Gretsch Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, 2 Color Sunburst

(60 customer reviews)

$169.00

SKU: B00N28W72G Category:

Basswood body with X-bracing 12th fret, 24”-scale nato set neck with synthetic bone nut Vintage-style 18 frets Walnut fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays Top-load walnut bridge with compensated saddle

Item Weight

3 pounds

Scale Length

24

ASIN

B00BEYDFA8

UNSPSC Code

60131303 (Guitars)
Report an incorrect code

Item model number

2704000503

Customer Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars

752 ratings
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4.6 out of 5 stars

Best Sellers Rank

#7,619 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #22 in Steel-String Acoustic Guitars

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer

No

Date First Available

February 12, 2013

Back Material

Agathis

Body Material

Basswood

Color Name

2 Color Sunburst

Fretboard Material

Walnut Wood

Product Dimensions

14.96 x 3 x 35.43 inches

Top Material

Agathis

String Material

Phosphor Bronze

Neck Material Type

Nato Wood

Number of Strings

6

Guitar Bridge System

Fixed

Size

2-Color Sunburst

Voltage

240 Volts

Brand

Gretsch Guitars

Color

2 Color Sunburst

Top Material Type

Agathis

Back Material Type

Agathis

Fretboard Material Type

Walnut Wood

String Material Type

Phosphor Bronze

Hand Orientation

Right

60 reviews for Gretsch Guitars 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, 2 Color Sunburst

  1. Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer

    Cracked on side of body

    Like the guitar, a lot but crack in side of body

  2. OBK

    Great guitar for a few dollars

    I like it a lot. Reviews were good everywhere I looked. It’s well-made. It’s a parlor guitar so it has a circus-like sound. Not a beautiful sound. But it’s fun and easy to play. I think it’s great. I’m a beginning guitarist so don’t take my word about it in terms of its musicality. But for the money I think it is solid and worth it. I would not worry about taking it on a plane, or to the beach, or camping. Read review on best guitars under $500 and it makes many of the lists.

    One person found this helpful

  3. Jon F.

    My most played acoustic guitar

    I have to echo what many others have said–this is a great little guitar. I have a Martin, Taylor, and a Loar parlor size acoustic. I end up playing this guitar more than any other acoustic because it’s comfortable to play, has a cool blues tone, stays in tune, and lives on a stand in my living room instead of a case. It’s also great to travel with due it’s small size. If you want a great little blues box, this is it.

    One person found this helpful

  4. Roselyn Daneke

    The sound and the set up out of the box to get to it is amazing. I ordered the gig bag (mistake)

    This is every thing you will read about…unless you see under five stars. The sound and the set up out of the box to get to it is amazing. I ordered the gig bag (mistake). After leaving it out and picking it up everyday for the past three weeks… i ordered a gator 3/4 hard for 60% of the price. So what. Well between the 5th and 9th frets; there are amazing sounds from the D thru G stings. Bend them, slide them; it may be just my guitar, but after three weeks it was no longer a $149 guitar…hence the hard case. I have not changed stings yet. Are you kidding me $149? Acoustic Guitar Mag was the tip and i pounced on this guitar. How do they create that woody ghost tone out of $149. I would like to have a Keb Mo Gibson @ $2400 but will smile with the Jim Dandy until that day happens. OK…the Keb Mo Gibson would bury this guitar, but I would still take the Jim Dandy traveling…I love this guitar.

    3 people found this helpful

  5. katie

    Great guitar, no ability for strap.

    This is a great guitar that produces a well rounded sound. It’s not the most beautiful looking and over all looks a little cheap, like the plastic tuning knobs. But the tune doesn’t slip so they obviously get the job done. One complaint is that there is only one knob to attach a strap. How you would attach a strap I would not know other than, perhaps glueing on another knob? So curious as to why this redunk design is in place, how hard would it have been to add an extra knob?

    One person found this helpful

  6. C. Lambert

    Better than the recording kings

    As far as budget parlor guitars this is it. I had a solid top recording king for a while but this one wins hands down craftsmanship wise. Intonation is spot on, tuners keep tune, action is great. X braced and clean internal workmanship. This is a players guitar and it’s made to be a beater, just as the stellas and harmonys and Kay’s of old…

    One person found this helpful

  7. Andrew & Rebecca

    Very nice for the price

    This is a pretty nice little guitar for the money. I was looking for a new parlor to have around the house, take outside, toss into the car for trips–and that’s exactly what the Jim Dandy is perfect for. If you’re looking for a mind-blower, this probably won’t do it. However, it plays good right out of the box, feels solid, and sounds like a good little parlor. Gretsch was going for a throwback guitar, like one of those department store parlors from decades ago, and I think they nailed it. I have a Stella and a Regal from the early 70s (both of which I love), and this fits nicely alongside those.If you want to add a fun little guitar to your arsenal, this is a good one to pick up. And it won’t break the bank. If I was looking at this as a starter guitar, it would probably get the fifth star.

    3 people found this helpful

  8. tim behunin

    great guitar for the value

    for the price as a learner guitar the gretsch jim dandy is solid, it gets some negative press for the flat finish; however, this is a nice touch in both look and feel. many youtube videos with accomplished blues guitarists show the sound its capabilities. for someone new to the guitar, pretty forgiving and easy to play. strong value.

