Product: Gretsch G1910 Malcolm Young Model
Price Paid: It was actually a birthday present from my girlfriend (she pays attention!) ((thanks Jenn!))
Submitted
07/04/2001
at
08:34am
by
Heath L.
Email: jhl76 at mindspring<dot>com
Features
:
9
This is a 2001 model Gretsch G-1910 ("Synchromatic" brand), which is a bolt-neck import version of the '63 Jet Firebird (aka: Malcolm Young Signature Model). I had played these a few times in stores, and was impressed at the consistent playability (even with the skinny 9-gauge stings on them), and the "Malcolm Tone" is definitely there.
It's set up fairly basic, with a couple of twists. It has two "Filter-Tron" pickups, wired each with a seperate volume and a shared master volume, as well as 2 toggle switches (one is a pickup selector and the other is a phase selector). Instead of the original '63 version's roller bridge and trapeze tail or vibrola setup, these come with Malcolm's choice modification of a Badass combo bridge/tailpiece, which is great!
It's a nice deep dark chocolate brown with heavy gloss on the sides and back, and the 5-ply bound, flamed bookmatched maple top is a satin natural finish. It has the vibe of Malcolm's (without the holes though...lol). The headstock is also very nicely bound.
The tuners are better than your usual import guitar comes with. They are close to the Schallers everyone puts on their vintage guitars. Little Gretsch logo chrome knobs and those good ol' Gretsch screw-on strap-buttons are pleasant features as well.
Overall, this guitar is like my SG's: simple, to the point, but all features are very usable AND musical. It also looks terrific saddled next to my Angus Young signature SG!
Sound
:
10
It definitely has that "spanky", tight Malcolm Young tone in the bridge pickup. It can obtain quite a few different tones with the selector switches set differently, but that bridge pickup on full-tilt is THE sound!!!
I'm using it currently with my Sansamp set on hot-rodded "tweed" (getting a really convincing Bassman or Plexi tone) straight into one of my Fender amps ('72 Quad-Reverb, '74 Twin, '76 Vibro-Sonic). This is going to be my permanent choice (alongside my Tele) for recording rhythm guitar tracks.
People can knock bolt-neck guitars all they want, but when I set this thing up with heavier strings, and playing at "10", you can't tell any real significant difference between this and the high-end model.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Other than a couple of pinhead imperfections and two tiny bubbles around the binding (on the front of the guitar),this thing is just about perfect. But such impurities are actually common on these, I haven't seen a totally "perfect" one, and can live with these timy superficialities.
Other than that all this baby needed was a set of 11's or 12's (this is for rhythm after all, and hard rhythms at that), this thing was set up very well from the get go. I didn't have to adjust anything to get it where I wanted it. Very nice.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
I forsee no problems with it. With the good strap buttons, quality finish & hardware, tight construction and heavy woods, this thing will last me a lifetime!
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Never had to deal with them, probably won't ever have to...unless of course I can get an endorsement...lol
Overall Rating
:
10
One of the best "bang for the buck" guitars out there. High end features and tone, low cost, good looks. What more can you ask for???
So, if you're an AC/DC or Malcolm Young fan, or if you just want a good straight rock and roll rhythm machine, get one of these and crank up "Highway to Hell". You will need a change of drawers afterwards!
