Old Gretsch Synchromatic Junior Jet

[taylornutt]

Has any of you ever played or owned these guitars?

There is one for sale for $130 locally.

It' basically like a Gibson LP Junior style guitar with one pickup in the bridge.

I have seen very little about these guitars on line.

Some people love them and others say they are cheap plywood. It's a bolt on neck but that's not a huge deal.

[sunshiner]

Never played one but I remember when they were produced. Most of them had a sunburst finish and I believe the specs said the body was mahogany.

[aen]

It's gotta be worth $130!

[Nick]

One time I bought one at Guitar Center used for $250….it was the fancier red sparkle bigsby model with 2 pickups…might have been a thinline IIRC. I had some instant buyers remorse, especially since one of the tuner keys snapped off on the drive home, so I returned it. But it seemed a decent enough guitar, I just had better and didn’t need another at the time.


But for $130 with case, all day, that thing looks fun.

[taylornutt]

One time I bought one at Guitar Center used for $250….it was the fancier red sparkle bigsby model with 2 pickups…might have been a thinline IIRC. I had some instant buyers remorse, especially since one of the tuner keys snapped off on the drive home, so I returned it. But it seemed a decent enough guitar, I just had better and didn’t need another at the time.


But for $130 with case, all day, that thing looks fun.

I have a really nice Gretsch guitar already and I am scared I am projecting too much onto this guitar, resulting on unrealistic expectations.

It's kinda a coin flip that it will be great or terrible.

[Nick]

It's probably gonna feel similar to a bolt on Epiphone. The pickup might be cool, or at least be able to be easily upgraded. Looks neater/more unique than an epi.

But if you don't think you're gonna play it cause you have better guitars it might be better to let someone else have at it who might need/want it more than you. That's how I've been handling deals like these I used to not pass up, and I still manage to acquire too many guitars.

[rahbro]

Silvertone headstock?

[sunshiner]

I think it's a regular Gretsch headstock which says Electromatic on it. At the time they wanted to make it clear these cheap ass guitars were no proper MIJ Gretsches which cost a fortune.

[taylornutt]

Silvertone headstock?

It actually says "Synchromatic" which eventually became the Electromatic series.

The later versions were labeled Electromatic before it was discontinued.

[taylornutt]

Silvertone headstock?

It actually says "Synchromatic" which eventually became the Electromatic series.

The later versions were labeled Electromatic before it was discontinued.

[rahbro]

i don't know anything about that one, but I love my blue one!!!!
quality out of the box is better than any of the 4 squiers i have purchased since lockdown.

[Nick]

^ different guitar, different factory.

The Syncromatics were made in the early 00’s in Korea, probably by Samick.

[sunshiner]

Beautiful guitar, Rob. I love it

[NickD]

I used to have one, but with a single Gretsch pickup (I forget the name). Somewhere around 2006/7. It wasn't a bad guitar, but not good enough to leave much of an impression either.