NGD - Gretsch G9240 "Alligator"

[DesmoDog]

A while back I decided I was going to buy the cheapest resonator guitar I could find and put a pickup on it. Then I remembered I had sworn off cheap guitars so I decided to buy a Dobro Hounddog. Then I read up on things and decided I was going to buy a G9200(?), the one with the pickup in it. Then I did a reality check and decided I didn't need a pickup, and I wanted a bisquit bridge, so a G9240 it was.

Checking online I found out that Elderly had a package deal with the guitar, a hardshell case, a brass slide, and a few other things for $5 more than the guitar and case would cost. Sold.

Today I drove up to Lansing and picked one up. The problem is, my wife decided it was time for a nap when we got home so now I can't even play the thing! Well, I can't really play it anyway since I'm still a beginner but you know what I mean.

So for now, here it is in it's virgin condition. Still has the tag on it fer cripe sakes.

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Maybe I'll go ring the doorbell. Then I could blame our two retrievers for waking her up!

 

[willyb]

Gotta love blaming stuff on the dog!!!!

 

[Brett Fuzz]

What a great guitar! Congrats. Very Nice!

That's my next guitar. My local guitar store recently started stocking Gretsch resonators.

 

[fender62custom]

Sweet!! congrats & enjoy!!

 

[DesmoDog]

I did get some time to play it last night. It's smaller than my other guitars which took a little getting used to. The fretboard is marked differently so I got lost a couple times to begin with but that worked itself out soon enough.

I also found a slide guitar course that I had forgotten I had bought. The guitar came with a dvd but it's ancient and not all that well put together.... the one I had already bought is a lot better.

The one downside I may have discovered is, I think this guitar may make my ears ring. In fact they always ring, but this may make it worse. I don't know if it's volume or frequencies that are doing it, but I noticed my ears were ringing louder than normal when I put it down. Maybe I imagined it? Something I'll have to keep in mind anyway. Hopefully it was imagined, I don't think wearing earplugs while I practice would send the right message.

 

[backalleyblues]

Resonators tend to have a peak around 2k, which is where a lot of tinnitus lives. These guitars are also quite loud compared to a standard acoustic (well, the good ones are anyways!). How was the action setup? I'm kinda looking at one of these in the near future myself, to replace the real cheapie that I have-but I will get the one with the pickup in it, so I can use it live w/o micing it...

Franc Robert

 

[DesmoDog]

I played it a bit more yesterday and I think the resonator is making the ringing worse. When I was playing I paid attention and dang, the resonator is both loud and putting out frequencies I seem to be sensitive too. I'll have to figure out something to do about that I guess. It could be as simple as changing the location where I was playing, I know the enclosure around the desk I play in front of did weird things with a hollowbody electric I used to have. Facing the desk made feedback worse than facing the amp... I think the enclosure sets off at whatever frequency one of the "e" strings is. It was strange, I could hit a note facing the amp, it would decay, then I'd swivel the chair to face the desk and it was feedback city.

Anyway, the action seems pretty good to me. I'm new to these but it seems pretty easy to play slide without bouncing off the frets and I don't have issues playing it "normally". Elderly does a set up on the guitars they sell so maybe that had something to do with it or maybe they're just decent out of the box, I don't know. I've got no complaints on this one though.

 

[bowman]

That will be my next guitar, although I will get the model with the pickup in it. I was just about to buy one last month, but instead bought an amp - which cost twice as much, so my disposable income has been disposed! But soon...
Yours is very nice, btw.

 

[Tarnisher]

Congratulations! My Alligator is a number one. I hope the tinnitus gives you a rest so you can enjoy it soon.

By the way, if you're planning on putting a pickup in it, I recommend the SD P-Rail. I'm getting good results with mine. Read all about it here: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/other-gu...ator-biscuit-new-gretsch-day.html#post5632603

 

[wwit]

Congratulations! My Alligator is a number one. I hope the tinnitus gives you a rest so you can enjoy it soon.

By the way, if you're planning on putting a pickup in it, I recommend the SD P-Rail. I'm getting good results with mine. Read all about it here: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/other-gu...ator-biscuit-new-gretsch-day.html#post5632603

This is one of the reasons I love this site. Ive been gassing hard for a resonator. The Alligator crossed my mind, but I really want electrics so I had been thinking of other guitars, Fender Reso-Tele or Washburn Richie Owens sig.

Coming across this thread and the link really helping me lean back to the Alligator and just install my own pickup in it.

 

[Tarnisher]

I don't think you'll be disappointed! My one caveat is that the install wasn't cheap. If you know what you're doing, great, but I have neither tools nor knowledge in using them and unwanted it done right. Fortunately I love it and won't ever part with it because I could never recover what I spent if I sold it.

 

[AmbientJazz]

Hi guys, I'm thinking of getting me one of these! Do you recommend? I'm new when it comes to resonator guitars, but would love to add them to my guitar arsenal for some studio work. I'm planning on micing them.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Try earplugs. They cut the highs.