As Gretsch launches its signature version of Beatle George's 'first real decent guitar', we ask the obvious question: what took so long?

So, why has it taken so long for Gretsch to get the signature of its greatest ambassador on a
headstock? Well, as Gretsch Custom Shop master builder Stephen Stern reveals,
it hasn't been for want of trying.

"Fred Gretsch was working with George on a signature Duo Jet," Stern tells us.
"When we went to see the Harrison family to discuss the Tribute model,
they had one of the prototypes.

"It wasn't 'right'. But with its manufacturing facility through Fender, I think Gretsch is
in a better position now to make a George Harrison signature model."

"The bridge unit sounds fantastic with a generous splash of reverb, especially when
you start shaking that whammy bar."

Opening the deluxe tweed case of the new G6128T-GH George Harrison Signature Duo Jet, it's
hard to argue with Stern's assessment. If you don't gasp a little when you see
that flawless black paintwork and gleaming chrome hardware contrast with the
bubblegum pink lining of its case, you're not the right punter for this guitar.

The Japanese-built Signature is not an exact replica of George's original '57 Duo
Jet. If you've got your heart set on something like that, bite the bullet and
find the £15,118 and pocket change required for the US-made G6128T-GH George
Harrison Tribute Custom Shop Duo Jet - this Signature is basically a '57 Duo
Jet reissue with some obvious 'Georgian' tweaks.

Like his original guitar, the Signature has a pair of DynaSonic single-coil pickups, a
Bigsby B3 True Vibrato with a Phillips screw holding on the arm, a rocking bar
bridge, and the offset lower strap button. It also features 'hump-block'
fingerboard inlays (which only appeared on the '57 model), thin vintage-style
frets and an all-black finish like George's guitar.

The Signature is also the only import Duo Jet reissue with period-correct body dimensions.
Like George's original guitar, and therefore the US Tribute model, the
Signature's chambered body is 51mm (2 inches) deep, while the other Duo Jet
reissues bottom out at 44.5mm (1.75 inches).

There are some details that George's original Cavern blaster and the new Signature version
don't share.

For example, the shape of the scratchplate support brackets and wood bridge bases don't
match. Neither do the screws that hold the Bigsby hinge in place: George's
guitar has chrome slot-head screws; the Signature has black Phillips-head jobs.

The Bigsby B3 vibrato's baseplate sits closer to the body of the original guitar than it does
on the Signature; the tuners are a bit different too. But these are small
things, which can be 'fixed' by true detail freaks.

The most important difference in the spec sheets of these guitars is the fingerboard
radius. The Signature model has a 305mm (12-inch) radius fingerboard; George's
old '57, and its Tribute doppelgänger, have a 229mm (9-inch) radius 'board.

The playability offered by the Signature, however, is first class. That flatter 'board radius
makes noodling above the 12th fret a more practical prospect than on a vintage
Gretsch.

The only niggle we have here is with the bridge - like many Gretsch guitars, the bridge on our
Duo Jet can slip out of position on occasion. A pinned bridge would solve that
little problem.

You'll also find that the intonation offered by the bar bridge is far from precise, but if
you buy a vintage reissue you just put up with this sort of thing - it's part
of the charm of old guitars. Moaning about it is like complaining that the
brakes on a '60s MG Midget aren't too clever.

Sounds

The inherent hum that plagues single-coil pickups may be a deal breaker for some, but after
plugging the Signature into an amp we say, hum be damned. These DynaSonic
pickups sound great.

Gretsch guitars loaded with DeArmond DynaSonics (as they were branded back in the day) powered
the music of George Harrison's heroes: the likes of Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy,
Chet Atkins and Cliff Gallup, the peerless Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
guitarist.

These modern Gretsch-made DynaSonics pump out oodles of vintage twang. The bridge unit
sounds fantastic with a generous splash of reverb, especially when you start
shaking that whammy bar.

Engaging both pickups works great for rockabilly and old school rhythm and blues licks. The
neck pickup is the go to setting if you want jazzy chords. All you need to get
the most from this guitar is a decent valve amp, some reverb and an echo chamber.

While the Signature sounds great straight from the case, if this was our guitar - and we
really wish it was - we'd slap on a set of tape-wound strings to warm it up a
little.

That small change would promote an even more authentic fifties rockabilly tone (think
Cliff Gallup on Gene Vincent's Race With The Devil); and the sound that filled
The Cavern Club in Liverpool back in the early '60s, courtesy of a young man
called George.

