It also must be mentioned: it looks incredibly sexy with the black plastic P-90s, looks like an expensive axe . Agreed that it sounds great in Micks’ hands too
It makes my heart sooo happy to know I’m not the only one who can take a fairly straightforward process like switching pickups and making it a multi day ordeal with a ton of “fiddly” frustrating bits. All this work just to get a new sound that will instantly be criticized by my wife saying “I can’t tell a difference?” Lol
Indeed. Mine too. ‘What a colossal waste of time, but if it makes you happy, cool. Can you please now do something that //does// earn us some money?’ Was the principle response. Hahahahaah!
@@ThatPedalShow I've replaced pickups 7 times on 4 different guitars and I'll never forget how fiddly and frustrating my first change to my 335 was. I was laughing along so hard watching you get frustrated changing your casino pickups because I remember feeling the exact same way ha ha. Glad to know I'm not alone. My wife also made fun of me for spending all night and all day trying to replace those pickups.
epiphone was a more open twang and the gretsch was a sophisticated tidier sound, the epiphone is brash in your face and the gretsch is subtle sweet.. that's how it sounded to me, both nice guitars.
I had an oddly specific set of questions tonight and this video (in addition to your other 5422TG videos...) answered all of them. Such great content consistently coming from this channel. Great work!
Mick just triggered ancient memories. My mum and brother used to work at Halfords in Guildford in 1970/71 before we moved to Australia, and I went to school with some Andertons. Thanks Mick. 👍😁👍
In the event no one has mentioned it, use a capo to hold the string to the neck while you get it put thru the tuners and to some tension. It’ll save you time and money on swear jar deposits.
Also, you can pre-bend the string into a hook-ish kind of shape by using some plyers so they don't come off. There's some useful tips on Mike Adams (@puisheen)'s channel for Bigsby vibratos
Great tips! I watched several videos on changing the strings on Bigsby-equipped guitars to figure out how to easily change the strings, but then I bought an after market device from Vibramate called the String Spoiler and it solved that problem quite handily.
Mick, With so many comparison videos on You Tube that leave the viewer no better off at the end of the demonstration than they were at the beginning I think you did a great job tying it all together with the split screen video at the end. Nicely done brother! That video allowed the viewer to see that both guitars work, and work well. Yes they are both different and that's OK. Again, nice work. You guys always keep me coming back for more!
The Gretch sounds amazing and those Lollar P90's have elevated the Casino immeasurably. Great playing Mick! Pickups make all the difference - they are to an electric guitar as a speaker is to an amp.
Thank you Alfred. I still constantly surprised when I pick it up! I'll be doing the 335 next. Hoping for a similar life-giving transformation. Cheeres!
No comparison Mick, good sir, Gretsch every time! But, then again I’m something of a Gretsch head. I hope it changes your playing life now it’s sounding like a full-fat model. Sounding great Mick!
I almost think Electromatics should be a separate brand, they feel nothing like any of the four high end models I’ve owned, from Falcons to Jets. However, this video proves beautifully that TV Jones pups can be transformative things. I had them in a Gretsch country club years ago. Beautiful things. Great video sir!
@@bleeknoir I would enjoy playing a hot-rod Korean made hollow body. I had a G5410 for a few weeks, but something was missing. TV Jones pickups...that’s what I need in a Gretsch! 🎸 🔥
Thanks ! If you put the close caption on the music bits from 4:00 to 7:00 you get [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] which shows how much your playing is appreciated !
Mick I know you spend a long time doing these but be assured that the result is amazing. I am not referring to the sound of the new pickups (they sound great, look even better, I still prefer the casino), I am talking about the quality of the content and production. I am in awe of your ability to convey the ‘story’ as well as produce something to this level. Calling these vlogs is doing these films an injustice. Now excuse me - I am off to Reverb to find a casino to mod!
In the mid-70's, I picked up a '64 Gretsch Country Gentleman for $275. Lovely guitar, with a sweeter, smaller sound than my other guitars. Something of a one-trick pony, and I moved it along after a year. The Electromatic strikes me the same way- while I can see enjoying the stock one in some circumstances, hearing the Casino with Lollars gave me a new appreciation for it. Plus, the price difference means that after upgrades, it's still cheaper than a stock Gretsch. The Bigsby and the art deco appearance are a factor if you like them, but I personally wouldn't miss either.
Cool! I liked their tonality very much... but whether it was something peculiar about this guitar, they were just lost next to my other guitars. Cheers!
I have a G6659 with Tim Shaw FullTron pickups. It’s been challenging finding information on them. If they’re even used in other guitars. They sound great, however.
@@ThatPedalShow Absolutely - I was stunned by the difference in output between those Lollars and the Blacktops. The Casino sounded fantastic in that context! Great video as always!
Looks incredible! I thought I liked the look of the guitar to begin with, but it looks AMAZING now! Just found your channel, as I’ve been researching this guitar and thinking about getting one.
I've got the Gretsch, and I love it. Really sweet tone, perfect for slide playing. I plugged it into my Marshall VS15R, selected the neck pickup, and was rewarded with Robbie Krieger's (from the Doors) slide tone. Of course I play it conventionally as well.
Those new pickups have certainly brought the Gretsch to life. The ambient/modulation sounds you got around the 52:43 mark had my wallet suddenly get very nervous.
Hey Mick, great vid. Pre - bend a loop on the bridge end of your strings before you sit them on the post of the Bigsby. That will stop the “pinging “ off when you’re not ready.
Excellent birthday treat here! Took the day off work and just poured some fine coffee with a birthday belt of Jamison's for good measure. Oh, and the wife's present (Camoflange) just came in yesterday. Bring on the tone!!!!
39:35 ‘There is a bit of tidying up to be done in the & hole’. All jokes aside - What tidying up? How can you tidy things up when the pots and pups are fitted? Nice work. Nice outcome (I quite like a Gretsch). Thank you!
