The Gretsch Pages

Welcome to the Gretsch Pages

• Log in
• Register

Are There Any "Classic" Gretsch/Amp Pairings

• 

  • Rated: 3 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 10:42 a.m. blackscot:

  Please pardon in-advance yet another post from a Gretsch newbie. Although I've been playing for 36 years, my first Gretsch was obtained just about one year ago (see Tennessee Rose in avatar and below).

  I've read about a lot of "classic" pairings of different guitars such as strats and Les Pauls with various amps such as Marshall, Vox, etc. Many of these seem centered around a particular tone generated by the combination, and made popular by various renown guitarists.

  Although recently becoming an owner, I still know very little in general about Gretsch guitars, and literally nothing about Gretsch amps. Are there any particular combinations of distinct fame? If so, on what basis?

  Also, what about Gretsch guitars with other (non-Gretsch) amps? I'm just trying to get a better historical perspective here.

  By-the-way, although my strat (my only other electric) sounds best through my Fender amp (Blues Junior), the Tennessee Rose definitely sounds better through my Mesa Boogie DC-2 (see below). Especially with a clean setting and using the neck pickup, the Mesa brings out a lot more of that warm and woody, country-sounding tone, which doesn't have the same depth using the Fender.

  
• 

  • Rated: 8 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 10:50 a.m. Larry_Lion:

  I have a 5122, and used to play it through a Mesa Express 5-50. That is, until I plugged it into a couple of others - I got rid of the Mesa after that. I just could not get the rockabilly sound I was looking for from the MEsa.

  I have a Fender Pro Reverb, and the Gretsches just cook on that one. But my practice amp is a Trayner YCV-20, and the Gretsch sounds awesome on that (so does my Telecaster, for that matter). Imo, the Mesa's are too metal-sounding.

  There is a classic Gretsch pairing in the book "Guitar Rigs". I don't have the book here, but I think the Gretsch pairing was a 6120 Country Gent with a Gretsch late 50's amp. I'll check and get back to you.
• 

  • Rated: 66 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 10:53 a.m. Walter Broes:

  I think a lot of classic amp/guitar pairings are originally idol/icon based, which is logical of course.

  But in that vein, and looking at Gretsch icons :

  -Chet Atkins is associated with his Standel combo, and gets his classic clean, fat tone from them.

  -A Gretsch and a Vox AC30 work great together, as George Harrison proved. Then again, I'm trying to think of a guitar that wouldn't work with a good AC30, and I can't think of any right now.

  -Brian Setzer has played early 60's Fender Bassmans for a long time, and has shown the tight bottom end and fat midrange of those amps works great with a filtertron-equipped Gretsch.
• 

  • Rated: 3 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 11:09 a.m. blackscot:

  Hmm.....good results with the Pro Reverb and Bassman (Fenders), but not so with the Express 5-50 (Mesa).

  Maybe I need to work with my equipment further. I would like if the Blues Junior could serve both guitars.
• 

  • Rated: 24 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 12:08 p.m. TomfromPA:

  I can't think of any tube amp that doesn't work with a Gretsch.

  My 6122-62, 6128TSP, SSUGR, 6122-59 and 6118T-125th sound absolutely awesome through a Twin Reverb and a Tweed Bassman clone. You could easily make the same statement with almost any of the tube amps from Vox, Marshall, Ampeg, Gretsch, Gibson, Supro etc, etc. I don't think there's a secret recipe.
• 

  • Rated: 6 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 12:14 p.m. cat mensch:

  My Fender Princeton Reverb loves both my 6120-1960 and Power Jet.
• 

  • Rated: 41 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 12:24 p.m. dubkitty:

  Stephen Stills liked to use old Fender amps with his White Falcon; the liner to the first Manassas record shows a stage setup with a stack of tweed Bassman heads. Neil Young, of course, played his stereo Falcon through the tweed Fender Deluxe Reverb he's been using since the late 60s.
• 

  • Rated: 56 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 1:01 p.m. fieldhdj:

  I've been loving the sound of Power'Trons through the EL84 Channel of my Vox AC15H lately - killer early AC/DC-like crunch.

