Grote Guitar Owners

[crazydave911]

I can't believe I'm the first with all I've seen here
My beautiful girl

SOOOO much better than the Epiphone version

My original I built 30 years ago

Come on guys!!!

 

[Fretting out]

I can't believe I'm the first with all I've seen here
My beautiful girl

View attachment 876107

SOOOO much better than the Epiphone version

My original I built 30 years age

View attachment 876109


Come on guys!!!

I stopped by for the crapper

 

[PhredE]

I was eyeing the red ones too. Just haven't got around to ordering one yet.

 

[widefault]

Solidbody Tele with a thinline guard/layout and a fotoflame top

And a thinline with a fotoflame top

The solidbody is a much better guitar than the thinline, and even the fotoflame looks better.

vs

The purple solidbody was $89.66, the thinline $99.99. Both on Amazon

 

[zippofan]

I love my Grote:



I always liked that style body, and I can't afford a vintage ES-125, heck, even the Epi "Century" was a little out of my price range. For a 160 bucks (Dec 2019), I could afford to upgrade the tuners (Tone Ninja, drop in fit), pots/cap/jack (Switchcraft, Bourns, NOS paper in oil) and a pickup (I splurged on a Lollar low-wind dogear).

I am terrible replacing nuts so I had my luthier install a bone nut in place of the stock mystery plastic, and he couldn't believe it was so inexpensive as it plays so nice and sounds great.

 

[nojazzhere]

I can't believe I'm the first with all I've seen here
My beautiful girl

View attachment 876107

SOOOO much better than the Epiphone version

My original I built 30 years ago

View attachment 876109


Come on guys!!!

Can I join the club?

 

[crazydave911]

Mine is back in stock on Amazon as of last night for $180. Paid more for mine, ordered directly from China during the backorder but got it insured air freight when I did wrapped like a Christmas turkey

 

[crazydave911]

Can I join the club?
View attachment 876145

Of course!

 

[Obsessed]

Mine is a keeper. I can’t keep my hands off of it. I’ve replaced the pots, knobs and output jack for about $35, but for the original $169 about a year and a half ago, it is a great player. Tuned to open A for over a year now with no issues either. Again, I thank @FenderGyrl for inspiring the purchase.

 

[sloppychops]

I just posted today about the difference Gotoh locking tuners made to my Grote, then I see there's a Grote club. Should've posted here!

Bought mine off Amazon when it was $169. I had some money left on a gift card and got an instant $60 credit for signing on for an Amazon StoreCard, my net cost ended up being somewhere around $50.

Anyway, here's my "Jazz Hollow Body" Grote, with some minor mods that have made it much better:

So here's what I've done with mine:

I removed the pick guard within 5 minutes of getting the guitar in my hands. It looks much better without it.

I replaced the bridge with an ebony bridge and saddle. Well, I had a luthier do the work. I started it, but soon realized I wasn't going to get the base of the bridge to properly match the arch of the top or the string notches done right. $10 for the bridge, $75 for the work. Well worth it. The guitar sounds less metallic with the wood bridge and saddle. Looks better, too.

I weaved an old leather shoelace through the strings at the top of the tailpiece to dampen some of the overtones.

I put a shim under the pickup screws to raise the pickup height. The shim is made from a rubbery topper that was on a driveway marker pole. I just pulled one off and cut it with scissors to make a couple of shims.

By far, the biggest improvement made to this guitar was changing the tuners to Gotoh locking tuners. The stock tuners would not hold tuning well, and after looking online I found a couple recommendations for these Gotohs (SG 381).

The shaft on these tuners sits lower than the standard tuners, resulting in the strings having greater downward pressure. I didn't realize they would sit so much lower, and expected this to be a problem. Checked Philadelphia Luthier Supply's website, where I bought them, and saw that they say locking tuners will sit 2 to 3mm lower than stock tuners in order to exert more downward pressure. Somehow I missed that when I ordered them.

There may be height difference greater than 3mm here, but I've been playing the Grote off and on for a few hours and have not had any issues with the new tuners.

