How to Get Great Tones with a Gretsch 5420t Electromatic 

How do you dial in your Electromatic? Let us know! And if you want to support my channel, check out some Spotify tunes, share them with your friends and add them to playlists! open.spotify.com/artist/6RLQFre2Qp5T454mFR5Ol4

I found the best way to get the best tones out of any Gretsch? Plug It In! Beats everything else by miles!!!

Really great demo - not only showing the 5420T's versatility but also the GTX100's usefulness as well. I'm eyeing a 5420T, thanks for sharpening my focus!

Just got this for my son. I think he will love it. He's going to have fun figuring all the sounds he can develop.

Ordered mine last week. I agree you should be paid!!! I’ve heard all positive feedback. I’m no pro, but love to play casually. I’d like to study jazz more and honesty don’t care if this isn’t technically used for jazz as opposed to the typical rockabilly that Gretsch is known for. Thanks again!

I finally recieved my white Gretsch G5422TG today and It's awesome.

Yep, Gretsch should pay you! I got the Fairlane Blue 5420t about a month ago; right after I saw your YT demo... great demo/great guitar.

Had the green version back when they started producing these. Absolutely loved it! Ended up getting a stupid deal on a brand new Brian Setzer signature (thanks Adorama!!!). $1499 shipped. I wouldn't have ever considered it if it wasn't for me owing the G series. I was sad to see it go, but only because the Setzer model is a BEAST!!! NOTE: always watch for Adorama sales. They are authorized dealers for quite a few big names and every year they have 2 or 3 sales on certain items that I've seen go down 50% off. That Setzer model was $2699 marked down to $1499. Keep them in your watch list. Also got a 40% deal on a strat usa performer for $699

I played a G2622t for a couple of years. Never fellin love with it, and it doesn't stay in tune too well. Recently got a 5420 in orange. (Setzer fan boy) I can't believe how much clearer and articulate the pickups are.

Hallelujah!!! You are strumming and playing a GRETSCH the way it was meant to be played and built to sound unique! No need to convert me. I got my Gretsch Tennessean in 1964 and it has stood fast to me in a no. of different playing. situation: on stage in rock, in church for accompaniment and as a folk accompaniment! Gretsch ever and always forward, bro!!!!! It’s a wine colored Tennessean. Beatle George had my exact ax!!!

The jazzy chord progression in your “flat wound” clip was gorgeous.

Always love your videos Jack! Got a 5420t a couple days ago, in blue like the one in your video, love the tone and bigsby, I lowered the action to my liking and dig the feel better, so far only been playing it at home through Fender Deluxe Reverb, Fender Red Knob Champ 12 and my little BlackStar ID Core 10, it’s fun to play, and will test it out more in upcoming live shows to see how I bond with this big beast. My favorite tones is through a clean Fender tube amp, delay & reverb for a Surfy Rockabilly vibe. Pure and simple, then step on a Tube screamer pedal for some occasional dirtier leads. Happy 4th Everyone!

Great demo. This helps validate the fact that I want one of these guitars.

I have an orange Gretsch 5420t and it's a very versatile guitar, well beyond classic blues/rock. Its sound blends amazingly with effects such as chorus, delay etc., while the Bigsby allows you to get very unique sounds.

I bought my 5420 a year ago and still experimenting. Thanks for the information.

