This took all of about 15 minutes to become my favorite guitar. What got me to finally pull the trigger was the price. I had been eyeballing the the 5120's forever. Grew up a Brian Setzer/ Billy Duffy fan, so I've always wanted a hollow body Gretsch. When the fairlane blue came out on the 5420's I knew that would be the one, but I'm on a budget and was watching out for a used one on craigslist or from reverb/guitar center. Then one day I'm browsing amazon and see a warehouse deal on an open box one. It was $543! An electromatic for the price of a streamliner! What kinda dummy would say no to that? I ordered it, it came (with SLIGHT imperfections that only the pickiest person would quibble over) and it played well right out of the box. After I got a setup done and my favorite strings on it, it played great. Super nice neck, great tone, and a real looker too. I've had Squiers and Epiphones over the years that played well enough, but none were of the quality that this guitar provides. It's rare that you finally get something you wanted since your youth and it turns out to be better than you imagined, but that's the case with this guitar.
Excellent guitar for amateurs but pros like them too.
The 5420t was my first Gretsch, I've since bought several others that they offer. Can't recommend them enough.The Gretsch Electromatics are very well crafted in Korea or China (depending), making the final cost very accessible for just about anyone. The Gretsch pro line and Vintage Select models are finely crafted in Japan and generally cost 3 to 4 times as much as the Electromatics. Gretsch also has their domestic workshop which produces special orders and limited editions at boutique prices. Also their Streamliner line, which are even more accessible than Electromatics.The g5420t would be the more affordable equivalent of a g6120t, which is your classic 50s rockabilly Gretsch. Not exactly the same but very close.In spite of the introductory cost, the g5420t is very well crafted and capable of great tones with a good amp. The standard blacktop Filtertron humbuckers offer clear rich voicing for clean playing, to blistering distortion for heavy rocking (yes, you can shred on a Gretsch). These can howl.The g5420t is offered in a variety of colors and stained finishes. I got the Aspen Green finish, which I like so much I picked up a matching g5435t (also known as a 'Pro Jet'). This was from a limited run of 60 Aspen Jets Gretsch produced for Sweetwater music.If you're looking for a guitar that sounds totally different than a Gibson or Fender, but just as iconic, get into Gretsch.Look up who plays them, and who has played them over the past 70 years. You'd be in good company.