Ive just started playing in the last 18 months, im 45. Ive wanted to all my life and im so glad i have finally done it. Totally geeking out now and can't believe im enjoying watching hour long vids on stuff i know nothing about! I have the chance of picking up a casino, its a relatively newer model. Interested to know how old your one is. This video has pretty much made the decision for me regardless. Thanks for the effort on this one - loved it.
Talk about a total transformation on the Gretsch... so much more life ... more sweetness and musical tones. Got me thinking about trying those pickups in my centre block White Falcon! Great to hear both guitars in the track at the end... nice one Mick!
Nice one Mick. 👍 Lurned me a new turnaround 04:21 E boogie - F# > A > That Alright Now 'D' Being a life long bass player, I don't have that repository of licks wot like you got innit ... 😉
I have a green Gretsch 5620T made 2013 in the same SPG Factory like your white Gretsch. At first i just wanted to have a look at the cheaper Gretsch Streamliner when they came out but my local music store only had some Electromatic, i took a look and i instantly fell in love with this 5620T with Cat's Eye soundholes so i decided it's worth to spend double the price of a Streamliner on that guitar and it's my favorite guitar now, still enjoy picking it up after several years of owning it. Yes the pickups could have a little more power, i've set the bridge pickup quite close to the strings but all parts are still stock so this is very interesting for me. You got some great sounds with the new pickups!
I personally LOVE these videos. The struggle of rewires are real! After your Casino video I got some Lindy Fralins and installed them. With help from my wife when I came to put all the pots back in.
When you and Dan first got ahold of the Gretsch guitars (back in 2017 I think?) I commented that the first thing you'll want to do is swap out the stock pickups for some TV Jones pickups. I think you rightly said something to the effect of, "I'll live with the guitar a while before trying to make major changes" (especially as it roughly doubles the overall expense of the Electromatic models). At the same time, it's nice to be right! :) I knew from doing the same with my own Electromatic that you'd be much happier after installing the TV Jones of your choice. Great tones, great job persevering through the awkward installation! I believe you'll also find the somewhat rounder voicing of the T-Armonds will pair well with amps or pedals that would have been too bright or edgy with some of your other guitars. The magic formula with Gretsch (and vintage Vox amps) seems to be in getting twang from running things brighter than you otherwise would, because the Gretsch or Vox tends to be meaty enough to allow that to happen. Cheers!
Yeah, me too! It's got something to it for sure. I've even owned a higher end Duo Jet and though it definitely played better, the 5422 had the tone I was looking for.
@@homeautismtreatment Yes! Tone to die for. I was really surprised to see Mick change out the blacktop filtertrons. Yes, they are low output, but as far as I'm concerned they make the 5422. I love them more than any other pickups. And isn't that what gain pedals are for??? I have to boost the shit out of mine to compete with my Tele or V but it's sooooo worth it. It's also the one I do 90% of my recording with, which tells it's own story. Probably not the ideal gigging guitar, but if tone is what you're after...
I have been digging the new Gretsch Electromatics lately. I have a Player Series Broadkaster, but I have a hollowbody, semi-hollowbody, and chambered solidbody each of the Electromatics, and I love them. A few months ago I was Jonesing for a ES-335, but I found the Player Series Broadcaster, and I am very happy with my choice. The Shaw Fulltron Pickups are great.
Schoolboy error #73, just vacuumed up all the nuts and screws...no worries, just dump out the vacuum bag and sift through this heeeeerree and there we are back and running. Haha love your vids my man!!
Mick, I love your joy when you lose yourself in playing! Thank you for doing the technical work for us, but I also wish for you more such time in the near future.
"Of course, they ping off the second you do it." -- Capo. Mount, wrap, pull tight, secure with a capo while dealing with the tuning machines. Massive difference on the Gretsch with the new pups. That said, I do say the Epi really stuns me with how fantastic it sounds. Both guitars really impart beautifully different character. Well done on both, Mick.
I have one of each of these guitars but I’ve always shied away from changing pickups. Really appreciate Mick showing how it’s not as bad as I thought. I use a Bigsby Spoiler for my Gretsch that makes string changes easy-peasy.
Thanks for the video! I have the walnut version of the Gretsch, had the white a few years ago. I recently bought a new wiring harness with better pots (Gretsch almost turn-on and off in the first 10-15% of the knobs) and will change it to a Gibson style two volume and two tone knobs. Also upping the caps to .047uf to get rid of some of the shrill character of the stock pickups. The hope is that it makes the guitar more of an older jazz style guitar for a fraction of the price.
I have the exact same Gretsch. Saw it hanging on the wall of my local music shop and walked away with it. The first arrived sounding good, but after reading a few forum posts, I realized the pickups came set far too low. Raised them up with a few turns of the screwdriver. Incredible difference! The pickups just came to life. I can understand going the single coil route but I say do some adjustments and give the Gretsch pickups a chance. They're really very nice. The 'P90's' that came with my Chinese Epiphone Casino are pretty nice. I can't see spending the couple of hundred on a set of Lollars would be justified by my ear.
Thank you so much, Mick. I have been struggling through making a new harness for my Epiphone ‘61 LP Custom 3 pickup. Learned about decoupling volume pots, grounding, as well as what happens when you are finished and push the back off a pot bc that volume knob is too tight on the shaft. Education is hard. After this video, I will accept more education today.
I got a 5420tg in a trade (also a great G&L Fullerton Legacy in same trade! Yes!). I was mostly enamored with the beauty of the white and gold, along with the overall vibe of the guitar. I believe mine is a 2019 MIK w/ rw board and thumb fret markers). Anyway, it's such a different beast than any other guitar I own that I have to reset my amps and pedals to get it where I want it. OTOH, and somewhat in parallel to your comparison to the Casino, I sold an older (2012 IIRC) Epi 339 because I didn't care for the neck. I replaced it with the similarly sized D'Angelico Mini DC with the Sweetwater upgrades (locking tuners, flame burst top/sides/back, and Seymours (Jazz/JB). They're the same prices as each other. Watching this great vid really makes me ponder what to do, if anything, to my 5420. I'm thinking that to make the change, I would probably want a more drastic change in character than the stock blacktops to TV Jones swap (and pots, etc.). I'm curious - did Gretsch offer any other pickup options - like HBs or p90s that would fit? P.S. - Thanks so much for all your and yours and Mick's great shows over the years! Love 'em! Oh, and a plug for the under-appreciated D'Angelicos. Fabulous guitars coming out of Indonesia!