You have found out what we discovered in the early 60's. Back then a lot of players thought Gretsch Guitars were for Cowboy music. But Dwayne Eddie came along with Eddie Cochran and then The Beatles. I got my first Gretsch in 1962. A 1958, 6120 model. $250.00, . That was a hell of a lot of money for a 13 year old back then. Two years worth. All my birthday money, paper route money and lawn mowing money ! two years later I found a 450 Magnatone amp at an estate sale a few blocks from my house. I got it for $25.00 as it was not working at the time. As it turned out, it was only the power cord that had a break in it. Gretsch guitars are the most versatile guitars made. Most of the great bands from the 1960's used Gretsch Guitars ! Pete Townshend has used a 6120 on every studio recording since 1969. A guitar given to him by Joe Walsh. Who, at the time was hanging out with Keith Moon taking lessons on how to be a bad boy ! Pete also said that the Gretsch is the most versatile guitar ever made, and the loudest fu@king guitar he has ever owned ! (his exact words) ! Musicians all over are rediscovering Gretsch guitars. And just how great they actually are. Vickie Peterson from The Bangles said she used to have six guitars to use for live shows and now, she only needs one. A Gretsch Country Classic ! Even Susanna Hoffs has put down her famous Ricenbacker for a Gretsch. The video (Unconditional Love) Gretsch is having a fantastic rebirth ! A while back I bought a G5422TG The Walnut Model. Not to take anything away from Jack here, this is a great video ! But here is Richard Barrett from Guitarist Magazine doing a short demo on this guitar and the G5422TG. When Jack talks about "The Gretsch Sound", I believe this is what he's really talking about ! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DrikQJQbjYQ.html

Thanks, I just got a 5422, this was very helpful. Sounds like the simpler the better will work for me!

Slightly north of the edge of breakup is one of my favorite tones for a Gretsch.

Billy Duffy says "Hold my beer." Great stuff. I have a 5410T Limited Edition Tri-Five-Five on the way. 55 year old total beginner but I wanted a Gretsch to be one of my first guitars. I bought the GTX 50, it would be cool to see camera shots of the channel settings for us novices. New Subscriber.

Gretsch !!!! I am buying this exact guitar because of Jack !!!! Thanks Jack !!!!!!!!

Jack, thanks. You do talk a bit but you stay on target. At 71 I've owned and played a hoard of guitars. I have a 5420 for a few years and never bonded with it. This Christmas my sweetheart gifted me a 5422T and wow do I love this guitar. Now I need to revisit my 5420 and explore the possibility of tones as you suggested. You manage to get some great tones.

I was searching for videos on the gretch 5420TG when I came across this video. I love the presentation. your tones achieved are fantastic. I'm now looking for A5420T 2016 or later model, as the model you presented sold me. Thanks for the video. by the way, screw those people that think you talk too much. Your presentation provided much needed information. Gretsch needs to reach out to you. Great sales pitch, and great chops. You represent how good this fiddle is for the intermediate to advance guitar player. 👍

IMO, a Gretsch semi-hollow, or hollow body guitar, with a Bigsby vibrato arm, is the ultimate Rockabilly guitar.

I ordered one two days ago. Super excited to get it!

I always wanted to get a hollowbody Gretsch. I have an epiphone casino which I love. It was my first electric guitar. But something about that Gretsch sound has always spoken to me.

Just ordered my first! I have a PRS Custom SE, Ephiphone Les Paul Custom and a Schecter…looking forward to new tones and new musical generas to explore! Just subscribed, thx!!

I like to get a cramps, blues feel Reverb , delay, bit of compression or overdrive, love the Gretsch, it has become my favourite guitar and looks so cool...

What?! A Blacktop can sounds like Setzer? Say it ain't so! Yep. Gretsch snobs. They talk more than they will ever play. Swap out pickups. And then they talk some more. Great one Jack.

I have this very guitar (color and all) and I love it. Thanks so much for offering so many ways to get great and varied tones out of it. I mosly use a DV Mark "Little Jazz" and get a great clean tone by dialing off a little bass, dialing up a little mid and leaving high in the middle and pretty good reverb, near the middle.

The flat wounds give you that George Benson sound. Vern nice demo! Your guitar really sounds like the high end 60's Gretsch guitars.

Thanks for the video! I recently questioned the number of guitars I had (no where close to your collection) and dropped down to just the one, my 5420t in Aspen Green. I just love the versatility of the guitar, so many tones for different styles of music. I agree and am equally surprised gretsch doesn’t get used by more blues players, possibly Bo and I have watched one video of a player playing back up for BB. I also think it is a great guitar for folks going from acoustic to electric, it’s an easier switch than a solid body and the Filtertrons especially on this guitar are not high output pickups which helps and who doesn’t love the tremolo arm.

