Gretsch G5022CE Rancher Jumbo Cutaway - Savannah Sunset Reviews

All of my performing acoustics are small bodied sweet sounding models. I needed a deep voiced acoustic / electric for the Johnny Cash style stuff I had been playing. A show stopping orange stain was just the icing on the cake that I needed. This guitar is tight, warm and just gorgeous. The pick up is smart and clean. Hard to believe it's less than five bills.

Very nicly made and sounds great

My friend just bought this from Sweetwater. It's a very well made guitar, has excellent playability and a great tone.

WOW! A co worker recommended this guitar for performance use and it is great! The Isys pre amp system sounds transparent when dialed properly. The Phase switch is a great addition for playing varying volumes. The guitar was set up great EXCEPT I needed to tweak the truss out of the box and the strings were dead(comes with D'Adarrio 12s I case you were curious.) once I put fresh strings on it was great. I would buy another if mine was stolen or buster!

Gretsch has always made quality instruments, I've always loved my Duo Jet. When I saw this Rancher I was blown away by the color and how evenly the top Spruce made that great contrast with the Maple sides. When I got it the action was almost like I like it but after a few adjustments it played like a dream.
Acoustically, it sounds full and well balanced. Plugged in it also sounds great but after messing with the pre-amp a while. Worth the money. Thanks Sweetwater and Thanks Andy for all your help.

Of course this guitar is not on a par with expensive Martin and Gibson acoustics, but, you can rest assured, this guitar more than surpassed my expectations, and then some. It has a sound like guitars twice its price as well as having a flawless finish. It sounds beautiful no matter what genre you're playing. Thank you, Sweetwater, for a wonderful guitar!

Did Tim play this thing in the rain?
I am a guitar player of 40 years. I have had many guitars and still do. Acoustic guitars are either going to gain quality in sound, or lose it. They rarely stay the same. A guitar player will look at a new guitar and decide if it has the material and construction that it needs to grow better as it ages. Then play it to see how it feels and sounds right now. If acoustic jumbos is a style and sound that you like, I would like to make a wager with someone to find a better guitar than the Gretsch 5022CE for the price. Pick a category. It soars above all, except for the strap buttons.

No I'm not affiliated with Gretsch. I just know a good guitar when I see one. I also have the skill and experience that qualifies me to judge.

this is a great buy a ! my musician friends and i love it. easy action, great sound, and it is ac/el. for the money i don't think you can get a better jumbo.

the color and shape are lovely.

I love this guitar. When you throw in the fact it was only $500 it's truly amazing. I have almost two dozen guitars and I still find myself picking this one up almost every day. I bought it on a whim and couldn't be more happy with it.

I will admit I am a sucker for the vintage looking guitars so I was drawn to the Rancher series. The online reviews are good so I ordered one. Once in hand you can see the quality of build. This guitar looks great. Right out of the box the guitar played well. No tweaking required. One of the perks of getting a guitar from Sweetwater. The neck is slim and easy to play.

Acoustic it sound pretty balanced and not boomy. Although called a Jumbo I do not think it is a big as some jumbo bodies. The pickup and electronics work great. You can dial in a good sound running direct or through an amp. I get more comments about this guitar than anything else I play.

If you get the Gretsch case it will fit pretty tight at first. The output strap pin is a little large so some straps can cause an issue. But you would run into that with any combo output. Battery case is easy access.

Overall You will be pleased with the guitar. It should only improve with age. As always Sweetwater provides excellent service.

Just a tip for people who can't find a case for this great guitar... It fits perfectly in an Epiphone jumbo case.

I would be happy witrh this guitar if it cost twice as much. The fit and finish are excellent. The sound of the maple body and solid spruce top is balanced. The pickup system is spot on. Unbelievable value in a jumbo body guitar.

This instrument looked great on the site, and I needed an acoustic with the pickup (I usually hate piezos) for my studio. Not only does it sound great as an acoustic but the pickup sound was so good that I use it direct to the board. Low action, slim neck, and a bright sound make this one a keeper (to join the 50 other vintage guitars, banjos, and basses I use). I am waiting for Gretsch to issue a hard case for the instrument, as it is too large for standard cases. For now, I'll keep it in the studio for daily good use.

