, or dead spots on the neck, so you really had to see one first before you bought.
Hollowbodies sound so amazing for jazz and rockabilly, so if you have a boner for Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Eddie Cochran, etc, this might be money well spent. Even if the pickups disappoint, you can always swap them out. But hollowbodies are also more fickle, harder to make right, more easily damaged, feedback sooner, and weigh more on your shoulder, so it's something to consider.
If it were me, I'd go play it for an hour through an amp I know, and see how big it made me smile. If it feels good, and you don't see cracks at the neck joint, and it makes sounds that make your balls tingle, it's a cheap buy. Knowing me I'd probably pick it up. But if it doesn't really have that sparkle, let somebody else deal with it. They are so pretty, but they can be bitches to live with.
I'm not sure, but I think that these are either assembled here or in Korea. Top is a maple laminate, and from what I read they seem to hold up pretty well. I'm not too much of a basher, and even when I do my MIM strat usually takes the brunt of that.
And yeah, I have an idea about the problems surrounding hollow bodies. I've been playing an Epi Dot Deluxe for about 4 years now, so I encounter some of them with that. But between the price and the bigsby I think I would be foolish not to go for it. And the way I figure it, if I don't like the thing I can probably turn around and sell it for at least my money if not more.
Oh, and that's the next thing I'm gonna need: a better amp. But maybe I can hang on and wait for Christmas to get that.
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catswilleatyou Wrote:
my diet is 75% buffalo chicken so i don't trust myself to go commando
http://www.strikerbill.com Check it out hombre.