How To Get Every Sound With Gretsch Filtertron Pickups | Thomann

Kris and Guillaume will show you how to get the most out of your Filtertron pickups! From Punk to Blues to Rock and Even high gain sounds! Which guitar do you want to see next? Let us know in the comments!
Gear used: tho.mn/l1p9h
Recorded in Presonus Studio One: bit.ly/S1Pro6
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 The guitar - G5422TG
4:30 Clean tones
8:01 Slight crunch
10:13 Punk-rock-ska-crunch tones
14:00 Blues tones
17:00 Classic rock tones
19:39 Slide tones
21:34 Metal tones
22:55 Our thoughts
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[@magicman12b]

Gretsch is soooooooo underrated. Best guitar for your money. I have the same model guitar in the same color, it has become my go to guitar.

[@EdVanMeyer]

I agree, I cannot get on with Gibson 335's or Les Paul types, the Gretsch are easy across the Electromatic and 6120 range.

[@Yourweakminds]

Got my first Gretsch yesterday. G5420T. Made in china. £750. Utterly utterly fantastic. Full of wonder in fact. Next guitar will be a professional range Gretsch. No doubt.

[@Professional.Bro.777]

Hey I'm so happy for you! I'm also shopping for my first Gretsch and I'll get the g5422. I'll take it directly to my tech for a fresh set up and maybe change the nut and the input jack since everyone says it's pretty garbage. How low is the action from the factory in your experience?

[@EdVanMeyer]

@@Professional.Bro.777 I don't like the Bigsby on some of those which has the extra roller bar to push the strings down.

[@Snaarf]

Nice! Just got my first Gretsch (and first electric) guitar this week! A 5420 too. Korean version. So stoked about it. Having fun.

[@user-abc855]

I've also joined the Gretsch owners club a week ago 😎 got g5420t too

[@thomasmetz3]

My Falcon has TV Jones Classic pickups that really nail the rockabilly sound with some slap back delay & reverb, surf tones with a good tube reverb, and gets a Neil Young Crazy Horse with a Belle OD into a Princeton turned up.

[@nekkon1989]

I got this guitar in walnut stain and it was love at first sight. I'm super bonded with it. It is also a great instrument for jazz tones since it has a treble bleed. I love it

[@ArizonaMMJ]

You should try one of the electromatics with the solid chambered body and Filtertrons. They are sick

[@SomeKindOfMadman]

Great demo Kris and Guillaume, I love hearing these demos with various pedals, they’re tools to be used, the more variety the better.

[@helpsabadell5685]

Just to back up all the comments this video has produced. I have a Streamliner myself with Filtertrons... can play just about any style and sound, love it for warm blues, just tuned it to open G for slide... Totally wow. Best guitar I've ever had in terms of versatility.

[@EdVanMeyer]

I had a gold one and it was nice even stock.

[@rickfrancismusic]

Hi guys. Great video. Thanks! I have only just starting digging in deeper into my 2 Gretsch 5420s and whatever the 12-string is - all with Filtertrons. My first experience with the Filtertrons was with the 12. It was so rich and articulate and - above all else (for a 12-string) beautifully chimey. It's the perfect pickup for a 12-string electric. I really liked your demo, because you read my mind about the Filteretron experience. I think it is a pickup that actually has to be "learned" how to use properly and bring out the best in the guitar and your sound (and playing). I pretty-much always have a nominal amount of compression on (with volume pedal). Back when I got the 12-string about 9 months ago, I was smitten with this unique voice that it had and did my research because I wanted that sound with a 6-string. I bought one 5420 and loved it. I actually put flatwounds on it because I came for 20 years of playing (almost exclusively) Taylor acoustics and didn't often bend notes for obvious reasons. The second 5420 came along because I was able to trade even for a Taylor I had that I wasn't using, and I wanted a second 5420 with slinky 9-46 strings for the bendy stuff. The F-hole guitars (335, 339, Joe Pass Emperor and my 2 5420s) are the perfect crossover guitars. I play a solo gig with my own backup tracks and the 5420s give me all the latitude in sound I need with various pedal. I play quiet through 2 Bose S1 Pro amps. Overdrives in this context are more subtle most times, but with compression and Filtertrons, I am happy. So, that's my story and I am sticking to it! I just subscribed to your channel not having seen you thus far. I will be back! Thanks again. Cheers. Here is me playing my 5420 with Filtertrons at a small cafe. I play quietly and didn't even realize until I was doing post on the videos that I had left an overdrive on when I normally play this (original) song clean. But, I kinda like it. It shows how the clarity and chime from a FilterTron always shines through even with dirt on it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h169mXt8e5WDnrc