Fantastic video, very inspirational - have watched it several times. I have a Casino with Lollars lying on a sofa, it ´just´ needs assembling, after having watched your video on the Casino upgrade, and a Tele almost assembled with a Mojo, UK HB sized D´Armond front PU. I love the smiles on your face when you reach the desired outcome.
Ah man. Thank you so much for that. Being of some use is what keeps us going. And I say that without any hint of condescension or self deprecation. Thank you.
Those new pickups made that Gretsch sound so much better, still not quite as hot as the Epiphone though to my ears but the different sets of pups should be different otherwise what's the point LOL, that track as the end was terrific, great playing as usual Mick :)
Nice video, Mick! I definitely think the pickups changed the Gretsch for the better! Its always interesting (and educational) to watch how these upgrades are done too!
What an awesome video. I love all the effort and the fact that your understanding of the subtleties of guitar tone can help so much in pickup comparisons. I have a casino and thinking of putting the Lollar 50s in it and also considering getting a Gretsch but a semi hollow like the G5622T and been drooling over the dynasonic pickups so this video felt like it was made specially for me! 🙏
Bought my dad a Korean Gretsch 5420t a few years back and its fantastic for the money. Hate the floating bridge though and thinking about getting a tech to pin it.
You're a brave man Mick. Two shows swapping everything through tiny little F holes and showing us all the Oy! moments. It was great knowing I'm not the only hooman says Doh!. I love both guitars after the new pickups. Like you said, different applications, but the Gretsch sounds creamy smooth and the Casino is ready for a power chord feedback fest. Thanks for your hard work.
That comment about ‘bravery’ sent a shudder through my spine - I’m fantasising about swapping the HiLoTrons on my 62 Gretsch Tennessean for Brierley FilterTrons. But the F holes on the Tenny are fake painted ones. No option but the pick up holes!
Hey Mick- Really enjoyed this video, thank you. I love how slow and deliberate you are in working on your guitars (in this video relative to the pickup change). You truly seem to enjoy the work. It’s not a race. And it would serve me well to do the same... relish the process, take my time, learn - and just embrace the opportunity to understand how to make these instruments better and grasp how all of these components fit together (or sometimes don’t). I am beginning to truly enjoy working on my guitars - but I used to dread it. I just wanted to play. But there is something very rewarding about putting in the time to improve an instrument. This really comes across and I just wanted to mention it... cheers!
Nice. Thanks Kevin! I also have to go slow because I have two cameras and an audio machine running and I have to make sure I get it all! It’s quite stressful so going slow is the only way!
@@ThatPedalShow love the sound of the Dynasonics BTW... very sweet sounding. I’ve never owned a guitar with them but I’m very tempted. I have a Duo Jet with FilterTrons and love those too. But now I’m considering something along the lines of what you have done here. Again, great stuff!!
Great stuff, really enjoyed the whole video. Made me feel the need for a semi hollow to make my own, probably pick up a 335 type from Harley Benton or the firefly. Theses are my budget if I’m looking at upgrading parts......509 dollars 😬🥴🥴ouch. Love it , thanks Mick.
When you first played the Gretsch stock I was like' Yeah, low output but still sound good". The you swapped out the pickups and now I'm like" Those stock pickups were just average at best". You totally brought that to life with a much more classic Gretsch tone. Love the overall balance it now has. Stock its a very usable sound but after rewinding and listening a few times I realized they had zero presence at all. I suspect in a full band mix they would get lost trying to keep up ya know. Totally worth the upgrade and headache of rewiring a semi-hollow. Also, those lollars sound unreal good in that casino!! Amazing video as alway Mick!!
I own a 2007 bigsby fitted korean epiphone casino that i have to turn down my normal gain settings when i use it as its such a "loud mouth"....i keep meaning to change the pickups as they are not quite as nice as my gibson les paul junior ...of course the other thing i got from this video is that you dont have to buy a way over priced USA guitar to get a great guitar...my casino build quality wise is on par with my USA fenders and gibsons....at a 3rd of the price....glad you show this in your great show
Man that Casino sounds absolutely wonderful! Also, aesthetically those new pickups just add class to it! What a great sounding guitar! Awesome video guys!
Terrific video, sir. Hadn’t played my 2007 Korean Casino with Bigsby for a while until I saw this. Fallen in love with it all over again. Thank you for that!
Nice! Ordered PowerTron and PowerTron Pluss about 15 years ago for my Electromatic Jet. Got confused with all the mount options and rings since the Gretsch humbucker dimensions were not the same as Filtertrons. So I ordered through a shop in Norway. But they didn't relay the correct guitar model, so I got the wrong mounts! I do not blame TV Jones for this mix up, it was the shop in Norways fault, but they took no responsibility and just said that they do not deal with TV Jones anymore, the day after I recieved my picups. Still havn't ordred the correct rings and/or rounted out the body. Just got too frustrated and/or pissed off 😂 This video might just have inspired me to finaly get it done!
I've got a 5420 and the T-Armonds as well. It's a project I've been putting off for a while now. I hate pup swapping on the hollows. Hard, no, annoying, you betcha. After working on a jag or Tele with a tiny control plate and it's all right there and accessible the hollow body becomes a major chore. Likewise, $400 layer for the pups--whewww. They aren't cheap. They are nice though. Happy to hear that fizzle they've got. They really brought your double cut to life. I've got 1meg and .01 for pots and cap, respectively, and it should be killer. Thanks for the video. Nice to hear what I'll be looking forward to. Edited to add that I'll be using a no load tone pot too. I skipped past your installation but am gonna go back to see what you out in, if you mentioned it that is. The old Gretsch guitars with the tone switch (mud switch as it's affectionately referred to) was usually in the middle, which was a tone bypass. A big part of that great h sound was having the tone removed from the circuit. So, no load tone and it should also make a huge difference.
