Grosh Guitars Retro Classic

Brand new Retro Classic, alder body, see through blonde finish, brazilian rosewood fretboard, Kinman AVn blues pickups, blend control, locking tuners, headlights (gotcha! Just seeing if you were paying attention). I really dig Don's take on the Classic Strat. Classic looks, modern functionalty, great finishes too. The back of the neck is sanded and lightly oiled. It feels very smooth and comfortable.

I am not some Mesa Recto playing kid, I am a serious musician, and I require much more than a normal Strat can handle. For one, I need tons of harmonics when I play on my amp's gain channel, so that it knocks your head off with a punchy swirly sound. Man, I live for this sound. I can only get it with 2 things... Grosh guitars and Kinman pickups. I HATE noisy single coils, but love that old 60s tone. Kinmans just rip with this Grosh ... clean leads burn with thick tone, and distorted leads wail and hang onto screaming bends forever. Oh yeah! ... this is what it is all about. No fighting to get notes out of this axe .. they beg to come off the fretboard.

Top notch .. you pay for a custom guitar, you receive a GREAT custom guitar. Everybody's happy. Frets are perfect, as is the intonation and string height.

The guitar is lightweight yet has a very solid feel to it. I trust it to last for decades under heavy playing.

Tremendous. Don Grosh took the time to hunt for a specific wood blank that was toneful and that resulted in a very lightweight guitar for me. He went the extra mile, and the guitar is just fabulous.

I chose Grosh to make my next guitar after trying Anderson, Suhr, Melancon, Fender Custom Shop, and a host of smaller companies. My Grosh Retro is perfect for me, and that says it all.

2004 Grosh Retor Classic in Seafoam Green (Mary Kayed). Blend control, 5 way switch, Brazillian Rosewood fretboard, maple neck, vintage looking locking tuners, swamp ash body, Lindy Fralin pickups with steel poles at the bridge, Grosh modified trem bridge.

Simply the best. These guitars are such a great bargain compared to Fender Custom shop crapola. The volume of these guitars is amazing, the tone is stunning, and all pickup poitions are useful and strong. Suhr guitar are fine, as are Anderson ... but Grosh has this weird resonant tone thing going where you swear the guitar is hollowed, if not for the screaming leads and thick chords. Grosh + Swamp Ash body + Brazillian rosewood fretboard + maple neck = :)

Lightweight (under 7lbs) and yet solid as a rock. Looks like a museum piece when you first open the case ...

NA ... only time will tell. But it is extremely well built. And I am a picky MF. I notice anything and everything, from frets that were not dressed 100% to tuners that stick a bit when they turn. This Grosh is perfect. Built with incredible attention to detail.

Don Grosh was the ONLY builder to answer my Emails when I was searching for lightweight guitars. THE ONLY ONE! And he answered all my questions and was very pleasant. The best part is I have played every handmade guitar out there, and the Retro Classic by Grosh eats them all alive. Don Emailed my personally. The rest of the lot (Suhr, Anderson, Melancon etc..) should take classes in how to treat customers, and how to make a guitar as loud and vibrant as a Grosh.

Hey, throw away what you think you know, and take some advice from a fellow musician who has gigged for 30 years. A Swamp Ash bodied, Brazillian Rosewood fretboarded and maple necked Grosh will give you balls in the bridge position and sparkling cleans in the neck, with all the shimmer and quack you could imagine in between. Outstanding guitars, and lighweight. Some reviewer below belly-ached about the locking tuners. They look vintage, yet lock using a slot on the top. If you don't get why that is a GREAT feature, then don't shop for a hand made guitar. Buy a Squire and tape a Big Muff to the top. Fat Sounds in NC specs their guitars for absolute tone and playability ... and Don Grosh builds incredible sounding guitars that look vintage and handle modern playing.