There is a noticeable increase in string tension and volume. I'd liken the difference in feel to going up a gauge in strings. The guitar seems more "lively" now, responding to each pluck more immediately and with increased sustain. The tone also seems to be "rounder"... less "thin" sounding.

Here's a shot with the stock tuners on the left, and the new Gotohs on the right:

The smaller buttons look much better to my eye. I just wish they made them with white plastic buttons like the ones on the Epiphone Century.

And here's the back of the headstock with the new tuners:

I wasn't expecting the tuners to change the feel or sustain of the guitar, so this was a pleasant surprise. I just wanted the guitar to stay in tune better, which it now does.

Ridiculous as it sounds, I bought a case for this guitar that's more than I paid for the guitar itself. It's the gray Epiphone case designed for the Epiphone Century. $135, ouch. Hideous gray color, with a lovely blue plush interior.


$109 ($169 minus the $60 Amazon StoreCard credit)
85 (bridge and installation)
39 (tuners)

Total cost: $233

 

[dreamingtele]

I can't believe I'm the first with all I've seen here
My beautiful girl

View attachment 876107

SOOOO much better than the Epiphone version

My original I built 30 years ago

View attachment 876109


Come on guys!!!

Man I want one of these,

How is it better than the Epiphone Century inspired by 1966? Ive always wanted one of those, even the James Bay sig.. but its a guitar thats easy to find!

 

[Obsessed]

Man I want one of these,

How is it better than the Epiphone Century inspired by 1966? Ive always wanted one of those, even the James Bay sig.. but its a guitar thats easy to find!

I enjoyed the Epi Century, but could not get past the horrible flat finish. I bought the Grote on a chance and love it. Beware of the scale length differences between the three (including the James Bay).

 

[sloppychops]

I enjoyed the Epi Century, but could not get past the horrible flat finish. I bought the Grote on a chance and love it. Beware of the scale length differences between the three (including the James Bay).

There's a difference in scale length between the Epi Century and the James Bay Century?

 

[Nahtabot]

Well, now I have to play my Grote! The single P-90 sounds great through my Polytone.

Great guitar.

 

[dreamingtele]

I enjoyed the Epi Century, but could not get past the horrible flat finish. I bought the Grote on a chance and love it. Beware of the scale length differences between the three (including the James Bay).

There's a difference in scale length between the Epi Century and the James Bay Century?

yea, i want the epi because of the 25.5 scale. Not sure on the James Bay, i always thought its the same guitar, diff finish and pickups.

I know the grote is 24.75

 

[Obsessed]

There's a difference in scale length between the Epi Century and the James Bay Century?

AFAIK, yes, they are different. The Epi Inspired is 25.5 and the Grote is 24.75. I believe the James Bay is shorter than 25.5. It has been a year and a half since I bought my Grote, but there was a lot of discussion about this back then with perhaps a misprint by Epi at some point causing confusion. Just be aware.

 

[nojazzhere]

yea, i want the epi because of the 25.5 scale. Not sure on the James Bay, i always thought its the same guitar, diff finish and pickups.

I know the grote is 24.75

The current Guitar Center listing has the Epiphone Century at 24.75" scale. The two Century models made from 1939 to 1969 had 25.5" scales. Confusing IMHO.

 

[PhredE]

I don't intend to derail the thread, but does anyone have any experience with or know of this Grote hollowbody model? (the full size/depth 2 humbucker tobacco 'vintage' sunburst model)

I was also considering that one as well.

 

[Cornelius TX]

I don't intend to derail the thread, but does anyone have any experience with or know of this Grote hollowbody model? (the full size/depth 2 humbucker tobacco 'vintage' sunburst model)

I was also considering that one as well.

I have been wondering about the same one. There is a guy on YouTube with one and it sounds good.

Here is my Grote with P90s, which I love.

 

[Cornelius TX]

Mine is back in stock on Amazon as of last night for $180. Paid more for mine, ordered directly from China during the backorder but got it insured air freight when I did wrapped like a Christmas turkey

Did you order directly from the Grote site?