Well, for what it's worth, a pressed spruce top is in fact a solid top, and since the bookmatched halves start out like a flat piece of wood they tend to have little runout like a true carved top might. This actually makes for a stronger top overall, and these can sound every bit as good as a carved top when thinned correctly and braced right.
G400JV Synchromatic
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- Rated: 30 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 6:24 p.m. JazzBoxJunky:
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- Rated: 13 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 6:51 p.m. DeArmond:
JazzBox, do you think that with that Jimmy Vaughn or the non-JV G400 you can get a convincing "Tequila" with it? I'm sure the song Tequila was on an acoustic archtop just listen to it so I'm wondering -
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- Rated: 10 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 7:32 p.m. Daddy-O:
DeArmond That Tequila sound on the acoustic guitar does not have much projection but with the mix of those days and recording tech of those days I mite be anything from a Gretsch to a smaller Harmony. I can't really hear anything special on that cut that just jumps out and makes a statement. I think Glen Campbell was in the champs on that session. This was done in the days before overdubs so it was two guitars for sure
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- Rated: 52 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 8:17 p.m. Bear:
My very best friend is the original bass player from "The Champs". I just talked to him and he said as he remembers it, the guitar was definitely an archtop acoustic and he believes it was an old Cromwell (made by Gibson). Glen Campbell was not in that session by the way.
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- Rated: 27 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 8:40 p.m. 57 Chet :
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- Rated: 13 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 9:07 p.m. DeArmond:
Bear just got home and read your post. Thanks for the reply and checking with your friend. That's awesome your best friend is the bassist from The Champs. The Champs are great. I have one of their albums on CD. Thanks for confirming with him what kind of guitar was on that song. I bet that Gretsch in question can sound like it. I have a cheapy Brownsville that kinda can get that tone but it's a cheapy so doesn't sound as good of course but I try. I have a 1938 archtop by, oh man the name slips my mind now but it sounds kinda like that but the thing is it needs serious work to get it to it's full potential.
57 Chet that Gretsch that Django is holding, man makes me want to buy one if I had the money now. You know maybe the JV and add a pickup in the neck like a floater or something like JazzBox suggests. I guess Django has a DeArmond or something like that.
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- Rated: 52 ↑
Aug 5, 2008 9:36 p.m. Bear:
DeArmond, no problem. It just gave me an excuse to give him a call. After he left "The Champs", we gigged together for many years. He is now living in Colorado but is moving to Arizona. He just got diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's unfortunately and most of his family now lives in Arizona so it's for the best he move. I really miss him since I'm now living in Kentucky.
"The Champs" really got screwed by their management and Challenge records. They don't make a dime in residuals and you still hear "Tequila" everywhere. Oh well, such is life I guess.
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- Rated: 4 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 4:28 p.m. Twangster:
The G400JV is a discontinued model.....happy hunting!
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- Rated: 52 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 4:47 p.m. Bear:
Warpdrive has a brand new one on eBay for $2,550.00. Auction ends in 19 hours.
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- Rated: 4 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 4:53 p.m. Twangster:
Guitarcenter.com is still showing them in stock at the 1721.00 price so I just ordered one. Hopefully they are still in stock.
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- Rated: 52 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 5:03 p.m. Bear:
You must have gotten the last one Twangster as they now show out of stock. Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS. That was a heck of a good buy.
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- Rated: 4 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 5:23 p.m. Twangster:
Hopefully I got one. My buddy at GC said he couldn't get one for me so I came right home and saw they were still in stock and it let me order one, I got back online and it said out of stock....I'm usually not that lucky!....maybe I should go to Vegas right now!
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- Rated: 52 ↑
Aug 6, 2008 6:35 p.m. Bear:
I'll say a prayer for you. I'm sure the BIG GUY upstairs is a Gretsch fan.
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- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 7, 2008 2:32 p.m. JC:
Fingers crossed Twangster,that was a great buy congrats,hopefully!
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- Rated: 4 ↑
Aug 7, 2008 7:16 p.m. Twangster:
Well I didn't get the one online but I did get one nevertheless. My buddy at GC made a call and found out I didn't get the one I ordered. So he called gretsch directly and they told him they haven't DC'd the guitar officially and had two more coming in from Japan toward the end of the month and were unspoken for. So he got me one at the 1721.00 price......it'll be worth the wait.
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- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 11:49 a.m. Jacksgretsch:
Twangster, I received mine last week from Musicians Friend which was the last one in stock. Oddly enough it has a New York guitar dealer label on the back of the headstock... I think perhaps Musicians Friend had somehow arranged to deal the remainders of stock for Gretsch. Mine is in perfect condition however it was clear it had hung on a wall someplace since the strings showed some wear and corrosion. A new set of Elixirs and it sounds wonderful. When I compare it to my G400 which is a couple of years old the JV has a brighter tone but still retains the big box sound. The piezo PU does sound different than the pickguard floater but does well with chunked out comp chords. I would prefer some deeper tones and I wonder if a good preamp would help pull in some deeper bass response. Anyone has any ideas on that and if so any recommendations ?
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- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 12:03 p.m. Jacksgretsch:
Here's some photos of the "Kids", it was so nice yesterday we went out for a stroll.
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- Rated: 18 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 12:57 p.m. Robert:
One thing I don't think anyone has mentioned is that the JV is X-Braced and the G400s and G6040 are Tone Bar, at least according to the specs. Both are listed as solid tops.
Jacksgretsch,
Is the thickness of the top the same on both your JV and G400?
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- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 1:32 p.m. Jacksgretsch:
Robert, You raise a very good point. Also I have a question, I know what X bracing is but what exactly is "tone bar" ? Is it parallel bracing, the old A frame ? Doesn't most bracing incorporate tone bars into the bracing pattern ? As far as the top thickness, they appear to be identical as far as my casual observation and tape measure can tell. I'm not sure where any official specs may be posted. I appreciate any information, maybe an old dog can learn a new trick !
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- Rated: 18 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 2:05 p.m. Robert:
Try this link and note the top picture. You'll see 2 parallel braces fastened to the top(ignore the trestle bracing close to his thumb). Also, your 400 should be exactly like my 6040 so with a flashlight you should be able to get a peek. The bottom of this page will show you an example of X bracing.
Nice purchase, I really would have liked to have grabbed one of those JVs. How I wish Gretsch would bring back these babies!
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- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 2:16 p.m. JC:
Congrats Jack ,the two 400's look great together
Nice little collection ya got there too.
I think there is goin to be one of these in my future.
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- Rated: 4 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 7:45 p.m. Twangster:
thanks for the photos Jack......can't wait for mine!
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- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 9:08 p.m. Jacksgretsch:
Twangster, I'm such a idiot ! I've played acoustic almost exclusively for the last couple of years after 40 years of bands. Since now days it mostly me and the dog I just had an acoustic sound in my head I wanted to hear when I go "electrified". Unplugged the JV is a wonderful sounding big body archtop and is a dream to play with great action. I've been playing the JV through an acoustic amp and the sound is very pure but it wasn't wowing me. Finally I remembered the man who designed it . I started playing it through a Fender tweed Blues Deluxe with a Route 66 overdrive and a bit of slapback delay and it became a roaring blues machine ! Drop back to a clean tone and it's the perfect jazz box. I played for hours without realizing it, the wife had to drag me away. The possibilities of this guitar are enormous, it will be great fun finding out where she'll take me. Hope you get yours soon !
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