Gretsch has upgraded its Jim Dandy acoustic guitars with solid spruce tops, and don’t they look mighty fine, all dressed in that deep brown Heritage Burst with those open-gear three-on-a-plate tuners with the white buttons?
These six-strings – a compact Concert-sized model and an even more compact 24” scale parlour – are just $249 a pop. The catch is that they are limited edition acoustics, and at that price they are sure to sell like hot cakes.
Think of Gretsch guitars and its huge array of semi-hollow and hollow-bodied electric guitars will come to mind, G-Arrow knobs, Bigsby vibratos, Chet Atkins, the whole nine yards. Gretsch is the ür-rock ’n’ roll guitar brand.
But the Jim Dandy acoustic is one of its mainstays, with the roots of its design dating as far back as the 1930s, when players would order up one of the ‘Rex’ acoustics from a mail-order catalogue – like this Rex Playboy from the 1940s that popped up on Reverb some years back.
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A solid top is a significant upgrade for these limited edition Jim Dandys. It just makes them a little more serious. Build-wise, they are two peas in a pod. The soundboards have X pattern bracing. The necks are nato, finished with a semi-gloss finish, shaped into a C profile.
Gretsch has given these walnut fingerboards, with over-sized dot inlays at the 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th frets, and a 12” radius. The parlour has 18 frets, with the neck joining the body at the 12th fret. The larger concert model has 20 frets and joins at the 14th fret.
Both acoustics are small enough to join you on the couch, to noodle on at the kitchen table, with the concert measuring in at 4.2” deep and 19” long, and the parlour just 3.75” deep and 17.8” long.
All of the aesthetic inspiration is coming from yesteryear’s catalogues; the vintage-style pinned bridge, complete with compensated saddle, the utilitarian squared-off headstock, the painted pinstripe purfling and black-and-white ringed rosette are subtle touches – and the Gretsch G logo single-ply tortoiseshell pickguard is very cool.
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Elsewhere, we haven imitation bone nut, measuring 42.86mm on both models. There are no electronics. But these would look the part – and be ready for the stage – with a soundhole-mounted acoustic guitar pickup.
The limited edition Jim Dandy solid-tops are available now. For more details, head over to Gretsch.
Gretsch has been going big on limited edition runs. Earlier this year, Gretsch expanded its Streamliner range with a trio of limited edition semi-hollow electric guitars that retail for just $699 street – and looked good in Cadillac Green, Midnight Sapphire and Riviera Blue finishes – and who could forget the gold Paisley Penguin (pictured above), one of the most flamboyant finishes we have seen on a guitar?
Though if rootsy acoustic sounds are what you’re looking for the the Honey Dipper Special resonator might be more your speed.
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