/ Thanks for doing the video on this guitar, I bought this exact one on an impulse buy, couldn't walk past the Fairlane Blue, absolutely no regrets. It works very well with a my silverface twin for blues and rockabilly (which I am learning slowly) also I run it through a Marshall Origin 20 C - not gigging anymore but like to get a good tone at home. My settings are: Blues - 75 Twin , flat EQ on the amp, Reverb on 3, Keeley Compressor into a Mojo Hand FX DMBL, Keeley Caverns Reverb on Spring Rockabilly - 75 Twin, Keeley compressor, Bell Epoch slapback, Keeley Caverns Reverb on Spring Rock - Marshall Origin, Flat EQ, tilt at 2 o'clock, DOD FX 80B compressor, Joyo OCD clone and SD1 for drive and a HOF for reverb Really enjoy the vids, keep it up.

Enjoyed the video Jack. The flatwound string jazz tone was nice.

Thank you Jack, you covered great tones. I have a 5420, I like to play Rockabilly Blues and Rock. The pickups are very versatile. Lead guitar is the most challenging on this model. I love the sounds I get when playing Rhythm.

You are probably going to cause me to buy one of these. Already have a Gin Rickey as my getting back to playing guitar after a 30 year absence.

I'll definitely implement this in my practice 😎 🤟 thx for sharing

15:52-Skiddley-doo-waa-waaaa....!! That one goes out to all the swingin'-night-cats out there....!! Very cool bro, verrrry cool. 😎🤙!!

Jack Fossett thank you very much for the video I just got two of theses guitars and after seeing you play I can't wait for it to arrive.

My first Gretsch was the G6122T-59 that I bought in 2004. Unthinkably I did not take care of it well and it required filing of the frets because of dryness, and luthier scrapped my binding! I forced him to buy it and bought a Black 6120 with gold hardware. Sold it before moving to a tropical island for a few years and knew I could not control the humidity. I came back to Canada I tried the old Electromatic series and just hated them! I bought a beautiful 6117T-HT Double Anniversary made in Japan which has the 1959 Trestle Bracing. It is hard to like even the new Electromatic series because my ebony fingerboard feels just sooo good and smooth! I sawpped out the Synchromatic Bridge for a Tru-Arc Serpentune and glued down the floating bridge, and slapped on some .11-.52 Thomastik-Infeld strings and the tuning stability is great! I really miss my filter Tron pups but my Hilotrons look so cool! Not sure if I am ever going to swap them out or simply by another Gretsch but the pro-line series are now ridiculously expensive!!

This was an excellent review. Thank you very much for helping me discover and understand more about Gretsch guitar tones

I agree about their fit in the blues arena. 140 years aniversary and before I was born Chet Atkins introduced the Gretsch to Country and the two guitars I've owned mid range Falcon with Filtatron and my new 5655TG both inspire me into Texas Blues.

Nice I have the same one but orange I love this guitar still experimenting on it haha

I have one in Aspen Green. I'm an old guy (soon to be 69) and I bought it to learn on. I chose it because it seemed to be the one that was most versatile, For instance sometimes I can't always use an amp and this guitar is for me acceptable to practice on with just acoustic. One problem I had was the saddles rattled (really annoying). I fixed that problem by installing roller saddles. Seems to stay in tune longer too. But that's just me.

I got 1 and its so much more for the price love love it good vid thanks. Willy

Hi Jack, My first Electromatic was the 5220. I got it on a trade for an amp. I saw an opportunity to make a few bucks so I took the deal. Upon cleaning it up and restringing it, I found a need to play some rockabilly stuff, which is something I didn't really play much. I am a decent player. Mostly rock and blues, strat guy. Gretsch instantly opened me up to something different, and from there I just had to learn some jazz standards and Setzer type stuff. Talk about fun! I am thinking about getting a 5422 with the Bigsby to add to my pile of guitars. Thanks for posting.

Great colour. I want to say Fairlane blue ... I have Azure Blue and Ocean Turquoise. Such great colours.

