Gretsch G5620T-CB Electromatic review

Centre-blocked semi with sparkle

  • £910
  • €1078
  • $1275
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The 5620T features a central block of solid spruce within its slimline laminated maple body

MusicRadar Verdict

Although hardly cheap, this green meanie is pure class, and we love it.

Pros

  • +

    Super HiLo'Tron neck pickup sounds superb. Sparkling clean tones. Manageable feedback.

Cons

  • -

    Expensive.

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US guitar institution Gretsch is the very embodiment of a retro-styled, vintage-leaning brand, and this new model comes from the company's recently introduced, Korean-made Electromatic Center-Block Series.

"The ultra-cool Georgia Green metallic finish, cat's-eye soundholes and acres of chrome tick our retro boxes nicely"

A centre-block is a piece of thick wood that runs down the centre of an otherwise hollow guitar's body, giving a more solidbody-like tonality and sustain and most importantly, reducing feedback. Traditional Gretsch hollowbodies such as the 6120 Nashville don't have one.

The 5620T features a central block of solid spruce within its slimline 44mm (1.75-inch) laminated maple body, which allows for the two pickups to be directly mounted onto solid wood, which again gives a specific tone.

It's not necessarily better, but it's fuller and more controllable - especially at high gain - than a more traditional Gretsch semi. Meanwhile, the ultra-cool Georgia Green metallic finish, cat's-eye soundholes and acres of chrome tick our retro boxes nicely.

Tonally, there's no loss of twang with the Super HiLo'Tron neck pickup effortlessly delivering just right blend of sparkling cleans and girth.

The combination with the bridge pickup is our favourite pickup option, giving a fuller and more robust tone, and the centre block allows you to up the gain and get your Malcolm Young on, all with no errant feedback.

Simon Bradley

Simon Bradley is a guitar and especially rock guitar expert who worked for Guitarist magazine and has in the past contributed to world-leading music and guitar titles like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Guitar World and Louder. What he doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Red Special, isn't worth knowing.