The Gretsch 2420T Streamliner in Gold
The Gretsch 2420T Headstock
The 5120 and the Dynasonic equipped versions were in the 6120 mound, but a lower spend which was no bad thing. Gretsch obviously took note that many players were modifying their 5120 guitars and took the next step to move more to more of an outward looking 6120 lite.
Recently, Gretsch introduced the Streamliner series of guitars, in single cut 6120 style and a DC style akin to the 6120DC and the 1962 onwards Gretsch guitars with the Electrotone thin-line body much in line with the 335 guitar.
The Streamliners built on the models from the 1950's which were the lower end of the Gretsch line but by no means dismiss them in favour of the industry standard 6120. The Streamliners of the 50's were an ideal platform for the band players who were most likely playing with Western swing, big bands and the like, before the advent of the raucous rock n' roll!
The 2015 Gretsch Streamliners are a great addition, filling the market gap populated by the lower priced offerings from Rally, Alden and half a hundred other far eastern factory makers. The single cut hollow body guitars are an update of the original 50's guitars with the double cut models available with and without Bigsby trems being a sort of 'futured up' imagining of what the Streamliner could have evolved into in the 1960's.
So let us look at the single cut 2420T with Bigsby, available in Sunset Red, Gold Dust as pictured here and a Brooklyn burst vintage sunburst without Bigsby. This Indonesian guitar looks really good, the finish is very good and it has the smaller Baldwin era F hole design, unlined with binding.
The Streamliners are made in Indonesia which also makes the Rancher guitars which are also very good quality and I also have one of these!
The headstock looks really nice with a 'proper' 50's style inlay in the square type of font and looks miles better than the 5120 0r 5420 logo. The body is bound in a nicely finished white plastic as is the headstock, which the up to 2016 5 series did not have.
The neck is a scarfed on job as is the norm for this bracket of guitar and is really nice to play, the block inlays look good and more expensive to do than Neo classical thumbnail types.
One thing I like about the neck is how the left side is sculpted to fit to the side of the body smoothly, no ridge as on the Electromatic. It looks aesthetically classier.
The gold dust finish is really lovely, it a lovely fine lustre metallic and it really does shine out. the hardware is to a budget but is upgradeable and perhaps is what is intended as a possibility by Gretsch, going by the way of things with the Electromatic series.
The pickups are a generic Humbucker of the Gibbo PAF recipe and have an 8k output, higher than the standard filtertron and Black Face Baldwin type on the new Electromatics at around 4.7k. They certainly do whack out the signal and adequate as they are, some have put on Dynasonics and Black Face FT's to these guitars.
The price is the real deal, at sub £400 UK, at around £379, these are a great bargain. The playability out of the box is very good and with a fine set up they are really good. The back and top do not have a connecting 'sound post' but even so, the guitar has good tone and the free movement of the top and back independently does give them a different sound.
For the money, Gretsch have made a real winner here. Although this guitar is going to be suited to the lower volume more restrained playing style, it will go high in volume in a small room before feedback occurs.
For those of you into overdrive and gain, the double cut versions are more likely to suit you, they are more resistant to feedback and have a centre block arrangement made from lightweight wood to prevent internal feedback in the guitar body. So unlike my old 1974 Gretsch Viking, they don't feel like they are full of bricks.
Gretsch have really pitched this range in the market well, they have made a range of great guitars that look classy, play well and have a friendly price tag. The great thing is that you can spend out on upgrades as you go and no doubt this will be a thing to see in time to come.
Well, I've got one so that should be enough! I also have 6120's so I have a yardstick to compare these guitars to.
So let us look at the single cut 2420T with Bigsby, available in Sunset Red, Gold Dust as pictured here and a Brooklyn burst vintage sunburst without Bigsby. This Indonesian guitar looks really good, the finish is very good and it has the smaller Baldwin era F hole design, unlined with binding.
The Streamliners are made in Indonesia which also makes the Rancher guitars which are also very good quality and I also have one of these!
The headstock looks really nice with a 'proper' 50's style inlay in the square type of font and looks miles better than the 5120 0r 5420 logo. The body is bound in a nicely finished white plastic as is the headstock, which the up to 2016 5 series did not have.
The neck is a scarfed on job as is the norm for this bracket of guitar and is really nice to play, the block inlays look good and more expensive to do than Neo classical thumbnail types.
One thing I like about the neck is how the left side is sculpted to fit to the side of the body smoothly, no ridge as on the Electromatic. It looks aesthetically classier.
The gold dust finish is really lovely, it a lovely fine lustre metallic and it really does shine out. the hardware is to a budget but is upgradeable and perhaps is what is intended as a possibility by Gretsch, going by the way of things with the Electromatic series.
The pickups are a generic Humbucker of the Gibbo PAF recipe and have an 8k output, higher than the standard filtertron and Black Face Baldwin type on the new Electromatics at around 4.7k. They certainly do whack out the signal and adequate as they are, some have put on Dynasonics and Black Face FT's to these guitars.
The price is the real deal, at sub £400 UK, at around £379, these are a great bargain. The playability out of the box is very good and with a fine set up they are really good. The back and top do not have a connecting 'sound post' but even so, the guitar has good tone and the free movement of the top and back independently does give them a different sound.
For the money, Gretsch have made a real winner here. Although this guitar is going to be suited to the lower volume more restrained playing style, it will go high in volume in a small room before feedback occurs.
For those of you into overdrive and gain, the double cut versions are more likely to suit you, they are more resistant to feedback and have a centre block arrangement made from lightweight wood to prevent internal feedback in the guitar body. So unlike my old 1974 Gretsch Viking, they don't feel like they are full of bricks.
Gretsch have really pitched this range in the market well, they have made a range of great guitars that look classy, play well and have a friendly price tag. The great thing is that you can spend out on upgrades as you go and no doubt this will be a thing to see in time to come.
Well, I've got one so that should be enough! I also have 6120's so I have a yardstick to compare these guitars to.
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