Hey Jack! Esta Gretsch é realmente um sonho de guitarra... Tenho um Gretsch G5622t de corte duplo e estou amando o timbre. Agora, influenciado por seu vídeo, estou garimpando um G5420t para obter os clássicos tons do Rockabilly Rocker e dos guitarristas antigos. Obrigado pelo vídeo inspirador! Big hug from Brazil 🇧🇷

That’s some really nice playing Jack. And you do a nice job of avoiding the cliches. Great info on the Gretsch stuff also, thanks. Just bought my first Gretsch, a G5230T, love it’s playability.

Good review of the Gretsch sound!

I have the exact guitar. Just learning...prefer the clean sound with the neck bridge. BTW, you are a wealth of information and Gretsch should pay you.

Thanks to You and Your Videos Jack, I have Ordered a New Gretsch G5420 T Guitar. I am simply Hoping I am able to Bring some of the Beautiful Tones from My Gretsch that You do Yours. Thanks for the Videos.

As far as blues players go: Bo Diddley was known for playing Gretsch, as is ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. They both typically preferred solid-bodies, though, from what I’ve seen. I play a 2019 Electromatic Jet 5230FT in Airline Silver. I’ve modified it with 500K pots in the volume and tone knobs, a 1M pot on the master volume, a 0.032uf tone capacitor, a custom black and silver paisley psychedelic scratch plate, and abalone-topped chrome knobs.. I play it with flat-wounds, and it sounds KILLER on psychedelic blues. She’s my favourite guitar. She has a name,but it is inexpressible by human vocal apparatus.

Excellent video ! I find my Gretsch to be extremely versatile ;-)

Also loved this video great tone combo using the Fender Mustang.

Just took one in yesterday on a partial trade. Beautiful white and gold. Thanks for the vid. Helps me as this guitar is very out of the box for what I usually do. But I think it's going to be a dark horse.

Thanks for the video 👍🏽 It's always a pleasure to watch your videos. I've ordered myself exactly the same guitar) Now I'm waiting for it. Watching reviews on it. Thanks again, Jack!✊🏽

Excellent vid, thanks!

This is brilliant thank you for sharing.

Real helpfull

I've got an older 2012 model that I picked up at a pawn shop. It seems to have been barely played. I did anchor the bridge because it was floating on the older models. I mostly play clean on it but the Filtertrons have a unique sound with gain that is pretty good. I usually play with it on the middle position with the neck pickup turned down a bit and the bridge all the way up.

Great review. I just bought that same guitar blue like yours used for a very good price. It was a 30 day returned new guitar. Should be here soon. You really helped me with your demo.

bought a 6135 orange sweet water. i may do some mod work on it. love your video. keep it up.

As you were paying at signs the 10 minute mark..it sounded like you were going to break out on Eddie van Halen girl you take got me opening!

Great video - looking to get into electric after 50 years of acoustic playing. Love the look and feel of the Gretsch. Good suggestions on the amps, too. Which I know very little about!

gorgeous!!!

Thank you for another completely worthwhile video. I was really pleased to see the Sheraton videos, since that's currently the guitar at the top of my wish list. By sheerest coincidence, the 5420 Electromatic is just behind it and it's great to get your take on them. From you earlier video, I gathered you were a fan and this is a nice deeper dive. Bellissima!

Thanks. Good demo. I recently got an Electromatic and this video was full of some good observations and ideas. Something that you can't say about 95% of guitar brands, is that Gretschs are definitely their own world. Kinda like a new woman's body, to coax the true beauty out of it, you gotta spend a little time with it. You gotta pay attention and give it plenty of attention. She'll come around.

I just got back from guitar center Hollywood for the exact model but a silver gray one, g5420 and I want the black n white one

Great video Jack. I bought the model that doesn't have the thumbnail markers but has a sort of block inlay with a hump on it. Colour is orange with gold hardware. It came strung with 11s but I have swapped them for 10s. Have not gigged it yet but the first fret is high be so I need to dress it. I would agree with your tone settings but would probably try the treble a notch higher but until I play it at gig volume I'm not sure.