Great episode. I've gone through some--though not all--of the comments and haven't seen anyone mention this... so in case you're curious, that tubing is used for air compressors and filters for fish tanks. I had a few tanks when I was a kid and had rolls of that tubing.
That Epi Casino is the goods. I've got a 2008 from the same factory, but I sanded off all the poly and put in some 60's Antiquities. It's a great guitar.
Can someone explain to me why every time Mick modifies one of his guitars I go from "never minded that guitar model" to "F*ck me I need one of those." D': *cries in poor*
Great vlog episode! I think I remember Michael Beinhorn say in an interview that Cornell used a vintage Jet with Dynasonics for all the rhythm guitars on Superunknown.
Great video, I was going to mention the tubing being used by fish keepers before I saw you mention it in the video. It is mainly used for lines from an air pump for tank aeration. It isn't too expensive and available at places like Amazon. I have a Electromatic Jet, and I am definitely considering a pickup swap after hearing the difference.
I've always thought that the Gretsch pick ups sound too similar to single coils. I play telecasters so I'd go more for the Epiphone for a different character. I would probably choose humbuckers over P90s though.
44+: On paper I’d be the Epi format and pickups all day, but that Gretsch sounds fab - lovely clarity. Nice to hear you playing snippets of your original tune too. I’ve written and released a few songs since last year’s lockdown and often noodle them as well (CXM 1978 doesn’t hurt either; it’s addictive). It’s quite satisfying after years of noodling (and playing live) other people’s (very good) songs to break out a few little bits that are my flailing around and recording. I also prefer you playing your stuff on those guitars to the Chet Atkins pastiche (to your point from the VCQ this week).
The tone of a Gretsch can be summed up in one word. Romantic. It has such a tone that no other guitar has.
Well there is this one other guitar.
That Epiphone Casino with those P90's sounds absolutely the business!!!
Thanks!
It also must be mentioned: it looks incredibly sexy with the black plastic P-90s, looks like an expensive axe . Agreed that it sounds great in Micks’ hands too
Do not use reverb. Stole money from me. Their credit. Card security is not safe
@@godbyone how is this relevant?
@@uttherkunst3806 I imagine he is joking about the price of this reverb pedal?
That look on your face smiling playing the Casino says it all.... You love playing that guitar... and we love hearing it! Awesome playing
It makes my heart sooo happy to know I’m not the only one who can take a fairly straightforward process like switching pickups and making it a multi day ordeal with a ton of “fiddly” frustrating bits. All this work just to get a new sound that will instantly be criticized by my wife saying “I can’t tell a difference?” Lol
Indeed. Mine too. ‘What a colossal waste of time, but if it makes you happy, cool. Can you please now do something that //does// earn us some money?’ Was the principle response. Hahahahaah!
@@ThatPedalShow I've replaced pickups 7 times on 4 different guitars and I'll never forget how fiddly and frustrating my first change to my 335 was. I was laughing along so hard watching you get frustrated changing your casino pickups because I remember feeling the exact same way ha ha. Glad to know I'm not alone. My wife also made fun of me for spending all night and all day trying to replace those pickups.
❤@@DanielFavio
@@ThatPedalShowwe must have the same wife then😂
epiphone was a more open twang and the gretsch was a sophisticated tidier sound, the epiphone is brash in your face and the gretsch is subtle sweet.. that's how it sounded to me, both nice guitars.
The low end in the Gretsch is so rubbery, it’s gorgeous!
Rubbery, perfect description.
Perfect timing. Just sat down to lunch in the Scottish sunshine. A rare treat.
Tatties and neaps I hope. :0)
A traditional Scottish..... Thai Stir Fry.
Summer came early this year then. 😂
You must be in a sunnier part of Scotland than me! Grey skies over Glasgow
@@davidburnsmusic So, what else?
Sounds stellar. Looking forward to hearing more Gretsch on the show!
I had an oddly specific set of questions tonight and this video (in addition to your other 5422TG videos...) answered all of them. Such great content consistently coming from this channel. Great work!
Mick just triggered ancient memories. My mum and brother used to work at Halfords in Guildford in 1970/71 before we moved to Australia, and I went to school with some Andertons. Thanks Mick. 👍😁👍
In the event no one has mentioned it, use a capo to hold the string to the neck while you get it put thru the tuners and to some tension.
It’ll save you time and money on swear jar deposits.
I can't believe I never thought of this before, thank you!
Also, you can pre-bend the string into a hook-ish kind of shape by using some plyers so they don't come off.
There's some useful tips on Mike Adams (@puisheen)'s channel for Bigsby vibratos
Great tips! I watched several videos on changing the strings on Bigsby-equipped guitars to figure out how to easily change the strings, but then I bought an after market device from Vibramate called the String Spoiler and it solved that problem quite handily.
...also check out the Vibramate Spoiler. Simples.
The real life pro tip is always in the comments 😎
Those new pickups on the the 5422 sound so good!
Great episode - love the whole thing, and the track at the end is great! The TVJones pups are a revelation in that guitar.
Thank you Vince!
You are so real... I love it!!" You are me, from your self battles to the semi ocd..I wish I could play like you though. Great video Mick!!!
Thank you! I think all guitar players are a little bit the same. :0)
Mick, With so many comparison videos on You Tube that leave the viewer no better off at the end of the demonstration than they were at the beginning I think you did a great job tying it all together with the split screen video at the end. Nicely done brother! That video allowed the viewer to see that both guitars work, and work well. Yes they are both different and that's OK. Again, nice work. You guys always keep me coming back for more!
Thank you Darwin, much appreciated!
