Gretsch Guitars G5442BDC Electromatic Short-Scale Hollowbody Bass Transparent Red

I bought this bass as it was my dream bass and I never spend over $500 on any instrument incase someone steels it I can afford to replace it. this bass plays like butter. Its not neck heavy at all. I use a padded leather strap and It hangs just fine. you can get multiple tones with it that are useable and sound great. I also like that I can just pick it up and play it without having to use a amp.

Really wanted to love this guitar. It is pretty, stands out visually from the sea of standard Fender body shapes, and possesses a wide range of distinctive, hollow-body tones. The master volume pot seemed like it could be very useful. Significant neck dive when standing, though, which ultimately was the deal breaker - caused me to feel like my left hand had to support the instrument, especially when playing high up on the fretboard. Playing with a pick, this posed a problem for me. Playing with fingers, and elbow resting on the body, this might be alright. Compared to other short-scale basses, such as the Allen Woody or the Hofner, this feels and looks comparatively bigger, especially on a smaller player. If Gretsch had made it less top-heavy, I might nevertheless have gone for it.

If you are looking for a standout that doesn't compromise quality this is for you. As a bassist for 20 years I've had the opportunity to play a lot of instruments and this one has a sound like no others. The hollow body brings a full tone and packs a punch through the speakers. The bass itself is on the bigger end (should be understood based on the body) but does not have a ton of weight to it, which I take as a major plus. The neck is very easy to maneuver and you don't need to press down with thunder fingers either. There definitely is a neck drop to it, but it doesn't impede the performance at all. If you are worried about not playing before spending this kind of money, take the jump. You will not regret it! Please, Please, Pleaseeeeeee buy a proper hard shell Gretsch case for this instrument (it isn't included and isn't sold buy guitar center)

I'm 70 yrs old and music has been a part of my life since I was a 12 yr old !!!!

I may not be an experienced player but I have heard plenty of bass' and this is one of the best and smoothest sounding guitar.