Gretsch Alligator resonator Demonstration Jan Haasler

[@GuitarJoLa]

Wow! The best resonator noodling I have ever heard! That ending, damn! 🤯🤘

[@mankenybom9344]

How can you not be more famous...? Fantastic playing indeed...!

[@donframeli9855]

I love the gretsch sound

[@jasonstewart9752]

Inspirational for sure! Well played.

[@jasonmagee2921]

GOTTA LOVE THAT GREAT GRETSCH SOUND

[@tml1224]

How do you only have 851 subscribers ? Beautiful playing!

[@dapatrick]

Fantastic playing!

[@JanHaasler]

Thank you very, very much. Best regards. Jan

[@bernieinnyc]

Mad skills brother. Love your style.

[@hovlandbound]

Very nice!! i love my Gretch as well, sounds sooo nice!!!

[@daveyewart4289]

have one . love it . cant play it as well as you . yet

[@MoeShinola1]

Nice guitar, sounds great.

[@peterhedrich7653]

Klingt super der national cone in der Gretsch ja denn machs gut Jan du spielst😁 richtig klasse nächstes mal was von Bach auf ner Reso😁😁😁

[@tonyadams6985]

Awesome!

[@lynnclark1708]

great player

[@hitchhikrr]

i bought one these a few days a go,it well worth the money i paid for it.

[@zepe1023]

Sounds great! Keep up the good work bro

[@ukeplaya1]

WOW!!

[@molarjock]

That's some amazing fingerpicking!

[@JanHaasler]

Cool. Thank you for that comment. Keep on playing your stuff!!

[@ilzateixeira9701]

Show 🔥

[@lulumarlu2]

Super it sounds great!

[@marcocannavo]

well played Jan, and your Gretsch sounds so cool. did you replace the coverplate as well?, which one did you use please? and where can I find them please? thanks

[@georgescarlett2320]

Great shew mate. You "found it" at: 2:22 Ha! Gb

[@guitarstrange2478]

How is the build quality and the playability compared of the gretsch alligator compared to the Michael Messer Blues 28?

[@JanHaasler]

They are a bit different in feel/playing but both good guitars. The Michael Messer Blues 28 has a better build quality i think. Michael Messer is an expert in National style guitars and the guitars are Set up by Dave King in the UK before they get sold. The Gretsch models are build with vintage Gretsch resonators in mind and have a more narrow v shaped neck. Theese days I have the Michael Messer ones only but liked the Gretsch ones when I played them. Best regards Jan

[@antonierichards645]

Hello, I've recently purchased a Gretsch Alligator for myself and I'm looking to get it amplified. I'm thinking about going a with a National Hotplate pick up but I'm not sure if the cover plate with be the same fit. That cover plate that you have on looks like it's from National. Could you tell me about it?

[@JanHaasler]

Hello and a ahappy good new year to you. Fitting a resonator National style guitar is a bit tricky. This coverplate was a replacement from a no name brand I found on e.b...y back then. I could not compare it to an originanl National one. I think the National pickup plate should work (Mike Dowling's pickup plate). You could purchase it and check the fitting on the Alligator model. Since it is a wooden one, it xould be adjustet onto zhe body anyways but I am not shure. I used the Fishman passive resonator piezo/transducer with a decent preamp/D.I. (L.R. Baggs) back then and could get it sounding really good. Now adays I only use Highlander pickups for my Michael Messer wooden Triolian style guitar. Does that help? Kind regards. Jan

[@soundetc]

Fantastic, really nice sounding instrument and sure fine bit of noodlin’ there!! That Alligator looks different from the ones I see online…is it an older instrument? Thanks and have a nice day!!

[@JanHaasler]

A happy new year to you. This Gretsch was a new one back then (2017?) but I polished it with some wood oil and changed the coverplate and cone (National hot rod cone). It was a cool guitar, had two very different sounding ones back in those years. I do not own them any more since I changed to Michael Messer guitars. Kind regards. Jan

[@guitarfox8316]

I have this

[@jaumemartinezguitarrista]

Yeah!! Veey good

[@organjoe]

FANTASTIC playing - reminds me of Bob Brosman. thinking of buying one - Worth the cost? Thanks!

[@JanHaasler]

Bob Mac Thank you Bob. Back in those days I would have recommended them. Since I have Michael Messer resonators I totally recommen them. Nearly the same budget range you get the highest quality construction-, sound- and quality control wise.... check them out

[@organjoe]

Jan Haasler - cool thanks Jan - you are a GREAT player!

[@lkonavtus]

Amazing 🎉 From Russia ❤❤❤

[@jeremylubman5516]

Hi Jan - Your playing is great! I just got this guitar and am looking for new strings. I saw you recommend the 016-56 gauge (and I love your sound), but I've read that this gauge can put too much strain on the roundneck guitar, and it should be a slightly lighter gauge, at least for the high e sting. Do you have thoughts on this?