Country Gent is the 👑!

Thanks for the content

I enjoyed the content of this video! I have recently gotten the GTX100 and should receive a very similar Electromatic 5622T tomorrow!! I appreciated the tones you were able to obtain with the combination and look forward to a similar experience albeit not at the same playing level!

great playing and tone

Not long after I got mine G5422TG I was making a scratch layout for a song I was working on . Dang the play-ability and the tone I got was the tone I had in my head, I had been getting cloce with a single coil and fuzz. it was me with ragged calluses (they squeak) Vox pathfinder 15r and as sm58 clone haphazardly placed in front to the speaker... I did some overdubs a bit after the fact with some other guitars and amps, cant quite remember what I used and what i did not use. The song is UI, U&I or U&I it was released so is on my channel bla bla spotifiy Bla Bla most places yada yada yada

So many players/famous records used Gretsches and it rarely gets mentioned. Bill Duffy, Johnny Marr, Roddy Frame, Edwyn Collins, Marco Pironi, Matthew Ashman (maybe not that well known in the US?) used them in the '79s & '80s, Neil Finn, Keith Scott (Bryan Adams' guitarist), Gilmour uses a Jet quite lot, these days, Jeff Beck did an album a few years back. Even Hank Marvin occasionally used one in the early days.

HA HA, I love the sound of my own voice too! Nice video!

I got that exact guitar and a trade for a player Stratocaster that I just never connected with thinking that I was just going to sell it and I just love the thing to death I don't think I've connected more with any guitar

Billy Duffy played a Gretsch.

so how do I get the tone!!

Just bought a new orange stain G5420t, I wish they would have left the engraved electromatic headstock alone, and I cant stand the thumbnail inlays would have rather had the center inlays. Other than that, I love the hollowbody sound. Thinking about getting some Dougs plugs to handle the feedback issues

love it, especially on aspen green, although that blue one is gorgeous too. next guitar, maybe.

You asked a question in youre vid, why do they need a delay ? its the resonace and you will see that there is a piece called protection back on some of the falcon ones, which seems when you see it, but it does asomething it lets your body swing or resaonate, itd not a stupid rounded protection, it works as keeping away the back of guitar from vibration, one of my fav guitar players got on

Hey Jack, great playing and content as usual. Have you changed the bridge to some kind of roller or solid block material? Many Gretsch players seem to find that the standard bridge is very unstable over time and that a solid bridge improves the tone or that a roller bridge significantly improves tuning stability.

Those fender mustangs need an EQ in the fx loop to have good overdrive tones on anything other than single coils

I've got a 2420t, basically the same guitar, and I put flat wounds on it since it sounds like a blues guitar to begin with.

Great video, Jack. You made that baby cry, and wail, and sing. I recently bought that same guitar (my first Gretch). I love the color, design, playability, versatility, tone and overall vibe of it. May I ask what gauge strings you use on yours?

My son has just bought me a 5420TG for my 60th!!! Would love some more detail on the Setzer settings on the guitar and amp. I've got the fantastic BS301 Mystery Brain pedal which gets part way there but guitar & amp settings would be cool. Just need Mr Setzer's or your fingers and I've got it made!! :)

sub'd - I really appreciate your insights ! I have settled on this model 👌✅ , since I'm generally a life long acoustic player and want to foray into the electric world at a reasonable cost 😂

Jack, you’re forgetting about Bo Diddley’s Gretsch unless you don’t want to allow his music as blues. I know, it’s R n R.

Chris Cheney, Tim Armstrong, Tom Delong

I didn't notice that modern churches were playing indie music. I like vintage gretsch tones better. As much as I like blues, I'm not convinced Gretsches will work for blues, but I like the idea of clean blues with lots of headroom and tone spread, but no harsh trebles, ice picks, or ringing high overtones. Some of Setzers' early stuff sounded really jazz blusey, stuff that made him famous.

you should try this gretsch through your laney lc30

I have a early sixties chet akins tennessean cherry red .

