TEST: Gretsch G2655 Streamliner

OK, a little guessing game at the beginning of the test, what stands for the artificial word "Twäng" and is not a Tele ;-) Have fun and let an experienced guitarist explain the "Twäng" to you. He will throw confused descriptions into the room and at the end probably name two manufacturers, on the one hand the Tele and on the other hand pretty much everything Gretsch has ever brought to the market. I won't talk my head off about "Twäng", but rather present the new Gretsch G2655 Streamliner, with which Gretsch enters new presregions.

The construction of the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner

First introduced at NAMM 2016, the guitar has a mission that reads "Gretsch Sound for Everyone". What do these words want to tell us? Well, anyone who has ever had the pleasure of holding a USA Gretsch Hollow Body in their arms and then risked a glance at the price tag will probably have gasped twice. On the one hand, the immense body of the instruments requires a completely different handling than a slim solid body, and on the other hand, you have to expect at least a three as the first number in the thousands league in this league.

Detached from the value of these instruments, the market of the affluent clientele is relatively quickly frilled and if you do not want to end up primarily on the living room wall of the "dentist league", even a traditional company like Gretsch, which, by the way, is probably the only manufacturer in the world that has brought it to world fame in both guitar and drum building, must find ways and means to bring the legendary "Twäng" (da isser widder ... ) also into the hands of the ambitious, but less solvent young rockers over.

That this cannot be realized with a production "Made in USA, Germany, France ..." or another country with corresponding ancillary wage costs, should be clear to everyone. So it is not surprising that the Gretsch company also has the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner manufactured in Indonesia, a country that has apparently completely displaced China from the instrument sector in the low price range. It will be interesting to see where Gretsch has cut corners to be able to guarantee the very reasonable retail price of only 477,- €, especially since the construction includes some points that the CNC milling machine cannot easily process automatically.

Let's start with the body first. As you can quickly see from the two sound holes, the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner is a hollow body with center block guitar, in Germany also often referred to as a semi-acoustic in the style of a 335. The purpose of this construction is the attempt to merge the highest possible acoustic response of a full resonance guitar with the feedback insensitivity of a solid body. "Jazz with noise" to put it bluntly.

For this, quite unusual woods are used. In addition to the laminated top and back made of maple, the manufacturer surprises with a neck made of Nato and a fingerboard made of Laurel. Both woods originate in South and Central America and are not protected in any way due to the low demand so far. In terms of resonance, however, they are very close to their larger models, which means that it is reasonable to suspect that their use in instrument making will increase in the future and that they will not just make their way across the Pacific to Asia as a few containers have done in the past.

Despite the low retail price, the neck and the body have a cream-colored binding, which was even applied 4-ply on the body. A fact worth mentioning, since this work cannot be done by a router or a robot. For the otherwise at Gretsch gladly used Bigsby vibrato system it has not been enough here, instead of this a hardtail in V-shape is used at the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner together with a tune-o-matic-like bridge construction.

A crucial role in the classic Gretsch sound in the high-priced models take the legendary FiltertRon pickups, but it was not quite enough for this version.   Instead, Gretsch uses BroadTron B-25 pickups on the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner, which are visually based on the great models. Just as classic as legendary is the master volume circuit adopted from the distant past, where not only each pickup has its own volume control, but the guitar as such can be regulated in its overall volume. Anyone who has ever put a passive pickup via a switch directly to the output and in the A / B comparison of the sound degradation even with the best electrics could perceive, may wonder why in times of amp channel change and diverse FX pedal selection, this circuit has been saved to the present.

In practice

When you pick up the guitar for the first time, you notice the incredibly low weight of just under 2.4 kg, which is very low even for semi-acoustic instruments. Accordingly, a concert evening can be easily played with such a weight, if it weren't for the almost mandatory top-heaviness of the instrument, which, however, is still within moderate limits.

The playability is also convincing. The neck has enough mass for a powerful grip and lies with the "slim U" very pleasant in the hand. The tuners also do a good job, nothing that should cause you worry or trouble.

