Gretsch G5700 Electromatic Lap Steel

[@Leel3ones89]

Didn't know but not surprised that Gretch makes lap-steels. And I like that you're a Gretch fan boy. It's a very admirable attribute. Keep it up dude 👍

[@mwpv11]

I was thinking about one of these. Thanks for your review and thoughts on this instrument. I just picked up a mandolin as well to tinker with. Its also a blast.

[@PeerHond69]

wow, what a cool instrument and demo! thank you for sharing!

[@squirelova1815]

Besides the superb Quality control, I instantly bonded with Gretsch mainly for their shorter scale length and smaller frets that make them feel relatively effortless to play, and, if you have a "Chromatic" fixed tailpiece at the end with that extra "give" to it, it feels even easier too.

[@aggressivesilence-theband5150]

Great Review Jack...I have to get my self one of these and mess around with it...

[@grbguitar11]

Very Cool. Thankyou. Stunning Instrument. Congrats on The Gretsch Colab.

[@steveturner6770]

Wow. What a colour!

[@nekkon1989]

I mean... It's green...

[@jerryderr8043]

Thank you. If I need any excuse to buy another lap steel it's that color and I've Always wanted to own a Gretsch!

[@JDKingStratslinger]

Great demo! I love Gretsch, and I love 6th chords!

[@mattmanley7118]

My first slide guitar was a lap steel nowadays I just use S style guitars across the lap

[@richardlynch5632]

Had a Gibson B9 with matching amp. Fun indeed😉😎👍 😎👍❤🖖

[@konradhof7318]

I had just the guitar, and it was cool!

[@richardlynch5632]

@@konradhof7318 😎👍 This Gretsch looks HUGE compared to theB9 eh...? 😎👍❤🖖

[@sammyday3341]

Love that color.

[@JackFossett]

Me too!

[@carlweiderick]

Great colour! I've played a Gretsch and they are great. I own a Fouke Industrial lap steel.

[@Romans--bo7br]

Carl W.... How do you like the Fouke Ind.? I've been considering one... but haven't heard many reviews on them... almost none, actually. I currently have the Gretsch 5715 (Black sparkle), and a Recording King RK-35 w/the humbucker... and wanting to move up to a higher quality lap steel.

[@carlweiderick]

@@Romans--bo7br I am very pleased with mine. I've had it a few years. I was able to customize it with a string bender, two pickups, separate volume and tone knobs etc. etc. Christopher is very accommodating. The quality is superb, as you should expect with a custom made instrument. Also, being made of solid aluminum, it is very strong so there are no concerns with different tunings and string tension (such as with my Oahu lap steel). The price is high but reflected in the quality. There are quite of few videos of persons playing them (including Christopher). I also seriously considered a Duesenberg but they were even more money and not customizable. The Gretsch is great. You may want to reflect on what you need that it doesn't provide. If there is something, I'm sure that Foulke can provide it.

[@margarethouse404]

The Fouke is a unique , custom boutique instrument , an apples to oranges comparison Actually , you're not limiting yourself noticeably between your RG and your Gretch ( if you address the string spacing issue ) . Both of them are a step up from the really cheap $99 and under ones .

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

It's been a year now do you still have it' did you ever learn to play it and what do you think about it?

[@joseeduardoleite9867]

Muito top very good. Aprecio muito essa patente.. Gretchen 👏👏

[@Romans--bo7br]

I own a Gretsch 5715 (Black "Sparkle") along with a Recording King (RK-35 w/the humbucker). It (the Gretsch) is a decent lap steel for many, but the "issue's" I have with the Gretsch, is that the string height is barely over 1/4" above the neck, compared to nearly a 1/2"(+) of many lap & console steels, and my finger picks (especially) seem to be constantly hitting the body and "neck". Also, for someone with large hands and fingers.. the string spacing is rather narrow between them.. and both of these issue's have been a "sore spot" and issue with many other lap steelers over the years who have larger hands & fingers. I wish Gretsch would widen out the headstock and nut end of the neck, just enough to allow for parallel 3/8ths+ spacing all the way down to the bridge, like the majority of other lap steels.... otherwise, they're a pretty decent instrument... though a bit pricey for having those issue's that could easily be rectified if they wanted to. I do, really like the overall design of the Gretsch... and the main body, down by the pick-up and bridge, is wide enough and comfortable enough use as a wrist rest. As far as the new Colors..... personally, Nah! Not a big fan of pastels and other gawdy colors, but that's just my own preferences.

[@jdfolbre]

I concur on string height and spacing. That green color ain't my thing either but I dig the white.

[@davidcudlip6587]

Add a slip over nut extension. They cost less then $10. There's a video on the tube where a player of a Gretsch made some upgrades and did just that. Makes is play so much better.

[@margarethouse404]

This ! And yes . a nut extemder will get it reasonably close to suitable height and spacing . It's what happens when non Steel players design lap steels . They got so much right , but skipped over important playability issues .