The £70 (not forgetting the IOU for £20) that George paid for his original Duo Jet was a lot
of money in 1961. Well, the £2,818 price tag hanging from the new Signature
version is a fair old wad of cash these days as well.

That said, the thrill you'll get every time you lift the lid on the G6128T-GH George Harrison
Signature Duo Jet's case makes missing a bunch of nights out or a holiday
abroad an easy sacrifice in our opinion.

This flawlessly built guitar transports you back to one of the most exciting and important
periods of British rock 'n' roll, when four young lads from Liverpool learned
their craft in the tough clubs of Hamburg - before going on to change the
world.

Living with the Signature, you can see why George loved his Duo Jet. This guitar gets under
your skin.

When you're not playing, polishing or looking at this Jet, you'll be thinking about it. Just
like George did that night in summer 1961 when he returned home with his 'first
real decent guitar'.

Verdict

It might not be the Tribute, but with its top build, great playability and '50s tone, this is
no consolation prize.

• Details
• Description
• Features
• Reviews

Gretsch Guitars G6128T George Harrison Duo Jet Electric Guitar Black List Price: $5,000.00 Sale Price: $3,499.99 You save: $1,500.01 (30%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 9 new from $3,499.99

Description

The Gretsch Pro Series George Harrison Model Duo Jet electric guitar features the sound that helped shaped Rock 'n' Roll. A faithful recreation of the black Duo Jet George used in the Beatles' formative Cavern Club / Hamburg period, the George Harrison Duo Jet serves up serious Harrison chug factor and mounds of spanky chime from its twin DynaSonic single-coil pickups. A Gretsch/Bigsby vibrato tailpiece offers up the bends, and everything is wrapped up in period-correct classic vibe. The Gretsch Pro Series George Harrison Model Duo Jet is your chance to grab your piece of rock history.

Features

• Mahogany body with arched maple top
• 24.6" scale mahogany neck with 22 fret rosewood fingerboard
• Pearloid hump-block inlays; Bound body and neck
• DynaSonic pickups; Grover V98CM Sta-Tite die cast tuners
• Premium tweed case included

Reviews

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Local instrument experts say you should consider these things whether you're buying a guitar.

Whether your son or daughter is trying to shred like Metallica or play Bob Dylan covers, here's what to look for:

In general
For beginners, many guitars come in packages that include everything you need to start learning to play.
Electric guitar packages come with the guitar, an amplifier, a strap, extra strings, picks, a carrying bag and an instructional DVD or book or both.
Acoustic guitar packages come with the guitar, bag, strap, strings, picks and instructional material. Some stores also offer another acoustic package that comes with an amplifier for an additional $30.
Packages come from a multitude of manufacturers and cost at least $200 for an electric guitar and $149 and up for an acoustic.
Individual instruments can be had for less than the price of the packages. An acoustic guitar will cost at least $100. An electric guitar will cost around $110 and up.

Acoustic or electric?
What's better for a beginner: an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar?
It's one of the most commonly asked questions at guitar stores, but the answer isn't clear cut.
One isn't necessarily better to play or easier to learn than the other. It's a stylistic choice.
If the person playing the instrument wants to learn country, folk, worship or other music, an acoustic guitar is generally the better choice. For rock 'n' roll, an electric is generally better, said Dan Sullivan, pro shop manager at Dietze Music.
And for those parents worrying that the noise from an electric guitar will shake the walls, be not afraid. The amps in the starter packages mentioned above are usually only a meager 10 watts.
“They're not that loud. And they all come with headphone jacks,” Sullivan said.

Guitar stand
Those nifty packages come with everything. Everything but somewhere to put your guitar when you're not using it. You can pick up a simple guitar stand anywhere for under $20.

Size
Sometimes kids need small-sized guitars because they're not big enough to comfortably play a full-size guitar.
Children can benefit from playing a smaller guitar, but it depends on the child's height. Someone at a store can help you pick the right size, said Hoyle of Russo's.
At age 11 or 12, it might be a good idea to buy a full-size guitar even if the child isn't quite big enough to play it yet since they'll quickly outgrow a small-size guitar.

Strings and picks
Guitar strings come in all kinds of styles and from many manufacturers.
For a beginner, it's best to use a light to medium gauge string. The lighter strings are easier for a beginner to press down and play notes.
As for picks, they come in countless shapes, sizes and thicknesses. Again, it's better for a beginner to use a thinner, lighter gauge pick. They're easier to use and require less finesse than a thicker pick, Hoyle said.