[@shadrackperez7325]

Guys kudos for the great work. This series is awesome. Yes, my Gretsch is a $3000 gift that was put away after trying to understand the sound and thanks to you guys I just opened the case to try it again while I write this message. Thanks for the great service you bring to the musicians community. Cheers!

[@nicero870]

By far, the best definition of what Gretsch pickups are and are not. I’ve had a 5420 for 6 years and it always benefits (for my style of playing, anyway) from some compression or EQ.

[@jjdillon2007]

I love my G5422TG. Mine was made in Korea.

[@scottlake5280]

I have a Rat Rod and use it with a zoom G5 and I play mostly modern worship music which is Coldplay for the most part. I mostly use the TwoRock amp sim. Light compression in front, then a tube screamer sim then the amp then a delay and reverb. I use the main volume to dial in crunch. It’s a delight to play.

[@chrisvsmusicny]

I have the black "Rat Rod" Electromatic hollow body. For me, I like its clean sound in the neck position with a light tremolo, or a fat Rat pedal for more hard rock tones in the bridge or mid positions. Definitely a more versatile instrument than most people realize. Great video!

[@nickofzo]

A g5420t made me love playing clean (I even began to explore surf style music a lot more than I ever did)

[@helpsabadell5685]

BTW, excellent video! Big thanks

[@Hugowazure]

I play in a folkabilly band, half our set is on the acoustic, the other half I use my Gretsch. I play clean on the bridge pick-up with spring reverb, tiny bit of deluxe memory man delay and a heavy slap back delay.

[@thebrysmith3]

Watching while playing my 5427TG, which is a thicker single cut hollow body with the same FT-5E FilterTron pups and can confirm that is does play nice with Overdrives.

[@DerNorrisChuck]

I play my Gretsch Falcon and sometimes a Penguin every Sunday in my church with a lot of Delay and reverb and a bit overdrive (check out Hillsong United, Elevation and Bethel for example...), and it sounds heavenly Ambient and kind of "Holy", if you know... Those Filtertrons have that Clarity and Chime that you need for this Kind of Sound in a Bandmix with 3 Guitars and a Keyboard! Gretsches as well as Teles are very common in Churches today for a Reason...!

[@rockerbuck967]

Great video! I just bought a used Electromatic Jet Club, and I'm still getting used to the pickups - in a good way! They're a beast all to themselves, and I love them. I have an amp just for it because of the way it's voiced. Too many highs, and it gets very "jangly." I thought there was something wrong with it at first, to be honest. But no, it's just how it is

[@d.wilson1402]

Very smooth

[@GitShiddy]

To my tastes the Filtertron is the *best* humbucker. And these Electromatic Blacktops are hugely overlooked for mods. You can pick one up for about half the price of a big brand PAF (less than a 3rd or quarter the price of a boutique PAF) and to my ear, equivalent, for my style, straight up preferred. If you have a "project" or underwhelming/forgotten guitar with a humbucker route that needs a new lease on life; put Filtertrons in it. See where it takes you.

[@LazloArcadia]

My Gretsch is the g2627t streamliner and I absolutely love the sounds it makes! Like a lover moaning breathlessly in your ear...such a beautiful instrument! I am curious what is that piece being played at the very beginning of the 3rd section?

[@70bluesville]

I have a G2622T Imperial Stain Streamliner and I love it!!! Woo-hoo WOOP WOOP I'm all Blues slow and dirty. These Gretsch guitars are hands down my favorites over any other brand.

[@ChaddicusRex]

Nice! A little while back, I heard someone playing blues on a Streamliner, not sure which, with p90's and it blew me away. Made me want one.

[@EdVanMeyer]

I find the Electromatics really good, I also have Japan made 6120's and enjoy them both.

