Update: the guitar has really aged well! It stays in great tune now. It just seems to have “settled-in”, I guess. I’ve also since replaced the TV Jones Dynasonics with some original Gretsch/Rowe Dynasonics that I had and changed some wiring to match a real 53. Though the TV Jones pickups are great pickups, my whole goal with this guitar was to have an “affordable” period-sounding Gretsch that plays great. It is now ABSOLUTELY that. What was a really good guitar before is an absolute inspiration now. It’s one of my favorite guitars, and I’m thankful to have it.
I know I keep commenting on this video, but it's a great video. Regarding the wiring, you nailed it. I actually sourced some dual gang pots and the appropriate caps to reproduce that circuit in my two Dyna Gretsches. There are a couple of other things you'll find in the old ones, namely they used 1meg Reverse Audio Taper pots (had to buy NOS on those) AND they wired the pickups directly to the switch, rather than the pots. The differences are subtle, but I measured the frequencies on mine before and after, and there was a noticeable "mid-hump" on the vintage style circuit. Some of them even had 22k resistors wired at the output of each pickup volume pot which made them sound even "twangier" to my ears anyway. I ended up taking those out and opting for a treble bleed cap on the master volume. Overall, once you get used to the setup, I've found that there's just about nothing you can't do. Hit me up offline if you want a wiring diagram. Thanks again for taking the time, brother.
@@chrisbeall5702 Indeed. I spent months pouring over pictures of control cavities, and I even found an x-ray of a 50's Duo Jet and studied the wiring, LOL! I finally had to call Gruhn Guitars in Nashville and talk to their repair guy for the final piece of information. They are very gracious there and when I told them I was on a quest to find "that" sound, they obliged. Nice folks. What I was able to prove with all that effort is that it's all physics. If you can get the right value components wired up in the right way, you'll get the sound of the old days. Is it better? I guess that's up to the player. It was a cool journey and I learned a lot. 😃
Amazing guitars. Great playing! I have the VS53 for just over three years and I love it. I haven’t had tuning issues with it gratefully. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat.
Lubricate the nut grooves is the most important to fix this problem. You can also use engine oil or lip balm. It's also important to verify that the grooves are adjusted to the strings gauges and if not, use the correct luthier file and smooth the grooves. On my Jet, I've also changed the bridge for a roller bridge and I can use the Bigsby in a wild way staying in tune. But lubricate the nut grooves is the most usefull. Some people think they need to change the tuning pegs but that doesn't fix anything.
Nice comparison. Thank-you. I have a 1955 Silver Jet and I can confirm that those old dynasonic pickups are powerful. You have to be careful and keep the pole pieces low or they’ll pull the strings out of tune. They sound really good. Nothing like a Les Paul.
Fun comparison, thanks for that! The original sounds absolutely wonderful! The 53VS is no slouch either! New to the Gretsch world - been a Les Paul guy since the 70s - but really enjoying my 2018 Japanese made cherry Duo Jet. It's whole new palette which is pushing me to a lot of arpeggiated chord work in the middle position (grew up with our George during the 60s so there ya go). Thanks for a nice insight into the Gretsch solid body world!
Yeah I have the same guitar, TV Jones T-Armonds. I also had an original 55 had it for about 5 years and sold it made $1500 bucks. Then bought the 53 reissue and lol,😉 like it more..
I have a late 90's duo jet (looks like the harrison one) that is absolutely an heirloom piece to me. Ya, not that old, but it was made while the Gretsch family brought back these old classics. It sounds so unique. My other two guitars are strat and tele. The Gretsch fills that blank where nothing else sounds like it. And it's such a pretty guitar. Definitely a sleeper in the vintage world... you can find late 50's one's for 7 or 8 grand... that's really crazy.
The Vintage Select (VS) are a nitro finish but the prevailing thought on the Gretsch forums is that its over a polyester (not urethane) base coat to prevent checking.
Great video. I could do without a Bigsby, but inability to palm mute is a deal breaker. Never thought about that with the old bridge. Dream duo would be brass bridge, TVJC+ lead pickup (when lots of noise-free distortion is wanted) & Dynasonic neck (beautiful cleans). I love teles but honestly I have not found a better sounding guitar than a duo jet, with or without distortion, from the lowest fret to the highest, either pickup, any music style. They just always sound great.
It’s a TonePro’s AVR2P-N, (an ABR1 tun-o-matic). It’s the best one I have found. Others have saddles that move around (and make slight noises) or just the wrong radius. There isn’t a bridge made that will match the original rosewood base (too narrow width) so you’ll have to get a good quality rosewood or ebony base and fit it to the top in order to use the tune-o-matic bridge.
Great video. Having great chops and a Princeton doesn't hurt either. Really well recorded. While they were a little different, I didn't think they were miles apart. May I ask if the old one was lighter? Possibly more hollow, or chambered?