[@Romans--bo7br]

@@margarethouse404... Hi Margaret, thank you for your reply. Yes, so true about what happens when Non - players of Any instrument design things. They do get a lot right, but yes... they miss the playability fine details that make all the difference. As the old saying goes... "the quality is in the fine details".... So True! Since I wrote the comment to which you replied to me, here... I have got rid of both of those lap steels. Now, I have an SX 6 string (sunburst version), an Epiphone Electar (1939 copy), a 1956 National double neck 8 string console, which I'm nearly finished doing a full restoration on, and an "el-cheapo" Chinese double neck 6 string which I bought just to upgrade and see what could be done with it. I changed the pickups, both pots and experimenting with different capacitors on the tone control, added an isolation switch, because there was none and both necks were "hot" all the time, which they may have done on purpose, because the pickup on the "outer" neck was completely "dead" as in, No winding wire to the external leads! I got rid of the junk "strings" and replaced them with Scotty's "SIT" semi-flats, tuned to C & E-6th. I really love the SIT strings, even have their flat wounds on two of my electric basses. I buy ALL of my strings from Just Strings dot com, up there in New Hampshire.... best prices Anywhere and as the name implies... they only sell strings and they have strings for stringed instruments, I've never even heard of before. lol They have many other accessories related as well. Great people to deal with and they're "Players" as well. Anyway, my "el cheapo" double neck 6 has turned out to be a pretty decent steel - got it on Ebay. I had a "made in the USA" lap steel from Bristol,TN. that I paid over $500. for.... shoddy workmanship, bridge was completely misaligned with the neck, etc, etc, etc.... sent it back and got a full refund. In talking with the owner (2nd or 3rd generation)... I found out the he not only does Not play the steel guitar.... he doesn't play Anything! But... he was very obliging and very easy to deal with and pleasant to speak with. Ooops!.. sorry for the "book"! What steel(s) are you playing, if I may ask? How many years have you been playing? Do you play just for your own pleasure, or are you with a band or ???? Have a great day.

[@margarethouse404]

@@Romans--bo7br Way back in school played Trumpet . Several years ago after a hand injury & tendon surgery, I was " don't tell me I can't do something " , even if I hadn't nor wanted to before . So bought a $79 Special lap steel , and a stack of instruction books . All in different tunings , and different playing styles , I was hopelessly confused before even starting . I remembered my local independent bluegrass oriented music store , with lessons for everything we sell . Figured a cpl lessons of Dobro would get me started with basic LS techniques . But I really took to Dobro , and that became my primary instrument , and Steel on the side . Brag Worthy most ( in my mind ) is circa 1939 Electromuse. Rarest probably 8- String MeloBar ( strung w/ 6 , because pickup is unusabley weak on strings 1 & 8 ) . For a while have had a Vorson ( EH- 175 shape , 2 P-90s) . Picked up a Gretch 5700 , and modern Epi Century Electar . Most recent is Asher Electro Hawaiian Jr , but I suspect I'll need to swap one of the pickups . Our weekly Jam Session just happens to take place in a dive Honky Tonk . After 2 nearby jams, and one about 2 hrs away closed down , my Guitar Friend set it up with the bar owner that he wouldn't charge us for Jam space , and we wouldn't drive away too many customers .

[@davidjen5244]

I see one of these in my are for less than $300. Good deal?

[@duaneulman9915]

Thank you

[@rabonour]

I picked up one of these for a great price and while I like it, I feel like they made a few strange choices. The cover over the the string holes gets in the way of my palm and I don't know why it's there. The way the neck extends out from the instrument on the bass side is weird too - it looks cool but gets in the way when I try to angle the bar. I love the aesthetics of this instrument, but am not sure I would go for this one in hindsight.

[@margarethouse404]

The bridge cover is Historically Corrext . But yes , typical playing techniques work better with it removed .

[@portsideguitar1981]

Cool instrument! I love Gretsch guitars. Think this would be able to be strung up left handed?

[@margarethouse404]

Sort of . Nuts and saddles changed to reflect the respective string gages . However .. On steels with the controls off to the side , when reversed . the knobs will be right where your picking hand would go . Other styles of Lap Steel with the knobs Behind the bridge would be more ambidextrous .

[@terenceherming1838]

Are they the same as steeltops used in country music, steeltops have pedals like a piano also.

[@Womble1252]

You may be thinking of a pedal steel guitar, whilst this is a lap steel guitar (with no pedals)

[@graemero5532]

Not my cup of tea, but they can be great on the right track.

[@jdfolbre]

I'm a Gretsch guy too but their lap steels need more than just some new colors. String height & spacing are not adequate. There are better options forest money.

[@DarkMysteriousObject]

Can you name some to check out? Thanks

[@jdfolbre]

@@DarkMysteriousObject Recording King and Gold Tone both make nice lap steels.

[@DarkMysteriousObject]

@@jdfolbre Thank you, JD!

[@cacaloca5434]

Yeah this steel is no bueno for c6

[@Qingeaton]

I have a friend who owns one of these. He doesn't play it (not a musician) and might be willing to sell it.

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

I prefer a Gibson Les Paul for dark oldschool blues, these aren't my kind of thing but I hope someone likes them.

[@jupitorious7925]

Strange comment, but thanks

[@margarethouse404]

He has a point . Lap Steel ( and Dobro , and Weissenborn ) are their own family of instruments . There is little overlap with vertical guitar playing . Yes , a surprising number of Steel/ Dobro players have zero background with vertical guitars . Three finger banjo players can transfer much of their existing picking hand techniques . Keyboard players have the best mental preparation . Nothing personal to you Jack , you're upfront about your musical background . But without finger and thumb picks . you're only scratching 10 or 15 % of the musical potential of the instruments . You're limiting yourself to straight bar blues progressions . With finger picks , you can do Rolls , alternating patters , double & tripple stops , and pick out single note leads several times faster than with a flat pick .

[@margarethouse404]

Duuuuude ! You don't tune Down to C6 . You need a set of specific thin strings to tune UP to C6 .

[@willieboy8798]

all electric guitars are electro magnetic!! that arent piezo pick ups that are electro crystal structural......

[@PaulSmith-qz2re]

Hello the blues ant nufin but a good man feeling bad

[@yarlkymcfirblatherington9879]

Not sure. He's not much of a player so how can he know much about the instrument? Try other non-promotion videos.

[@JackFossett]

😂