Gretsch – TVP Powerjet Firebird
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With the release of the Gretsch G6131T-TVP Power Jet Firebird, which comes under the professional range, Gretsch have modified a homespun classic with the result being a rockier guitar that still has that classic single-cutaway design but now with a semi-hollow lightweight mahogany body, one-piece mahogany neck with pretty unique looking thumbnail inlays and updated pickups and arched maple top. |
The Gretsch TVP Power Jet Firebird has a one-piece mahogany neck that has a custom, medium sized, profile , the ebony fingerboard is a nice change from the usual rosewood found on Fender’s et al – and feels nice and pacy – The Bigsby offers little new – but has that distinctive feel and design that just wants to be touched – I’ve never been too hot on vibrato unit’s but give me a Bigsby and I can’t put them down - great for use on Chords – really a unique and instantly recognizable tone.
Pickup wise the TVP power jet firebird has TV Jones¨ Power'TronTM Pickups. Originally firebirds, came with FilterTron pickups which as anyone who’s serious about their guitars will know have their own distinctive voice – lacking bite perhaps – but you know a Gretsch when you hear one. The TVP Power Jet Firebird changes these pickups to specially-voiced TV Jones PowerTron pickups. These take the classic FilterTron sound and then push it some – Gretsch calls it that classic Gretsch sound – with a snarl – what your left with can support crunchy rhythm to steaming lead tones and just about everything in the middle. Gretsch continue with the modern spin by adding a Pinned Rosewood-Based Adjusto-Matic Bridge, locking tuners.
With the single cut-away design you could be forgiven if on first glance you say “not another LP clone” but this Power Jet Firebird is so much more that that – the Professional collection are made in either Gretsch’s Japan or USA production centers and there is a distinct show of quality here – from the moment you pick it up you can see that it’s been well thought out – and put together with a deal of care – with a retail of around $2,000 Gretsch lovers take note!