I truly didn't expect much from a $500-600 guitar. I was on a budget and took a shot at this beauty.

I lead worship with this guitar at a church with your typical 5 piece band and this thing cuts through gracefully. It sounds great either plugged or not. It's kind of shiny on the higher end and surprisingly not as bass-loaded as I would of expected a Jumbo sized guitar to be. But again, you can't go wrong for the money. The neck is very comfortable, electronics are ok.

The only thing I'd change on this guitar is the Gretsch Strap-lock system. I'm not a fan of screwing my strap on every single time I want to use it and I'm not fond of plug/strap-holder 2-in-1 thingamagigs.
Another downside is that it's kind of hard to find a case that will fit her nicely.

Nonetheless I give it 5 stars. I'm absolutely pleased!

Awesome sound -- very loud and deep! Souds great plugged in or unplugged Also, well built with a highly playable neck. This is the most fun I've had with an "acoustic" guitar in a long time. I just need to run it through the paces with the electronics. I've been very satisfied with other Gretsch guitars I've bought and will likely buy a couple more. Great style, great sound, what else can you ask for! Outstanding color, too!

A little background to help improve this review. I am not a folk guitar player, a country singer, a strummer, or a finger style or honky tonk player. I think most people who would be attracted to this guitar would fall into one of the previously mentioned categories. I'm actually a metal player who has also been playing classical for the past 35 years. I was looking for a guitar that wasn't crazy expensive with decent tone, easy playability, good intonation, decent electronics, and something easy to rest on my knee for studio work (so the Ovation was out). I was attracted to this guitar because of the size (I had been looking at jumbo Gibsons), the crazy color, and the price tag. So, without the background of being an experienced strummer with the ability to debate the subtle nuances of this instrument that acoustic players would be craving, I submit this review.

Pros:

1. Presentation - It's not for everyone but I love the way that this guitar looks. It really brightens up my studio. The size is exactly what I was looking for and is rather large so be sure it's the size you want. I didn't want a dreadnought even though many sound amazing. That looks like a 70s design to me and I was looking for something different.
2. Price - Having played a ton of acoustics between $500-$1200, I have to say that there wasn't a single guitar under $500 that had all the options and quality of this instrument - not a single one that I played. This thing plays better and has better intonation than a lot of guitars costing $1200. Of course, being a handmade acoustic instrument, each one is different. I would never buy a classical without having played it quite a bit before, but a steel string is a bit more adjustable and Sweetwater is so awesome with their setup before they ship, this thing was perfectly in tune when I pulled it out of the box. If you get one that you are unhappy with, send it back and they will send you another one. Best customer service on the planet.
3. Playability and Intonation - This guitar plays great in my limited steel string acoustic experience compared to the many, many other guitars that I played before purchasing this one. The neck isn't too big or two small, it's amazingly in tune all the way up and down the neck, even chords fretted between the 7th and 12 frets that are notoriously out of tune on many instruments when the guitar is tuned to play well in first position.
4. Quality of construction (for the price) - It's beautiful and feels great while holding it. The wood selection (grain) is absolutely top notch (on mine). The construction (as new), binding, finish, and hardware are mostly flawless. Did I say it's a beautiful instrument?
5. SWEETWATER! The only place the shop. Best prices, best customer service in the universe, best selection, and they will work with you until you are a satisfied customer. A shout out to Drew who takes care of my musical and electronic addictions with supreme skill and amazing customer service. I always get a phone call after an order and he is always available with a lifetime of music experience and pro audio study to provide guidance and recommendations. Thanks Drew!!