The Gretch sounds amazing and those Lollar P90's have elevated the Casino immeasurably. Great playing Mick! Pickups make all the difference - they are to an electric guitar as a speaker is to an amp.
Thank you Alfred. I still constantly surprised when I pick it up! I'll be doing the 335 next. Hoping for a similar life-giving transformation. Cheeres!
Toms pickups are so damn good! Every time I pick up my TV Jones Spectrasonic standard, I fall in love with it all over again!
No comparison Mick, good sir, Gretsch every time! But, then again I’m something of a Gretsch head. I hope it changes your playing life now it’s sounding like a full-fat model. Sounding great Mick!
I almost think Electromatics should be a separate brand, they feel nothing like any of the four high end models I’ve owned, from Falcons to Jets. However, this video proves beautifully that TV Jones pups can be transformative things. I had them in a Gretsch country club years ago. Beautiful things. Great video sir!
@@bleeknoir I would enjoy playing a hot-rod Korean made hollow body. I had a G5410 for a few weeks, but something was missing. TV Jones pickups...that’s what I need in a Gretsch! 🎸 🔥
For stringing the Bigsby, pre bend the ball ends around some pliers creating a u-shape. Use a capo too if you want.
The Gretsch was much improved, sounds great, has perfect focus and clarity, They both are excellent.
Beautiful day here in Germany, finally some sun, I'm off and enjoying this with a cuppa. Perfect day?
Thanks ! If you put the close caption on the music bits from 4:00 to 7:00 you get [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] which shows how much your playing is appreciated !
Mick I know you spend a long time doing these but be assured that the result is amazing. I am not referring to the sound of the new pickups (they sound great, look even better, I still prefer the casino), I am talking about the quality of the content and production. I am in awe of your ability to convey the ‘story’ as well as produce something to this level. Calling these vlogs is doing these films an injustice. Now excuse me - I am off to Reverb to find a casino to mod!
Thank you so much Kristoffer, that’s a very kind thing to say! Cheers man, good luck on Reverb!
@@ThatPedalShow thanks - I fear your success with the Casino has driven up prices a bit ;)
yea those filter-trons might not have the gain/output but the clarity is ALL there. and for ME that is THE sound.
In the mid-70's, I picked up a '64 Gretsch Country Gentleman for $275. Lovely guitar, with a sweeter, smaller sound than my other guitars. Something of a one-trick pony, and I moved it along after a year. The Electromatic strikes me the same way- while I can see enjoying the stock one in some circumstances, hearing the Casino with Lollars gave me a new appreciation for it. Plus, the price difference means that after upgrades, it's still cheaper than a stock Gretsch. The Bigsby and the art deco appearance are a factor if you like them, but I personally wouldn't miss either.
This is great, fantastic how just a pickup and pot change can transform a guitar. Thanks for posting this Mick.
Thank you!
I’m a big fan of those stock Gretsch Blacktop Filtertron pickups - they’re in my gigging guitar, and I have no plans on replacing them.
Cool! I liked their tonality very much... but whether it was something peculiar about this guitar, they were just lost next to my other guitars. Cheers!
I have a G6659 with Tim Shaw FullTron pickups. It’s been challenging finding information on them. If they’re even used in other guitars. They sound great, however.
@@ThatPedalShow Absolutely - I was stunned by the difference in output between those Lollars and the Blacktops. The Casino sounded fantastic in that context!
Great video as always!
Looks incredible! I thought I liked the look of the guitar to begin with, but it looks AMAZING now!
Just found your channel, as I’ve been researching this guitar and thinking about getting one.
I've got the Gretsch, and I love it. Really sweet tone, perfect for slide playing. I plugged it into my Marshall VS15R, selected the neck pickup, and was rewarded with Robbie Krieger's (from the Doors) slide tone. Of course I play it conventionally as well.
Those new pickups have certainly brought the Gretsch to life. The ambient/modulation sounds you got around the 52:43 mark had my wallet suddenly get very nervous.
That was a Very Sweet sound!
Hey Mick, great vid. Pre - bend a loop on the bridge end of your strings before you sit them on the post of the Bigsby. That will stop the “pinging “ off when you’re not ready.
Good tip!
Excellent birthday treat here! Took the day off work and just poured some fine coffee with a birthday belt of Jamison's for good measure. Oh, and the wife's present (Camoflange) just came in yesterday. Bring on the tone!!!!
A world of improvement to the Gretsh to my ears Mick. Fantastic playing as always ✌️
Thank you Johnny!
39:35 ‘There is a bit of tidying up to be done in the & hole’. All jokes aside - What tidying up? How can you tidy things up when the pots and pups are fitted? Nice work. Nice outcome (I quite like a Gretsch). Thank you!
Pushing the wires out of the visual way. :0)
Incredible ending with those two guitars !!! It sounded like Dracula had formed a rock band !! Well done Mick
Yes! Thank you!
Good morning! 6" heavy wet spring snow in South Dakota today. Dropping in for a bit before I go plow. Your show is slappin'!
Thanks Mike! Snow, woah!
Ive just started playing in the last 18 months, im 45. Ive wanted to all my life and im so glad i have finally done it. Totally geeking out now and can't believe im enjoying watching hour long vids on stuff i know nothing about! I have the chance of picking up a casino, its a relatively newer model. Interested to know how old your one is. This video has pretty much made the decision for me regardless. Thanks for the effort on this one - loved it.
Hello Jimmy, welcome to the fam! All details in the description but I think it's a 2016 model. Cheers!
I got the casino!!! Very happy 🎸🎸🎸
Talk about a total transformation on the Gretsch... so much more life ... more sweetness and musical tones. Got me thinking about trying those pickups in my centre block White Falcon! Great to hear both guitars in the track at the end... nice one Mick!
Thanks Steve. Yep, they are night and day different to me! Cheers!
A new room! The black pickups really look cool on that Casino.
