Gretsch G6122-1962 Country Gentleman Review

George Harrison!

That is the only time I will mention George Harrison for the remainder of this review.
The Gretsch G6122-1962 is an accurate reissue of an early sixties Country Gentleman model delivering all the charm, knobs, switches, painted f-holes, zero fret, standby switch, back pad, bigsby tremolo and mutes of the original.

The guitar presents beautifully straight out of the supplied Gretsch case, the finish is first class and the setup from the Gretsch factory borderline perfect. All the knobs and switches could be viewed as needless overkill however if you invest the time into understanding their purpose, can be very useful tone shaping tools.

For those of you in the dark as to the Gretsch controls layouts I will know do my best to explain…
The two switches at the top left are your 3 way pickup selector and 3 way tone switch (no tone knob on Gretsch) Middle position being no tone circuit with the upper and lower positions giving you various tone roll-off. The switch on the bottom right is a standby switch which basically switches the entire electronics circuit in and out (kill switch type scenario).

The two knobs next to the standby switch are your separate pickup volume controls for neck and bridge, giving you a blend facility when selected on middle position on the pickup selector.
The lonesome knob dwelling below the pick guard on the lower left wing of the guitar is your master volume. This gives you direct volume control over any pickup selection and individual volume knob settings.

Confused? Back shortly I need to go fix myself a yerba mate to see if it made any sense?
So what does it sound like you ask? A Gretsch I say? And what does a Gretsch sound like? The newer model Japanese made Filtertron pickups are loud and clear delivering high fidelity chime with a semi-hollow character.With the higher output of these pickups compared to vintage Filtertron offerings you can drive your amp more aggressively which results in a very rewarding sound useable across quite a variety of styles. Combine this with the painted f-holes, which assist in avoiding any potential feedback problems often associated with hollow body guitars, and you have a unique sounding guitar that can hold its own not just in its stereotyped “rockabilly” genre.

Most people I speak to before they pick up a Gretsch guitar often have the idea that it will be a hard instrument to play but then are pleasantly surprised when they feel the slim neck profile, comfortable scale and string tension and light weight body. The back pad is also a nice touch, if not comforting certainly a visual delight not to mention giving allowing much easier access to electronics which for the most part with hollow designs is a nightmare.

In comparison to other brand hollow body equivalents this guitar represents extremely good value for money. If you consider what features you are getting along with the fact that hollow body guitars for the most part are more dollars than solid designs this guitar deserves serious consideration.

For those who need more guitars
Not for those who like orange Gretsch  guitars

9/10
 

Review by Danny Yoghurt.

Maton ER90C Review

MATON ER90C ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC GUITAR

We’re proud folk us Australians.The kind of proud folk that claim constellations as our own and get them permanently stained to our bodies to make sure everybody else knows exactly how proud we are. The kind of proud folk who at sporting events crown the successful competitors ‘Honorary Australians’ because if we’re not going to win, it may as well be the honorary Aussies.

And the kind of proud folk that will buy Australian made over US made, regardless of the price.  Depending on the person, some of these characteristics will be viewed in a positive and some in a negative light but one thing rings through regardless – we like to think we’re the best and the luckiest folk in the world.

Any Australian who reads this can relate to having at least once walked into a pub around the country to hear some guy in the corner, acoustic guitar in hand singing something along the lines of ‘My Happiness’ or ‘Eagle Rock’. On almost all of these occasions you may or may not have noticed that this person was holding an Australian made Maton guitar.

By a long stretch Maton Guitars are the most widely gigged instruments in Australia and this isn’t purely due to patriotic Australians refusing to explore different options. They are fantastic working guitars.

Maton guitars characteristically have a focused mid-range that really cuts through in a band environment. That accompanied with their AP-5 pickup and really solid build quality make for the perfect working instrument. What Maton’s do lack however is depth. The guy singing ‘Working Class Man’ in the corner of Bridie O’Reilly’s immediately exchanges his Maton for his Martin or Gibson the minute he goes into the studio, as these classic acoustic guitars offer a richer and grander tonality along with huge character that goes a long way in the studio.  This is where Maton’s new model comes in.

It’s a rarity in Maton world that a new model comes along, so we were a touch excited when we got the news. Their new ER90C offers an acoustic guitar with a solid AA spruce top, AP5 pickup and solid Indian Rosewood back and sides; the characteristics of Indian Rosewood being the key ingredient here.

This timber is generally regarded as the most popular ‘up-range’ tone wood with characteristics that are dark but very rich. The low end is very pronounced and full but also with very clear tops, overall an extended EQ spectrum to that of other timbers.

Maton already offer a few different models with solid Indian Rosewood but at higher price points. The idea with the ER90C is that it fits the budget of the working musician but also has the rich tonal qualities that make it the perfect crossover guitar to take from the gig to the studio.

So does it hold up?

Whilst there is a deeper bellow to the guitar and it does host a richer tonal flavor than its closest sibling the ECW80C, it still doesn’t have the character of the aforementioned Martin’s and Gibson’s that are so often favored in the studio environment.

But it also doesn’t sell for nearly as much, nor do those guitars have a pickup and therefore aren’t useable in most live scenarios. So next time you’re finishing off ‘Most People I Know’ and are flustered by knowing you have to run home to get your other guitar before going to your studio session in Fairfield, maybe consider investing your Friday night residency cheque on an ER90C.

7.5/10

Review by Gary Milk

Click here for more info