Q: I’m confused by all the controls that Gretsch guitars have. What do all those switches and knobs do?
A: The answer depends on the model, of course. But here are some general guidelines for figuring out Gretsch controls:
- On the upper bout, if there is one switch, it is probably a 3-position pickup selector.
- If there is a second switch on the upper bout, it is probably a 3-position tone switch — the center position is bypass, the other two positions make the sound progressively darker.
- If there is a knob on the cutaway bout, it is probably a master volume control.
- If there are two knobs below the tailpiece, they are probably volume controls for the individual pickups.
- A third knob below the tailpiece is probably a tone control.
- A switch below the tailpiece is probably a “standby” control or “kill switch” for silencing the guitar.
