All new redesigned 2022 Gretsch Electromatic 5420
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- Опубліковано 27 січ 2022
- A quick look at the all new redesigned for 2022 Gretsch Electromatic 5420. This newly redesigned model features trestle bracing, Blacktop FT-5E Filter'Tron pickups, and a laurel fretboard. Is this just the limited edition for Guitar Center and Musician's Friend Electromatic 5427 with a new name?
#Gretsch
#5420
#5427
#Electromatic
#Filtertron
Websites used for video:
www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...
www.gretschguitars.com/gear/b...
gretschguitars.com/gear/colle...
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Nice information here. Thanks.
Thanks for the update!
Thanks for checking the video out and thanks for the comment!
I played the new model in walnut stain at guitar center about an hour ago. The fit and finish is perfect. Frets felt great. They had the walnut and silver one in stock. The walnut stain is beautiful; silver is good looking just not my style.
I had to put the guitar down before it wound up in my car. I came home and listed some gear for sale. I will have the walnut one soon.
That's good to hear, thanks for posting. Yeah the walnut version is the star of the show for me too. Hope you get one soon!
Hi from yeah the walnut stain is the one that stands out for me I bought the blue one but sold it and brought the walnut stain and I love it a colour is great 👍
Thumbs up from Australia 🦘🌏🦘🇭🇲
I bought my 5427 zaph blue at GC , last 4th.of july sale, glad i did it..put my lp,335,strat deluxe, prs away for a While..
the Guitar Center 5427 also has trestle bracing. Looks to be exactly the same as the new 5420 except for the color. I really liked the 5427 when i played it.
I agree, the 5427 is a fantastic guitar. I had my brother's 5427 here since around Christmas and just recently returned it. I got some video of him playing it with the new Thomastik flats that I'm putting up tomorrow. Thanks for the comment.
Really tragic about the China move. A year ago I purged and replaced any Chinese models from my fleet over principle. I collected the 3 color set of limited tri five 5410T Korean models because A. They're stunning and fun, and B. Country of Origin matters to my own neurosis. So I guess to maintain my position, I'll now be searching pre 2022 in the 5420 lineup. Gretsch is still my preferred brand; I will just need to be more attentive when searching them out going forward.
I have a Korean made G5420T and an Indonesian made G5034TFT and they're both great guitars, but I won't be buying any Chinese made Gretsch guitars. I'll consider other models and buy accordingly. They'll still be Gretsch but they won't be made in China.
I also will NOT be buying from China. And I don't think it's a neurosis! ☺️
I was about to pull the trigger on the blue one, but "Made in China" put a stop to that.
Yes, I was very disappointed when I saw this. Guess I'm shopping used...
I also recently got one of the tri five 5410T models, they're awesome and definitely an eye-grabber to be sure.
Love the video, and I love Gretsches - I have one of the first 5420s and a recent 6128.
Had to chuckle though about the "new designs". They've updated a 70 year old design to... a 65 year old design?
Lol, good point! Thanks for checking the video out.
At the end of 2021 I purchased a used G5420T and I don't understand the advantage of trestle bracing over "post". I heard what you commented but did you notice a difference when you played both the "post" and the "trestle bracing" technologies? Please clarify? Thanks for your video :)
I'm not sure trestle bracing is better, but it is a different method for construction. Here is a link to a Gretsch blog with their take on it: blog.gretschguitars.com/2013/03/gretschtech-trestle-bracing/
@@hoganshideout Thank you !
Great insight and thorough review! I am interested in this model the G5420 / G5427 but am conflicted as the older G5420 pickups sounded a bit better to me in your other video where you compared both of them, right now my local GC has the G5427 Midnight but I would like to play the G5420 outgoing model to compare, I do love that midnight blue color though, I wish the outgoing model had that deep blue color. As far as value is concerned, do you think the Korean version will hold their more value than the China models going forward? Quality wise you seem to point out that they are both done with great quality correct? Any input or advice is greatly welcome. Thank you again for your work!
I think the new model is well made and I actually slightly prefer the pickups, but that is a very personal thing. I do like the rosewood fretboard better on the outgoing model. As far as holding value, I don't know, but I suspect there won't be a lot of difference between the two models -- they are both great guitars.
I have an old Electromatic from the early 2000s that I bought off Craigslist from a guy. Its my mainstay, even over my Anniversary model. I bought an Indonesian-made "Sedona Red" Streamliner off ebay about 5 years ago. Never have been happy with it (sounded too thud-y, even with good TVJ pups & a variety of strings), & it pretty much colored my view towards that range. If Gretsch dropped the Streamliners off a cliff I wouldn't shed any tears, lol.
