The Chetboard

I've never seen this Gretsch acoustic before, it looks like a really great guitar. I use my acoustic at church for contemporary stuff and was wondering if any of ya'll had tried this particular guitar before. It says its MSRP is $700, that means it's a little less at the stores? Here's the link:

http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2714022522

Hi Al, Broadway sound had a few Gretsch acoustics at the last CAAS. I have no idea what models they were now, but I found them uninspiring to put it diplomatically!! I'm not short on opinions of which this is just another one

Hi Ron,

Were those guitars 'uninspiring' because their not your 'cup-of-tea', you didn't like the look, or because you played them and didn't like them?

ajbremer wrote:Hi Ron,

Were those guitars 'uninspiring' because their not your 'cup-of-tea', you didn't like the look, or because you played them and didn't like them?

I did play a couple of them Al and they just sounded like .. well NOT expensive guitars.. and they were not expensive either. I think the one you mentioned is a better model than the ones I remember, so it may be pretty good. Not much help I'm afraid, but it's just what I remember. Ron

I don't believe the Gretsch Rancher was ever very highly regarded as an acoustic instrument.

Hi Bill,

You mean the Gretsch Rancher is more so considered an electric hollow body?

Sorry I confused you with my choice of words. My understanding is that the Ranchers never seemed to be very highly regarded. They were acoustic guitars, not electric, and apparently were mediocre acoustic guitars. I can't think of any performer who used them regularly, though I believe that the '50s and '60s pop singer Jimmie Rodgers (not the "Singing Brakeman") did endorse them briefly--at least he is shown in a Gretsch catalog in the late 1950s as a user of this guitar. Jimmie sang "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" and "Honeycomb", and had a couple other hits I don't remember; his career was cut short when he suffered traumatic brain damage in 1967.

Thanks for the post Bill and for all that information. I see what you mean about those acoustic Gretsch guitars. BUT, maybe those newer models are a step up, I'll just have to try one out some day.

I wonder if any will have a bigsby on like I think they did in the early 1990's?