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The OFFICIAL "Gretsch Bass Owners Club"

#1,201
Kev1955 said:
Later today posting all the mods and what lessons were learned might want to check that out, some lessons learned. Hoping to help others
Click to expand...


Did a lot of work, but love the results!

G2220 Mods

1. Tuners, Hipshot HB6 3/8, Drop in, much tighter (I get the licensed version, cheaper and work great)

2. Bridge, Omega Bass Bridge with grooved saddles. Drop in, definitely get the grooved saddles, easier to line up strings with pickups. More sustain, definition Note: This will increase the string length about 1/2 inch from ball end to nut, some short scale strings may not fit.

3. Volume-Volume - Tone wiring, got rid of 3 way switch. The switch hole is 1/2", use a 1/2 od, 3/8 id O ring as a spacer on the pot shaft. Used CTS pots with a PIO cap. Had to drill out pot holes in the body to 3/8"

4. Gold Hardware, personal preference

5. Pickups: TV Jones Thunder Mag (Middle), TV Jones Thunder blade (Bridge), More definition, clarity and attack, Less Muddy. Will have to slightly widen the pickup rings along the long inside edges.

6. Copper Shielding, Less Noise

7. Thumb Rest, Made it from some wood trim and paint. Used pickup ring screws to mount, just got longer screws.

8. Hard Case, Used a Epiphone rumblekat case put a styrofoam spacer in the bottom, covered it in cloth, works great.

G0.JPG G1.JPG G2.JPG G3.JPG G4.JPG G5.JPG G6.JPG G7.JPG G8.JPG G9.JPG
 
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#1,202
4 Out of 5 said:
A lot of people seem to replace the tuners on their G2220. Just wondering why?
I'm finding mine a bit stiff to turn, so I might try some Teflon spray, which I've read elsewhere is effective for lubricating tuners.
Is there some other deficiency in them that I'm not aware of yet?
Click to expand...
The stock G2220 tuners work 'OK'. I just happen to prefer the feel and operation of quality tuners, so the upgrade to licensed Hipshot Ultralites was worthwhile to me.
 
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#1,203
AncientNoob said:
IME the tuners are “meh” at best. I guess they hold tune ok if you have a light touch. (I do not). My Junior Jet is next up on my “To mod” list. After seeing the work @Kev1955 has done, I’m thinking I may also go the gold route. Looks sweet.
Click to expand...

As a reference point I have GOTOH GB350 tuners on my short scale P bass, which are just about the best tuners money can buy, so it will be interesting to compare the stock G2220 tuners with them once lubricated with Teflon spray (I'll get some on the weekend).
 
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#1,204
Any Gretsch White Falcon bass owners here?

I'm looking at purchasing a ten-year-old WF bass, and the gold hardware is looking not-so-new.

Any specific advice you can personally vouch for on how I would freshen it up?

Or can it even be cleaned/polished to look somewhat new again?

I'm mostly referring to the pickup covers, selector switches, control knobs... just about all the gold hardware, I suppose!

Thank you,

buzz
 
#1,205
I have a reissue 6072 w/ gold hardware. You can polish the shiny bits but it's work and if you get too heavy handed you will rub right thru the gold. The area I use on the neck pickup as a thumb rest has worn thru long ago.

Gretsch basses, especially the WF, have so may cool attributes no one will ever notice a little tarnished hardware.
 
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#1,206
The 6072 reissue is a beaut! The hardware looks very similar to the WF. I like the saddle better on the 6072, because you can intonate the strings individually. Perhaps it won't be an issue. I know the WF was introduced as a one-off, but they've made plenty since, and the bridge doesn't seemed to have changed at all, so it must not be too bad.

buzz
 
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#1,207
Hello
I bought a Gretsch Junior Jet 2 bass and it has a constant hum noise that seems to be related to shielding. I checked solder joints and there were ok and changed the jack, but the noise persisted. I decided to shield the pickup and control cavities with shielding paint and the noise problem persisted.
I opened the bass again to use copper tape for more shielding and to my surprise both pickups are labeled as "Bridge"?
Is that correct? should not be a neck pickup and a bridge pickup? or could that be the reason of my noise problems?
Any ideas?
Thanks!
 