2002 Made in California, 22 fret straight maple/Indian Rosewood fingerboard, master volume, tone and blend control, Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot/VH/Steel Pole 43 pickups, medium weight Alder body, Strat style body, pure nitro laquer finish in an awesome one-of-a-kind tie dye/bowling bowl color scheme, neck has a satinlaquer finish with a matching headstock design, Gotoh 1088 bridge, locking Kluson style Gotoh tuners, medium large roundback neck profile, 10" radius, 6105 frets, custom G&G case.

Right off the bat, when I first played this guitar in the store, I knew it was something special. In fact another customer was pondering buying the guitar simply for the paint job, but he balked while I had it in my hand and I took it as a good omen, Sorry, this one's mine! I have always been a Strat guy, I was first in line for the SRV Strat when it came out, and continued to use a '57 re-issue Strat w/Fralins for years, thinking I could never get one Strat that had the thickness of the SRV and the clarity of the '57. I have had the experience of using a killer '64 Strat in the studio (one of the best I have ever played) and also thought I would never find a guitar that sounded as good as that '64. I have also played, owned and sold(!) a few other pre-CBS Strats and early custom shop Strats that weren't so good. So I quite rightfully thought the two I owned and that '64 Strat were the pinnacle of Stratdom, until I tried this Grosh...True, I wish it said Fender on it, but a cheap decal does not a great guitar make!! This guitar has everything and more of the three Strats I have cherished for years. It is as fat as my old SRV (since sold after the Grosh purchase) and easily as much clarity as my '57 re-issue, plus it plays MUCH better and the Fralin Steel Pole 43 bridge pickup keeps me from picking up a Gibson style guitar for fat lead lines. But, the most amazing thing about Don's guitar, which I have yet to hear from any other Strat (that includes the '64 Strat), even without plugging in, is its amazing dynamic range and sustain. The whole guitar literally shakes when manhandled, but still purrs when lightly touched. It is very evenly balanced from string to string, plays virtually flawlessly up and down the neck and continues to open up new creative avenues with which to explore. Even some of the best Strats I have come in contact with, will always have certain points on the neck where the harmonics are richer and fuller, therefor you tend to gravitate and stay within that space because of its sonic character. Well, this Grosh has that effect EVERYWHERE on the neck! I've had to learn new scale positions to go where I had never been before just to take full advantage of this instrument's abilities. My stlye tends to range from hard rock rhythem work to bluesier lead work and occasional ambient sonic scapes and this guitar, well what can I say, it makes me want to explore beyond my "style" whatever that may mean. It is an amazing instrument, and I do not use that term lightly.

The factory set up was excellent, not to my style, but that's not Don's fault, it was a store stock guitar, not a custom guitar. A store set up with the right strings and a few tweaks here and there dialed it in rather nicely. It still isn't perfect, but I am never fully satisfied, so I don't blame Don. The neck seems to have the right attributes for a lifetime of service; stable, proper relief (not the typical "too much relief on the treble side and none on the bass side" that you see on factory and quite a few "custom shop" Fender's), no humps or rising tung issues. The finish is gorgeous with a few of the "flaws" that can occur when shooting pure laquer, i.e. it sinks into the wood in a few places. Some may complain about this, but I know what I want from a finish and I want it to interact with the body wood. These "flaws" are a testament to its authenticity. If the maker of your guitar claims it to be "laquer" and after a couple of years, you can't see any grain lines, it ain't pure laquer!! It probably has a thick poly base coat and a couple of laquer clear coats on top. The nicest thing about Don's finish is that it is acoustically transparent, but it doesn't "gum up" like many custom painter's laquer finishes do. The neck pocket could be a little tighter, but it obviously doesn't adversely affect the tone and it does make the neck easier to remove without cracking the finish around the neck pocket on the body. The fret dressing is very cool and very comfortable, I remember somebody describing Don's fret ends as little Vienna Sausages! The stuff you don't see is equally nice, all holes under the pickguard and back plate are countersunk so that the finish won't crack over time. The wiring is clean and neat, and Don uses the very best pots and switches for flawless performance. Best of all, the Gotoh 1088 bridge, locking tuners and properly cut and finished synthetic nut create an incredible whammy bar set up. Again, it allows me to explore the whammy bar in creative ways that weren't possible before on other guitars due to tuning issues.