[@JanHaasler]

Hi there I would not bother that much and experiment with strings and string settings. As long as you do not tune too high for a longer period of time it will work. I used to play standard tuning and open G on the Alligators all the time (some years at least). You should not tune to open E or A with that strings. If you find the heavy strings not nice to play and may be a bit dull tone wise go for a lighter set like 12 to 54 or 13 to 56. I recommend using Newtone Michael Messer resonator guitar strings 013 to 056 or with a bit thicker melody string like 014 or 015. Theese strings are designed for resonator guitars: they use a round core that allows having thick strings (=good tone) at a bit lower string pressure.

[@erniegibbs4002]

Wonder what tuning your in?

[@JanHaasler]

Thanks, I think I used open G DGdgbd a full step lower (to F then) as far as I can remember. Best, Jan

[@sebastien-chauchot-photo-video]

I wish I could play like you ! Which tuning is it, please ? Thank you ! :-)

[@gtrplyer00]

Yes, very nice playing. And I'd like to know the tuning too. Thanks!

[@JanHaasler]

Hey there. Thank you so much. I used open G tuning DGDGbd (one half step below I guess). I_'m selling this one though.

[@gtrplyer00]

Jan--Thanks for the reply. Again, I like your playing. You make those Alligators sound great!

[@guitarstrange2478]

Biscuit or spider style cone?

[@JanHaasler]

Hello there and thanks for stopping by. I play a biscuit bridge National cone stlye guitar here. Kind regards. Jan

[@reckonimokie123]

What tuning are you in?

[@JanHaasler]

Thanks, I think I used open G DGdgbd a full step lower (to F then) as far as I can remember. Best, Jan

[@konstantes]

Betterist guitarist!!)

[@johnnyhaggis]

Excellent! Did you have any trouble with the cone being too high for the soundwell? I was going to do the same replacement, but I read on a forum someone saying that the national cone is 1 cm taller than the grestch cone and that replacing it would cause the action to be raised by 1 cm! They said the only cone that fits in a gretsch is the continental cone. What's your experience?

[@JanHaasler]

Hello. I made two experiences. In one case there was no problem in changing the cone (but a new bridge and biscuit are recommended, the gretsch ones tend to sound a little plonky; so you need to adjust the actiouse of fitting the cone with a new bridge though) and secondly i needed to adjust the action by lowering the bridge using sand paper. You need to try two have the experience by yourself I guess,

[@RJVB]

So would you say that overall the sound has improved due to the new cone?

[@stonkpuppets6393]

I have the same guitar listed on Reverb. Make me an offer

[@clevertrevor7360]

Have you polished the wood ? The body looks shinier than some other Alligators I've seen.

[@JanHaasler]

Hello there. Yes. I slightly polished it with some plant based oil.

[@clevertrevor7360]

@@JanHaasler How do you rate the Gretsch against the Michael Messer ?...... You're playing is very good by the way.

[@JanHaasler]

@@clevertrevor7360 Hello. Thanks so far. It is not an easy comparison. Quality wise concerning the "Vintage National's sound" the Michael Messer resonator guitars are approximately the best in the budget prise range (if not the best due to their 100% quality control and Michael's responsible customer service). I liked the Alligator. They can be great 30's sound resonator guitars like old Gretschs or Harmony resonator guitars. But i always feared mine might not last long (no neckstick for example; old Gretsch Dobro guitars didn't have one though). So it depends on what you look for... In the end it alldepends on a proper setup on those (if not on all) guitars...

[@clevertrevor7360]

@@JanHaasler Thanks for taking the time to reply. I am currently looking to buy a Reso and leaning towards a wood body, probably an MM Blues 28 mainly due to the reasons you mentioned.

[@JanHaasler]

@@clevertrevor7360 I suggest just to contact Michael Messer and ask him everything you need to know. He always tries to fullfill special requirements; i was asking for a guitar from him with a "darker" voice and although that is very subjective he tested the ones he had in stock and chose one for me he thought would fit when i did the purchase.

[@sammyl2071]

If I could play like you, I would be so happy that I would give away money to homlesses everyday

[@JanHaasler]

Hi there and thank you for your compliment. I guess we all admire skills of others that we might not have. In my experience the only thing that matters (in music) just doing it and enjoying it (even or especially when it is practising). Do you play guitar as well?

[@Veedle90]

Great playing! What tuning are you in?

[@JanHaasler]

Hello. Thanks a lot. It is simply open G (my major tuning) GDGdhd one half step below (open Gb).

[@rtelles1127]

Oh yea?! But can you play hot cross buns ? Lol

[@globalnomad4074]

make it sing . make it sting