The Gretsch G5655T Electromatic® Center Block Jr. mixes classic Gretsch semi-hollow tones with great playability. Smaller than a traditional semi-hollow Gretsch, the G5655T has that classic tone and aesthetic while being better suited to high volume, higher gain playing.
Center Block Jr. Body
The body design is what Gretsch call a “Center Block Jr.” These guitars are smaller than a regular Gretsch Center Block guitar and are a lot less cumbersome to play. The smaller body size, in combination with the chambered spruce center block, makes the guitar far more stable at higher volume and gain levels. Center Block Jrs are rock machines that allow you to enjoy the warmth and resonance of a semi-hollow without worrying about unwanted feedback.
The neck on the guitar is comfortable to play thanks to a few things. The thin “U” profile neck has rounded shoulders which is great for playing chords and wrapping your thumb around the neck, but the thinner profile makes it less chunky than a traditional “U” shape neck. This thinner profile, in combination with the 12” radius fingerboard also makes single note runs a breeze.
Pickups and Hardware
The Black Top Broad’Tron pickups in this guitar are humbucking and are designed to get that powerful yet articulate tone that Gretschs are famous for. Broad’Trons sound great clean playing country and blues-y genres and really come alive when you turn up the gain for some punchier rock styles.
The Bigsby vibrato tailpiece is another classic Gretsch feature on this guitar. Not only does it look cool, the Bigsby allows you to throw some subtle pitch bending into your playing.
Specifications
- Collection: Electromatic®
- Body Material: Laminated Maple
- Body Finish: Gloss
- Upper Bout: 10.5” (267 mm)
- Lower Bout: 13.5” (343 mm)
- Waist: 8.625” (219 mm)
- Neck: Maple, Thin “U”
- Neck Finish: Gloss
- Fingerboard: Laurel, 12” (305 mm)
- Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
- Position Inlays: Pearloid Neo-Classic™ Thumbnail
- Nut (Material/Width): Graph Tech® NuBone®, 1.685” (42.8 mm)
- Tuning Machines: Die-Cast
- Scale Length: 24.6” (625 mm)
- Bridge: Anchored Adjusto-Matic™
- Tailpiece: Bigsby®-Licensed B70 Vibrato
- Pickguard: Silver Plexi w/ Black Gretsch® & Electromatic® Logos
- Pickups: Black Top Broad’Tron™ (Bridge & Neck)
- Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
- Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master Volume, Master Tone
- Control Knobs: G-Arrow
- Hardware Color: Nickel
- Strings: Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046 Gauges)
