Bruxist
Poster Extraordinaire
Last edited:
The Gretsch Duo Jet: A Short History
- Thread starter Bruxist
- Start date
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chris m.
Doctor of Teleocity
Thanks for sharing. I hadn't really put together the sparkle finishes on the guitars with the sparkle finishes on the drums...aha!
Thanks!
I had an early orange double cutaway Duo Jet, circa 1982.
I think it was a 63.
It had a Bigsby.
Shouda held on to it!
I had an early orange double cutaway Duo Jet, circa 1982.
I think it was a 63.
It had a Bigsby.
Shouda held on to it!
bo
Poster Extraordinaire
No Billy Zoom? They put out an overpriced sig model for him too.
BorderRadio
Doctor of Teleocity
Great vid, I love my ‘53 VS Duo Jet Scripty.
Calling those early Jets with DeArmonds semi-hollow is not doing them justice. They are mini hollow bodies
.
Pictures can illustrate that detail better than anything. The frame from a CS tour shows it, two maple shims under the bridge, not glued, and the mahogany 'island' in between the pickups. Those extra shims are for the pickup mounting screws to have some meat to bite into, not always present.
Calling those early Jets with DeArmonds semi-hollow is not doing them justice. They are mini hollow bodies
. Pictures can illustrate that detail better than anything. The frame from a CS tour shows it, two maple shims under the bridge, not glued, and the mahogany 'island' in between the pickups. Those extra shims are for the pickup mounting screws to have some meat to bite into, not always present.
Great vid, I love my ‘53 VS Duo Jet Scripty.
Calling those early Jets with DeArmonds semi-hollow is not doing them justice. They are mini hollow bodies
Pictures can illustrate that detail better than anything. The frame from a CS tour shows it, two maple shims under the bridge, not glued, and the mahogany 'island' in between the pickups. Those extra shims are for the pickup mounting screws to have some meat to bite into, not always present.
People have tried for years to get "semi-solid" into the vernacular but it just refuses to take hold. Probably because its one of the lest common types of guitar construction.
chris m.
Doctor of Teleocity
I had a 6128 double cut Duojet, MIJ, that would vibrate and howl like an archtop hollowbody because it is so hollow inside. I liked its lightness, but didn't like the howl....I really did like the sound of it, though. Just a bit hard to control in live gigs playing in echo-y spaces.
MilwMark
Doctor of Teleocity
Great vid, I love my ‘53 VS Duo Jet Scripty.
Calling those early Jets with DeArmonds semi-hollow is not doing them justice. They are mini hollow bodies
Pictures can illustrate that detail better than anything. The frame from a CS tour shows it, two maple shims under the bridge, not glued, and the mahogany 'island' in between the pickups. Those extra shims are for the pickup mounting screws to have some meat to bite into, not always present.
View attachment 703386
is that why mine weights under 7lbs with Bigsby? I always wondered as it was listed as “chambered” which typically means solid with holes.
BorderRadio
Doctor of Teleocity
That’s pretty light, so probably. It all depends on the model/year among other things. Jets get lumped together as a solid body or semi whatever, but in reality the construction and routing patterns vary. IIRC, pre-FMIC MIJ Jets and for sure FMIC Electromatic Jets are made like weight relieved LPs with a thick maple cap (no thin ply)—the chambered thing you mention.
radiocaster
Doctor of Teleocity
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MilwMark
Doctor of Teleocity
I don't know that much about mine. Recent Vintage Select Duo Jet with Bigsby and TV Jones T Armonds. I had a couple guitars I didn't bond with I was able to trade. Nice guitar.
BorderRadio
Doctor of Teleocity
Ah, I got the same one. It’s legit made like the CS posted above, but doesn’t have the Nitron drum plastic top like the originals. Very nice guitar!
stormsedge
Poster Extraordinaire
I have a Jet G5230T...great guitar.
I plan to get a Duo Jet G5232T next, because...want it.
I plan to get a Duo Jet G5232T next, because...want it.
Uncle Daddy
Friend of Leo's
Mine is 8lb, but the latest versions are slightly thicker from 2015. The Sparkle top tends to tame any tendency to howl as it's a little thicker than the plain black nitron, but it can make the model more middy, which isn't a problem for regular Dynas as they're top-endy anyway. I fitted T-Armonds which are more mids-focused, and they made the guitar too warm, so a set of 1 meg pots all round opened everything up again, only with better balance between the pickups.
Mick Sullivan
Tele-Meister
Never played a Duo Jet - or any Gretsch for that matter - but I find them very easy on the eye.
I've got two; a Duo Jet and a Double Jet (the double cut version).
Here's what the originals look like inside.
Here's what the originals look like inside.
chris m.
Doctor of Teleocity
Seems like a good mod to reduce howl would be to just put some kind of light foam into all those spaces...
BorderRadio
Doctor of Teleocity
I've got two; a Duo Jet and a Double Jet (the double cut version).
Here's what the originals look like inside.
Yep, but side note, that’s the original routing for a Duo Jet/Sparkle Jet/Firebird after ‘59, which changed to support Filter’trons. The DeArmond equipped Jets before, starting in ‘53 had this route, though there could be some transitional changes. The heavy routing is only part of the equation. I think folks really overlook the most important part, and why they can howl—the thin ply top can vibrate more freely than any thick solid cap.
There have been a few makers who tried 'surfboard construction' to make guitar bodies.
Bruxist
Poster Extraordinaire
Think of all that fine wood turned to sawdust to produce those cavernous routes...
