Gretsch Help? *need quick response*

[organworthyplayer337]

Mine:

Another:

Back of my headstock:

Hi, I just bought this bass, I just realized the knob placement is a little out of the ordinary?

It has a serial # that lines up with everyone else's: #KS10113349

I have 48hours to check it out. I can either keep it or return it.

Is this a real one? I don't why someone would make a fake of a fairly new/recent MIK bass but who knows.

I'm kinda worried.

What do you guys think?


Gretsch Electromatic G5123B Trans Orange Limited Edition 32" scale Bass.

 

[wvbass]

I have one of these. It sure looks like your bass was shipped to the Gibson USA factory on a Friday afternoon to have the holes drilled for the controls. (Just kidding - I have a recent Gibson that I love despite its having a few Gibson-isms).

Were it mine, that would bug me forever. Since this isn't a particularly rare instrument, I would return it and look for another one - or try something else entirely.

 

[hdracer]

I have one of these. It sure looks like your bass was shipped to the Gibson USA factory on a Friday afternoon to have the holes drilled for the controls. (Just kidding - I have a recent Gibson that I love despite its having a few Gibson-isms).

Were it mine, that would bug me forever. Since this isn't a particularly rare instrument, I would return it and look for another one - or try something else entirely.

Ahh, Fender owns Gretsch.

 

[fretno]

please explain , they all look the same to me .

 

[wvbass]

Ahh, Fender owns Gretsch.

Yes, I know. I also know that the 5123b was made in Korea.

These are the jokes people. You may as well laugh because they don't get any better.

 

[Pentatonic]

The cluster of 3 knobs is too far forward on the body. This would really bother me. I say send it back.

 

[wvbass]

please explain , they all look the same to me .

Take a look at the knob closest to the bridge. It appears that the knobs are shifted way forward. It could be that the bridge is misplaced (it just sits on the body), but looking at the F hole, it sure looks like the knobs are more than an inch to far forward.

 

[fretno]

ah I see it now , does the bridge piece hit it ? That would be a deal breaker for sure .

 

[wvbass]

Everyone on Talkbass that has claimed that a heavy bass, or a poorly set up bass, or similar, has a QC issue should take a look at this bass. This appears to be a legitimate QC issue.

 

[ih8law]

If it helps, here is mine for comparison:

 

[nashvillebill]

The bridge is movable. Loosen the strings a tad and pull that foam out from under it!

But it does appear that they had the template for the holes placed a little off. KS means it was made by Samick in Korea. Usually Samick QC is better than that.

 

[organworthyplayer337]

Here's another picture at a different angle:

 

[hdracer]

Are you sure the bridge is in the proper place? It is a floating bridge. It looks cocky in the photo.
I would remove the foam under it and set the intonation and then see what it looks like.

 

[AlexanderB]

I would return it. I have had two of these (from different years, came in different boxes, with slightly different "case candy"), but they felt fairly similar to play. If you like it, chances are the next one feels the same.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

You might want to post on the Gretsch Guitar Discussion forum, real friendly place with lots of helpful folks. I also have a Gretsch bass, but mine is a Jet, not a hollow body.

 

[lfmn16]

I would return it. My anal-retentive nature would have me selling it eventually.

 

[wvbass]

Are you sure the bridge is in the proper place? It is a floating bridge. It looks cocky in the photo.
I would remove the foam under it and set the intonation and then see what it looks like.

The bridge may be a little misplaced, but not dramatically so. Comparing it to the pickup position, it certainly isn't an inch out of place. Besides, a misplaced bridge doesn't explain the other two knobs being misplaced as well. The entire triangle of knobs is shifted at least an inch and maybe more too far towards the F hole.

I would bet that there is a hand-placed template for drilling these holes, and somebody made a mistake placing the template on this one.

 

[organworthyplayer337]

Do you guys know where I can find another one?

How much do you think it costs to ship it back?

 

[Ewo]

Dang. If it's by design, it's a foolish design. (The knob up against the bridge will be awkward to operate.)

If the drill jig slipped, it's poor QC.

 

[wvbass]

Do you guys know where I can find another one?

How much do you think it costs to ship it back?

Shipping might be $30-$60 depending on how you ship it.

For another one, you might have to go used:

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You might also look at other hollowbody basses. While I like my G5123B, I feel that it has a critical design flaw. The pickups are single pole pickups and the poles do not match the string spacing. This may not matter with some pickups, but I find that it can create weird volume problems. For example, if I dig in on the E string, I can pull the string away from the pole. This causes the attack of the note to disappear. Note that this might not be an issue with all G5123B basses, or with all players, and it is definitely manageable, but for me and my bass, it is definitely real and noticeable.