Even great pickups can't totally fix a bad sounding guitar. I think some of the Streamliners are fine, but the lower in the line you go (with any guitar) the more hit and miss they can get. Thanks for the comment Gus.
They really suck. I guess it's just an economic necessity, but I have never heard or played one was was even close to any instrument in the 5100 line.
The walnut stain is the pick of the bunch for me too but I already own a walnut stain Eastwood Classic 12 so looking for more variety of colour in my collection. A little disappointed they dropped the candy apple red however I think gold hardware suits that colour better. Pre-ordered the cadillac green mid december from Andertons but shipment has been delayed until mid February. It will be interesting to see if it's still a Korean manufactured guitar ........hopefully it is as a rosewood fretboard is more desirable but not a deal breaker. The trestle bracing is an interesting addition and supposedly helps eliminate feedback but also stifles the guitar's acoustic resonance which depending on the type of player can be good or bad.
I have really become more cognizant lately about variety of colors for my guitars. I don't have anything with a walnut stain right now though! How do you like the Eastman?
It's a really well made 12 string guitar that plays well and sounds great, bought in 2006 the neck is still solid as a rock action still low and frets still even and true. The only downsides is it's quite heavy for a semi hollow and like most Chinese made guitars the wiring and pots are not the best quality so I may upgrade the wiring harness at some point in the future if pots become scratchy and problematic.
Hogan, thank you, great, thorough review, clarified alot of questions I had, one being the Korea vs China origins, I'm about to pull the trigger on a g5420t, would of preferred it Korean made, do you think there's a big difference?...
Thanks for the comment lee! There is a difference in the ones I've played, and I think I prefer the rosewood on the MIK model to the laurel on the MIC, but I liked the FT-5Es better on the MIC. Really quality was similar between the two models, though, so I think if you get a good example of either it will be a great guitar.
@@hoganshideout thank you Brother 🙏
I was just looking on Reverb and it looks like they still make the older model #2506011512 with Filtertron and rosewood fingerboard. But unlike the Gretsch web site shows it is now crafted in China. It shows this on the back of the head stock. So same guitar made in a different place. I have a 2420T That is perfect in every way and it is out of China.
That's interesting, Gary, I have not seen one of the new made in China models with rosewood. My brother has a limited edition 5427, which is made in China, and which is essentially the new 5420, and it is a very well wade guitar. Thanks for the comment.
just tried the walnut stained one tonight at guitar center. nice guitar, I ended up taking home a G5220 Electromatic Jet BT - Jade Grey My Garsh it has tone for miles. only thing I can find i dont like is the tuners.
Nice guitar, the Blacktop Broadtrons are killer pickups!
I bought the MIC g5422tg, I don't know why the Internet forums go crazy on the Made in China models. I mean, unless you buy online where you cannot really check on the quality of the instrument, if you physically go to a store and you play the guitar and it feels like a great instrument, why would you care where it's made? It's simply prejudice up to a point
China not your friend.
The Gretsch 5420 is that guitar I dream about. But as a veteran, I have to say Gretsch you made a bad choice moving manufacturing to China. With all the saber rattling they are doing towards the US, that one special guitar is fading away.
I second that but many on here care care less Patriotism is dead in USA under this leadership and generation.
Great video! I am wanting to get one. Now I am trying to decide if I should get a new or old model. Do you think the Chinese made ones will be as good, quality wise, as the Koreans? Watched the pickup comparison and still undecided. Lol. They both sound good. Thanks for these videos.
That's a great question. I have one of the 5427s on loan from my brother, which he bought before Christmas. I think the new 5420 is going to basically be the 5427 rebranded. The one I have compares favorably to my made in Korea 5420 -- both are very well made. But I only have hands on experience with one example so far. The Korean made stuff has been top quality for a long time so I know everyone is holding their breath about the move.
@@hoganshideout That makes me feel some better about the new ones. Thanks for the reply.
Not a Gretsch, but I have a 1959 Epiphone LP from 2021 made in China, it was very very well built and set up. I was positively surprised. Hopefully the Chinese-made Gretsch’s are just as good
Can anyone tell me: Are the new FT-5E Filter'Tron pickups ceramic or alnico?
I posted this in the comment section to the Gretsch 5427/5420 video but want to leave it here too. I called Fender/Gretsch tech support to ask about this and they did not have the information on hand. The guy I spoke to is going to try to find out and email me the info. I'll update after I hear back from them. Thanks.
