My 3 Gretsch Jets. New And Vintage (NGD)

[ElvisNixon]

The middle guitar is my favorite player. It’s a 1955 Duo Jet with added Bigsby, pinned custom ebony bridge plate with a Tru-Arc bridge. Otherwise original. It’s got the wonderful baseball bat neck 1.02-1.02. I got it several months ago.

The guitar on the right is a near mint 1956 6129 Silver Jet complete with tweed case, all case candy paperwork and original strings! It’s the best sounding. The neck isn’t as satisfying as the 55 but is about the size of a ‘59
LP.

I got it a couple weeks ago. It fell in my lap for a really good price and I’ve always wanted a Silver Jet. Realizing that it’s too nice to gig, It’s a studio queen that sounds great. I went on the hunt for a gigging Silver Jet and found one…

On the left is a near mint 2011 G6129T 1957. Its neck is the thinnest that I like. It’s beautifully built, light and resonant. I really don’t care for the pu’s since I was spoiled with the old Dynasonics. I’m going to futz around with them and try to like them. If not, I think a set of SD custom shop Dynasonics. In the videos I’ve seen, the sound the most like my vintage models.

I have a couple mongrel Gretsch hollowbodies that are getting the “Gretsch Hump” fixed. One is a ‘59 6119/6120 conversion and the other is a ‘59 Cadillac Green single/double anniversary conversion. I also have a first year Brian Setzer 6120SSL, but I don’t think I can endure that pencil size neck anymore. Hand cramp city..

Edit: called my 1955 Duo Jet a 1995..

 

[ElvisNixon]

Couple more of the ‘55 Duo Jet:

 

[thunderbyrd]

i want that 55. get my George Harrison on!

 

[BB]

Super sweet guitars!! Congrats

 

[ElvisNixon]

i want that 55. get my George Harrison on!

Or your Jeff Beck on too!

 

[superbadj]

So nice!

 

[MisterZ]

View attachment 1140281

The middle guitar is my favorite player. It’s a 1955 Duo Jet with added Bigsby, pinned custom ebony bridge plate with a Tru-Arc bridge. Otherwise original. It’s got the wonderful baseball bat neck 1.02-1.02. I got it several months ago.

The guitar on the right is a near mint 1956 6129 Silver Jet complete with tweed case, all case candy paperwork and original strings! It’s the best sounding. The neck isn’t as satisfying as the 55 but is about the size of a ‘59
LP.

I got it a couple weeks ago. It fell in my lap for a really good price and I’ve always wanted a Silver Jet. Realizing that it’s too nice to gig, It’s a studio queen that sounds great. I went on the hunt for a gigging Silver Jet and found one…

On the left is a near mint 2011 G6129T 1957. Its neck is the thinnest that I like. It’s beautifully built, light and resonant. I really don’t care for the pu’s since I was spoiled with the old Dynasonics. I’m going to futz around with them and try to like them. If not, I think a set of SD custom shop Dynasonics. In the videos I’ve seen, the sound the most like my vintage models.

I have a couple mongrel Gretsch hollowbodies that are getting the “Gretsch Hump” fixed. One is a ‘59 6119/6120 conversion and the other is a ‘59 Cadillac Green single/double anniversary conversion. I also have a first year Brian Setzer 6120SSL, but I don’t think I can endure that pencil size neck anymore. Hand cramp city..
View attachment 1140287

View attachment 1140288

View attachment 1140291

View attachment 1140292

View attachment 1140293

View attachment 1140294

View attachment 1140295

Edit: called my 1955 Duo Jet a 1995..

Aw, man, if I lived near you I'd be trying hard to buy the Cadillac Green one off you.

 

[ElvisNixon]

Turns out I was wrong and my black Nitron (drum wrap) Duo Jet is actually an early ‘54, not a ‘55. The cast logo is a drum badge and was put on some ‘53 script logo Duojets.