Sounds like a metal pick…is it a metal pick? (Coin?). One of the things I love about Gretsch is the pickup. I feel like it gives the clarity of a single coil without any of the hum and none of the humbuckers muddy/middy-ness.

I prefer the sound of the 5120's gretschbuckers. They are more of a mellow sound to me. I actually liked the sound of gretschbuckers over my 6120's high-end pickups. Of course, I mainly play jazz which seems to go better with the gretschbuckers. The black top pickups seem to have a more treble sound which are better for the twang which is why most Gretsch players prefer them I suppose. I do like the sound of the Broadtron pickups on the Streamliners. However, you are pretty good at getting some good sounds out of the 5420 Blacktops. Mickey

I was hoping you would show your Filtertron pickup setup close. Great video and very helpful for getting great tones though. Pickup height and pole piece closeup would be nice though

Thanks for your video man very cool. You're playing is pretty amazing! But I do not like the way the new fender mustang sound. They're just something digital that I hear in just about everything but that's not to take away from your playing. I own a 5422t and I own a 5430 jet and they're both pretty cool. They both have black top filter trans. I didn't notice I've never tried to compare their size. I'm assuming my 5430 is pre-2016 I'm pretty sure it is as a matter of fact I'm positive it is. It has the electromatic on the headstock so that would I guess date it post 2016 I'm sorry pre-2016. But again I was under the assumption that they both have the same pickups in it. Now I'm going to have to check it's hard for me to do in some ways if it's very close in size but not exactly the same cuz I'm blind. But I'm happy with both guitars. I've ordered actually the metal knobs with the g's on them and my jet didn't come with it's a pick card so I'm going to be ordering that too just to make it a little bit more modern or not more than actually it'd be more retro right it would be more in line with my 5422 hey what chance did you know the the regular Grinch metal knobs with the g on it and the smaller headstock and whatnot although I can't do anything about the headstock on the jet lol. I like both of them I tend to play my hollow body with the I'd say I play it with distortion but since I'm in such a small room like you said it will feed back much quicker than any other solid body guitar I have. And the jet I I like it. I was going to send it back cuz I didn't realize that I was buying a pre-2016 electromatic. But when I had the guitar set up you know professionally and I got it back it played so amazingly and sounded cool not the most amazing sound the guitar I have but you know nothing that I need to swap the pickups out of you know or have any real great desire to at the moment. But this guitar plays is one of the best playing guitars I own. It's the easiest one of the easiest guitars I have to play. It's like the difference between playing a or driving a car with power steering and non-power steering the the old 5430 I can't get rid of this guitar now just because of how it plays. Plus I got it at such a good deal it wouldn't pay to sell anyway. I guess if I want another jet a new one I can just buy one new or buy a used one that's the post 2016. Anyway thanks for your video enjoyed it and learn from it which is always a cool combination sincerely us, about the blind bedroom guitarist

Recently bought a 22t Streamliner. Love it. Named it the Artoliner! About to get a 5420t Electromatic. Going to name that the Martomatic! Next of course is a White Falcon. Neil tribute name perhaps the Wordsbird? You know why. Anyhoo, got an old Fender fuzz/was pedal, which cranks. In your view, what other effects pedals sound good with Gretsh weapons of mass distraction? Given I love Jimi, Neil, Floyd, JJ, Doors, Buffet, Walsh and the rest

Hi Jack, just got myself an orange 5420tg after years of wanting to have a gretsch. Just learning about it but man it plays like it looks awesome! Thanks for the video I'll be scanning the comments to learn my way around this beast, I'm currently playing through a Vox rock headphone setup as working interstate living in a hotel but I have a single cab 100w Marshall and Zoom effects box to play with when I get this tank of a guitar home. Thank you again any tips greatly accepted.🤟🇦🇺

My local store actually has some Gretsch guitars now for the first time. I saw a beautiful white G5422TG electromatic with bigsby and gold hardware. I'm not sure if I should buy it or not though... The guitar looks very nice, but since I have zero experience with Gretsch I cannot tell if it is something for me.