Gretsch Masterbuilt G6130 1955 Roundup - Brazilian Rosewood

Sonic Evaluation

This Roundup may have a Western motif, and it may excel in yeehaw-inducing music, but it can handle business in just about any genre under the sun. Its Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and pine top work together to give it a wonderfully articulate, spongey attack that manages to capture the nuances of your attack while also maintaining excellent evenness. Guitar scribes like me have written volumes about the sweet, sweet compression that Brazilian rosewood imparts, but man, it gets me every time. There's nothing like it, and this Roundup presents an excellent example of its spectacular sonic qualities.

Like many great semi-hollows, this Roundup's responsiveness reminds me of an acoustic guitar. You can alter the timbre of the instrument significantly with your technique, which makes for a remarkably expressive playing experience.

As far as resonance goes, this Gretsch is a world-beater. After just a couple quick unplugged cowboy chords, I knew it was special. When I turned the amp on, I was shocked at the rich blooming overtones that popped out of the speaker. In general, this guitar has lots of sweet, lush, trebles that sound like a cloud of angry musical cotton candy. The lows are also laden with gristle, and the midrange has some nice cut.

In the bridge position, you'll find plenty of jangly and twangy tones, but you can also cop some beastly rock snarl when you play through an overdriven amp. The neck pickup is perfect for thick rhythm tones and fat lead sounds, but it's still clear enough to handle 'pert near anything you throw at it.

Anyone looking for a Gretsch with monster tone and mojo to spare should take this Roundup for a ride down the range!