Nice one Mick. 👍
Lurned me a new turnaround 04:21
E boogie - F# > A > That Alright Now 'D'
Being a life long bass player, I don't have that repository of licks wot like you got innit ... 😉
I have a green Gretsch 5620T made 2013 in the same SPG Factory like your white Gretsch.
At first i just wanted to have a look at the cheaper Gretsch Streamliner when they came out but my local music store only had some Electromatic, i took a look and i instantly fell in love with this 5620T with Cat's Eye soundholes so i decided it's worth to spend double the price of a Streamliner on that guitar and it's my favorite guitar now, still enjoy picking it up after several years of owning it.
Yes the pickups could have a little more power, i've set the bridge pickup quite close to the strings but all parts are still stock so this is very interesting for me. You got some great sounds with the new pickups!
Cool. Cheers Zwid! They are such cool things!
I personally LOVE these videos. The struggle of rewires are real!
After your Casino video I got some Lindy Fralins and installed them. With help from my wife when I came to put all the pots back in.
Niiiiice!
Never get tired of hearing that casino. Someday I will get those pups in mine too!
Lovely Growl to it!!!!
Yes I agree that Lovely Growl !!! really bad boy!
When you and Dan first got ahold of the Gretsch guitars (back in 2017 I think?) I commented that the first thing you'll want to do is swap out the stock pickups for some TV Jones pickups. I think you rightly said something to the effect of, "I'll live with the guitar a while before trying to make major changes" (especially as it roughly doubles the overall expense of the Electromatic models).
At the same time, it's nice to be right! :) I knew from doing the same with my own Electromatic that you'd be much happier after installing the TV Jones of your choice.
Great tones, great job persevering through the awkward installation! I believe you'll also find the somewhat rounder voicing of the T-Armonds will pair well with amps or pedals that would have been too bright or edgy with some of your other guitars. The magic formula with Gretsch (and vintage Vox amps) seems to be in getting twang from running things brighter than you otherwise would, because the Gretsch or Vox tends to be meaty enough to allow that to happen. Cheers!
Very happy 5422 owner here. Stunning guitars
Yeah, me too! It's got something to it for sure. I've even owned a higher end Duo Jet and though it definitely played better, the 5422 had the tone I was looking for.
@@homeautismtreatment Yes! Tone to die for. I was really surprised to see Mick change out the blacktop filtertrons. Yes, they are low output, but as far as I'm concerned they make the 5422. I love them more than any other pickups. And isn't that what gain pedals are for??? I have to boost the shit out of mine to compete with my Tele or V but it's sooooo worth it. It's also the one I do 90% of my recording with, which tells it's own story. Probably not the ideal gigging guitar, but if tone is what you're after...
I have been digging the new Gretsch Electromatics lately. I have a Player Series Broadkaster, but I have a hollowbody, semi-hollowbody, and chambered solidbody each of the Electromatics, and I love them. A few months ago I was Jonesing for a ES-335, but I found the Player Series Broadcaster, and I am very happy with my choice. The Shaw Fulltron Pickups are great.
Schoolboy error #73, just vacuumed up all the nuts and screws...no worries, just dump out the vacuum bag and sift through this heeeeerree and there we are back and running. Haha love your vids my man!!
Hahaha!!!
Mick, I love your joy when you lose yourself in playing! Thank you for doing the technical work for us, but I also wish for you more such time in the near future.
Thank you kindly Angus!
"Of course, they ping off the second you do it." -- Capo. Mount, wrap, pull tight, secure with a capo while dealing with the tuning machines. Massive difference on the Gretsch with the new pups. That said, I do say the Epi really stuns me with how fantastic it sounds. Both guitars really impart beautifully different character. Well done on both, Mick.
great playing Mick! thoroughly enjoyed the vid, even the oops's ;)
Thanks! Loads of oops. Hahaha! I used to get annoyed about it. Now I know that nobody gives a shit about anything anyway so it’s all good. Hahahah.
I have one of each of these guitars but I’ve always shied away from changing pickups. Really appreciate Mick showing how it’s not as bad as I thought. I use a Bigsby Spoiler for my Gretsch that makes string changes easy-peasy.
Plus one of the Vibramate Spoiler!
Thanks for the video! I have the walnut version of the Gretsch, had the white a few years ago. I recently bought a new wiring harness with better pots (Gretsch almost turn-on and off in the first 10-15% of the knobs) and will change it to a Gibson style two volume and two tone knobs. Also upping the caps to .047uf to get rid of some of the shrill character of the stock pickups.
The hope is that it makes the guitar more of an older jazz style guitar for a fraction of the price.
I have the exact same Gretsch. Saw it hanging on the wall of my local music shop and walked away with it. The first arrived sounding good, but after reading a few forum posts, I realized the pickups came set far too low. Raised them up with a few turns of the screwdriver. Incredible difference! The pickups just came to life.
I can understand going the single coil route but I say do some adjustments and give the Gretsch pickups a chance. They're really very nice.
The 'P90's' that came with my Chinese Epiphone Casino are pretty nice. I can't see spending the couple of hundred on a set of Lollars would be justified by my ear.
Oh yes it would be worth the pickup change
In my humble opinion. Some of the most professionl content broadcast today for the guitar lovers of the world. Thank you
Wow, those new pickups are worlds apart from the old ones. And I thought the Gretsch sounded great in the beginning. Awesome new PU's.
Thank you so much, Mick. I have been struggling through making a new harness for my Epiphone ‘61 LP Custom 3 pickup. Learned about decoupling volume pots, grounding, as well as what happens when you are finished and push the back off a pot bc that volume knob is too tight on the shaft. Education is hard. After this video, I will accept more education today.
Keep going! You have to get everything wrong once I find. It’s so tedious. Hahahaah!
Fixed and rockin!
Those Lollar P-90s sound fantastic! Now I have to change the pups in my Riviera...
Hey Mick, the big black dog visits me too once in a while. Stay strong man, love the channel. May well do this mod on my 5422 soon.
Love the sound and versatility of the P90's in the Casino. Has a bit of a snarl that's very useful.