Cons:

1. Sound and Projection - Not really a con. This guitar sound great for $. Just remember how much you are paying for it. It resonates pretty well but not as loud as you would think for the size, and definitely not as loud as many other jumbos out there. This is due to the construction technique, bracing, strings, and probably the amount of finish applied to the exterior - all of which are directly attributed to the price point. It really does sound nice but this is a very subjective assessment and it's not like picking up your holy grail guitar, strumming a nice fat chord, and leaning back to relish that fat, amazing tone and projection. It does sound quite nice however and when plugged in, much of this can be compensated for.
2. Electronics - Not bad but just OK. Remember how much you are paying for this. I haven't played around with it enough while plugged in to give a more accurate assessment. If you are just plugging into an amp or a PA to play solo shows in the corner it should do quite well. For recording work, if you have some nice plug-ins or additional electronic circuitry to run the signal through, you can find some nice sounds. The EQ is marginally acceptable to work out the sound that you want. It's just OK.
3. Tuner - Being a frequency freak, I find the tuner tolerances to be so large that if you don't have a good ear, you'll be playing out of tune quite a bit if you rely on this tuner. For me it's basically a toy and I won't be using it - at all. Clip a little Peterson strobe on the headstock and tune up correctly or better yet, tune a fat string and then tune the guitar to itself by ear for proper intonation. I would not rely on this tuner while tuning silently in the corner before your next song.
4. Tuning Knobs - The hardware is beautiful but low cost. I'll be replacing these in short order. There is quite a bit of slop in the tuner when reversing direction and it makes tuning up a bit more of a challenge. The guitar does stay in tune beautifully once tuned but the process bothers me using these tuners. Compared to a Taylor GS Mini that has a similar price point, these aren't so good. The Taylor tuners are wonderful.
5. No Case - Doesn't come with a case. Not a problem for me because it's a studio guitar but you have to throw that into the decision matrix. This would be the best deal on the planet if it came with a nice case. Plan on spending $ for a quality case. It will be a rather large case also. There are other reviews online that recommend certain cases. Apparently the factory case is quite tight with this guitar and many people don't like the fit.

Overall, I am pleasantly surprised at the overall value and quality of this instrument - especially for the wonderfully low price. You get a nostalgic look, a great playing instrument that sounds great, and the ability to plug in and play for an amazing price.

The closest competitor in this price point was the Taylor GS Mini which played absolutely amazing, is offered in many different wood choices (spruce for bright sound, mahogany for a more mellow sound, koa is mellow with a nice top end), comes with a soft case or gig bag, and gets you that famous name if you're into that. The finish on that one was lackluster (satin) and it has a shorter string length so it's easy to play for smaller hands, and the body is quite a bit smaller so it's easy to transport and has a much smaller footprint. I personally found it a bit unrewarding to play over time because of the size and string length but if you're looking for an amazing machine in a smaller package, definitely play a few of those.

I am very pleased with this instrument. Intonation is perfect, keeps tune real well.

I did have to make the tiniest adjustment to the truss rod, and upon very close inspection there are some manufacturer flaws that irked me a little. But overall, Sweetwater did a fantastic job.

Great guitar for the money! Well done Sweetwater!

I bought the Rancher after listening to a lot of guitars on YouTube, listening to the opinion of one of my professional guitarist friends, and reading a LOT of reviews.

I bought this guitar in 2013 to replace my venerable early 1970s Guild dreadnought, whose electronics had finally died, and the frets had worn down enough to cause a significant string buzz when Strumming hard onstage. I recognized that the money I'd have to spend on new electronics and getting the neck right on the Guild would cost as much, or more, than just getting a new Takamine stage guitar. In the end I was so impressed with what I'd turned up about the Gretsch that I ended up buying it and never looking back. And after playing it live for a few years now, I've never regretted that decision. As said by others it is a beautiful guitar, and I get a lot of compliments on it. It is definitely not a guitar you see around a lot, so it can, and does, get a fair amount of attention--even from seasoned guitar players. And any player buddy I've let pick it up and play it has been impressed, and said really nice things about it. I even had one guy offer to buy it from me for $800.