  I know that Dynasonics and the Gretsch Executive is a popular pairing here on the GDP, but TVJ Classic's on my son's Exec are tonal bliss. I set up in the kids room when he's not around - sounds just too good to resist.
• 

  • Rated: 25 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 1:10 p.m. senojnad:

  Here's a combination that works well for me:

  

  If you check out some of the GREAT links that Proteus has posted here in recent months, you will hear some extraordinary sounds of people playing Gretsch guitars through the "new" Gretsch amps.
• 

  • Rated: 83 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 8:33 p.m. Synchro:

  IMO, Gretsch with Filtertrons and a blackface Fender would be one great pairing. ANY Gretsch and a Vox AC-30 would be another.
• 

  • Rated: 21 ↑

  Sep 26, 2008 11:55 p.m. bobcat:

  My 6120 and Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue. Lovely clean tone with deep rich bass and sweet chimey treble. The boost channel has a beautiful loose old style distortion. I have mine set so there is just a hint of breakup and the volume just a tiny bit higher than the clean channel. If I need more oomph I just kick the more boost button and it is just perfect. I also love the beautiful liquid reverb and the amp just looks to cool and retro with the lacquered tweed, a perfect match for a deep orange 6120.
• 

  • Rated: 3 ↑

  Sep 27, 2008 9:46 p.m. drmilktruck:

  I play my Gretsches through 2 early 60s Gretsch amps - a 5150T with 6V6s (5 watts) and the best of all a Variety Plus 6165 with 35 watts, 2 channels, 6L6s, tremolo and reverb. Similar to Fenders of the era - Deluxe Reverb, Supers, etc...
• 

  • Rated: 4 ↑

  Sep 27, 2008 10:07 p.m. blauserk:

  6120 with Filtertrons through a tweed Fender Bandmaster.

  http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gretsch.htm

  My Power Tennie plays well with both blackface and tweed.
• 

  • Rated: 28 ↑

  Sep 28, 2008 2:59 a.m. cyclopssam:

  gretsch/hiwatt= it's the "powercord" heard around the world(the who)
• 

  • Rated: 17 ↑

  Sep 28, 2008 3:15 a.m. Sunshine:

  Hm, I didn't want to see that Gretsch was smashed. Tell me that it was a bad dream ;-)

  blauserk said: http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gretsch.htm</blockquote>
• 

  • Rated: 28 ↑

  Sep 28, 2008 3:37 a.m. cyclopssam:

  drugs are bad M'K?
• 

  • Rated: 3 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 6:47 a.m. blackscot:

  This post has been deleted
• 

  • Rated: 5 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 12:22 p.m. PapaDave:

  Gretsch 6120 with a Vox AC30 or Fender 59 Bassman works very well.
• 

  • Rated: 5 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 12:23 p.m. PapaDave:

  Gretsch 6120 with a Vox AC30 or Fender 59 Bassman works very well.
• 

  • Rated: 3 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 1:00 p.m. drmilktruck:

  This post has been deleted
• 

  • Rated: 10 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 1:05 p.m. Tux:

  Am definitely on the Fender Pro Reverb (blackface) bandwagon here. Double Annies and 6120s do very nicely for me thru that amp.

  Then again, that's what lures one to a Gretsch guitar; they have their own sound, which comes thru on most any decent amp/git combo.
• 

  • Rated: 83 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 5:56 p.m. Synchro:

  PapaDave said: Gretsch 6120 with a Vox AC30 or Fender 59 Bassman works very well.

  Anything sounds good with a '59 Bassman.
• 

  • Rated: 41 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 6:01 p.m. J(esse James)D:

  +1 on the AC30. I don't have a '59 Bassman, but gits sure sound good through my '57 RI TwinAmp.
• 

  • Rated: 15 ↑

  Sep 29, 2008 8:13 p.m. AndyJ:

  My $.02:

  Any Gretsch I've ever played through an AC-15, whether Filter or HiLo equipped, sounds great. And of course, ANY guitar (Ric, Fender, Gretsch, etc . . .) I've ever played though my '68 Fender Super Reverb sounds FanTAStic!
• 

  • Rated: 205 ↑

  Sep 30, 2008 11:08 a.m. Proteus:

  Not much different to report from here either...
  

  Gretschs get one particular family of tone through Fenders/Music Mans, and another through Voxy amps (whether an AC15/AC30 or something like a Peavey Classic 30).

  The two families have large areas of overlap, but, as suggested, might be considered to specialize as well. (The Fenders clean for fat rich fingerpickin' and country; turned up to the edge of dirt, rockabilly; run hotter, classic rock. The Voxes...well, chime and drive, depending on gain.)

  Pete Townshend made dead classic sounds with Gretsch through HiWatts.

  There have been Gretsch-Marshall combos (surely there have?), and sure as I say this, defenders of that mix will swoop in – but that's one combination you don't see as often.

  The new Gretsch amps, as mentioned above, are over-the-top gorgeous – probably with ANY guitar, but I've only heard them with Gretschs, and they are, as people say, "to die for."

  Short of that, my personal secret best combo is Dynasonics through a 60s Ampeg Reverberocket. There's something about that mix that just keeps fascinating and enchanting the ear.

• Articles
• Contact
• Site Map
• Store
• Radio

© Tim Baxter/APT Group 2006. Gretschpages.com is not affiliated with the Gretsch Guitar company. Powered by Django.