[@CraigDeubler]

I think Skrunge needs to happen ....

[@eudanielramos]

This is the video I was looking for! I'm considering buying this exact same guitar at this same color and wanted to know how it would deal with higher gain tones (I'm going for something QOTSA myself). Thanks for the video and what a stunning guitar that is!

[@cchavez248]

Cool tones, I've finally come out of a " guitar straight into the amp" snob rut! For most of us, the sounds that we fell in love with were through pedals or saturated through thr console. I am planning an Afford-A-Board style pedalboard but I'm still a tiny bit confused as to what power supply I'll get!

[@user-in4uo7zj9w]

The caline power supplys are awsome and very affordeable. Also look for second hand stuff, you can get some great things for almost half the price. Good luck:)

[@MrWhit30]

I have a White Falcon G6136T-59' Vintage Select, with TV Jones Classics. I usually play it thru a 50w 71' Silverface Bassman head and a homemade open back cab with a Weber California 15". Its big, its bold, its beautiful, and it sounds epic. I dont do metal but it works for Jazz, Blues, Swing, 60s/70s/80s Rock, Americana, Rockabilly, Country, whatever. Super versatile. But If you a a tiny girly man, or you like to wheedle deedee up on the 17th fret then maybe not for you.

[@areareare9953]

I had always wanted to play a Gretsch, but they were so huge for my tiny body. Now that they make them in fun sizes, I've got one. I love how it sounds, though mine has P90s, so I'd like to get another one with Filtertron-esque ones. 17:51 Don't do that again.

[@rickfrancismusic]

LOL "Don't do that again." That's funny. Good one.

[@KevinSmith-ki2nk]

Very nice, guys. Thanks. I just picked up a G5422 12-string from the new Electromatic line, and I appreciate your appreciation of the pickups! Bright yet rich and wide-range, definitely chimey, full of harmonics, very articulate plus no noise. Pretty much perfect for a 12. Included in the deal are the just right -- for me -- neck width and fretboard radius, and quite good build quality (they're from China now). A true delight to play, and we're well into the bonding process. If I have an early concern, it's that the bridge pickup goes maybe a little thin along with its added brightness, when I want to take a step toward Rickenbacker territory. Do I need a touch more output there, to keep it more full and rich even as it gets brighter? I prefer not to rely on pedals for basic voices so I'm starting to look at the extensive TV Jones menu of filter'trons. The endless quest!

[@MrGuitare18]

I have this hollow body guitar, I play rock and jazz music. 25:37 So cool and amazing 🤩 👌🏻

[@p.g.pg38]

Merci à tous les deux pour ce partage. C'est toujours un plaisir de vous écouter jouer. Concernant cette Gretsch, est-ce qu'il y a un modèle totalement analogue (double cut, même micros) sans vibrato?

[@cesarportela1273]

Placebo guys use gretsch guitars, duo jet and falcon, also Richard fortus from guns n roses plays lots of semi hollow gretsch and his own signatures models

[@222triple]

5420T made in korea. Ghost drive, reverb, delay & compressor. Spaghetti westerns, Surf, Rumble style, James Bond, Duane Eddy stuff

[@ErebosGR]

This is why the Harley Benton TE-90FLT is the most versatile T-style guitar.

[@stefanbo3620]

Hey nice video guys. You keep the wishlist growing 😂. I made the observation you guys are trying to justify the way you do your stuff to a few people that won't be pleased anyway. I get it and it's no criticism of mine, because making as many people happy as possible is a good thing. However, the great many of us really dig what you guys do, so keep it up :) If you want to omit the pedals, maybe put in a section with the mini plexi and work with the volume. That would be every sound in 3 minutes 😂😂

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Haha, thanks a lot Stefan! We want to explain our decisions every now and then so that people can follow our logic. We find that useful for a big group of viewers: those who don't understand pedals, who just never got into using pedals, beginners and even those who have the luxury to own multiple amps. Good point with the cranked plexi, that is a mighty tone! :) Cheers //Kris

[@stefanbo3620]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses yeah makes total sense. In the end, you know best what the viewer wants and I appreciate your dedication to make everyone as happy as possible. After all, people from the pedal camp (me included) don't loose anything when you explain how and why you get that specific tone.

