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View Full Version : Opinions please, Gretsch new F style G9350



Freddyfingers
Jan-27-2014, 10:46am
Gretsch has a new F style coming out this month, or next. I have shopped and played the Loars, and so far out of new, they are in the lead. Most likely the LM700. However, I saw this recently. It has a solid spruce top, and solid maple back and sides. Plus a pick up for grins and giggles. I have played their other Roots collection mandolins, and found them flat and dull sounding. I have yet to see one in a store, but what are the thoughts on the possibilities? My guess it would be priced about 600 to 700.


http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2718050500

Steve Ostrander
Jan-27-2014, 11:01am
I have not played the model you speak of, but I've played several Gretsch A-model mandolins, and they were all unremarkable.

Freddyfingers
Jan-27-2014, 12:20pm
Agreed. Card board ish. I was hoping this would be an improvement.

Steve L
Jan-27-2014, 12:40pm
If anything, my expectations would be lower.

Freddyfingers
Jan-27-2014, 1:18pm
What if it had a bigsby. Like most gretsch

allenhopkins
Jan-27-2014, 3:49pm
What if it had a bigsby. Like most gretsch

Bigsby tailpiece on a mandolin? Believe Paul Buskirk had one.

I'd like to play the new Gretsch, since some of there inexpensive new A-models have been getting positive "good value for the money" reviews. I wouldn't like to pay that list price for it.

multidon
Jan-27-2014, 4:29pm
I asked about this instrument on the thread about NAMM since they posted a picture of it. No response. The specifications are on the Gretsch web site. They do say solid spruce top solid maple back and sides. One word missing. Carved. In my experience if it's carved they will say carved. Since it does not say carved I am assuming pressed wood on these. The 949 is msrp street price would be speculation but I am guessing probably in the 600 range? Based on what we know now there are much better options out there for that money and it would not be on my list. Unless I am wrong and it turns out to be carved.

Freddyfingers
Jan-27-2014, 8:33pm
The carved part never occurred to me. Thanks for pointing that out. That's why his is a great place!

brent1308
Jan-27-2014, 8:54pm
Not that it means anything necessarily, but it does have a scroll ridge (is there a proper name for that?). I would think that would indicate some form of carving.

Petrus
Jan-27-2014, 9:20pm
I think for that price range you could do better with a Loar, Kentucky, etc.

multidon
Jan-27-2014, 9:57pm
I have sent an inquiry to Gretsch Customer Service. I will let everyone know the answer to the carved vs pressed question if and when I get an answer.

Freddyfingers
Jan-28-2014, 7:32am
That makes two of us They will think its a landslide of sales!

Freddyfingers
Jan-28-2014, 6:12pm
Got a response from Gretsch. Its a pressed top. They said they would have advertised it as carved, had it actually been so. I am pretty sure my Gretsch guitars are pressed as well, but then again, they are covered with a bit of cool paint and poly! The pickups make the noise on them. I will make it a point to play it either way, if and when it ever makes it to a store near me.

multidon
Jan-28-2014, 6:43pm
As I suspected! Off my list. There are scads of better choices out there at that.price point. They made a big mistake with this one I believe.

roysboy
Jan-30-2014, 3:44am
Can't speak on the new F ... But I have yet to play ONE Gretsch A-style that was as good as the lowly Epiphone mm20 or mm30.

John Flynn
Jan-30-2014, 3:57am
I played the $200 A model once. I thought the fit, finish and appearance and playability were great. The tone was what you would expect from an instrument in that price range, but I would rate it up there with a similarly priced Kentucky, Fender, Epiphone, etc. I actually kind of liked it. I think the set up the store does on the instrument has a lot to do with it. Some stores do almost nothing to mandos in that price range. The one I played was set up very well.

To put things i perspective, it was waaaay better than the $200 POS Lotus (made of select Korean plywood) I learned on 20+ years ago! And $200 then is more than twice that now.

Freddyfingers
Jan-30-2014, 10:00pm
I have been told, these will sell for 579. There is a dealer in Wisconsin that will set up and ship in a case at that price.

MJKelly
Aug-05-2014, 10:39pm
I played one today at A Different Strummer, the music store at The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. While the fit and finish were very good, the F Style G9350 was difficult to play, unresponsive, and dull sounding. The less expensive Gretsch New Yorker models sounded better. It was disappointing.

Capt. E
Aug-06-2014, 9:02am
"Solid wood" may not even mean non-laminated and can easily mean pressed...tricky marketing term. Look for "hand carved": even that may not mean carved well. Might even mean the carving machine was hand operated. Generally people seem to trust The Loar mandolins to be decently done.
I would also look at the new J Bovier traditional. Very good reviews on those lately.

tkdboyd
Aug-06-2014, 9:32am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MkALmaXyqc&list=UUWYGJvJ1-9JeK1XlnQYjyLQ