Still waiting from input from Gretsch ( if any ever comes)
But yes the issue is neck dive.
These days there should not be any real issues with the balance of a bass guitar that is designed to take the weight of the body v the neck.
Any real neck dive in a hollow body also has to include neck length.
The fulcrum of the balance will depend on where and how the weight is loaded to the bearing. It may be a point load issue, or it maybe the design does not take into account of the mass of the body to the mass of the neck......obviously as the neck gets longer so the potential of that to lever the fulcrum and so thus over come its balance and neck dive occurs. Maybe it does and Gretsch do not see it as a problem, but if it is a reason why players do not consider a Gretsch, then maybe it is in there interest to address it..... So no Gretsch bashing here.
Please note I love everything about a Gretsch, except the balance issues. I am not alone in this, and I am sure a balanced design would further the companies sales and use if it could be addressed.
But if this is not a desirable thing in a bass then why continue to manufacture them without addressing this issue. It is a functionality of a modern design that a bass guitar is balanced so the player is free to play it, not support it and play it.
I personally own two Ibanez hollow body's, with thinner body's than a Gretsch, but they are balanced so there design has managed to deal with it.
I will hopefully over the next couple of days get to shot some video of the basses and show how great they are and sound. I also, if I am allowed, show how the Ibanez compare so the two designs can be compared.
So the question is "why can Ibanez produce a balanced instrument with in their parameters and Gretsch cannot"?
