Thinking about a Gretsch for my first guitar… Good idea?

I really like the look of semi-hollow guitars and I’m a big fan of Hendrix and grunge. Would I be able to get enough distortion from one? I don’t know much about this stuff, so go easy on me.

I’ve got a hollow body Gretsch Hot Rod, and it’s the loudest guitar I own.

If you want to hear a Gretsch doing some gritty, distorted rock, check out The Cult. Billy Duffy plays a White Falcon, and it sounds dirty as hell. Listen to Love Removal Machine, She Sells Sanctuary, Fire Woman, or Edie. It’s definitely not just a jazz guitar.

One thing I love about my Gretsch semi-hollow is that I can hear what I’m playing even when it’s unplugged. Sounds great through an amp too, but if you just want to pick it up and play without plugging in, it works well for that.

Your distortion is mostly coming from your pedals and amp. Almost any electric guitar can give you good distortion if you’ve got the right setup. Ever seen Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance of The Man Who Sold the World? Even an acoustic can get some distortion.That said, Gretsch guitars have a warmer, darker, fuzzier tone compared to something like a Fender Strat, which Hendrix used. A Strat stays bright and clear even with heavy distortion, while a Gretsch will sound a bit more muffled and thick.If you can, go to a guitar shop with a private room and try out different guitars with high distortion. Gretsch guitars are gorgeous, but I’ve never been blown away by their sound when playing through an amp. Definitely try before you buy!

Depends on the model. A Duo Jet can do rock really well, but for metal, you’ll need some serious EQ work and a good amp.With hollow bodies, they can handle heavier rock, but metal gets tricky because of the feedback and lack of focus in the sound.