The Semi-Hollow Quest is Over... I Finally Got a Keeper!

[Mossman]

I ended up with a Gretsch at the end of my semi-hollow quest, but I always preferred the Ibbys to the Epis while I was shopping. The only Epi I really liked was the 339 pro with the P90s. I agree that the Ibby necks are super comfortable and all the semi-hollows seem really well made. My uncle had an AS-73 (maybe 75?) that he sold for like $200 to some stranger on Facebook without telling me. I remain angry at him for that.

Yeah, before this new 335, the only Epiphone that did anything for me was that very same guitar. Those P90s sound awesome (I have a pair in my Furrian). I seriously considered buying one, but I wanted to hold out for a full-size semi-hollow. Unfortunately, everything else Epiphone had to offer in the arch-top department just made me yawn.

Which Gretsch do you have? I was feeling the pull of the 5622T pretty hard when I was looking for an alternative to the 335 (and I'm still feeling it ). I really like the sound of the Broadtron pickups (from what I've heard in YouTube videos, anyway), and it looks beautiful, but that would clock in at over $800 after taxes, which was about $200 more than I wanted to spend. The fact that it had been out of stock for as long as I could remember (and still is) made the decision to go with the Ibanez a little easier.

[Mossman]

Those Ibanez semi-hollows are impressive - and you got a nice one!

Yeah, I'm still kicking myself for being such an Epiphone fanboy and not even considering Ibanez. Part of it had to do with the fact that I was kind of underwhelmed by the first Ibanez hollow-body that I bought (way back in 2003), and I admit, I was partial to the 335 shape, but the Ibanez is just the better guitar.

And I really dig the body shape!

According to Ibanez specs your neck at the nut is 21 mm or 0.826 and my old AGS and AR’s are 20 mm or 0.787. I like necks a little on the thinner side front to back and wider from side to side. I would not say they are not a perfect C shape, but closer to C than D or U. Tempted to remove the thick glossy finish on the back of the neck of one my AR’s, but not sure I could get it looking decent at the edges where I leave the finish. My AGS has a nice, very thin, non-finished feeling neck. Lots prefer the glossy finish though. Guess I could just put a scotch brite pad to it and degloss it.

Scotch Brite is what I've always used. Then steel wool if it looks too "scratchy" to me. I have pretty dry hands, so I never have a problem with a glossy, poly finish (nitro is another story), but I do like the feel of a satin finish too... I've only done it on maple necks though. I don't think I'd want to do it on a painted neck.

[Mr. Leyvatone]

Nice! That veneer under the pickguard is obviously tone wood.

[UrenragK]

HNGD! Killer guitar you got there

[aullucci]

I ended up with a Gretsch at the end of my semi-hollow quest, but I always preferred the Ibbys to the Epis while I was shopping. The only Epi I really liked was the 339 pro with the P90s. I agree that the Ibby necks are super comfortable and all the semi-hollows seem really well made. My uncle had an AS-73 (maybe 75?) that he sold for like $200 to some stranger on Facebook without telling me. I remain angry at him for that.

Yeah, before this new 335, the only Epiphone that did anything for me was that very same guitar. Those P90s sound awesome (I have a pair in my Furrian). I seriously considered buying one, but I wanted to hold out for a full-size semi-hollow. Unfortunately, everything else Epiphone had to offer in the arch-top department just made me yawn.

Which Gretsch do you have? I was feeling the pull of the 5622T pretty hard when I was looking for an alternative to the 335 (and I'm still feeling it ). I really like the sound of the Broadtron pickups (from what I've heard in YouTube videos, anyway), and it looks beautiful, but that would clock in at over $800 after taxes, which was about $200 more than I wanted to spend. The fact that it had been out of stock for as long as I could remember (and still is) made the decision to go with the Ibanez a little easier.

Well @Mossman , it seems we have similar tastes.

I ended up with...you know...a 5622T. In fact, this 5622T:

I love it. Here's my two cents on the Broadtrons: they sound great. I love them both clean and dirty, I really do. They are not Classic Gretsch Filtertrons, though. If you have to have that sound, I'm not sure the Broadtron is the answer. But if you just need a great sounding humbucker, they're aces.

I got mine from Adorama, the online camera place. Two Christmases ago they obviously overbought the 5622T. It was $699 on Black Friday, $629 in December, and $579 in January. I held out. In February, I happened to be cruising eBay and came across a customer return listed as a b stock and offered at $459. There was a light swirl by the master volume and a couple by the pickup selector, all of which buffed out in seconds. My best deal ever.

[SamIV]

Nice Gretsch. Mickey brought Gretsch to my attention years ago. I never gave them any thought. Also due to his recommendation to someone else here, he made me buy a set of TV Jones pickups. One day, I will probably own a Gretsch. They have a sound like no other.

[Mossman]

Well @Mossman , it seems we have similar tastes.

I ended up with...you know...a 5622T. In fact, this 5622T:

Haha! Apparently we do... I had a feeling you were going to tell me that's the model you had when I posted that.