Thanks. I also emailed Gretsch and have heard nothing back…
@@mikem4905 Good deal Mike, maybe they will respond to one of us.
Hey Mike, I posted this on the other video, but want to leave it here too. I got a response from Fender this morning that the FT-5E is Alnico. The Neck Pickup is Alnico 4 at 4.3k and the Bridge pickup is Alnico 5 at 4.5k.
Thanks for the comparison, I think it is a pity that the Electromatics are now made in china, wonder what will happen with the Streamliner range now? The new colors are nice, the dark stain in particular looks like a vintage Chet at first glance. I am a lefty, and I wish they would fit a Bigsby on the lefty ones, I had to buy mine from Bigsby and have it shipped to England and it was the same price as a regular B6. I watched your comparison between your 5420 Orange Stain and the 5427 in Blue (very classy with the gold) and I could hear a slight difference but nothing dramatic.
The differences in the 5427 (new 5420) and the current 5420 are pretty subtle. I suppose South Korean manufacturing is becoming like Japanese manufacturing. For years things could be built cheaply in Japan and a lot of products sold in western countries were made in Japan. Now it cost as much to manufacture products in Japan as it does in the US and Europe. Hopefully the quality of Gretches made in China will remain high. I agree, they should offer a Bigsbys on the lefties!
I bought a Bigsby for my left handed 5420, from Angela music somewhere in America, ( i am in UK)
STREAMLINERS are trash no matter where they make them.
going away from rosewood at that price is ridiculous, especially since the cited on rosewood for guitars has been lifted for the most part. Guess they refuse to go back to it after probably buying large supplies of pau ferro and indian laurel.. but a guitar like this having the same fretboard would as an affinity strat is weird.
I just saw that the new 40th anniversary Squiers which are $600.00 are laurel too. Yeah, I think the days of rosewood in the Electromatics is over.
@@hoganshideout yeah but those are squiers, and equivalent to the streamliners imo and price wise. These electromatics are a 1000 dollars where I live, and the 40th anniversary squiers are about 750. It's nuts they'd go for a cheaper wood but still bump the price a bit too!
@@DelScully Thanks for the comment. I prefer rosewood too! I have a Squier mini Strat that is about 10 or 11 years old and it has a rosewood fretboard. I don't think we will ever see that again. Most people are not going to know the difference and the manufacturers know that. I'd really like to see rosewood come back to the Fender MIM line.
I have the Korean made g5420 and I like it.... It is fun to play and sounds pretty good but the Bigsby and bridge setup is junk and so are the switches and pots. I found a used one like new for $500 last year. That is about what they are worth. I would NOT pay $900 for this guitar. It's not even close to being worth that. Especially now since it's being made cheaper and in China.
It is all pretty confusing.
Thanks for checking the video out. The biggest differences are the trestle bracing and the new FT-5E Filtertrons in the new model.
easy, i don’t buy chinese guitars.
But you buy Chinese everything else
@@cj5060 i try to avoid as far as possible…
it’s not a matter of quality (because meanwhile the have some great stuff)… it’s only political… this means that i would prefer buy gretschguitars from japan or south korea… and i’m willing to pay more…
Your loss
@@ds97853 yes… probably in a selfish perspective, beceause the quality of some chinese brands like eastman guitars is very good and you can save the money for another pedal… but despite the chinese political agenda of growing and confrontation… i really don’t see a reason why changing from a south korean manufacturer to a chinese one like gretsch did. the south korean craftsmanship normally is higher than the chinese one and therefore i will pay a little bit more…
I'm really excited about the trustle bracing BUT I am a bit nervous about the move to China. The jets I've played from china have had issues some little some big. Like I've gotten ones with the tone knob and volume knob switched.
Some with fret issues. Which at the price they are selling for shouldent be a problem. I really likes the black walnut that seemed to be very short lived. I love the Gretsch brand I have quiet a few 5410,5130,5420,5125,5422-12
I would really like to see them bring back the DeArmond pickups on the electromatic line. Ive been pining for a 5422 6 string. But I might have to start looking at another 5420 if they switched to trustle bracing. Do you know if the new pickups have AlNiCo magnets 🧲?? I was also not a fan of the black top broad'tron pickups. I think my 2019 jet maybe going up for adoption so I can get that 5422 I've been pining over. Thanks for the video. Informative.👍🖖
Thanks for the reply, Jeremy. I've only been able to play the 5427 that belongs to my brother, but I didn't notice any quality control issues with it. I don't know if the new FT-5E pickups are ceramic or not -- although I suspect they are. You have a nice collection and I like the 5422s too!