#1,208
yucafrita said:
Hello
I bought a Gretsch Junior Jet 2 bass and it has a constant hum noise that seems to be related to shielding. I checked solder joints and there were ok and changed the jack, but the noise persisted. I decided to shield the pickup and control cavities with shielding paint and the noise problem persisted.
I opened the bass again to use copper tape for more shielding and to my surprise both pickups are labeled as "Bridge"?
Is that correct? should not be a neck pickup and a bridge pickup? or could that be the reason of my noise problems?
Any ideas?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I remember experiencing the same thing when I plugged into my GK MB500 with the 250 Hz boosted. Bringing it down a bit got rid of a lot of the hum.
 
#1,211
yucafrita said:
Hello
I bought a Gretsch Junior Jet 2 bass and it has a constant hum noise that seems to be related to shielding. I checked solder joints and there were ok and changed the jack, but the noise persisted. I decided to shield the pickup and control cavities with shielding paint and the noise problem persisted.
I opened the bass again to use copper tape for more shielding and to my surprise both pickups are labeled as "Bridge"?
Is that correct? should not be a neck pickup and a bridge pickup? or could that be the reason of my noise problems?
Any ideas?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

yucafrita said:
So your junior jet has some hum noise? surprised that these humbuckers are so noisy...
Click to expand...

G2220 owners should check out this thread.

turns out they may not be humbuckers. I'm not sure if this is just one example or a trend. But this one is definitely a single coil.
 
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#1,215
Hello
Both pickups in my Junior Jet II bass are labeled bridge.
I know is a big ask, but can anybody check if their junior jet pickups are labeled the same way?
or is this some quality control mistake at the factory?
My junior jet has an annoying hum that I cant get rid of, no matter what I do.
Not sure is that is the reason, but you never know.
A picture would be awesome, since I would like to get it fixed by Grestch.
Thanks in advance
 
#1,218
yucafrita said:
Maybe bad pots?
Its cheaper to replace those than new pickups!
Click to expand...

I think I responded to this in another thread - but I'd suggest that (1) grounding (including the bridge wire), and (2) shielding, are more likely than a bad component. But pots are cheap and Gretsch doesn't over-spend on pots for their Electromatic series. Replacing pots with the highest quality units available is a very inexpensive exercise if you do your own work.
 
#1,219
Pilgrim said:
I think I responded to this in another thread - but I'd suggest that (1) grounding (including the bridge wire), and (2) shielding, are more likely than a bad component. But pots are cheap and Gretsch doesn't over-spend on pots for their Electromatic series. Replacing pots with the highest quality units available is a very inexpensive exercise if you do your own work.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your input.
Grounding is done, and shielding too. (And grounded the shielding and checked for continuity)
My only options are either replacing pots or pickups (or both)
 
#1,220
Kev1955 said:
Did a lot of work, but love the results!

G2220 Mods

1. Tuners, Hipshot HB6 3/8, Drop in, much tighter (I get the licensed version, cheaper and work great)

2. Bridge, Omega Bass Bridge with grooved saddles. Drop in, definitely get the grooved saddles, easier to line up strings with pickups. More sustain, definition Note: This will increase the string length about 1/2 inch from ball end to nut, some short scale strings may not fit.

3. Volume-Volume - Tone wiring, got rid of 3 way switch. The switch hole is 1/2", use a 1/2 od, 3/8 id O ring as a spacer on the pot shaft. Used CTS pots with a PIO cap. Had to drill out pot holes in the body to 3/8"

4. Gold Hardware, personal preference

5. Pickups: TV Jones Thunder Mag (Middle), TV Jones Thunder blade (Bridge), More definition, clarity and attack, Less Muddy. Will have to slightly widen the pickup rings along the long inside edges.

6. Copper Shielding, Less Noise

7. Thumb Rest, Made it from some wood trim and paint. Used pickup ring screws to mount, just got longer screws.

8. Hard Case, Used a Epiphone rumblekat case put a styrofoam spacer in the bottom, covered it in cloth, works great.

View attachment 4613871 View attachment 4613872 View attachment 4613873 View attachment 4613875 View attachment 4613876 View attachment 4613877 View attachment 4613878 View attachment 4613879 View attachment 4613880 View attachment 4613881
Click to expand...

My Last Mod "Zero Mod Thumbrest"

G2220ZM.JPG
 
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