Information On Six String Gretsch Synchromatic?

[Jim Cooley]

This is in my music store. Does anyone have any opinion on these? The owner will sell. Thanks.

[Melvin Elliott]

Says Gretch, what made you think Silvertone?

[Jim Cooley]

Melvin - Brain Freeze. Sorry. It's obviously a Synchromatic. Thanks for catching the error.

[Brad Bechtel]

Here's the Gretsch Guitars page on these lap steels. The one I played was unimpressive - the tone was very trebly even with tone knob adjustments.
The MSRP is $500 USD, which is ridiculously high. There are many listed on eBay for around $350 USD.

[Jim Cooley]

Thanks, Brad. I found them on Guitar Center's website for $350. I wondered about the quality.

[Thomas Temple]

Most of the reviews that I have found on the Gretsch are not very good. It is Chinese made and as Brad said unimpressive. For the same money you can do much better. A blem from Melbert Steels comes to mind or check out Tremblay guitars (Canadian made but made by hand) Shame that such a distinguished brand from the past hand been so down graded.

[b0b]

My good friend Johnny Robbins plays one of these in the B6th tuning, with heavy wound strings. It has a real sweet, silky tone. He plays it with a glass bar.

I owned it for a while, then sold it to him. I always enjoyed playing it. Maybe a bit overpriced, but what isn't nowadays?

[Doug Beaumier]

Shame that such a distinguished brand from the past hand been so down graded.

True. Same thing with Martin, Fender, and others. I never thought I'd see a Martin guitar made in Mexico, or Fenders made in China, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico... but that's where we're at now. Why pay $1300 for a USA Strat when you can buy an adequate Fender Strat made in Mexico for about half of that. Actually... some of the Chinese made guitars are very good quality now. They're getting better as the years go on. BTW that Chinese-made Gretsch lap steel is distributed and sold by Fender.

[Karl Fehrenbach]

Well I guess I have to disagree. There is one in every crowd and I guess I'm it today. I have two of these Gretsches and gig out with them. The build quality is rather good. Metal nut, ( a little tight, but OK) and a metal bridge. Good tuning machines. Holds its tuning well. Really cranks for rockabilly style music. Finish is well done. Acceptable tone. Very durable. Retro body shape. White fretboard is easy to see in various live lighting conditions. Volume and tone knobs are in the right location. You should pay $349 or less. If you want to get into a 6 string lap steel and cannot spend much over $300, these Synchromatics are fine.

[David Soreff]

This was my first steel guitar three years ago when I started...not a terrible way to start, but I must say the string spacing for a sixer is a little tight. It lasted me about two months until I got hold of my Supro.