I love it. Here's my two cents on the Broadtrons: they sound great. I love them both clean and dirty, I really do. They are not Classic Gretsch Filtertrons, though. If you have to have that sound, I'm not sure the Broadtron is the answer. But if you just need a great sounding humbucker, they're aces.

Yeah, no worries about that... I'm attracted to that guitar because of the way that guitar sounds. I'm not a Gretsch aficionado, or even know what a Gretsch is supposed to sound like, other than what I've heard on records. Despite being fanatical about the Beatles, I was never drawn to Gretsch guitars that much. They weren't "my style", so to speak, and I considered them a "niche" guitar. Besides, they cost a king's ransom, so I just put them out of my mind.

I remember the first time I saw a Gretsch up close, though. I was running sound at a club in Arizona, and some guy (not a band member, just some random bar patron) had just bought a brand new 6120, and he asked me if I wanted to see it. It was early in the evening and I was just getting set up, so I said: "Sure!". When he opened the case, it was like beams of sunlight came radiating out of it. It was trans-orange with gold hardware, and a BIgsby, and I was sure it was the most beautiful guitar I had ever seen in my life up to that point. I didn't even ask to play it... I didn't feel worthy... so I just gawked at it.

I got mine from Adorama, the online camera place. Two Christmases ago they obviously overbought the 5622T. It was $699 on Black Friday, $629 in December, and $579 in January. I held out. In February, I happened to be cruising eBay and came across a customer return listed as a b stock and offered at $459. There was a light swirl by the master volume and a couple by the pickup selector, all of which buffed out in seconds. My best deal ever.

That's nuts! You're my hero! I think I would have jumped at $579 and bragged about it for a year.

[Mossman]

Nice! That veneer under the pickguard is obviously tone wood.

Oh no! Do you think I should put it back on the guitar???

[Mossman]

Nice Gretsch. Mickey brought Gretsch to my attention years ago. I never gave them any thought. Also due to his recommendation to someone else here, he made me buy a set of TV Jones pickups. One day, I will probably own a Gretsch. They have a sound like no other.

Yeah, I never thought about them much either, but they do sound unique. I think I might have this one simmering on the back burner for a while.

[aullucci]

Well @Mossman , it seems we have similar tastes.

I ended up with...you know...a 5622T. In fact, this 5622T:

Haha! Apparently we do... I had a feeling you were going to tell me that's the model you had when I posted that.

I love it. Here's my two cents on the Broadtrons: they sound great. I love them both clean and dirty, I really do. They are not Classic Gretsch Filtertrons, though. If you have to have that sound, I'm not sure the Broadtron is the answer. But if you just need a great sounding humbucker, they're aces.

Yeah, no worries about that... I'm attracted to that guitar because of the way that guitar sounds. I'm not a Gretsch aficionado, or even know what a Gretsch is supposed to sound like, other than what I've heard on records. Despite being fanatical about the Beatles, I was never drawn to Gretsch guitars that much. They weren't "my style", so to speak, and I considered them a "niche" guitar. Besides, they cost a king's ransom, so I just put them out of my mind.

I remember the first time I saw a Gretsch up close, though. I was running sound at a club in Arizona, and some guy (not a band member, just some random bar patron) had just bought a brand new 6120, and he asked me if I wanted to see it. It was early in the evening and I was just getting set up, so I said: "Sure!". When he opened the case, it was like beams of sunlight came radiating out of it. It was trans-orange with gold hardware, and a BIgsby, and I was sure it was the most beautiful guitar I had ever seen in my life up to that point. I didn't even ask to play it... I didn't feel worthy... so I just gawked at it.

I got mine from Adorama, the online camera place. Two Christmases ago they obviously overbought the 5622T. It was $699 on Black Friday, $629 in December, and $579 in January. I held out. In February, I happened to be cruising eBay and came across a customer return listed as a b stock and offered at $459. There was a light swirl by the master volume and a couple by the pickup selector, all of which buffed out in seconds. My best deal ever.

That's nuts! You're my hero! I think I would have jumped at $579 and bragged about it for a year.

Yeah, the Gretsch sounds great. Sometimes I just sit with it on the couch and play acoustically and it still sounds good.

The purchase was all blind luck. I had a hard $500 limit on the guitar so I wouldn't bite even at $579 (although, if memory serves, I think I posted in the old Deal Thread about it). I honestly thought I was going to end up with a Streamliner (which I also liked a lot) or one of the Ibbys. I was looking for a Streamliner when the 5622T showed up in my feed. Pure, dumb luck...

[jimbocaster]

Absolutely gorgeous

[Mossman]

Well, I think I solved the flame maple pickguard mystery. I came across a picture of George Benson with his signature model and noticed it had a flame maple pickguard:





And I thought: "Hmmm... I'll bet there's PG plastic on the back of that pickguard". I reckon they just glue a veneer of figured maple on a big sheet of wood/pickguard material, and cut all their PGs out of that. Some go wood side up, some go plastic side up.

[SamIV]

My pickguard on my AGS 83 is all wood. Really a bit too
Much flame for me, but I have not removed it yet.