Gretsch G 9500 Jim Dandy Owners Juke Joint
- Thread starter Mimmo_CVC
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So I start with mine... I bought the Vintage Sunburst version (almost Black) from Thomann. Once received and unboxed, the guitar was really a surprise! Just what I was looking for: that Delta look and THAT sound! Strings .012 and its short scale are ideal for sweet bending and the tone, with upper midrange in evidence, just gave me the feel that it was the right guitar I needed. Of course 2-3 times more expensive instruments can probably do better, but for me it was the real sweet spot between cost/result.
After a couple of day of play, I did this things, as a personal preference set-up:
- The fretboard looked like it was very dry, so I treated it with lemon oil: twice in a day, since the first application disappeared quite quickly into the wood. Did the same with the bridge.
- re-stringed with 80-20 strings: test failed. Too brilliant tone on lower strings made the bass range even thinner than the original!!
- Guitar re-stringed with the old set, changing the wounded G for a .020 plain, a .015B and a 0.11E
- some minimal adjustment of the truss rod to have a slightly lower action
- dressing of the frets edges: a little spiky, now I can go up and down the neck very smoothly
- rounded the extremity of the nut (too squared for my taste) an put cocoa butter in the string cuts to facilitate tuning
I have to say that now I find it a great player, that improved its sound after the first month of playing.
Next plans are:
- new bone saddle (compensated)
- a new string test with D'addario EJ26 Custom Light 11_52 or D'addario EFT16 12_53 Flat tops
- a second Jim Dandy in Bronze color, stringed with medium 0.13, for open tunings, with higher action for bottleneck slide.
One thing to be noted: the price of this guitar skyrocketed up to 215€ in europe (thomann) Probably due to the success parlor guitars are living... still 165$ on Amazon free shipping, it could be a real deal!
After a couple of day of play, I did this things, as a personal preference set-up:
- The fretboard looked like it was very dry, so I treated it with lemon oil: twice in a day, since the first application disappeared quite quickly into the wood. Did the same with the bridge.
- re-stringed with 80-20 strings: test failed. Too brilliant tone on lower strings made the bass range even thinner than the original!!
- Guitar re-stringed with the old set, changing the wounded G for a .020 plain, a .015B and a 0.11E
- some minimal adjustment of the truss rod to have a slightly lower action
- dressing of the frets edges: a little spiky, now I can go up and down the neck very smoothly
- rounded the extremity of the nut (too squared for my taste) an put cocoa butter in the string cuts to facilitate tuning
I have to say that now I find it a great player, that improved its sound after the first month of playing.
Next plans are:
- new bone saddle (compensated)
- a new string test with D'addario EJ26 Custom Light 11_52 or D'addario EFT16 12_53 Flat tops
- a second Jim Dandy in Bronze color, stringed with medium 0.13, for open tunings, with higher action for bottleneck slide.
One thing to be noted: the price of this guitar skyrocketed up to 215€ in europe (thomann) Probably due to the success parlor guitars are living... still 165$ on Amazon free shipping, it could be a real deal!
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
I'm not eligible for membership...yet! 
Meaning of course, I don't own one, but I sure have GASed for one. In particular, the two-color sunburst version.
It looks very much like a guitar my father had when I was a boy: an early 1960s Stella 929 made by Harmony.
Meaning of course, I don't own one, but I sure have GASed for one. In particular, the two-color sunburst version. It looks very much like a guitar my father had when I was a boy: an early 1960s Stella 929 made by Harmony.
Mine gets a lot of play time.
Just the other day, I was playing the Gretsch outside when a friend asked me: how do I like the Jim Dandy so far?
I told him this is the best parlor guitar for a small buget.
It sounds sweet and snappy great, cuts through even when two dreadnought players try to drown it out.
like a cute but persistant ankle biter.
I'd buy another one if I lost this one.
Just the other day, I was playing the Gretsch outside when a friend asked me: how do I like the Jim Dandy so far?
I told him this is the best parlor guitar for a small buget.
It sounds sweet and snappy great, cuts through even when two dreadnought players try to drown it out.
like a cute but persistant ankle biter.
I'd buy another one if I lost this one.
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FrankJames
Doctor of Teleocity
I'm not eligible for membership...yet!
It looks very much like a guitar my father had when I was a boy: an early 1960s Stella 929 made by Harmony.
Looks just like the one I got for Christmas in 1956 !!
Hi Alamo,Mine gets a lot of play time.
Just the other day, I was playing the Gretsch outside when a friend asked me: how do I like the Jim Dandy so far?
I told him this is the best parlor guitar for a small buget.
It sounds sweet and snappy great, cuts through even when two dreadnought players try to drown it out.
like a cute but persistant ankle biter.
I'd buy another one if I lost this one.
View attachment 381509
what kind of string do you use? I opted for a 0.20 unwounded G added to the original 012 set. And I tune half step down. I have to say that she plays very well this way. But once I'll strenghten my fingers properly I will try 013, half step down, trying to add some volume.
At the moment I have Martin M140 12-54 strings on the Gretsch. I'm not happy with them.
they feel stiff and don't seem to sing. glad when I'm through with 'em.