The Strat is a reliable design by default, but Don's attention to detail makes me think it will easily outlast its Fender counterparts. The hardware is stout, the wood seems very stable and while the finish is thin (good), I'm sure it will relic AND keep its hardness over time, unlike old Strats that have finishes that turn to chewing gum under use and hot lights. I never not take a back up, that is simply stupid, but I have played 4 set shows with this guitar without ever reaching for my back up. The Gotoh gridge has brought the string breaking down to about half of what I am used to! This guitar will be around for a long time!!

I feel compelled to address the reviewer who thought it necessary to tear into Don's craftsmenship WITHOUT contacting him and giving him a chance to fix the problem. He mentioned a N/A under customer support because he felt it would have been a "long and fruitless" phone conversation. How would you know without trying? Don is a VERY nice guy and since his name is on the headstock, he might want to rectify a potentially problematic neck. It sounds like the guitar was new, so it is under warranty. Why not contact him, he may replace it if it has an actual problem. Plus, he can set it up so that it won't stick in the nut (are you using a heavier gauge of strings, possibly?) Anyway, enough of the rant, I just want to stick up for a guy that has been a pleasure for me to deal with and is very concerned about the guitars in the field with his name on it.

I have been playing for about 20 years now and like I said before, have owned and loved many Strat in the past, but this guitar is truly special. I have considered a few other small builder Strats in the past (including Fender Custom Shop), and while some are better than others and some were worth taking home, this guitar was and is a stand out in my mind. I have tried other Retros by Don and I have found them to be very consistant, all seem to have this same vibe, but this one in particular spoke to ME! I use this guitar primarily through a Dr. Z MAZ 18 210 (great Strat amp by the way!) and a slew of boutique and cool pawn shop pedals. If it got lost or stolen, I'd call Don and have him make me another. But whoever steals this guitar better hide it, it is VERY unique and hard to miss! Way to go Don!!

1 Piece Alder Body, Flame Maple Neck, 6105 frets, maple Neck and fingerboard, Modified gotoh Bridge, Locking Kluson tuners, Lindy Fralins Blues, Blend Control, Nitro finish, everyhing a Vintage Strat could ever be and more!

I play only Grosh Guitars through mostly Blackface Fender Amps
The Super Reverb is my Favorite! The Grosh Retro Classic has
that old Fender Vibe but Built like a Rock! Incredible Tone!!!!!
I changed the Fralins for vitual Vintage Dimarzio's because of the Noise Factor. This Guitar stays in tune! The Craftmanship is the Best I have ever seen on ANY GUITAR! The Tone is Classic Strat all the way. The Neck pickup sound is H U G E ! the Blend control is awesome. great for getting that Tele Twang.

the Nitro finish is extremely Light, The Action is completly adjustable, the Bone Nut was cut Perfectly. I only had to adjust the intonation a small amount. Typical for any guitar. Overall The Finest Instument I have ever seen!

The Nitro finish is Hand Rubbed and Very Light for TONE! It wll relic very nicely if you want it to. This Guitar is Built so well it most likely will last several lifetimes.

I have never needed to Contact Grosh, but I assume it wold not be a problem.

Simply the BEST Modern Retro Strat Built! I cannot say enough positive things about this Guitar!

2003 Swamp Ash Retro Classic. Deep, dark translucent red strat syle with 25.5" maple/rosewood, medium roundback neck w/6105 frets. Gorgeous color - classy and understated but very cool. S/S/S with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. Locking Kluson tuners, 1088 Vintage Tremolo bridge. Blend control provided allowing bridge P.U. to be gradually added to position 4 or 5 or neck P.U. added to 1 and 2.

