| Build Quality: |  |
| Hardware: | |
| Electronics: | |
| Sound: |  |
| Value: | |
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Pros:
- Great Sound
- Lovely Design
- Light
Cons:
- Not Cheap
- Not too Sturdy
Gretsch is one of my favorite guitar manufacturers on the market today. They have produced some of the most exceptional guitars to grace the hands of rockstars, and are still producing more. The quality of guitar manufacture that the company upholds is some of the highest and best, no matter the price level of the instrument. The Gretsch G5436T Pro Jet guitar is no exception to the rule. Let us take a closer look at this marvelous instrument and see what makes it such a great addition to the Gretsch family.
Body Quality
The body takes after the famous Les Paul design, the one that once took the world by storm and has had it within its beautiful grasp ever since. The Les Paul shape is known to be superior in terms of beauty, incredible in terms of quality and unparalleled in terms of comfort. The guitar is made all the more beautiful by the design choice of the black coloring and silver binding of the edges. Overall an exceptional looking guitar for an exceptional performer.
The solid body of the guitar is made of chambered basswood. This specially treated hardwood is incredibly lightweight, keeping the guitar even more likely to be comfortable and easy to play. The hardwood also has a beautiful resonance with the lower end of the tonal range, a great asset for anyone looking for a warm sound. The special treatment of the hardwood also makes it slightly sturdier than your average basswood, meaning it is more resistant to damage. Yet the problem of dents and scratches remains, so be careful!
The neck of the guitar is made of maple. This material is very well known for how sturdy it is. It is a hardwood highly fitting for any guitar neck, keeping these parts of the guitar’s anatomy in tact for a long time. The maple is heavy, but is very well balanced by the basswood’s lightness, keeping the guitar light and easy to play. The fretboard of the guitar is made of high-quality rosewood and is very smooth and pleasant to play.
Hardware
The bridge of the guitar is in the Adjusto-Matic design. This design keeps the strings incredibly steady, while also providing the player with great action. The bridge makes it easy to quickly restring your guitar. A great choice made by Gretsch.
The nut of the guitar is made of synthetic bone. This material is of much higher quality than the cheap plastic used in cheaper guitars. It has a better harmony retaining quality as well as a powerful string buzz stopping tendency. Definitely a great choice of material.
The tuning machine of the guitar is designed in a vintage style. This allows the guitar to look a little extra rustic, while also keeping the guitar in tune for long periods of time. A characteristic of good guitars.
Electronics
The guitar is gifted with two Blacktop Filter’Tron pickups, one at the neck and one at the bridge. These pickups are very nice. They are capable of picking up and producing extra nuanced sound from the strings. Powerful, these humbuckers are able to go as fast, as strong and as dirty as you want them. The fascinating thing though is that the guitar is also capable of very smooth, clean playing. The two pickups are definitely a great item to have on your instrument.
The guitar also comes with a standard set of controls. Two knobs to control the volume of the pickups, as well a lever to control the pickup combinations.
Gretsch Pro Jet Sound
As a result of all of the details above, the guitar sounds great. The instrument has a clean, clear sound when played to be so, without any string buzz or tuning issues. The guitar can go heavy on sustain as well, sounding as rock and roll, punk or metal as you want it to be. Definitely a good sound, definitely something I enjoy.
Conclusion
Overall this is a good guitar. While the price is a little high (in terms of affordable guitars) it still provides a great quality of sound, durability and overall beauty. Definitely recommended, more so if you are looking for you second guitar.
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The build quality is good, it looks beautiful, and plays nice with a little setup. I found the hardware to be a bit cheap, and had to replace the output jack right away is it just didn’t hold the plug and would lose contact despite adjustments. The knobs are ok but not completely smooth, the switch is a bit wobbly, and the bridge could be a bit better, but overall not huge complaints. The nut needed a bit of polishing and a touch of lube, though the tuners are pretty good. After this and a bit of intonation and truss adjustment, it’s a real player with that classic sound.