I have been useing Thomann's Harley Benton Value strings on my Resonator guitar and on the Jim Dandy.
they're nice sounding when new and have a lose feel to them. great match for both guitars.
I buy them in bulk because they're so ridiculously cheap and I can have fresh strings anytime the slightest wear shows up.
they surely don't last long but at that price - who cares.
give them a try just for giggles, you might be in for a surprise
they feel stiff and don't seem to sing. glad when I'm through with 'em.
I have been useing Thomann's Harley Benton Value strings on my Resonator guitar and on the Jim Dandy.
they're nice sounding when new and have a lose feel to them. great match for both guitars.
I buy them in bulk because they're so ridiculously cheap and I can have fresh strings anytime the slightest wear shows up.
they surely don't last long but at that price - who cares.
give them a try just for giggles, you might be in for a surprise
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
Hmmm...guess it's a European thing. Apparently those strings aren't sold by retailers over here. Importing them would probably negate the "Value" part.
STRINGS OPTIONS FOR JIM DANDY
I was sticking with D'Addario EJ26 .011-.052 in my last 3 restring (standard tuning) and I was very satisfied. Then I started to play in half-step down tuning, but the EJ 26 shows some limit, a little too sloppy... so I added to my last amazon.it order a set of Martin Eric Clapton Signature 92-8 phosphor bronze (MEC 12) for sale at just 5.90€ (012 016 025w 032 042 054).
I have to say that I found the "voice" for my Jim Dandy I like most: it's difficult to describe a sound with words, but i can define it in one word as "rich".
Half step down tuning is not an issue anymore, big volume and a perfect tonal balance for classic blues picking.
And I have to confess: finally I got rid of those horrible color coded end balls of D'Addario !!!
From previous experiences with other Martin's, I am now curious about durability, but, at that price you really can afford a more frequent restring.
Between Phosphor bronze and 80-20 strings, this set of 92-8 add a billiant tone, but not disturbing like the one i got from 80-20 (a.e. Ernie ball earthwood).
I was sticking with D'Addario EJ26 .011-.052 in my last 3 restring (standard tuning) and I was very satisfied. Then I started to play in half-step down tuning, but the EJ 26 shows some limit, a little too sloppy... so I added to my last amazon.it order a set of Martin Eric Clapton Signature 92-8 phosphor bronze (MEC 12) for sale at just 5.90€ (012 016 025w 032 042 054).
I have to say that I found the "voice" for my Jim Dandy I like most: it's difficult to describe a sound with words, but i can define it in one word as "rich".
Half step down tuning is not an issue anymore, big volume and a perfect tonal balance for classic blues picking.
And I have to confess: finally I got rid of those horrible color coded end balls of D'Addario !!!
From previous experiences with other Martin's, I am now curious about durability, but, at that price you really can afford a more frequent restring.
Between Phosphor bronze and 80-20 strings, this set of 92-8 add a billiant tone, but not disturbing like the one i got from 80-20 (a.e. Ernie ball earthwood).
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
I'm IN!!! This time last year, I posted saying I wasn't eligible for membership...yet. Well, now I am. I pulled the trigger today.
I had an afternoon gig at a seniors community. After it, I went straight to a Mom & Pop (or, more accurately, a Pop, son and grandson) store in town. I knew they were a Fender dealer, so I knew there was a good chance they'd have a Gretsch JD in stock. Sure enough, they did. I played that one first. I also played an Oscar Schmidt by Washburn, and they also were pushing a Luna, so I played that too.
The OS/W was a good looking parlor, but the neck was so slender it wasn't great for fingerstyle. The Luna was a little better, but I wasn't impressed. The Jim Dandy, on the other hand, played very well. I played "Blackbird" to check out how it played up and down the neck, and fingerstyle. I flat picked "Old Joe Clark" to get a sense of it's response and projection. And of course I strummed away, cowboy chords, barre chords, etc. I even tuned down to Double Dropped D tuning, then to open G. I was duly impressed. And I love the look; as I said before (see post #3 above), it's very close in appearance to the Stella by Harmony that my Dad had in the early '60s. That was a plus for me, as was the pinless bridge.
The shop had a $299 MSRP sticker on the back of the headstock. They then told me they could let it go for $189. Of course, I knew going in that it sold at a street price of $169, so I didn't bite. I looked at those other guitars, and a used Epiphone they had. After a bit, they told me that if I got it today, they'd go $150 and throw in a strap. So I pulled the trigger.
About the strings, according to the Gretsch web page for the JD, it's strung with D'Addario EJ16s (12-53). But that's not what this shop had on the guitar I bought (but these feel like 12s). When it comes time to change them, I'll try the EJ16s. And so the fun begins!
This time last year, I posted saying I wasn't eligible for membership...yet. Well, now I am. I pulled the trigger today. I had an afternoon gig at a seniors community. After it, I went straight to a Mom & Pop (or, more accurately, a Pop, son and grandson) store in town. I knew they were a Fender dealer, so I knew there was a good chance they'd have a Gretsch JD in stock. Sure enough, they did. I played that one first. I also played an Oscar Schmidt by Washburn, and they also were pushing a Luna, so I played that too.