There’s a great article on early Duo Jets from Vintage Guitar Magazine:
Early Gretsch Duo Jets

Here’s a pic of a couple script logo. ‘53’s one with the drum badge like mine.

 

[badscrew_projects]

Oh wow. I'll take the three please.

 

[glenlivet]

Gretsch with Dynasonics....a match made in heaven.
Very nice collection!!
Now I have to show my wife...and use the "but he has THREE" .."I don't even have ONE" line.

 

[BorderRadio]

Treasures. Think of me first if you ever want to sell that ‘56 Silver Jet?

 

[glenlivet]

"I think a set of SD custom shop Dynasonics."
If you pull the trigger on that...please post.

I have a set of Gabojo's that are pretty nice...the neck pickup is awesome. Sounds very close to my set of Dyna's in a 65 Guild. The Gabojo bridge is pretty hot, and I probably need to do some fine tuning to tame it down a little.
Unfortunately, I don't think they make them in the true Dynasonic form factor.
(I replaced a Filtertron set...)

 

[hemingway]

Beautiful guitars, but I would be changing those original strings.

 

[ElvisNixon]

"I think a set of SD custom shop Dynasonics."
If you pull the trigger on that...please post.

I have a set of Gabojo's that are pretty nice...the neck pickup is awesome. Sounds very close to my set of Dyna's in a 65 Guild. The Gabojo bridge is pretty hot, and I probably need to do some fine tuning to tame it down a little.
Unfortunately, I don't think they make them in the true Dynasonic form factor.
(I replaced a Filtertron set...)
View attachment 1141064

Nice guitar! Yeah, I’ll post if I ge the SD Dynasonics. Although I have been less unhappy with the stockers. I spent time adjusting the magnets and I bought a PU couple spacer packs to experiment. Those SD’s are $$. I had no idea that they were $450!

I would actually like the bridge PU to be a little hotter on the 2011 Silver Jet. I guess if I pay ol Seymour $450, they could wind it to my spec?

 

[ElvisNixon]

Beautiful guitars, but I would be changing those original strings.

They’re changed and are wound in the pink round container in the case.

I bought it to play. I’m not going to gig it. Studio guitar from now on. It plays great and I haven’t had my guy do a setup.

 

[glenlivet]

Nice guitar!

LOL.....Ha! Mine is a poor man's wanabe....
Compared to the real things (that SOME of us have...)!!!

 

[badinfinities]

That black 54 is pretty much my dream guitar. I pondered ways to get a Cliff Gallup sig Duo Jet when Gretsch put them out, but the prices quickly climbed out of the realm of possibility.

 

[bottlenecker]

Beautiful guitars, but I would be changing those original strings.

It'd take you at least 50 years to get a new set played in that good!

 

[ElvisNixon]

LOL.....Ha! Mine is a poor man's wanabe....
Compared to the real things (that SOME of us have...)!!!

View attachment 1141107

No such thing as a Gretsch that doesn’t sound cool. And you got to silver finish!

My secret weapon in the studio is an Electromatic Jr Jet short scale bass with the stock single TV Jones designed PU. I bought the first one new and since they’re hard to find the single pu version so I got 2 more on Reverb. Both for $150. They sound killer. I have flatwounds on one and roundwounds on the other two.

The flats can get upright sounds like an Old Danelectro longhorn. With rounds it sounds like Lemmy reincarnate with an overdrive or fuzz. The short scale perfectly sits on top of the kick drum in the mix. Less fundamental frequencies than a long scale so you don’t have to hack out a huge hole for the bass with the short scale.

I have a silver baritone and it’s pretty great. Very well made.

 

[Fluddman]

You are really spoiled. I have a soft spot for Gretschs and sparkles.

I currently have a Black 55 (reissue). It's a very nice guitar but I long for a thicker neck and genuine dynasonics. I didn't realise the real thing had a big fat neck.

I might give the SD custom shop Dynasonics a try.

Thanks for posting - I enjoyed seeing the three Jets together.

Cheers