Amazing sound. There is an almost organic sound and feel to the guitar that is hard to describe. I am playing it through a Bogner Shiva head with Bogner 2/12 cabinet. Is excellent with everything from blues to Knopfler-esque sounds to heavily overdriven rock. Obviously it doesn't do a humbucker sort of thing but I have other guitars for that. The clean sound with a little reverb is amazingly pure with great harmonics and nuance. I have never played a guitar whose sound is so inherently right. I use a Carl Martin compression pedal, H20 delay and chorus, and a Barber overdrive. I have become much pickier about effects since getting the Grosh because I can't stand to ruin it's inherent tone. Pickups are surprising quiet for not being noise canceling and I think noise canceling cancels tone along with hum. This is my first time owning Fralins but I have played them on other guitars and thought they were quite good but not like this. The only other time I have been as impressed by tone on a Strat style guitar was an incredibly beat up 61 Strat that was listed at $8,000.00.

Setup as delivered was excellent, however it was a moot point as I changed string gauge and had to change. Fretwork is superb, no mechanical/functional issues at all. Guitar holds tune very, very well. I don't use the tremolo so I can't speak to it's use. The only weakness that could be critized is the finish. It is a very light nitrocellulose lacquer that allows a little of the texture of the grain to come through. Some might not care for this, but I believe it contributes to the tone, so how can I complain. It is visible only upon very close inspection in the right light. There are some micro scratches in the finish as well, again only visible if you are working at it. Having said that, the overall look and feel of the guitar is superb. I consider it the most attractive guitar I own/have owned but that is, of course purely subjective.

I am always amazed at the opinions proffered in this category by people who have owned the product for a week and are sure that their amp, pedal, etc. will never break. The guitar appears very well made and there is no reason to think it would be problematic but I won't rate something that I haven't already had a problem with and/or haven't owned for years.

Have had one direct conversation with Grosh and several were held on my behalf by dealer, Mass Street Music. Thanks for the help and your patience, Chris. Warranty is lifetime. Between the reputation of the manufacturer and my experience with the dealer, I am very comfortable

Have been playing again for about a year after a several decade hiatus. Other guitars include an Anderson Classic, Fender Strat 62 reissue, Les Paul Custom, 1992 true pre-Samick Valley Arts California Pro, Heritage 535 Custom, and Morgan acoustic. I will be selling all of the Strat types; I have found my guitar. The Anderson is beautifully made and plays like butter but does not have the life of the Grosh, either in feel or sound. Very nice sounding but a little polite and slightly sterile. I feel that I am truly a better player with the Grosh. I am more comfortable, more confident and just feel connected. I can use the help. Unfortunately I have far more taste than talent. My younger brother is a brilliant player (hard on the ego) and is also blown away by it. Although my playing is not advanced, my experience with sound and tone is. I have designed high performance stereo speakers for 20 years and presently own a stereo/home theater store that carries systems that can run into six figures. Tone and sound are what I do for a living. I have bought a number of guitars and made a lot of mistakes looking for the right one. I'm done.

1999 Retro Classic. Fralin's / Blend / Locking Klusons / Rosewood Board 10" w/6105's / Aged M.O.P plastic / Deep Emerald Metallic finish. Hardcase included.

This is what every Fender Custom Shop and Relic wishes it sounded like.I have tried Tom Andersons retro style guitars and while they're built well they are missing the "Strat Mojo". My Retro Really nails the vintage thing. And the blend pot puts a Tele in your strat. Lot's of versatile tones. I Love it.

Well.....it isn't perfect....ANYMORE!!!. I've proudly played the living hell out of this guitar. BUT when I got it it was perfect, and even had that cool "New Guitar" smell. It played great out of the case and I've NEVER needed to adjust the neck.....And I live in Minnesota, until I bought the Grosh I couldn't ever say that about a guitar. The neck just don't move!!! COOL

This Guitar is, in a word......OVERBUILT. I'm not worried about anything shy of lighter fluid and a match. 3 years of non-stop gigging is proof. Solid quality guitar with superior components. It'll be around longer than me...that's for sure.

