Gretschology

[tot_Ou_tard]

I was at a guitar store yesterday that had a bunch of cool Gretsches.

I took the catalog home & noticed the following types of pups:

TV Jones Classic
Seymour Duncan DynaSonic (single coils)
High Sensitive Filter'Tron
TV Jones Power'Tron
HiLo'Tron
Filter'Tron
US DeArmond 2000 single coils
Gretsch mini humbuckers
Mega'Tron

What's up with these pups? Can anyone explain the tonal qualities of these & the differences between them?

Thanks!


-------------- Edit --------------------------------

I just found this page that very briefly discusses some of these

http://www.gretschguitars.com/resour...finitions.html

but I'd still like to hear from fretters with experience &/or knowledge.

[Spudman***]

That is one brand I have no experience with. Wish I could help but I'll be glad to find out myself the differences.

[markb]

TV Jones Classic - A recreation of the Filtertron - very high quality
Seymour Duncan DynaSonic (single coils) - modern recreaton of the DeArmonds
High Sensitive Filter'Tron - ???
TV Jones Power'Tron - A high output overwound filtertron
HiLo'Tron - a singlecoil pickup in a filtertron case used on cheaper Gretschs from the 60s
Filter'Tron - The classic Gretsch pickup, think early Beatles records, Brian Setzer etc
US DeArmond 2000 single coils - Used on 50s Gretschs - think duane Eddy
Gretsch mini humbuckers - known as "dumbbuckers" by the Gretsch fans - fitted to the far eastern Electromatics.
Mega'Tron - ???

Try www.tvjones.com or http://gretschpages.com/ for more details.

I'd really like a Gretsch but never found an old one (when they were cheap) that played well and can't justify one of the Japanese reissues. The Electromatics are good but really need a pickup change to sound "right"

[tot_Ou_tard]

TV Jones Classic - A recreation of the Filtertron - very high quality
Seymour Duncan DynaSonic (single coils) - modern recreaton of the DeArmonds
High Sensitive Filter'Tron - ???
TV Jones Power'Tron - A high output overwound filtertron
HiLo'Tron - a singlecoil pickup in a filtertron case used on cheaper Gretschs from the 60s
Filter'Tron - The classic Gretsch pickup, think early Beatles records, Brian Setzer etc
US DeArmond 2000 single coils - Used on 50s Gretschs - think duane Eddy
Gretsch mini humbuckers - known as "dumbbuckers" by the Gretsch fans - fitted to the far eastern Electromatics.
Mega'Tron - ???

Try www.tvjones.com or http://gretschpages.com/ for more details.

I'd really like a Gretsch but never found an old one (when they were cheap) that played well and can't justify one of the Japanese reissues. The Electromatics are good but really need a pickup change to sound "right"

Mark, some of those explainations are circular ie defining a Gretsch pickup by saying how it relates to another one .

Let's start simply:

What are the basic tonal qualities of Filtertrons & DeArmonds? I know that filtertrons are humbuckers that are brighter & twangier than standard humbuckers.

Dearmonds are single coils, but what do they sound like?

[Brian Krashpad]

I have the DeArmond 2000's on my Electromatic Special Jet. They are a similar US-made (but cheaper) variant of the Dyna-Sonic.

[Brian Krashpad]

Dearmonds are single coils, but what do they sound like?

Hmm, beefier than any Fender singles, but cleaner and a little more high-end sparkle than P-90's is a general way I'd describe the DeArmond 2000's.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Hmm, beefier than any Fender singles, but cleaner and a little more high-end sparkle than P-90's is a general way I'd describe the DeArmond 2000's.

That's a decent description. Thanks Brian!

[Brian Krashpad]

That's a decent description. Thanks Brian!

No worries-- I just hope it comports with what you think they sound like. Trying to describe tone is so difficult and subjective.

[Katastrophe]

Mega'Tron

The evil leader of the Decepticons? How'd he transform into such a tiny shape?:


Please forgive me. I've been dealing with a sick child and wife today.

[Brian Krashpad]

The evil leader of the Decepticons? How'd he transform into such a tiny shape?:


Please forgive me. I've been dealing with a sick child and wife today.

TV Jones has a miniaturization ray.

[tot_Ou_tard]

TV Jones has a miniaturization ray.

I thought I saw the Decepticons go into Wonka's factory.

Too bad about Galvatron & the juicer.

[just strum]

Oh, this is a conversation that I can follow

[tot_Ou_tard]

Oh, this is a conversation that I can follow

A recap just for Strummy.

1) List of Gretsch pups includes Mega'Tron.
2) Megatron is the evil leader of the Decepticons from the Transformers cartoon series.
3) Question: How did he transform into the size of a guitar pup?
4) Answer: TV Jones has a miniturization ray.
5) TV Jones makes Gretsch-style pups.
6) Mike Teevee is one of the bad kids in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
7) He gets miniturized by Willy Wonka & sent over the airwaves to a TV.
8) Galvatron is another Decipticon bad guy.
9) Violet one of the Willy Wonka bad girls gets turned into a blueberry & has to be juiced.


So you see Galvatron gets juiced & passed through a Filtertron pup.

ummmm, come to think of it, Strummy may have a point.

[just strum]

I long for the good ole days when things related to Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Things were as simple as A B C

[Brian Krashpad]

A recap just for Strummy.

1) List of Gretsch pups includes Mega'Tron.
2) Megatron is the evil leader of the Decepticons from the Transformers cartoon series.
3) Question: How did he transform into the size of a guitar pup?
4) Answer: TV Jones has a miniturization ray.
5) TV Jones makes Gretsch-style pups.
6) Mike Teevee is one of the bad kids in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
7) He gets miniturized by Willy Wonka & sent over the airwaves to a TV.
8) Galvatron is another Decipticon bad guy.
9) Violet one of the Willy Wonka bad girls gets turned into a blueberry & has to be juiced.


So you see Galvatron gets juiced & passed through a Filtertron pup.

ummmm, come to think of it, Strummy may have a point.

Looks like I picked the wrong weekend to give up drinking!

[ET335]

I agree Brian