Gretsch Electromatic G5122DC

Specifications:

Color: Walnut
Body: Laminated maple
Finish: Gloss urethane
Neck: Laminated maple
Fretboard: Rosewood, bound
Frets: 22
Scale Length: 24.56"
Nut Width: 1.6875"
Hardware: Chrome-plated
Machine Heads: Chrome-plated vintage-style tuners
Bridge: Rosewood-based Adjusto-Matic Bridge
Bigsby licensed B60 vibrato tailpiece
Neck pickup: Chrome-covered Dual Coil humbucking pickup
Bridge pickup: Chrome-covered Dual Coil humbucking pickups
Pickup selector: 3-Position toggle
Controls: Volume 1 (neck pickup), Volume 2 (bridge pickup), Master Volume
Neck inlays: Neo-classic "Thumbnail" position markers
Pickguard: Silver Plexi pickguard
Headstock overlay
Pearloid Gretsch Headstock Logo, Bound
Knurled strap retainer knobs

My G.A.S for hollow bodied guitars continue to linger. My initial G.A.S was short listed to a Tokai, Edwards, Artcore or a Gibson ES335 type model. After various try outs, I stumbled upon a Gretsch Electromatic G5122 double cutaway. The build is very similar to the ES335 models but this one had more of a catch factor. It caught my attention and my G.A.S so I contacted BGW guitars to have one shipped in for me.

I simply love the cosmetics of the G5122. The intricate details into the make of the guitar is visually stunning. From the knobs, strap nuts and pickups. They are beautifully made with a walnut stain finish.

There are some differences in the earlier made G5122's as compared to the current production line. The earlier model had a transparent pick guard and the current models come with a silver Gretsch pick guard which in my opinion brings out more character in the guitar. The earlier model also spots a 50th anniversary sticker on the back of the headstock. Give and take, I'll prefer the silver pickguard to a sticker on the back of the headstock anyday.

The tone this guitar produces is amazing. Very warm on the neck pickup. Great for jazz, blues and rockabilly. The bridge pickup produces that Gretsch growl that's so commonly associated with Gretsch guitars. It's hard to explain in words about the tonal capabilities of this guitar. It won't do the guitar any justice. I have met many reviews before committing on this purchase and many review have said that the stock pups are sterile and useless. I personally think the stock pups are great. They look good and sound good. But if someone is going to compare these Gretsch Buckers to a set of TV Jones, Then you are better off paying high dollar for a straight up high end Gretsch. Once again, you pay for what you get and what you get and these great sounding pickups that in my opinion needs no swap out.

The Electromatic series are made in Korea. Hence the lower price tag but the build is simply amazing. If you're looking for a semi hollow bodied guitar and would not like to fork out an arm and a leg for a Gibson ES335 price tag. Look no further, I highly recommend this piece.

Pros:

Beautiful Craftsmanship

Intricate Details and Attenttion to Detail

Bigsby Trem Bar

Walnut Stained Finish

Affordable

That Great Gretsch Sound

Tuning Stability

Comfortable

Thin Neck

Versatile

Cons:

Hard Shell Case Not Included

No roller saddles on the bridge

Rating: 9.9/10

More detailed pictures can be found at "Guitar Porn Gallery"

Edwards E-LP-92SD Gold Top Les Paul Standard

Specifications:

BODY: (Top) Flame Maple (Back) Mahogany w/ Ivory Binding
NECK: Mahogany
FNGERBORAD: Rosewood, 22frets w/ Ivory Binding
RADIUS: 305R
SCALE: 24.75 inch (628mm)
NUT: Bone (43mm)
INLAY: Pearloid Dish
JOINT: Set-neck
TUNER: GOTOH SD90-SL
BRIDGE: Old Type Tune-Matic & GOTOH GE101Z
PICKUPS: (Front) Seymour Duncan SH-1n
(Rear) Seymour Duncan SH-4
PARTS COLOR: Nickel
CONTROLS: Front Volume, Rear Volume, Front Tone, Rear Tone, Toggle PU Selector

