Gretsch Dilemma

[juice]

So a few months ago I picked up a 1995 G6129 Duo Jet in gold sparkle (pictured below.) It has the Dynasonic pickups, which until now I had not tried first hand. I feel like I've given it a solid run and I dig the tone to some degree, but it's not exactly what I am after. The guitar itself is excellent in build quality and feel, though.

I'm torn about what my next step should be. I've thought about a pickup swap. I have a Casino that I actually LOVE the P90s in, and would love to try and find a P90 that might fit in the Dynasonic housings. I dig the range of tones that the P90s give and the increased mids you get out of them as well. Question is, I would do this by getting rid of the Casino to offset the cost of pickups. Would I be missing anything due to the Gretsch being a different body style? Any pickup suggestions to give me similar tone?

My other option is to find a new home for the Gretsch. It's a hard guitar to part with IF it comes to that, but I have others that can easily take it's place if it's not there. Ughh. These choices shouldn't be so hard. Here she is:

[=JL=]

Not sure about pickup choices, but it seems odd to me you'd sell a guitar you love the sound of to fund an experiment on one you don't.

[juice]

Originally Posted by =JL=

Not sure about pickup choices, but it seems odd to me you'd sell a guitar you love the sound of to fund an experiment on one you don't.

Good point! The Gretsch is just a better guitar for me in body size and build quality. The Casino is a MIK model, which isn't bad, it just feels cheap next to the Gretsch. The pickup sound is what I love, though.

[reverber8]

Nice Sparkle Jet Juice! Looks like a pre Fender model you have there. If you dig the how the guitar plays, feels and looks (and how could you not? that gold sparkle is so cool!) then I'm say go for a pick up swap. Maybe even consider upgrading pots and switches and do the treble bleed mod. Pre Fender Gretsches are widely considered to be great guitars but benefit from electronic upgrades.

Might I suggest looking into some of the DeArmond mount TV Jones replacements. They offer several of their pickups including the TV Classic, PowerTron, MagnaTron and SuperTron with a Dearmond style mount that should work for replacements for your Dynasonics. They also offer a replacement Dynasonic but no P90 in DeArmond size mount.

I've got 2 Gretsches, a PowerJet W/ TV Jones PowerTrons and a 6120DSW with Dynasonics. The PowerTrons are a little too hot for my tastes and I've considered swapping them out for some TV Classics. The Dynasonics in the 6120DSW sound wonderful but I realize that good tone can be subjective and is influenced by other factors.

I'd recommend you keep the Casino as you'd soon regret selling it. They are great guitars too. The other guitarist has one and it sounds great!

[RichBolduc]

If you get rid of the Dyna's... I might be interested in them

[mbargav]

Sell it. Lots of people love sparkle jets (myself included). Lots of people love dynas (myself included). You have a guitar you're not bonding with that'll likely move quickly if you put it up for sale. You just don't see gold sparkle jets all that often. Just sell it and look for something you bond with better. Maybe an LP/SG with P90s, Collins 290 ... you have a ton of options.

[RichBolduc]

Shit i'd trade you my SG Standard with an RS kit for it :P

[Troubleman]

Wish (REALLY, REALLY, REALLY) that I had something that'd interest you by way of trade....

You might try Seymour Duncan's take on Dynasonic pickups.
They're a bit hotter and beefier.
They ain't cheap - $250 or so for a pair if memory serves me correctly.

You could always donate that offending Gretsch to the Troubleman Benevolence Fund...



pEeEeaSE,

jb

[just_one_more]

I had the same situation. Got a Duo Jet with Dynasonics, and the pickups just did not work for me at all. There rerally are only 2 choices for builders that I am aware of for new pickups. TV Jones makes all his pickups in Dynasonic mount and Seymour Duncan makes a custom shop Dynasonic.
I ended up with TV classics and love them. This was before TV came outr with his Dynasonics. Try some TV Jones pickups, if you don't like the model you tried you have 30 days to exchange them for another. Don't give up on the guitar just because of the pickups in it, they are not for me either and am so glad I went for the TV Jones.

[909one]

There is a thread floating around here showing clips of the new Dynasonics from TV Jones. To my ears they actually sounded a little more like p-90's... YOu might wanna try them... they aren't cheap though.

[cherrick]

+1 TVJones pups

[Les Paul Guy]

Drop some EMGs in there and it will sing!

[RichBolduc]

Originally Posted by Les Paul Guy

Drop some EMGs in there and it will sing!

[Waxhead]

Hey juice
I'm a Jet owner. I got 2 suggestions for ya.

1) Go play a Jet in a store or somewhere's with Filtertrons.
2) If you like em insert TV Jones Classics into your Jet - costs $250.

I've played jets with all 3 PUP types and IMO these guitars are much better with Filtertrons. They'll sound closer to P90's than Dynasonics, except much better IMO. You'll get Les Paul type growl and grit on distorted tones and ES-335 warmth for clean tones plus some twang as well. Filtertrons in Jets makes this guitar the most versatile and best I've ever played. The stock Gretsch Filtertrons are excellent and the TV Jones Classics are simply superb