The Guitar Magazine – September 2019

KEY FEATURES

G2420T STREAMLINER

DESCRIPTION Hollowbody archtop electric guitar.

Made in Indonesia

PRICE £485

BUILD Laminated maple 70mm body with parallel bracing, nato

set neck with medium U profile, 12" radius laurel fingerboard

with pearloid humpblock inlays and 22 frets

HARDWARE Licensed B60 Bigsby, Adjusto-Matic bridge, diecast

tuners, 3-ply tortoiseshell guard

ELECTRONICS 2x Broad’Tron BT-2S humbucking pickups, master

volume, master tone, individual pickup volume controls, 3-way

selector switch

SCALE LENGTH 628 mm/24.75"

NECK WIDTH 42.6mm at nut, 53.8mm at 12th fret

NECK DEPTH 21mm at first fret, 22mm at 9th fret

STRING SPACING 34.6mm at nut, 51.6mm at bridge

WEIGHT 3kg/6.6lb

LEFT HANDERS No

FINISHES Riviera Blue (as reviewed), Candy Apple Red, Golddust

CONTACT gretschguitars.com

LIKE THIS? TRY THESE...

Ibanez AFS75T-MGF £ 537 , Guild Starfire III w/Bigsby £ 936 ,

Duesenberg Starplayer TV Deluxe £ 2 , 053

The Electromatic has upgrade potential, too, but

with thumbnail markers, full-sized bound f-holes and

metal hardware already installed, you’re starting from

a much higher level. We would be inclined to go for

a bar bridge from the likes of Tru-Arc or Compton,

High build quality and lots of fun, but lacks vintage

7 /10 Gretsch character and is prone to feedback

and might consider a V-cut Bigsby and aftermarket

pickguard to complete the look, too. As for the

pickups, while we think that traditional Filter’Tron

covers would enhance the look, we’d be in no hurry

to swap out the Blacktops.

The Players Edition has superior build and finish

quality and it’s the most highly equipped, but you’re

being asked to pay a significant premium. You do

get 50s-style trestle braces, and retrofitting those to

a Streamliner or Electromatic isn’t a viable option.

Fortunately, the Electromatic’s bridge post performs

much the same function, so it’s not a deal breaker.

Gretsch is currently offering fine guitars at every

price point. If you want the best and you have the

budget, the Players Edition won’t disappoint.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Streamliner

may prove to be the Gretsch equivalent of a gateway

drug, opening your ears and mind to an inspirational

new world. But for tone, upgradability, customisation

potential and sheer value, we’d be inclined to go for

an Electromatic.

REVIEWS

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