Otherwise, the guitar is very well set up for an inexpensive Asian production, the string action is unusually low and also the 22 comparatively flat medium jumbo frets focus on rhythm and chord-based solo playing. The unamplified basic sound of the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner is pleasantly lively, the response is very fast and the offered volume of the construction invites to practice without amplification. Up to this point, everything is very good so far. But then the disillusionment.

Immediately after I connected the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner to my Hughes & Kettner Triamp MK III, the Gretsch red pen shows itself in ruthless openness in the form of the installed pickups. Not only do the BroadTon pickups have nothing in common with the classic FilterTron in terms of sound, they tear the excellent acoustic impression of the instrument to the ground. The pickups not only sound comparatively dull and characterless in the clean range, they also "screech" unpleasantly without any volume in the crunch and lead range. Even the attempt to create the typical Malcolm-Young-AC/DC rhythm sound, which was famously created with a Gretsch Firebird, just doesn't want to succeed, because no matter with which amp you try, the pickups don't provide the necessary basis.

For a soft, latently muffled jazz sound, the pickups are still good to use, but as soon as it comes to expressiveness, dynamics and character, the BroadTon pickups are completely overwhelmed. Rarely have I experienced such a discrepancy between the acoustic and electric behavior of a guitar as in this case. This is all the more sad because the acoustic impression, along with the very good workmanship of the instrument, was really very good up to this point. Once again it shows how, in addition to the neck construction, the pickups have the decisive part in the overall sound of the instrument.

Gretsch probably also deliberately wants to create a clear distinction from their top-of-the-line instruments, which is absolutely understandable from a company policy point of view, however, they don't do themselves any favors with these pickups. On the other hand, it's a no-brainer to shell out another €150 or so and have high-end pickups put into the guitar, especially since the basic construction of the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner would undoubtedly deserve it.

In summary, the pickup problem is unfortunately massively reflected in the final rating. If the instrument would have received a fat very good from me before the connection to the amp, I unfortunately have to go back to a satisfactory after this sound impression.

Conclusion

With the Gretsch G2655 Streamliner, the big name offers a model from the low price range, which comes up with strengths and weaknesses. While the instrument convinces with a crisp and dynamic basic sound in addition to clean workmanship and good factory settings when unamplified, the extremely mediocre-sounding pickups detract immensely from the overall impression.

Interested parties should therefore additionally plan about 150 € for 2 good pickups in the sales price, the basic construction of the instrument would have deserved it.

Additional Informations:

- Gretsch Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer with a rich history dating back over 130 years. Founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, the company has been making guitars that are highly prized by musicians around the world. In this article, we will explore the history and legacy of Gretsch Guitars, and how they have become a fixture in the music industry.

Early History Friedrich Gretsch began making banjos, tambourines, and drums in Brooklyn, New York in the late 19th century. His business grew quickly, and by the early 20th century, Gretsch was making guitars as well. The company became known for its high-quality instruments, and its popularity grew among musicians.

In the 1930s, Gretsch introduced its iconic hollow-body electric guitars, including the Electromatic, Synchromatic, and Duo Jet models. These guitars became hugely popular with jazz and country musicians, and they helped establish Gretsch as a major player in the guitar industry.
The Golden Era The 1950s and 1960s are considered the "Golden Era" of Gretsch Guitars. During this time, the company introduced some of its most iconic models, including the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and the White Falcon. These guitars were known for their striking appearance and unique sound, and they were used by some of the most famous musicians of the time, including Elvis Presley and George Harrison of the Beatles.

However, by the 1970s, Gretsch had fallen on hard times. The company was sold several times and struggled to maintain its reputation for quality and innovation. It wasn't until the 1990s that Gretsch began to make a comeback.

The Gretsch Revival In 1989, Fred Gretsch III, the great-grandson of the company's founder, acquired the Gretsch name and set out to revive the company's fortunes. He worked closely with master luthier Stephen Stern to design and build new guitars that would capture the spirit of Gretsch's golden era.

