The Chetboard

My boy bought a stainless steel Tru-arc for his 6120. It sounds really good. I tried it on my 59cg and it improved the treble response incredibly. I know a lot of guy get the brass but listening to those sample's it seems the stainless puts out more sustain. I have to get one but am not sure whether to get the brass or the stainless,what do you guys think? Al

The SS is standard on the new Duane Eddy model Gretsch and it does have more sustain and is quite a bit brighter. The brass will probably get you closer to the Chet tone, IMO.

Hello Al and Richard, I'm sure you're both right here. I ordered a brass one for my new HOF CG and had a hair wider string spacing at the bridge ( 2 5/32" ) to give my right hand fingers a little more room back there. I love it! The "copper" one was interesting to me, they say it has pronounced "mids", and I think Richard had one on his CGP, but I went with the brass and had it custom cut with the wider than normal spacings. (you guys will laugh and say I hung around Paul Yandell too long) LOL I caught the "bug" from him,,,always trying something different!

Bottom line . . . . whatever sounds good to YOUR ears,,,,none of us are ever going to sound exactly like Chet anyway.

Gayle Moseley

Thats interesting Gayle, I never thought about the wider spacing. That could be a plan. I never tried the brass but the Stainless Steel sure made the strings ring and the harmonics are louder. Al

Gayle,
I remember awhile back when I purchased my tru-arc from Tim, I ended up sending it back to him because it spaced the strings away from the pole pieces. Scientifically, I don't know how much it really mattered, but it just makes sense to have the strings ride over the pole pieces on the pickup. You say your bridge is 2 5/16th? I just looked over my emails from Tim and he said that I had the wider spacing at 2 1/16th. I guess stock gretsch is usually 2". He swapped it out with a 2" and it rides over the pole pieces now. So with your bridge, does the strings offset the pole pieces a bit?
Alex

Paul reccomended the brass one to me.

I think any of them improve your overall guitar tone and feel and I believe Tim will swap for a different metal if you don't wait too long. Communicate with him as to what you'd like and he'll probably steer you to the correct choice

Alex,,,,No, No,,,mine is 2 5/32" - - I think the standard is 2 1/16", so I've only got 3/32" wider than nornal. I can't function with a 2" spacing, but if you like it that's fine! Our hands (fingers) are all different sizes and lengths. NOW, it does cover the pole pieces, however its a hair wide, it doesn't cover the "exact centers" of the pole pieces but it doesn't matter, you'll never notice any difference in the way it sounds, its close enough they the pole pieces pick up just fine. I didn't want to get "too wide" for that very reason (plus, you don't want to get the strings TOO close to the fingerboard edges)....I thought this out, trying to get more room for my right hand but I didn't want to overdo it. String spacing at the bridge is like spacing at the "nut",,,,,its like the old Brill Creme commercials,,,,"a little dub will do ya" !! (most of you guys are too young to remember that) LOL Even thought the 2" cover the pole pieces EXACTLY in the middle, I'm not comfortable with it,,,,my fingers glance off adjoining strings - - I need more space,,,sorta like going from a 1 11/16" nut to the 1 3/4" ,,,once you get used to it, you like it better......well, some of us do

ONCE AGAIN,,,,this is just MY opinion and as Norm always says,,,"YOUR milage may vary".
thanks, Gayle

Hey Gayle,
Makes sense. Suppose I should learn how to read better - haha. Take care.
Alex

Well I think I'll just order the same size that Gayle did, it makes good sense to me. So it would be 2 5/32 .Al

Ha,,,no problem Alex! I do that all the time,,,with me its called "a senior moment" I've been beating on these "boxes" (as Merle called 'em) so long that I can tell the difference between 1/16" . . . . at one end or the other! Anything any smaller, I cannot distinguish. Now that doesn't make me a great player; I ought to play a lot better considering all the super-pickers I've been around. I've had guitars like my '67 Epiphone Sheriton (Gibson made at that time) with a 1 5/8" nut (broom-handle nut as we called it), to a '72 Gretsch Super Chet w/ 1 7/8" nut (a rare bird). Over almost 50 years of playing, my opinion is that the wider spacings, at both ends, are better suited for fingerstyle. HOWEVER, the subject is so subjective that I don't feel like my opinions are 'right' or everybody and I take no offense at anyone who disagrees with me - - I'm just like most everybody else who frequents this forum - - I love Chet's music and am fortunate to have been alive during the same period as he lived and performed his masterpieces.
thanks, Gayle