The OS/W was a good looking parlor, but the neck was so slender it wasn't great for fingerstyle. The Luna was a little better, but I wasn't impressed. The Jim Dandy, on the other hand, played very well. I played "Blackbird" to check out how it played up and down the neck, and fingerstyle. I flat picked "Old Joe Clark" to get a sense of it's response and projection. And of course I strummed away, cowboy chords, barre chords, etc. I even tuned down to Double Dropped D tuning, then to open G. I was duly impressed. And I love the look; as I said before (see post #3 above), it's very close in appearance to the Stella by Harmony that my Dad had in the early '60s. That was a plus for me, as was the pinless bridge.
The shop had a $299 MSRP sticker on the back of the headstock. They then told me they could let it go for $189. Of course, I knew going in that it sold at a street price of $169, so I didn't bite. I looked at those other guitars, and a used Epiphone they had. After a bit, they told me that if I got it today, they'd go $150 and throw in a strap. So I pulled the trigger.
About the strings, according to the Gretsch web page for the JD, it's strung with D'Addario EJ16s (12-53). But that's not what this shop had on the guitar I bought (but these feel like 12s). When it comes time to change them, I'll try the EJ16s. And so the fun begins!
Welcome! You will enjoy that guitar! After 1 yr., mine it's constantly at hand, near the sofa, and I have to tell that very often I can't help to take it and pick it even for a just 3-minutes blues mini-session... just for the nice sensation to listen to that sound
Welcome to the club, @LGOberean . you were halfway in anyhow.
good deal and nice move from the shop. I'm sure you'll enjoy that little instrument a lot - I know I still do.
good deal and nice move from the shop. I'm sure you'll enjoy that little instrument a lot - I know I still do.
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
Thanks, y'all. I'm a desktop computer guy, so my office is my music room/man cave. And the Jim Dandy rests on a guitar stand next to my desk. I was ADHD before the label was invented, so when I'm writing an article or something and I start to feel my distraction and/or hyper levels kicking in, I just reach for a guitar. 10-20 minutes of guitar therapy, and I'm able to get back to work. I'm sure that I'll be reaching for this little Gretsch for some time to come.
So far, I've gravitated towards playing more fingerstyle than blues on this little thing. It's going to the beach tonight, so I'm sure I'll be strumming and flat picking a lot.
BTW, suggestions on how to clean the Jim Dandy? I'll want to clean off the sand and sea air when I get home. I've got a bottle of Meguiar's Quik Detailer that I use on my acoustics with semi-gloss finishes, and on my Logan Custom teles, which have nitro finishes. Any reason to think that this wouldn't work on my JD? What do y'all use?
so when I'm writing an article or something and I start to feel my distraction and/or hyper levels kicking in, I just reach for a guitar. 10-20 minutes of guitar therapy, and I'm able to get back to work. I'm sure that I'll be reaching for this little Gretsch for some time to come.So far, I've gravitated towards playing more fingerstyle than blues on this little thing. It's going to the beach tonight, so I'm sure I'll be strumming and flat picking a lot.
BTW, suggestions on how to clean the Jim Dandy? I'll want to clean off the sand and sea air when I get home. I've got a bottle of Meguiar's Quik Detailer that I use on my acoustics with semi-gloss finishes, and on my Logan Custom teles, which have nitro finishes. Any reason to think that this wouldn't work on my JD? What do y'all use?
Wrong-Note Rod
Poster Extraordinaire
I'm not eligible for membership...yet!
It looks very much like a guitar my father had when I was a boy: an early 1960s Stella 929 made by Harmony.
freaky, that was my second guitar. wow. Havent seen that in years and years.
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
Well, no one replied with suggestions about cleaning the Jim Dandy. I'm not complaining; weekends always seem to be slower on TDPRI activity, and besides, it's Memorial Day Weekend. I had my own activities this weekend, including that aforementioned trip to the beach with family. So I took the Jim Dandy, and played it quite a bit. One of my granddaughters took a turn on it too. It was very windy on the beach, of course, sand blowing, my Beagle jumping up to get her paws of my new acquisition, sea air...It definitely needed some detailing when I got home.
Since as I said I've used Meguiar's on my other acoustics with semi-gloss finishes, and on all four of my Logan Custom teles with nitro finishes, I decided to take a chance on Meguiar's in cleaning my little Gretsch. Cleaned it up just fine, no issues.
BTW, in the spirit of the "Pics or it didn't happen" credo of TDPRI, here is photographic evidence of my Jim Dandy's beach trip. Not a high quality photograph, but as forensic evidence for discerning and discriminating TDPRIers, it'll do...
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
Just found another pic my wife took at the beach of me playing the JD. An added bonus: photographic evidence of my beard doubling as a weather vane on a windy day.
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
Have a happy and safe Memorial Day.
LGOberean
Doctor of Teleocity
... Soundtrack or it didn't happen
Have the powers that be at TDPRI established a new standard of authenticity that I am not aware of, or are you just unilaterally raising the bar? 
