Gretsch G6659TG Players Edition Broadkaster Jr

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GUiTAriST AUGUST 2017

ho doesn’t love the look of a

Gretsch? They’re big, bold and

flashy and they scream rock ’n’

roll – and that’s rock ’n’ roll of all flavours,

from Eddie Cochran to George Harrison,

Neil Young to Joe Perry, Billy Duffy to Johnny

Marr and beyond. Trouble is, play a classic

6120 or Duo Jet and it can seem a bit, well, old-

fashioned. And while the likes of Brian Setzer,

Darryl Higham and Richard Hawley couldn’t

live without their own Gretsches’ quirky

controls and 50s playability, a growing number

of players desire the brand’s looks, sound and

unmatched vibe, but also want something a tad

more versatile and user-friendly.

Enter these latest Players Edition models

with necks set lower into the body for

improved access, higher-output Filter’Tron-

style humbucking pickups (Full’Trons) and a

modernised Bigsby vibrato where through-

stringing replaces the notorious ‘hooking the

ball-end over a peg’ system that scuppered any

chance of a quick change. Mate these modern

first play

GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION

6609 BROADKASTER

£2,299

WHAT IS IT? Modernised take

on classic double-cut semi, with

centre block and Full’Tron pickups

GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION

G6659TG BROADKASTER JR

£2,399

WHAT IS IT? Scaled-down

single-cut semi with Bigsby and

Full’Trons in Cadillac Green

Words Neville Marten Photography Neil Godwin

Two great new additions to Gretsch’s Players Edition

‘Centre Block’ range, with classic looks but a modern

twist or two up their sleeves

The Spell

Is Kast

GIT422.rev_gretsch.indd 10 15/06/2017 15:33

Summary of content (5 pages)

PAGE 1
f i r st p l ay GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION 6609 BROADKASTER £2,299 WHAT IS IT? Modernised take on classic double-cut semi, with centre block and Full’Tron pickups GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION G6659TG BROADKASTER JR £2,399 WHAT IS IT? Scaled-down single-cut semi with Bigsby and Full’Trons in Cadillac Green The Spell Is Kast Two great new additions to Gretsch’s Players Edition ‘Centre Block’ range, with classic looks but a modern twist or two up their sleeves Words Neville Marten Photography Neil Godwin W ho d
PAGE 2
Video Demo http://bit.ly/guitaristextra Gretsch Players Edition Broadkasters first play AUGUST 2017 Guitarist GIT422.rev_gretsch.
PAGE 3
first play GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION BROADKASTERS 1 2 1. The master volume on the lower horn is pure Gretsch, but we wonder if it’s one anachronism too far on these, in all other respects, very modern looking, feeling and sounding guitars 2. Evoking 50s Cadillac style ornamentation, the ‘V’ stopbar tailpiece is another classic Gretsch motif. Paired with the company’s AdjustoMatic bridge it’s a simple and workable design 3.
PAGE 4
Video demo GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION BROADKASTERS http://bit.ly/guitaristextra 4 first play 5 4. The Cadillac Green Broadkaster Jr’s Full’Trons are gold in gold surrounds. Note the Patent number (also shown overleaf) and double row of adjustable polepieces. 5. Nothing is spared when it comes to lavish appointments, with every conceivable edge bound, including the f-holes. Note the gold ‘arrow’ control knobs 6.
PAGE 5
first play GRETSCH PLAYERS EDITION BROADKASTERS note from the neck, and a Duane Eddy-ish clunk in the middle (very DeArmond-like). On an undistorted setting, both guitars sound very similar, but pile on some drive and the Jr’s greater wood-to-body-size ratio begins to add more middle honk compared with the bigger guitar’s slightly more open sound. The Bigsby could be adding to or subtracting from the sonic soup, but without otherwise identical instruments side by side it’s hard to tell.