They are remarkably similar in weight and chambering. The woodwork is REALLY good. The best I’ve seen in the reissue Gretsch’s. I have since put original Dynasonics in the new one and I absolutely love it.
Have you seen or heard of the custom build name " Collings " version of the Duo Jet? Rhett Shull plays one in one of his videos. He seemed to love it, and it appeared to be some what of a sublime experience.They custom build their duo jet, as well as some other guitars, ( les Paul junior, and others) But they are quite expensive. ($8,000.00) I guess it's a case of you get what you pay for.
Yes, I visited the factory back when they were developing their “duo Jet” but I was sworn to secrecy! Beautiful guitar. Theirs is a little more of a hybrid and a fantastic guitar. But I want more of a vintage Gretsch “period” sound. Mine now has a pair of original Dynasonics which make ALL of the difference in the world.
Do anyone know how those T-Armonds pickups - how they are related to filtertron pickups? Is it like p90 pickup to humbucker pickup (so something between single and humbucker)?
The pickups are actually a version of a Rowe “Dynasonic” pickup and are not related to Filtertrons at all--except that both appeared in Gretsch guitars. Filtertrons are hum-cancelling dual-coils, Dyna’s are not hum cancelling and are single coils. I’d say if Gibson P90’s and humbuckers were at a certain segment on the midrange spectrum, the Dyna’s and Filtertrons would be a few notches back--more clarity, less mid-hump.
Nice vidéo, i really miss this vintage fat neck on my 6128 duojet ...how is the reissu ? pickups are too light too , seymour duncan are more powerfull like vintaye ones , and ellisonic too . 10k
I just put some original Dynasonics in the 53VS. It’s becoming one of my favorite guitars, as I suspected it would. The TV Jones pickups do a pretty good job of emulating the originals, but they do sound different. The TV Jones are brighter too. I would recommend to anyone that uses TV Jones Dynasonics to use a “shunt” resistor on the bridge pickup. It’s the same idea the original Gretsch guitars had and the TV Jones Dyna’s REALLY could use it!
@@chrisbeall5702 thanks a lot ! I have found great french dynasonic that i will try . Can you tell me about the neck on the 53 reissu please ? Is it more like the real big one , or more like gibson slim taper ?
Noted, but it’s about as “direct” of a comparison as $2,600 could get. Honestly, if you’ve ever held one of those original early 50’s Gretsch tail pieces in your hand you’ll remember that the weight of it is relatively substantial for what it is. In this case, I would say it’s more about the Bigsby actually touching the top of the guitar that could contribute to even more tonal differences, where the original Gretsch tail piece does not touch the top of the guitar. More on mass though, how about that enormous Melitta bridge?!!! That’s waaaaay different than a little piece of aluminum the new ones come with or even a tunomatic, and inevitably imparts a certain tonal quality because of IT’S mass, too. The glue used to put the new guitar together is different, too, and that makes a difference. The selection of mahogany available for the new one is also different than what was available back when the original was made. That matters. The finish is a different material than the original, even IF it possibly is a version of lacquer. TIME also has a lot to do with it--the drying of wood; the curing of glues; the aging/curing of finish. So there’s a lot that anyone could suggest about whether or not it’s a “direct” comparison; it’s important to consider all of it if that is what’s attempting to be achieved. On the side: The new one was “brighter” even with the Bigsby and the aluminum bridge changed out, so there’s a lot more going on than just increased mass. (Generally, increased mass makes the guitar not as bright). Since I happened to have a set of original Dynasonics and know how the wiring should be, I later installed those and the new one now sounds/feels absolutely incredible. It’s now one of my favorite guitars. Took a while to get there, but it’s an inspirational instrument. Have a great day, and thank you for checking out the video and weighing in on it. It was sure a fun one to do.
@@chrisbeall5702 thank you for even considering a near impossible feat! I gave up discerning the myriad Gretsch foibles cos each Gretsch was different from the next even at the factory, if it was before lunch or after lunch could drastically change the equation lol if you get the drift. consistency was a major QC issue. I doubt my '68 SuperTron'd Duo-Jet could be replicated in it's unique glory after being mongrel'd a bit in it's life, but what a feather-light marvel. their odd construction and the aged wood / glue definitely mixes things up. they're each very individual, most are 'good', many 'great', with a few dogs slipping thru I'd assume. once they did the Super Chet I think they maxed out for the old era. outside of oddballs like Micro-Frets I find Gretsch history and their classic sound to be the most fun and varied rabbit holes. all the best!
@@chrisbeall5702 Totally! I like the pure nickels on my Dyansonic guitars. The flats do sound HEAVENLY if you get a chance to try them. I usually buy an extra unwound G so I can do bends 😃