I've Dealt with Don and Co. on the phone. Met them at the NAMM show, and done the email thing. Good,helpful, quality care. Just ask them, they'll help.

I'm a 20+ year veteran club player. I also do studio work, and now play extensivly in the Contemporary Worship market. This guitar is the best strat I've ever owned. It nails the old strat sound. I'd replace it in a second (of course I have two more Grosh guitars that I love as well and could use those as back-ups).I play mostly boutique gear. The quality and tone slaughters mass production with few exceptions.

To all the obviously confused individuals out there who talk about pick-up routs, bad set-ups, and 6 point bridges...... It just doesn't hold water. These guitars are played by far too many credible professionals to be anything close to junk. If you really don't like them then move along.... Don makes the best guitars I've ever had the pleasure of owning.

I don?t generally use this forum to respond to other reviewers, but after acquiring my Retro Classic I couldn?t let ?vintage buff at 11/09/1999 18:49?s? asinine comments below go unchallenged.

Appointments: Lindy Fralins, Blend Control, Gotoh 1088 Vintage Tremolo, Locking Klusons, Lacquer LPB Finish G&G Case, Etc? That out of the way?

The ?bathtub? pickup rout is perceived as a negative so Don should probably stop doing it. Having said that, reflect on the following anecdote. Consider the outlets in your house. An electrician could have painstakingly cut a hole in the drywall the exact shape of the receptacle? but why? Trust me people, regardless of the rhetoric circulating out there, wood will not shield the pickups? magnetic fields. (Reference Coulomb?s Law if you?ve ever had a Physics class.).

My Retro Classic is IMHO the best tone wood configuration for Strat?s. Alder / rosewood slab gives a nice, well balanced tone. The Lindy Fralin Blues Specials (extra mids) help make the guitar punchy and well suited for soloing.

Overall, the sound is? BIG! This guitar possesses that ?Hollow Strat? sound like Buddy Whittington?s tone on ?Blues for the Lost Days?. (Now there?s a nice sounding Pre-CBS Fender.)

Fender-philes will want me to smoke a turd in hell for this next comment, but George and Leo never put out an instrument as quality as today?s limited production offerings. The sad truth is, there exists plenty of pre-1964 crap.

Regarding my Retro Classic (1) the neck socket is tight? tight? tight! Zero tolerance! It probably doesn?t even need the neck bolts. (2) Tuning stability is as good as you will ever get with a vintage tremolo. (Want to dive bomb, get a Floyd Rose!) (3) The fret job is the best on the planet [period!]

??bridge should be 6 point? You _sshole, this guitar is not supposed to be a repro. It?s an improvement to a classic design. Why the hell didn?t you point out that (1) the tuners are not stamped ?Kluson? (2) the pickup covers are not Bakelite (3) the dots are not spaced correctly and (4) or various other trivialities.

Sorry Don, my other guitar is a McInturff. No one can beat Terry and Tracey on customer support.

Look, if you whack-off to photos of Leo Fender, and think the best guitar ever designed was built in 1954, then take out a second mortgage and buy the only thing that will ever make you happy ? a Pre-CBS Fender. [They?re really not that great, believe me I?ve played several!] Or better yet, collect Civil War relics... same thrill for less money.

But if you willing to take your head out of your ass momentarily and liberate yourself from the jeremiad complex, you may see reason. Wake up! Things improve over time. Cars run better in 2003 than they did in 1954, science and medicine has made advancements, and people like Don Grosh, John Suhr, and James Tyler build finer Stratocaster inspired instruments than George and Leo ever did. My Retro Classic no exception.

Anyone who thinks that a ?good American Standard? is on par with the Don Grosh Retro Classic is not in touch with reality. The only damn thing they are good for is playing Frat parties where you don?t care if the piece of shit gets vomited on.