Edwards guitars are the most under-rated guitar brand in Japan to date. They use bookmatched woods, nitro top coat finishes, Fender and Gibson-size fret wire, identical dimension-matching, and have Seymour Duncan SSL or SH series pickups stock. They cost anywhere from USD$850 - USD$1,200 new. They are designed as the lower-cost version of the Navigator series, but they are really not that much lower in terms of craftsmanship, only price. Edwards guitars are made as Gibson and Fender replicas as well, but at a price most people can afford, and they are the real rivals of the Fender and Gibson guitar, because they are in a price range that is a little less. For what you get, Edwards brand is the best value in electric guitars today, in my opinion, if you are looking for a Fender or Gibson clone and don?t want to compromise tone by searching for older, used vintage Japanese guitars that can sometimes be noisy. Anyone who has ever purchased an Edwards guitars has made a comment about how taken-aback they were at the quality and bang-for the-buck. I agree, Edwards makes arguably the best low-cost guitar in Japan. (Quote: guitarsjapan)

I took the opportunity to pick up a gold top. I have wanted a gold top since I was a kid. I have always associated the gold top with Slash. In my opinion, Probably the most recognized guitar icon on a les paul to date.

My first impressions of this guitar were the excellent quality in build. The finish on the guitar is flawless. There's no uneven finish and the craftsmanship is top notch. The weight is rather heavy on this one. Like most Les Paul?s, they do weight quite a bit and this is normal. Some will argue that this helps the guitar produce its signature Les Paul tone.

I plugged this in through my VOX AD100VT and rigged with a Dano Cool Cat TOD, Biyang Metal End King and a Monte Allums modded Boss CS3. With the Seymour Duncans loaded as a stock feature, I don't think this guitar needs a pup swap. These Duncans are really good enough. With the famous pup combo of a JB on the bridge and 59 on the neck. There is a very good balance in tone. Nice cleans on the neck position. At the middle position, there's that sparkle like chime. At the bridge position, there's a mid boost growl and the harmonics just sing. When I pushed her into overdrive, She holds the low ends very well. Loads of sustain in her and the pickups are relatively quiet.

The overall feel of the guitar is rather good. I have never considered myself as a Les Paul player but this guitar has got some character. I think the stock hardware is pretty decent but one of the downsides that I have with this guitar is the fatness of the neck. It's not a 60's Gibson sized neck and it does get rather uncomfortable after playing for longer durations. Maybe I?m just too used to the neck size of strats and teles that this fatness felt uncomfortable. I guess it's the player?s choice and it comes down to personal preference and getting used to.

My final take on this particular model is rather good. For a fraction of the price of a Gibson Les Paul Standard, It's definitely a bang for the buck guitar. There should not be a comparison between the qualities of a Gibson Les Paul and an Edwards Les Paul although some might argue that the Edwards will pawn the Gibson in many departments but there is a reason why those darn Gibson's cost so much more. Sometimes the brand name says a lot and the legacy of the brand lives on to newer heights.

Rumor has it that ESP has a factory based in china to make Edwards guitars. The woodwork and paint are made in china. Then they are shipped to Japan for assembly, setup and QC. So what's the make? Made in china? Made in Japan? Does it really matter where it is made if the guitar plays well?

Bear in mind that you pay for what you get. But sometimes, you also pay for what you DO NOT get with big brand names. But in this case of the Edwards E-LP-92SD, It's the direct opposite and it's money well spent.

Pros:

Seymour Duncan Pups

Great Craftmanship

Vaue For Money

Great Relica

Awesome Tone

Beautiful Finish

Edwards are from the makers of ESP Guitars


Cons:

Fat Neck

Not a Gibson

Does not come with a original hard shell case

Rating: 8.5/10

More detailed pictures can be found in the "Guitar Porn Gallery"