The rare double-cutaway Jet is making waves in Gretsch’s Electromatic line-up. With new versions announced this year, including left-handed models, we finally get a chance to plug in
GRETSCH G5222 ELECTROMATIC DOUBLE JET BT V-STOPTAIL & G5232T ELECTROMATIC DOUBLE JET FT WITH BIGSBY £529 & £589
Yet another example of the escalating quality of Eastern Asian manufacturing, both of these Chinese-made double-cut Jet models are superbly put together. In fact, the only issues we had were from transit damage: guitars this good (irrespective of their price) need better packaging. But with our G5222’s three-way toggle switch replaced and resoldered, there’s not a hair out of place. So, what’s the deal?
As you’ll know, back when Gretsch’s ‘solidbodies’ first appeared in the 50s, they used a chambered semi-solid design, despite looking like they were solid. It’s the same deal today. The mahogany back is routed out leaving a central block under the pickups and bridge; the pickup routs are really deep (the bridge pickup’s is 50mm, the neck’s slightly less), while more wood is removed in the middle of that block.
The top, meanwhile, is solid maple, not a laminate like the originals, and overall both check in around 8lb. On both our models, the top is very cleanly edge-bound and nicely dished, violin-like, and the backs are completely flat with no contours. The rim depth is a little over 49mm; the overall depth is a very Les Paul-like 60mm. It does look smaller than the single-cut Jet, andthere’s less mass thanks to the mirroring of the treble cutaway and horn on the bass side. But, like the single-cut model, it’s still pretty Les Paul-like with a 342mm (13.5-inch) width. Likewise with the scale length, which mirrors Gibson’s actual scale at 625mm (24.6 inches). There’s quite a chunky,