[@yodasecondave]

I’m in the process of shopping for a new guitar. Sold my strat. I’m torn between the Gretsch electro magic 5420t and the Epiphone Les Paul 59 standard. I play a lot of acoustic, old country and folk. I also love to play a lot of punk rock green day, living end, but also into grunge, 90s pop rock like third eye blind, love the 80s stuff ,particularly U2, cure, clash, cult, inxs. I also grew up on zeppelin, love playing it, and like the old blues rock. No idea which way to go….any thoughts?

[@travelingman9763]

Would GB or Wes approve the sounds using their string choices?

[@bjornkestel3253]

I'd love to see the same kind of video with a Jazzmaster tbh😅

[@robertwallace8533]

What pedals would you recommend for a Chet Atkins fingerstyle player with Gretsch G5422TG? Example: compressor, delay/reverb etc...

[@Drunken_Hamster]

8:01 This could be a great intro for a heavier song. Or standalone as some sort of melodic emo piece, IDK, but the point is it sounds amazing and atmospheric with a bit of tragic hopefulness or something.

[@mikifa3965]

I have one is well

[@kadiray2651]

i play HB te-90 for clean parts which you can check out on my channel :) Sounds sweet but also weird and hard to set in the song. Different experience.

[@gobeco]

I play/played only one hollow body guitar, the Epi Casino since 2006

[@KS622]

Yes, let's use a Klon as a clean boost :') I have this guitar btw, it's a monster; worth every d*mn buck.

[@riphopfer5816]

The REAL trick to getting’all the tones’ from a Filter’Trons-equipped Gretsch (won’t work with Broad’Trons; Filter’Trons just happened to be the most sonically versatile guitar pick ups ever made) is to run her through a simple, one band, compressor, like a Dynacomp, and a seven band EQ like the Boss EQ, or an MXR, or even a Danelectro Fish ‘N’ Chips (that’s what I use! All like Care is that the noise floor is low!) And then run to through a good clean amplifier with a lot of headroom. Personally, I am not a fan of my amplifiers distortion distorting my pedals’ nice shimmery delay, and reverb. Any road, the guitar, the EQ, the compressor, and the amplifier are the only thing you need to make your Filtatron equipped Gretsch sounds like a Les Paul, a Telecaster, almost a Stratocaster on the neck position, pick up, and of course, my favourite, the natural, famous Gretsch tone. The only tones are you can’t reasonably fake with a Gretsch (and I personally play a G 5230 FT that I have modified extensively with a roller bridge,Brick’s Biggs-Fix, locking, tuners, a 0.031 µF capacitor instead of 0.047 µF capacitor on the Tone pot, then, finally, I have replaced all the 250 K pots with 500 K pots, and I replaced the 500 K master volume with a 1M.

[@chickenlickin3820]

those pickups are not filtertrons! its like saying jaguar pickups are strat pickups.

[@Iggytommy]

Yup

[@vincentrigby5611]

Great initially but the too too many pedals ? Money money money it's a rich man's world killed with all them effects. 😢

[@mbrown4993]

Too much talking...remember the guitar is the star.

[@Iggytommy]

But those aren't proper Filtertron pickups! 🙄

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Hey, yeah we are aware of that. The only problem is that in the current Gretsch line up you only get a "proper" Filtertron if you buy a very expensive model. Which is not realistic for most Gretsch fans so we sticked to a more reasonably priced guitar. Does that make sense? //Kris

[@Iggytommy]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses a Gretsch HS Filtertron pickup can be bought new for about £55

[@Iggytommy]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses your video title and concept is extremely misleading

[@2speedy4u22]

The new FT-5E blacktops are pretty close to the HS filtertrons.

[@shaun2748]

What a terrible video, it should be labeled a Gretsch with diffrent pedals. How about the difference between neck and bridge pick up, how tone can change when volume or tone control rolled back. The cleans of the neck PU, the bite of the bridge PU, roll back tone control for blues etc....The electromatic is made in Korea and the cheaper Gretschs are made in China.

[@superfly3438]

lost me at "Made in China."