I got a 5420tg in a trade (also a great G&L Fullerton Legacy in same trade! Yes!). I was mostly enamored with the beauty of the white and gold, along with the overall vibe of the guitar. I believe mine is a 2019 MIK w/ rw board and thumb fret markers). Anyway, it's such a different beast than any other guitar I own that I have to reset my amps and pedals to get it where I want it. OTOH, and somewhat in parallel to your comparison to the Casino, I sold an older (2012 IIRC) Epi 339 because I didn't care for the neck. I replaced it with the similarly sized D'Angelico Mini DC with the Sweetwater upgrades (locking tuners, flame burst top/sides/back, and Seymours (Jazz/JB). They're the same prices as each other. Watching this great vid really makes me ponder what to do, if anything, to my 5420. I'm thinking that to make the change, I would probably want a more drastic change in character than the stock blacktops to TV Jones swap (and pots, etc.). I'm curious - did Gretsch offer any other pickup options - like HBs or p90s that would fit?
P.S. - Thanks so much for all your and yours and Mick's great shows over the years! Love 'em!
Oh, and a plug for the under-appreciated D'Angelicos. Fabulous guitars coming out of Indonesia!
Great techniques for wiring semi acoustics! Gonna remember these, thank you!
Fantastic video, very inspirational - have watched it several times. I have a Casino with Lollars lying on a sofa, it ´just´ needs assembling, after having watched your video on the Casino upgrade,
and a Tele almost assembled with a Mojo, UK HB sized D´Armond front PU. I love the smiles on your face when you reach the desired outcome.
A new guitar (or pickup) can always stir some creative juice!
Let me just say, you 're our small black dog!
Ah man. Thank you so much for that. Being of some use is what keeps us going. And I say that without any hint of condescension or self deprecation. Thank you.
Loving that riff Mick , gonna steal that one. Great show as always
Cool! No doubt I stole it from somewhere!
Those new pickups made that Gretsch sound so much better, still not quite as hot as the Epiphone though to my ears but the different sets of pups should be different otherwise what's the point LOL, that track as the end was terrific, great playing as usual Mick :)
Thank you John!
Nice video, Mick! I definitely think the pickups changed the Gretsch for the better! Its always interesting (and educational) to watch how these upgrades are done too!
I really like fenders for there versatility, but that casino is really something 👍
I bought my G5422TG because of your video on Andertons. I love it. It has a bit of neck dive but looks, feels & sounds awesome.
For neck dive, just get a wider strap, maybe made of suede on the underside. Goodbye neck dive!
@@ThatPedalShow I never thought of that. Thanks.
As Swamper and Muscle Shoals legend Jimmy Johnson told me once “ain’t no money up on that high end of the neck “
He spake much truthing!
As someone once said, "There ain't no money above the fifth fret", or something like that.
And then along came Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page 😂
He’s never met Steve Vai, but that’s prob because only one of them lives up in the Hollywood Hills.
@@davidtomkins4242 he’s dead , but he did play on over 100 top ten songs
What an awesome video. I love all the effort and the fact that your understanding of the subtleties of guitar tone can help so much in pickup comparisons. I have a casino and thinking of putting the Lollar 50s in it and also considering getting a Gretsch but a semi hollow like the G5622T and been drooling over the dynasonic pickups so this video felt like it was made specially for me! 🙏
Bought my dad a Korean Gretsch 5420t a few years back and its fantastic for the money. Hate the floating bridge though and thinking about getting a tech to pin it.
You're a brave man Mick. Two shows swapping everything through tiny little F holes and showing us all the Oy! moments. It was great knowing I'm not the only hooman says Doh!. I love both guitars after the new pickups. Like you said, different applications, but the Gretsch sounds creamy smooth and the Casino is ready for a power chord feedback fest. Thanks for your hard work.
Thanks Copper, I'm really pleased with both of em. Happy days!
That comment about ‘bravery’ sent a shudder through my spine - I’m fantasising about swapping the HiLoTrons on my 62 Gretsch Tennessean for Brierley FilterTrons. But the F holes on the Tenny are fake painted ones. No option but the pick up holes!
Hey Mick- Really enjoyed this video, thank you. I love how slow and deliberate you are in working on your guitars (in this video relative to the pickup change). You truly seem to enjoy the work. It’s not a race. And it would serve me well to do the same... relish the process, take my time, learn - and just embrace the opportunity to understand how to make these instruments better and grasp how all of these components fit together (or sometimes don’t). I am beginning to truly enjoy working on my guitars - but I used to dread it. I just wanted to play. But there is something very rewarding about putting in the time to improve an instrument. This really comes across and I just wanted to mention it... cheers!
Nice. Thanks Kevin! I also have to go slow because I have two cameras and an audio machine running and I have to make sure I get it all! It’s quite stressful so going slow is the only way!
@@ThatPedalShow love the sound of the Dynasonics BTW... very sweet sounding. I’ve never owned a guitar with them but I’m very tempted. I have a Duo Jet with FilterTrons and love those too. But now I’m considering something along the lines of what you have done here. Again, great stuff!!
That jam at end! Awesome. Playing and video editing are top notch.
Thanks Adam!
I have Lollars in a J. Mascis Jazzmaster...they are absolutely amazing, especially at volume and in a mix. They’re the real star here.
I’ve got a set of their ‘52 Tele pickups in a partscaster and they’re awesome,
I have a Casino Coupe and a 5422, and you've convinced me. Convinced me to live with and enjoy the stock pickups.
Cool!
Great stuff, really enjoyed the whole video. Made me feel the need for a semi hollow to make my own, probably pick up a 335 type from Harley Benton or the firefly. Theses are my budget if I’m looking at upgrading parts......509 dollars 😬🥴🥴ouch.
Love it , thanks Mick.