Amplifiers and pedals
The Foo Fighters might have them, but a beginner doesn't need an enormous amplifier.
If you're not buying as part of a package, a 10- or 15-watt amp is perfect for a beginner. Many by Marshall and Fender have both clean and distorted channels in order to play a variety of different styles.
For a higher price, some amps have multiple effects that can make a guitar sound like practically any guitarist you admire.
“You want to be Eddie Van Halen on the spot? Just push a button,” Hoyle said.

Lessons
It used to be that you had two options: Take lessons or fumble around and try to teach yourself.
“I'm self-taught,” Hoyle said. “When I started, I watched people play or listened to the album and pulled the needle back and listened again to figure out a part.”

A few more options exist today on the Web. Many sites are dedicated to teaching guitar with videos, sheet music and tablature that can help you learn a plethora of songs.

Still, the experts say getting one-on-one time with an instructor and being able to ask questions is important.
“There's a lot of cool stuff on the Internet. There's a treasure trove of information,” Sullivan said. “(But) lessons are the optimum way to do it.”

Teachers can give students direction and guidance and teach them a guitar philosophy that you can't get from a computer, Hoyle said.
Instructors at local stores teach on acoustic and electric guitars in a variety of styles and offer lessons to almost any age. Children can start as young as 6 years old.

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You only get what you pay for.
It can be a daunting task especially for beginners looking at all the different electric guitar models trying to make a decision as to what to buy. And when you add amps, effects, and everything else involved you end up saying to yourself, “Maybe I don’t need all that stuff.”

Well now, what do I REALLY need.
Let me just say for the record that I’m far from an equipment expert. There are plenty of “gear heads” out there that get something new every month. These guys always have the latest and greatest in guitars, but I find these guys can hardly play a lick because they’re too busy buying all their gear!! I’ve always been a “just let me play” kind of guy. But it’s always nice to have friends like this so you can go over to their place and try out all their cool stuff.
This page has the beginner in mind so if you’ve been playing for a while you’re probably going to think “well, duh!” But my goal here is to discuss what you need and your different options. Please keep in mind that everything below is solely my opinion.

What kind of beginner electric guitar should you buy and how much should you spend?

If you’re a beginner just starting I don’t recommend spending any more that $500, if that much. You can usually find something to learn on for $2-300 or even cheaper at a flea market or online. You don’t need anything more than that, especially if you lose interest. I’ve only gone through 3 guitars in my life, the first being a cheap Dean that I got for Christmas out of a Sears catalog. I then got an Ibanez 560 Frank Gambale model that I ordered from Suncoast music for Christmas when I was 16 or 17. I had that one for a long time up until 4 years ago when I went guitar shopping for the first time and got a custom made Ibanez S-Series that listed for $1500. By this time, I was advanced enough that I justified paying that much for something good.
The point is don’t spend too much money right now unless you are seriously interested in the instrument. I would focus more on playing and getting better than getting all the different gears.

Its tough to make good recommendations but I’ve always been partial to Ibanez. But, there are a lot of good guitars and companies out there. The best thing I can recommend anybody looking for an electric guitar is to go to the store and play different models. This is the ONLY way you can figure out what works best for YOU. Then you can start haggling the sales clerk at the store about the price.

Obviously, buying a beginner electric guitars online will give you significant discounts as well as special deals. You can find lots of great bargains here. Here are some great starter packages. Any one of the above packages would be perfect for a beginner, whether you want to play electric, acoustic, or the electric/acoustic combo! And the best thing about I bought one of my Yamaha acoustics from them and I’m quite happy with the customer support, and I also received it in a couple of days. I’ve since bought a couple other guitars and a Pandora PX4 and I’ve been 100% satisfied with every purchase.

What about buying beginner electric guitars amplifiers?
This is something that you have to go to the store and try for yourself before you make a decision. I have a Crate GT-200 that I played my Ibanez through at the store when I went shopping that day 4 years ago. For amps you most definitely get what you pay for. Mesa Boogie are the best amps I’ve heard, but I never could afford them. Depending on your budget, try to make the best decision based on quality vs. your personal budget. Again you will get significant discounts online, but you will definitely want to hear how your electric guitar sounds with the amp you’re looking at.

What else do you need?
If you have a beginner electric guitar and amplifier you’ll need a few other things. Some of them are optional…and mostly a matter of preference.

The most commonly accepted method of choosing a low cost electric guitar is to find an instrument with good quality wood, and at least reasonable workmanship. Guitar manufacturers tend to cut corners with cheaper guitars, by using cheaper pick-ups, and hardware, but these are all upgradeable parts.