The fit and finish on it is superb, with the exception that the pick guard was not completely glued down, and had raised up in a couple of places when I received the instrument from the online dealer I'd purchased it from (new.) Rather than return it I fixed it myself, which ended up being a little trickier than I'd anticipated, but in the end it worked out fine. A word of caution here, however, as I'm a fairly experienced guitar repairer.

There are a couple of things I don't care much for, but these are actually related to the Fishman electronics. First, is the issue that the guitar can sound overly treble-y in my in-ear monitors at times, which are high-quality Shures. The guitar will sound great in the stage cabs, but sound very, very thin and overpowering in my earbuds, even after I've adjusted my monitor EQs. This is actually a pretty big issue for me, as my ears have become very sensitive to loud noises as I've aged, and if the guitar volume is too high in the monitor mix it can get me pretty rattled sometimes. Trying to get what I hear in my ears to sound like what I hear from the speakers can be very tricky at times, and it generally takes quite a bit of fiddling with the Fishman preamp to get it resolved. Another Fishman issue I dislike is the end pin jack. As others have noted, Fishman uses a very thin channeled ferrule for the strap to sit in, but it's too narrow to accept one of those little swiveling plastic strap locks, so the strap is very susceptible to coming completely off the end pin / quarter inch jack combo. It can completely ruin your day when your guitar bounces off the floor because the strap came off unexpectedly! It should be noted, too, that in order to fit a standard guitar strap end pin hole over the Fishman end pin jack you'll have to enlarge the hole on the guitar strap. It's been a gripe of mine against Fishman for years. I'm really surprised it hasn't been addressed by Fishman years ago. Judging by the previous comments about it this complaint is not unique to me.

At any rate, the guitar doesn't have a deep bottom end acoustically, which doesn't bother me at all, it's a nice departure from the Guild dread, but it sounds great amplified. Another thing I like is that I can actually cause it to sound overdriven, and to break up a little bit, which gives me some great options in accompanying the band on electric guitar-driven rock & roll, or dirty blues.

I still use the Guild for noodling around on the couch, but I've got to say, for a guitar at this price point, the Rancher plays and sounds really great. In addition, I was able to secure a hard shell case, specifically designed and constructed for jumbo guitars, that works pretty well. I'm not sure the brand, but I'm guessing it was a generic case private-labeled for GuitarCenter, or Musician's Friend. It doesn't fit as exactly as it would if it was made specifically for this guitar, but after a little bit of use it loosened right up enough to work really well, while at the same time not allowing the instrument to slop around inside. (I bought it from a third-party guitar store that'd taken it in on trade. It was unused, in new condition, which is why I'm not exactly sure who the manufacturer is.)

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this guitar to a friend. Hope this is helpful!

This is my second one of these, the first being purchased 'gray market/eBay' and it quickly developed a neck issue. No warranty, my loss, lesson learned.

This one, perfect setup from SWS, well matched wood, stunning good looks. Acoustic sound is not as loud as you would hope for a Jumbo, but I expect it to open up as it ages. Fast neck, plays more like an electric than an acoustic. I am a heavy handed player. With the guitar being setup for fast play, I have to not play it as hard as I do my Rainsong, so if I do not choke it out by hitting it to hard, the tone is generally mid/treblish, and it does great chime/mando sounds when capo'd. in this price range, its closest competitor is the Epiphone EJ Jumbo, and having owned one of those, I sold it when I got my Rancher.

This guitar is great for the money. I still expected a bit more of a low-end being a Jumbo and all. But it's a keeper for me. It's got good feedback volume for when you don't have monitoring, and you'll definitely attract some looks with it. I had the nut, bridge, and pins replaced with TUSQ black ones, and the sound improved a whole lot!

Got it from Sweetwater during the summer '12 and it played fine in Boston. Then winter came, the air dried out and now the neck has back bow, even with all tension released from the truss rod. It won't even take a set of strings. Still undecided whether its worth the hassle of a neck reset or putting the neck in a heat press to relieve the back bow. As it is, the thing's useless other than as a wall ornament.

It gets 1.5 stars because it played well for a few months, anyway...