New Gretsch Electromatic Hollowbody bass?

Mastermold · #1 11-19-2010, 05:41 PM

I got a mailer from Guitar Center showing one of these as "new" but I can't find anything on line about them. Looks like a Broadkaster, but less than half the price ($799) so I'm guessing made in China rather than Japan.

Anyone know about these?

hdracer · #2 11-19-2010, 05:50 PM

I can't find it on their web site. I just came from GC and picked up one of their fliers. That's a good price.

Mastermold · #3 11-19-2010, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

I can't find it on their web site. I just came from GC and picked up one of their fliers. That's a good price.

I couldn't find it on the GC website or the Gretsch website. The GC mailer shows the picture but doesn't give a name or model number either.

hdracer · #4 11-19-2010, 06:01 PM

I tried typing in the SKU # from the mailer but nothing comes up. I'm going to call and talk to the manager at my local GC. I think Gretsch discontinued it. I remember seeing it on their web site before.

Mastermold · #5 11-19-2010, 06:03 PM

Well, the mailer says "new" so maybe the discontinued model was something else?

hdracer · #6 11-19-2010, 06:17 PM

I just got off the phone with the manager at GC. He could not find anything about it, even on his computer. I was thinking of the Broadkaster bass, that comes in orange.

Mastermold · #7 11-20-2010, 10:35 AM

Anyone else heard anything about these?

ajn · #8 11-20-2010, 11:11 AM

I saw one of these at my local GC about 2 weeks ago. It was definitely made in China, priced at about $800, and what struck me most was the cracked seam that ran along the center of the back side. Don't know if that was just GC mishandling, or poor construction, or both. (While I was there a salesman accidentally knocked a guitar off it's stand and the entire headstock broke off--so you never know.)

This bass didn't really feel much like the regular Broadkaster--it was much lighter and flimsier feeling, and given it's condition, I didn't bother plugging it in to give it a listen. However, they do exist.....

Mastermold · #9 11-20-2010, 12:33 PM

Hmmmm. Thanks ajn. Sounds like I'd be better off buying an Eastwood Classic 4 then. They're Chinese Gretsch copies too, but $300 less than these and have received good reviews from Ed Friedland and a few guys around here who have them.

Bongolation · #10 11-20-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajn

It was definitely made in China, priced at about $800,

That is depressing.

While I've never owned an Electromatic, they were decently built by Cor-Tek in Korea, and I assumed that they'd probably be turned out in the new Indonesian plant since Cor-Tek closed the doors in Inchon. So much of FMIC's product is produced in the Indonesian plant, it seems odd the Electromatics wouldn't be.

StrangerDanger · #11 11-21-2010, 09:05 AM

No pics, no bass.

ajn · #12 11-21-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bongolation

While I've never owned an Electromatic, they were decently built by Cor-Tek in Korea, and I assumed that they'd probably be turned out in the new Indonesian plant since Cor-Tek closed the doors in Inchon. So much of FMIC's product is produced in the Indonesian plant, it seems odd the Electromatics wouldn't be.

Let me amend my "made in China" statement. I remember seeing the "Made in (somewhere in Asia)" sticker, but at the time I was so stunned by the shoddy construction, I didn't fully retain the "where." In truth, I hadn't thought about that bass again until this thread came up, but my main point was to confirm the existence of this bass in the GC system.

Bearcat · #13 11-21-2010, 06:41 PM

I got the flyer too and got all excited. I called two GCs in the Baltimore area - no luck. I guess when the flyer says in "limited" stores they mean like a few.

kenesee · #14 11-22-2010, 05:55 AM

I bought an orange one last week. Until this post, I could not find a thing on it. I was looking at Jazz basses last week when it caught my eye. Combined with GC's 20% off sale, I couldn't let it sit in the store. It's made in Korea. The action rivals my Rick 4003 if not even better. Fastest neck I own. Has a lot of punch as well for a hollowbody (TV Jones P/U's). Does not have a pickguard like a broadkaster but looks similar otherwise. I recommend it highly if you are on the fence about one.

Mastermold · #15 11-22-2010, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenesee

I bought an orange one last week. Until this post, I could not find a thing on it. I was looking at Jazz basses last week when it caught my eye. Combined with GC's 20% off sale, I couldn't let it sit in the store. It's made in Korea. The action rivals my Rick 4003 if not even better. Fastest neck I own. Has a lot of punch as well for a hollowbody (TV Jones P/U's). Does not have a pickguard like a broadkaster but looks similar otherwise. I recommend it highly if you are on the fence about one.

Very cool. Can you post some pics?