The company's revival was helped along by endorsements from musicians like Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats, who played a Gretsch guitar on their hit song "Rock This Town." Today, Gretsch Guitars is once again a major player in the guitar industry, known for its high-quality instruments and innovative designs.

Innovation and Quality One of the keys to Gretsch's success has been its commitment to innovation and quality. The company has always been willing to experiment with new designs and materials, and this has led to some of its most successful models.

For example, the Gretsch Duo Jet featured a unique "Filter'Tron" humbucking pickup that provided a distinctive sound not heard on other guitars of the time. The White Falcon, meanwhile, featured a striking appearance with gold hardware and a white finish, and it quickly became a favorite of rockabilly and rock musicians.

Today, Gretsch continues to innovate with new models like the Electromatic Jet and the Streamliner. These guitars combine classic Gretsch design elements with modern features like high-output pickups and streamlined body shapes.

In Conclusion Gretsch Guitars has a long and storied history in the music industry. From its humble beginnings making banjos and drums to its current status as a major guitar manufacturer, Gretsch has always been committed to quality and innovation. Today, Gretsch guitars are used by some of the most famous musicians in the world, and the company continues to be a fixture in the music industry.

- Gretsch Filtertron pickups are a key component of the iconic sound that Gretsch guitars are known for. These pickups were first introduced in the 1950s, and they quickly became a favorite of musicians in the rockabilly and rock-and-roll genres. In this article, we will explore the history and unique sound of Gretsch Filtertron pickups.

History of Filtertron Pickups The Gretsch company first introduced the Filtertron pickup in the mid-1950s as a response to the growing popularity of electric guitars. These pickups were designed to provide a unique sound that was different from the standard single-coil and humbucker pickups that were commonly used at the time.

Filtertron pickups were initially designed for Gretsch's hollow-body electric guitars, and they quickly became a favorite of musicians in the rockabilly and rock-and-roll genres. These pickups provided a distinct, twangy sound that was perfect for the music of the time.
Over the years, Gretsch has continued to refine and improve the design of its Filtertron pickups. Today, these pickups are used in a wide range of Gretsch guitars, from the classic hollow-body models to more modern solid-body designs.

How Filtertron Pickups Work Filtertron pickups are unique in that they use a dual-coil design that is similar to a humbucker pickup, but with a slightly different configuration. The coils are wound in opposite directions and are placed close together, which helps to cancel out unwanted noise and interference.

The result is a clear, bright sound that is full of character and personality. Filtertron pickups have a unique mid-range boost that helps to cut through the mix in a band setting, making them ideal for lead guitar work.

The sound of Filtertron pickups can be described as twangy and bright, with a touch of warmth and clarity that is characteristic of Gretsch guitars. These pickups are particularly well-suited to genres like rockabilly, rock-and-roll, and country music, where their unique sound is an essential part of the music.

Innovation and Quality One of the keys to Gretsch's success has been its commitment to innovation and quality. The company has always been willing to experiment with new designs and materials, and this has led to some of its most successful models.

For example, the Gretsch Duo Jet featured a unique "Filter'Tron" humbucking pickup that provided a distinctive sound not heard on other guitars of the time. The White Falcon, meanwhile, featured a striking appearance with gold hardware and a white finish, and it quickly became a favorite of rockabilly and rock musicians.

Today, Gretsch continues to innovate with new models like the Electromatic Jet and the Streamliner. These guitars combine classic Gretsch design elements with modern features like high-output pickups and streamlined body shapes.

In Conclusion Gretsch Filtertron pickups are a key part of the iconic sound of Gretsch guitars. These pickups provide a unique mid-range boost that helps to cut through the mix in a band setting, making them ideal for lead guitar work. The sound of Filtertron pickups can be described as twangy and bright, with a touch of warmth and clarity that is characteristic of Gretsch guitars. If you are looking for a unique and distinctive sound for your guitar playing, a Gretsch with Filtertron pickups may be just what you need.