Gretsch + flatwounds?

[Boudoir Guitar]

I've always wanted to like Gretsch guitars, but have never been good at coming to terms with the pickups...they all sound thin and hi-fi to my ears. Tonight at a jazz jam I kept my tele in its gig bag and instead grabbed the Gretsch that was hanging on the music school's wall just to try a little something different. I was surprised to find it strung up with flat wounds. It sounded GREAT!!!!!!! PERFECT for a jazz jam. I don't like the classic Wes Montgomery tone-rolled-off jazz sound, and don't typically like the sound of flat wounds on Gibson-style guitars. My tele never has enough weight for this jam, but it works fine. After tonight's session, I bet a tele with flat wounds would be perfect, too. The Gretsch had the bigger sound of a guitar with thicker strings (duh) (also, before we get into 'but I tried 8s, 9s, and 10s, and there's no difference!!' -- try 12s). But it also took the pickups from sounding overly thin to instead sounding kinda like hum buckers, but without the low-mid-mud that a lot of Gibson guitars get for me. Was so great!!

I think the Gretsch was this one, and I'm not gonna lie, based on tonights experience I might get one and put some flats on it: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...-cut-electric-guitar-with-bigsby-walnut-stain

 

[jellodog]

I've always lusted after the single cut Duo Jet with TV Jones pickups.

I'd never actually pay that sort of MSRP for one though (given I'm just curious), so it's never going to happen. Very cool guitars all the same!

Oh and Cadillac Green ...

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I've always lusted after the single cut Duo Jet with TV Jones pickups.

I'd never actually pay that sort of MSRP for one though, so it's never going to happen. Very cool guitars all the same!

Oh and Cadillac Green ...

I feel like one green guitar is enough for my stable, and I'm not getting rid of my tele anytime soon, but yeah, that is the finish.

I bet this with solid spruce top would be for this faltwound role: https://www.eastmanguitars.com/t58_v

 

[jellodog]

I bet this with solid spruce top would be for this faltwound role: https://www.eastmanguitars.com/t58_v

Oh! Eastman. I didn't even think of that.

 

[dk_ace]

I don’t play jazz, and I’ve never thought of my filtertrons as sounding thin or hi-fi. That said, I’ve been kicking the tires on trying flatwounds on my Gretsch too. There’s nothing wrong with how it sounds now, I’m mainly just curious about it.

D

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I don’t play jazz, and I’ve never thought of my filtertrons as sounding thin or hi-fi. That said, I’ve been kicking the tires on trying flatwounds on my Gretsch too. There’s nothing wrong with how it sounds now, I’m mainly just curious about it.

D

I’d probably start with half-rounds instead of making the (pretty dramatic) jump all the way to flats.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I’d probably start with half-rounds instead of making the (pretty dramatic) jump all the way to flats.

Definitely do that.
I used to keep my Ibanez Artist strung up with flat wounds. Loved them, but they never translated well to my other guitars, mainly 25.5" strat-type. Years later I tried half wounds and they are my new favorites. Mostly use 11's tuned to Eflat. A perfect balance to my ears. Really helps with an overly bright guitar too.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Yeah, I'd go 11s or even 12s, too, in part to come as close as possible to balancing the tone of the unwound strings against the wound...there's a bigger difference there when using flats/half-rounds for me compared to round-wound:

11-49 Medium, XL Half Rounds Electric Guitar Strings | EHR370 | D'Addario

Half Rounds electric guitar strings have a smoother feel than round wound strings, but a fuller tone than strings which are flat wound. This 11-49 Medium gauge set provides increased volume, with slightly more tension and resistance. Learn more.

www.daddario.com

 

[FuzzyAce]

Yeah, I'd go 11s or even 12s, too, in part to come as close as possible to balancing the tone of the unwound strings against the wound...there's a bigger difference there when using flats/half-rounds for me compared to round-wound:

11-49 Medium, XL Half Rounds Electric Guitar Strings | EHR370 | D'Addario

Half Rounds electric guitar strings have a smoother feel than round wound strings, but a fuller tone than strings which are flat wound. This 11-49 Medium gauge set provides increased volume, with slightly more tension and resistance. Learn more.

www.daddario.com

Yep, those are the ones.