Gretsch Masterbuilt 6128CS 1957 Duo Jet – Relic

Tonal Evaluation

This terrific Taos Turquoise '57 Duo Jet is quite inspiring! The two Duncan Dynasonic pickups have complementary voicings that allow you to cover lots of tonal ground, and though its attack is raunchy, the sustain is righteous and smooth. This gives the player quite an extensive palette to work with! Let's start by talking about the front end of the note. The aged gold Bigsby on this serial gives the attack a growling quality when you play hard and a purring quality when you lighten up with your right hand. In the bridge position, the front end of the note has a bit more of a brassy clang, and the neck position has a woodier thwack. Having such a wide range of dynamics at my fingertips inspired me to play much cooler stuff than I normally do! The neck pickup has deep, warm bass response, and the upper midrange has a smooth vocal quality that reminds me of the neck position on a warm, fat-sounding Strat (mixed with the classic Gretsch twang, of course!). The bridge pickup has tighter bass response, and it has a responsive, vintage-style top end. It twangs when you spank it and it sparkles when you play politely! That smooth upper midrange is present, too. Both pickups have an airy, open resonance in the highest highs, and that lends every note a sense of space and atmosphere. Most importantly, this Gretsch inspired me to come up with several new riffs in the five minutes I spent playing it! Any Gretsch enthusiast looking for an inspiring Duo Jet that will sound great in the studio and on the stage will find endless inspiration in this serial!