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January Birthdays
Surfing a Gretsch?
Joined: Mar 11, 2023 Posts: 149 
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Posted on Jan 10 2025 01:49 PM
Anyone here use a Gretsch to go surfing? If so which line/model? Filtertrons or Dynasonics? I've been attracted to their sound and looks for a long time. Going to try a bunch later this month, from their made in Japan line. Expensive things though... am going to put my 1981 Les Paul Custom up for sale. Haven't played it in years. |
Joined: Feb 26, 2022 Posts: 414 Dollars, Taxes 
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Posted on Jan 10 2025 02:35 PM
Check out Jason Lee and the R.I.P.Tides from San Diego. Jason has been surfing a Gretsch for many years now. —Patrick |
Joined: Jan 06, 2019 Posts: 181 Bananas, TX
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Posted on Jan 10 2025 04:43 PM
I haven't gigged with my Gretsches, but I have run them through my rig at rehearsals a few times. They just didn't mesh with the rest of the band (at the time). Not to dissuade, it's up to what your ear wants to hear and what fits in the mix. But this ape loves Gretsch guitars. I need to pop for some TV Jones eventually, but using stock 'trons and Dynasonics. —Bango Rilla! DiPintos, Fenders and Reverb (oh, my!) The GO-GO Rillas |
Joined: Oct 10, 2009 Posts: 226 South Bay, CA
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Posted on Jan 10 2025 05:07 PM
DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:
With current exchange rates, can't think of a better vacation than Japan and going to the Ochanomizu exit in Chiyoda for guitar street. Just got back and got a MIJ 52 Heritage Tele for a crazy good price. Love how it sounds and feels and is very different from my '62 AVRI Tele custom. —'65 Fender Tremolux, '74 Princeton; 77 Vibrolux Reverb; '81 Princeton Reverb |
Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2251 Kiev, Ukraine 
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Posted on Jan 11 2025 03:56 AM
DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:
I had a row of Gretsches to surf, 6118, 6119, 6120, Duo Jet with Dynasonics, 2655 with P90. Now I use 2604 Rally with Super Hilotrons and just love it, but more for a heavier sound, like Latino/Mex vibes or punky/rocky stuff, it’s still surfy and edgy but with more body and air. I would surely choose not Filtertrons but something like Dynasonics, Hilotrons or P90
Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki Lost Diver https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com |
Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4457 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Jan 12 2025 04:56 PM
Most of the Surf I’ve played for an audience has been on a Greatsch. I have a ‘59 Tennessean RI with a pair of DuoTrons, a ‘62 Tennessean RI with Supertrons and a ‘59 Country Gentleman RI with Supertrons. I like a Gretsch for trio work, especially, because while the sound is very bright, there is still enough body to give a full sound. Here’s the ‘62 Tenny RI. A surf monster, in disguise.
The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
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Joined: Mar 11, 2023 Posts: 149
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Posted on Jan 15 2025 03:09 PM
Thx everyone. Synchro, that 's a very cool looking guitar. |
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Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4457 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Jan 15 2025 04:48 PM
DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:
Thanks. Basically a copy of George Harrison’s Tennessean, except that I swapped in a set of TV Jones Supertron pickups, after this picture was taken. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
Joined: Nov 22, 2010 Posts: 290
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Posted on Jan 15 2025 04:54 PM
Worth mentioning Starcrunch used a Gretsch Tennessean in the early days of MOAM? |
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Joined: Jan 06, 2019 Posts: 181 Bananas, TX
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Posted on Jan 15 2025 06:30 PM
I set my Dynasonic Jet up today and noodled and it's pretty dang close to what I run with my DiPintos - the Dynasonic and FilterTron has a little more body/beef than a straight single coil, so both would be cool - I think if you're running a 3 piece (or solo) you can "run what ya brung" but if you have another guitar player you have to see what plays nice and gets you the tone you want. Like I said, it never worked out sonic-ly with what my band had going on, but I'm digging that I pulled these out of the closet - so appreciate the nudge for that! —Bango Rilla! DiPintos, Fenders and Reverb (oh, my!) The GO-GO Rillas |
Joined: Oct 17, 2009 Posts: 528 Walkersville, MD
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Posted on Jan 17 2025 09:54 AM
Yup, you definitely can surf with a Gretsch. While not exactly surf, it's worth mentioning the late, great Duane Eddy had some terrific instrumental songs using a Gretsch guitar. I feel very fortunate to have gotten to meet him at a Gretsch fan event back in 2012. I used my Gretsch G6120BS Chet Atkins Hollow Body with stock Gretsch HS Filter'Tron pickups in my old surf punk band. Fun times!
Using a '65-'68(?) unfinished Gretsch Astro-Jet body with a custom-made neck, I put together my surfy Astro-Sonic. Initially, I had TV Jones T-Armond pickups but then swapped them out for a set of hum-cancelling Fralin Dynasonics.
I'm a bit of a Gretsch guitar nerd. From left to right: Players Edition Falcon (Midnight Sapphire), Country Club (Cadillac Green), Chet Atkins Hollow Body (Blueburst), Rat Rod (Matte Vintage White) with Fralin Hum-Cancelling Dog Ear P90s, 140th Anniversary Penguin (Two-Tone Stone Platimum/Pure Platinum), Astro-Sonic partsbuild (Sonic Blue), Electromatic CVT (Vintage White) with the HS Filter'Trons from the 6120BS, and my awesome Hallmark 60 Custom (Custom Aquaburst).
I put a set of TV Jones Magna'Tron pickups in my Gretsch Country Club (2nd from left in photo). Highly recommend for that single coil chime in a humbucker. Definitely surfs! Also noteworthy are the mid-rangey Gretsch Blacktop Filter'Tron pickups that were in some of the Gretsch Electromatic line. I've got a couple of sets in my junk drawer - most likely I'll put a set in a future Jazzmaster partsbuild. —The doofus formerly known as Snorre Last edited: Jan 17, 2025 10:03:35 |
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Joined: Mar 11, 2023 Posts: 149
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Posted on Jan 19 2025 12:51 PM
Surfysonic wrote:
Good lord..! |
Joined: Jun 30, 2019 Posts: 137 Massachusetts, USA
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Posted on Jan 22 2025 07:46 PM
THE HYDRONAUTS…Surf Music from the shores of old Cape Cod. |
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Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4457 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Jan 22 2025 08:19 PM
beatcomber wrote: An old Dynasonic Gretsch from the mid ‘50s. That would definitely Surf. The pickups are bright, almost piercing, but still have some body to the sound. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 310 seattle, wa
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Posted on Jan 22 2025 09:15 PM
I ended up using a 1957RI duojet pretty extensively in The ‘Verb and then that guitar, a spruce topped thin line jazzmaster with filtertrons, and an old gretsch anniversary with filtertrons have all made appearances with The Desolate Coast. The duojet has had t-armonds for a while now though on the second ‘verb album it still had the stock dynasonics. The duojet is the main lead on this one off our last ep of you want an example in context. —-Eric New music! Also: |
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Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4457 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Jan 22 2025 10:50 PM
I had a ‘57 Duo Jet RI with Dynasonics, and it was a great Surf guitar. It didn’t look like most Surf guitars, but it sure sounded like one. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
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