Grosh Guitars Retro Classic Custom

1999 Grosh Retro Classic Custom Made in USA. 1 piece alder body finished in solid black nitrocellulose laquer. 1 piece eastern hard maple neck/fingerboard with birdseye maple "skunk" stripe with vintage tint and gloss laquer finish. The neck is a 10" radius, 1 5/8" nut width, 25 1/2" scale length with a large, rounded V shape. Truss-rod is accessible from top of body/neck joint without having to remove neck. The body is a Stratocaster shape, hardtail, string-thru-body that is universally routed to accomadate any pickup configuration. Hardware includes 3 Dimarzio single coil Virtual2 407n,407m,409b pickups,Gotoh locking Kluson tuners,1 volume 250k pot, 2 tones,5-way switch, flat mount bridge with 6 individual saddles.The hardware is finished in chrome and pickup covers are cream colored as well as control knobs and caps.Pickguard is cream pearl.The number of frets are 22 and are Dunlop 6150 medium jumbo fretwire.

I have played and owned many high end guitars through out the 15 years that I have been a guitarist. I must say that the Grosh is the finest guitar that I have ever owned. I custom ordered it with all the features and specifications I wanted. Mr.Grosh was very helpful in guiding my decisions and also made me wise to the Dimarzio Virtual2 single coil pickups.They are great pickups and stand up to other high end pickups such as Fralin very well with the DV2 407n actually out performing the fralins I have played. I play blues/jazz/surf/rock and go after a nice,fat warm,round tone.The Grosh fits all these styles and delivers a nice gritty stinging tone from the bridge pickup.All the tones from Eric Johnson's violin like tone,Mark Knopfler's sweet lyrical tones,Dick Dale's surf sound, to the big,stinging blues of Jimmie Vaughn.The Dimarzio 407 neck pickup is the standout though.It is a beautiful,full sounding warm pickup that yields a great vibrant sound ideally suited for jazz and Dickey Bett's like melodic phrasing.The Grosh Retro Classic is a very sweet sounding guitar with great dynamics and sustain.It operates very quietly in all pickup positions due to the structure of the Dimarzio pickups.With my setup of the Grosh and Fender Super 210 amplifier I get great tones.The Grosh is definetely a guitar you can grow into soundwise.

The action of the guitar is great.The playability is easy and smooth.The intonation is dead on throughout the range of the neck in all positions.There were no flaws in the finish on the body or neck.The fretwire is immaculately dressed and polished.I would have preferred the relief on the neck perfectly straight,however this is a personal preference and the relief was set with no "mushiness" and I set it to where I like it after a couple of weeks of playing.The neck/body joint is flawlessly connected with no space for accidental shifting of the neck.

I believe I can take this guitar to a gig and leave my PRS Custom 22 at home.The Grosh is a solid, well built instrument with top of the line hardware.The nitrocellulose laquer finish isn't as hard as many of today's polyester finishes but it allows the body to breathe better with time and "open" up the sound.The universal rout is also a great idea that gives the body a lively acoustic sound and feel.

Don Grosh is a master guitar builder and great guy.He called me several times discussing the options that I wanted and saved me from making a mistake in my pickup selection.He was very knowledgeable and answered all my questions with patience.He also delivered the guitar at the end of his projected 3 months wait.I have to say that Stuart at Fat Sound Guitars in Cary,NC whom I ordered the guitar through were very helpful and gave me a great deal.They were a pleasure to do business with.

If this guitar was stolen or lost I would immediatley order another exactly like it.It fits my playing stlye like a glove and helps me to achieve the sounds I have been going for for years.If you crave a vintage style,sweet sounding, dynamic Stratocaster style guitar,the Grosh Retro Classic is one of the best choices out there.For my money it is the best deal and guitar of any on the market today.