So Vintage Buff? go get bu?ffed!

If you?re entertained my this review, read one the G&L Asat Classic Starting with ?The reason I bought this??:

This is a new guitar, bought in November of 2002. It's a Grosh version of a 1957 strat--swamp ash, two tone sunburst finish, maple neck, single ply white pickguard, three (DiMarzio) pickups, three controls (volume, tone, and "blend") passive system, vibrato bar. The finish is beautiful and flawless. The frets are flawlessly finished as far as I can tell as well. The case is the biggest disappointment: maybe it's just mine, but the case's lid doesn't stand upright unless I really push it back against the pressure of the hinges. I hope this will wear in better one day. No strap. No documentation (or maybe the shop didn't give me any).

The sound is great. I have been recording with my band with this one, exclusively, and it really is fabulous for rock and blues. I also played a big band gig with it, and it did fine there as well. Just had to adjust the amp to have less treble, and used the back pickup with the tone control turned towards bass to get a fatter sound.

The action was adjusted by the dealer. Could probably be better, but for right now, it's fine. The guitar itself looks good and I can discern no real problems with it.

This seems like a workhorse guitar--partly because it's a copy of such an great industrial design. I can and will depend on it for many gigs.

Never dealt with Don Grosh.

I've been playing since 1973. Other gear: Fender Telecaster 52 reissue (1980), Gibson LP Special reissue (1977), Music Man Van Halen (1991), PRS Custom (1989), Guild F30 (1965), Grimes Beamer (1997). I know guitars, and this is a good one. My only concern is with the case.

Alder fiesta red finished body, rosewood fingerboard with 6105 frets and a 12" radius. Fralin pickups, vintage style bridge and locking tuners.

The tone is warm and full. The fralin pickups are a very nice vintage sounding pickup.

After reading the previous reviewers findings, I felt compelled to relate my own experiences with this instrument.
For some reason that neither myself nor my repair guy could figure out, it seems impossible to get the action on this guitar reasonably low without the strings rattling against the frets. No combination of string gauge, truss rod adjustment and saddle height made any significant difference. An Anderson guitar that happened to be in the shop at the time, has the same radius and fret type and the action on it was considerably lower with no fret buzz.
Another problem is the tuning stability. The strings seem to get caught in the nut and constantly need to be adjusted. I tried graphite, tri-fow lube, etc...same problem and I even have the trem blocked so that it is not a factor.
The tuners are also problematic as you need a screw driver or coin to properly lock the string in place...not much fun at a gig behind a dark stage.
I've been playing professionally for 25 years and own a number of new and vintage instruments but I've rarely had this number of headaches with a guitar in this price range.
It almost hurts to say this, but I have students with $300 Fender Mexican strats that function better than this this thing.

The guitar does seem to be solidly built, although why any modern builder would insist on putting the truss rod adjustment at the base of the neck is beyond my understanding. Over the years I've knocked over my share of strats with the truss rod adjustment at the headstock and never once had any cracks, etc. Maybe it's for the "vintage" vibe? For me it has always been a source of annoyance on my old fenders.

No experience...think about how long and probably fruitless the conversation would be.

If Grosh and Tom Anderson would get together, then we might have something really special there. Anderson guitars tend to sound a little sterile in my opinion, but they play beautifully and stay in tune. The Grosh sounds a little warmer and seems to have more character, but what good is it if the damn thing is never in tune.

Alder body, rosewood board, 22 frets, 12" radius. Locking tuners.

The tone is warm and full.

Every string buzzed like made! Intonation was for shit too...what gives? I could not play this guitar out of the box without much time invested in the setup. The locking Kluson tuners are a major pain in the ass. Sperzel tuners are much easier to work with and after 10 years of use, I've never had any tuning problems. If there is a difference in the tone with the Sperzels, I don't hear it.

Tuning stability seems to be a problem. In all other respects it seems to be solid

Don is very helpful and friendly.