When you first played the Gretsch stock I was like' Yeah, low output but still sound good". The you swapped out the pickups and now I'm like" Those stock pickups were just average at best". You totally brought that to life with a much more classic Gretsch tone. Love the overall balance it now has. Stock its a very usable sound but after rewinding and listening a few times I realized they had zero presence at all. I suspect in a full band mix they would get lost trying to keep up ya know. Totally worth the upgrade and headache of rewiring a semi-hollow. Also, those lollars sound unreal good in that casino!! Amazing video as alway Mick!!
Thank you Venancio! You’re right about the band mix thing. Even sat at TPS the Gretsch used to get lost. Not any more! Cheers man!
I dig them both. Man the tune was fantastic. I really enjoyed that. Love it.
Thank you!
I own a 2007 bigsby fitted korean epiphone casino that i have to turn down my normal gain settings when i use it as its such a "loud mouth"....i keep meaning to change the pickups as they are not quite as nice as my gibson les paul junior ...of course the other thing i got from this video is that you dont have to buy a way over priced USA guitar to get a great guitar...my casino build quality wise is on par with my USA fenders and gibsons....at a 3rd of the price....glad you show this in your great show
Man that Casino sounds absolutely wonderful! Also, aesthetically those new pickups just add class to it! What a great sounding guitar! Awesome video guys!
Thank you!
Terrific video, sir. Hadn’t played my 2007 Korean Casino with Bigsby for a while until I saw this. Fallen in love with it all over again. Thank you for that!
Yay! Nice one John!
Not an autofocus malfunction, an artistic choice to focus on the amps while you play.
Oh I LIKE that!
Nice! Ordered PowerTron and PowerTron Pluss about 15 years ago for my Electromatic Jet. Got confused with all the mount options and rings since the Gretsch humbucker dimensions were not the same as Filtertrons. So I ordered through a shop in Norway. But they didn't relay the correct guitar model, so I got the wrong mounts! I do not blame TV Jones for this mix up, it was the shop in Norways fault, but they took no responsibility and just said that they do not deal with TV Jones anymore, the day after I recieved my picups. Still havn't ordred the correct rings and/or rounted out the body. Just got too frustrated and/or pissed off 😂
This video might just have inspired me to finaly get it done!
I’m sitting down all night and learning That riff at the beginning so cool lol
Yay!
I've got a 5420 and the T-Armonds as well. It's a project I've been putting off for a while now. I hate pup swapping on the hollows. Hard, no, annoying, you betcha. After working on a jag or Tele with a tiny control plate and it's all right there and accessible the hollow body becomes a major chore. Likewise, $400 layer for the pups--whewww. They aren't cheap. They are nice though. Happy to hear that fizzle they've got. They really brought your double cut to life. I've got 1meg and .01 for pots and cap, respectively, and it should be killer. Thanks for the video. Nice to hear what I'll be looking forward to.
Edited to add that I'll be using a no load tone pot too. I skipped past your installation but am gonna go back to see what you out in, if you mentioned it that is. The old Gretsch guitars with the tone switch (mud switch as it's affectionately referred to) was usually in the middle, which was a tone bypass. A big part of that great h sound was having the tone removed from the circuit. So, no load tone and it should also make a huge difference.
4:40 Peter Buck feedback tones to my ears, I’ll take it!
Sweeeeet!
Bung some tremolo on it. Instant 'Crush With Eyeliner' . . .
Very nice shelving in this common room! Thanks to the bokeh the file cabinet in the corner looks like some kind of steampunk water boiler. Love it
Yes! I like all of this :0)
Mick the track at the end was inspired!!! Please release that as part of the upcoming EP!! Please!! Please!! Please!! 😁
Ha! Thanks Tom! It was a joke really... funny how the fun stuff sometimes turns out good!
@@ThatPedalShow if you have fun doing it, we have fun watching and listening to it! Cheers!
Great episode. I've gone through some--though not all--of the comments and haven't seen anyone mention this... so in case you're curious, that tubing is used for air compressors and filters for fish tanks. I had a few tanks when I was a kid and had rolls of that tubing.
Thank you!
I vote Gretsch. The Casino doesn't really do it for me for some reason.
P90s miss the jangle
That Epi Casino is the goods. I've got a 2008 from the same factory, but I sanded off all the poly and put in some 60's Antiquities. It's a great guitar.
Can someone explain to me why every time Mick modifies one of his guitars I go from "never minded that guitar model" to "F*ck me I need one of those." D': *cries in poor*
Yes! Hahahah!!!
@@ThatPedalShow I'll hold you accountable for it hahaha
LOL!! As a lefty, I cry even harder!!
Maybe it's the upgrade pickups. Lollartrons and de Armonds are more expensive than a cheap guitar.
Great vlog episode! I think I remember Michael Beinhorn say in an interview that Cornell used a vintage Jet with Dynasonics for all the rhythm guitars on Superunknown.
Cooooool!
The best part was when you shook the guitar to get the washers out and the bridge fell off. Great planning :)
Smells like schadenfreude to me
Great video, I was going to mention the tubing being used by fish keepers before I saw you mention it in the video. It is mainly used for lines from an air pump for tank aeration. It isn't too expensive and available at places like Amazon. I have a Electromatic Jet, and I am definitely considering a pickup swap after hearing the difference.
I've always thought that the Gretsch pick ups sound too similar to single coils. I play telecasters so I'd go more for the Epiphone for a different character. I would probably choose humbuckers over P90s though.
Love your videos. So glad you used a reamer instead of a drill bit. The Casino drill job footage was on a slippery slope to snuff films.
Well done, my brother.
44+: On paper I’d be the Epi format and pickups all day, but that Gretsch sounds fab - lovely clarity. Nice to hear you playing snippets of your original tune too. I’ve written and released a few songs since last year’s lockdown and often noodle them as well (CXM 1978 doesn’t hurt either; it’s addictive). It’s quite satisfying after years of noodling (and playing live) other people’s (very good) songs to break out a few little bits that are my flailing around and recording. I also prefer you playing your stuff on those guitars to the Chet Atkins pastiche (to your point from the VCQ this week).