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Gretsch G100CE Archtop Guitar Review
Gretsch Guitars is known more for its electric archtop instruments—the iconic Chet Atkins Country Gentleman guitars; George Harrison’s Tennessean and Duo Jet (which was the model for one of the two guitar controllers released with The Beatles Rock Band ), and Duane Eddy’s 6120—but the company, which was founded in 1883, has been building acoustic archtops since 1939, when the noncutaway acoustic Synchromatic 100 that this G100CE is modeled on was first introduced. While avid acoustic archtop players have tended to gravitate toward vintage Gibson, D’Angelico, and Epiphone models, or any of the numerous modern archtop makers, a few have appreciated the sweet tone and easy playability of Gretsch archtops, among them young contemporary jazz virtuoso Doug Wamble, who is partial to a pair of mid-1950s Gretsch Constellations. I owned a vintage Gretsch Eldorado acoustic archtop for a few years, to which I attached a floating Bill Lawrence pickup, and I was pleased to find that the Gretsch G100CE we received for review is very reminiscent of that sweet-toned instrument in its playability and sound, acoustic and amplified.
Vintage Gretsch Style
The Gretsch G100CE, which is also available without a pickup (the G100), is constructed with a laminated spruce top and laminated maple back and sides. While it’s very affordable, especially for an archtop, it is far from plain. The attractive orange matte finish, block neck inlays, “synchronized” stair-step bridge, bound body, large flipper-like faux tortoiseshell pickguard, and rounded 1940s-style peghead with pearloid logo inlay are all true to the design of the early Synchromatic 100 archtops and give it a sleek, deco vibe. Overall construction is good. The top flattens out at the bridge, which on some guitars is an indication that the bridge is sinking. With the Gretsch, however, this is part of the design. There was no movement of the top during the four months we had the guitar, the tone bars inside are straight and solid, and the neck angle is clearly set with this in mind.
Acoustic and Electric Versatility
In perhaps a sign that Gretsch assumes the G100CE will primarily be used amplified, the guitar arrived with flatwound strings, which, combined with a comfortable shallow C-shaped neck, provides an easily navigable platform that would be just the thing for aspiring jazz virtuosos. While the guitar’s acoustic tone with the flatwounds is subdued—it’s not the instrument you’d choose to power a big band, Freddie Green–style—it records well, and I used it for the rhythm tracks of a swing-style lead lesson (you can hear it on the audio to the “Swing Blues Lead” lesson).
Amplified through a Fender Deluxe Reverb, the guitar has the fat, jazzy sound you’d want from an amplified archtop with a neck pickup. I also recorded it with a condenser mic pointed at the 14th fret and a mic on a Fishman Loudbox amp. The amp fattens up single-note melodies nicely without adding the electric tones associated with a more heavily amplified sound. Later, I swapped the flatwounds for a set of D’Addario bronze roundwounds, which gave the guitar a little brighter tone and a bit more acoustic power, but I found that I preferred the flatwounds Gretsch provided, since they seem to match the guitar’s tone better (and are fun to play).
Archtop Ambience
With the G100CE, Gretsch has built a vintage-style archtop that will please guitarists looking for a lightly amplified archtop sound. Its contemporary-feeling neck makes it a perfect first guitar for budding jazzers as well as players who want to try a bit of archtop style without breaking the bank. And it could provide some tonal variety for performers who rely on acoustic-electric guitars. There are not many acoustic archtops on the market at this price, and the G100CE is definitely a worthy addition to the field.
