Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar Black

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

Sure most of the Electromatics are cheap. I played this for an hour than purchased it. There is nothing cheap about this guitar it's the only electromatic that has real filtertrons(which sound great). It also has a graphite nut, Grover tuners and bracing like Tim's Country Club for reduced feedback. Tim played this model at the NAMM performance and also plays one on tour. By the way Davey this doesn't have a Bigsby, are you sure you were playing the right guitar. Though I do agree with you that most Electromatics are cheap but not this one. Word is they were going to make this a regular Gretsch but Tim didn't want to charge three grand, hence the made in Korea idea. This guitar has that Tim/Rancid feel and sound(plus I play through a Recto like Tim). That's why I'm giving it five stars.

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

1- REAL GRETSCH Blacktop filter-tron pickups 2-Grover tuners 3-17'' body (first "Electromatic" of this size) 4-Baldwin-era body/bracing/hardware/electronics reissued!! This thing is no longer made the same way by Gretsch. The Gretsch Country Club line of Proseries guitars will cost you at least twice as much. Here, you get vintage, out-of-production appointments that aren't even available anymore!! Right down to the harp tailpiece. (Some idiot said that this had Bigsby that goes out of tune with the slightest touch- this is a fixed tailpiece only on this model) The body wood is the same as the original, minus a solid spruce top. Maple all around. The way the the body is braced also lowers the possibility of feedback during high-gain flights of fancy. Try that with a Gretsch Country Club of today, with those "oversized F-holes"!! Besides that, you are definitely getting the look and sound of a '72 Country Club without paying $3 or so grand for an original, you're not paying $4 grand for a current model. You are paying a third or a quarter of that for an "Electromatic" that should really be in Gretsch's Proline, instead. Like the other fella said, also: you don't even need to go out and get the TV Jones p/u's like EVERY other Electromatic model. These have all the fullness and brightness you could need. "Piano-like" sound, as described above is an accurate way to say it. Remember the "punk rock revival" of the 90's?? I was there for that, and Lint has always been an inspiration since my own adolescence. He has really gotten his life together, and I think this model is a great way to celebrate how far he's come since playing shows in garages with borrowed amps and not having a home to go to.

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

I purchased this guitar and case around Christmas. I had to purchase the case separately (a $1200 guitar that doesn't come with a case??). The intonation was not set properly, even though their QA person signed off on it. Not a big deal since intonation needs to be adjusted periodically anyway. The problem is that the low E could not be intonated because the bridge was screwed to the body a millimeter or 2 too close to the neck. So I took it to Guitar Center and their tech immediately came to the same conclusion and promptly ordered me another guitar. The second guitar had EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. From all the good reviews this guitar got I am assuming that my two were from a bad batch. I returned the 2nd one and got me a Gibson instead. I am very disappointed in Gretsch. Not so much that there was a manufacturer's defect, but that it was signed off as 'Intonated' when intonation was not possible. Their QA department sucks.

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

I played this guitar at namm2010 and it feels sooo fake and cheap to play. I'm more of a Gibson player but I do tend to play Gretschs from time to time, and honestly these electromatics are so cheaply made, the bigbsy bar is cheap, when played it goes out of tuned. And it doesn't even come with a case or a gig bag!!! I give it 2 stars cus rancid is awesome and even Tim Armstrong doesn't play a cheap electromatic!

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

I never played a Gretsch before, so I was more than hesitant when it came to buying this guitar. I went to GC, tried out quite a few different semi-hollows, and most of the Gretsch guitars they had definitely sounded and felt great. I wasn't a fan of the Bigsby Bar on the base Electromatics, so I went with the Tim Armstrong model because it lacked the bar. Also, c'mon, it's Tim Armstrong! The minute I saw this guitar, I was instantly reminded of the Fall Back Down video I used to watch constantly growing up. But this guitar is more than just fancy artist endorsed model (*cough* Ibanez *cough*). The Filter'Tron pickups sound amaaaazing. My only gripe about this guitar was the fact that I had to adjust the bridge to get a more ideal action and fix the intonation. I had to park the bridge right up against the side of the pickup to get the intonation just right. But paired with a simple amp, this guitar sounds great clean, a little dirty, and even with a lot of crunch. Heck, you could even mic the f-holes, the body has so much resonance and sustain. I would say I'm definitely a Gretsch fan now. Sure, it's not as nice a hand-made Gibson would be, but for the price, you really can't go wrong.

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

I've been picking up & playing this guitar at my local GC store for over a year, and last week, I finally had the cash to pick it up! I've always been a hollow-body fan, but could never settle on one. I saw that Tim Armstrong had a signature model Gretsch out, so being a punk rocker in my early years, decided to give this one a go. It's awesome!! The Black Top Filter'Trons give it an awesome full sound, but with that classic Gretsch twang. Clean channel sounds full, bright, and sparkly, but add some crunch or overdrive and this thing rips! Defineitly my new go-to guitar for everything! It has a really large body feel to it (17"!), but it didn't take long for me to really like that too. Matte black finish with the gold hardware really sets it off. Looks amazing! Playability is awesome! Great feel & smooth action. Really well built. Sounds perfect! I love it!!

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

I haven't had any problems with the guitar since I bought. I definitely need to get it tuned up, but it came pretty much ready to play. It's a bit on the heavy side since they added wood blocks, but I like the sustain it gives chords and notes. It's also nice to be able to get the sound I want.

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

The pictures don't do this any justice.... this guitar is unique and looks amazing, and plays even better! It holds its tuning great even with huge bends and plenty of plucking, and this guitar is so versatile! It definitely has some bite and crunch, but it plays a great clean sound, and I'm even using it for church. It's harder to find a hard case for it, but gretsch does make a hollow body case for their 17" Semi-Hollow guitars. This is a purchase I would make again without any hesitation!

Service and delivery comments:

The reps at Guitar Center were great at helping me return my previous purchase so I could move forward and grab this beautiful guitar. It came in a hurry and I haven't put it down since!

Comments about Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Electric Guitar:

Has that great Gretsch sound and it's always in tune! Love this guitar and I am so impressed with it's clean full voice.