  9. Patrick Kennedy

    Yes, an actual musical instrument

    I’ve had this guitar for a few months now, and it’s delightful to pick up and play. The “boxy” sound isn’t for everyone (search Youtube for some good sound clips), but it was exactly what I was looking for in a parlour-sized guitar. The construction feels high quality, and the setup was pretty good right out of the box. I’m not a good player, but this is at least as enjoyable and beautiful to play as the more expensive guitars I’ve played.The only thing that feels a little cheap on close inspection is the finish, which I expect might pick up some wear and tear over time, but overall I would say this guitar is more inexpensive than cheap. I can’t imagine doing any better at this price point than this guitar.

    5 people found this helpful

  10. Jeff Hanson

    Great bang for the buck

    Mine arrived thru Austin Bazaar. Everything was as described. I straightened the neck with the provided allen wrench (this guitar had a bit too much relief in it, but it was straight) took the old strings off and sanded the base of the string saddle down a bit for easier action. I restrung it with 11s and couldn’t be happier. The guitar intonates perfectly, the action is where I like it, and it plays like butter. I only wish it had a slightly wider nut but I’m adjusting.Great service with Amazon/Austin Bazaar. Probably couldn’t have picked out a better one myself. Both fingerstyle and flat picking are rewarding. I haven’t played a nicer guitar in this price range.

    3 people found this helpful

  11. John Taylor

    One of my favorites

    I really like parlor guitars and this one is definitely a keeper. Been playing over forty years.

    3 people found this helpful

  12. Stephen L. Graf

    A whole lotta fun for the money

    I was looking for something to throw in the backseat of my truck and roll with it. I’m a fan of Godin products and I looked at a number of their used offerings, even a baby Taylor and some old Silvertones. Of course ads for this Jim Dandy kept popping up and it was inexpensive and then when I got to looking, I noticed I couldn’t find a used one – that was telling. Reviews were mostly favorable and yeah, if I want to change things up or drill holes in it – so what. I like this guitar a lot. No it doesn’t sound like my others but that’s the point. It’s got that sitting on the porch steps in the summer heat sound.

    One person found this helpful

  13. Heath Hardin

    Great player!

    I got this guitar for my daughter for christmas. I have been playing guitar for 45 years…i have owned a ton of different guitars. I LOVED playing this little Gretsch. Out of the box, it was set up to play with perfect action. Just needed to tune in up. Was very impressed with the even sounds from bass to treble and it was a really easy-playing guitar. Sweet sound. Great deal for the money. I am hoping this will encourage her to play more and then down the road i will get her a Martin. VERy happy with the purchase.

    4 people found this helpful

  14. cjg

    Great guitar

    Great value

    2 people found this helpful

  15. rel

    JUST DO IT NOW

    I’ve had the G9500 for less than 24 hours and it really is hard to put down. I build CBG’s as a hobby and love the blues. I had been looking for an acoustic beater for my nightly couch playing. I love playing my cigar boxes, ukulele (s) and Stratocaster, but I haven’t owned an acoustic guitar since I was a teenager. I have a Gretsch Uke and its quality and sound is amazing, so when I found this parlor guitar by Gretsch, I gave it a shot. … and just WOW!I can literally not keep my hands off this guitar. There was a minor truss rod adjustment (6th string buzz) but besides that its flawless. Beautiful sound and very comfortable playability were the two things I was looking for and its got BOTH. I would have never believed that a 150 dollar guitar could ever be this great. Unless I’m just crazy… If you are trying to decide on purchasing this guitar JUST DO IT NOW or SOON.

    One person found this helpful

  16. Jonathan Freeman

    Fun and Inexpensive

    Perfect for just playing around, it’s fun to play and inexpensive. It’s nothing special by no means but well worth it for the price.

  17. Rose

    Amazing sound

    This guitar is well built and has a wonderful quality sound.

  18. joel clackum

    Buy this.

    The Jim Dandy is in line with the Gretsch Guitars of old. It sounds great and feels great. I bought this for my son to learn on, but I very much enjoy playing it myself and it sounds fantastic when Its mic’d up. Other reviews suggested that it was fragile, but I think it is well-built and will withstand whatever my son can throw at it. If you are thinking about this guitar, buy it.it is fun to play, has a great sound, and travels easily.

    One person found this helpful

  19. kelsey stewart

    Great for travel

    Perfect size for what I wanted sounds okay the body is small so it doesnt resonate as much as a bigger body guitar but it looks sharp an is comfortable to play. Definitely a great travel guitar not something I’d play a show with but something to drag everywhere.

  20. Gregg

    Worth 169 and fun to play.

    Good value for the money. I really enjoy the size and neck. I will play this a lot. The paint is cheap. The white line is not solid on the front surface it is broken up like they did not have enough paint in the machine when finishing. The pick guard takes away from the fake old fashioned look with the G. I may remove it. It is worth the 169 paid. I am a beginner and it is very comfortable to have this size rather than the full size Dreadnought when walking around the house. The E and A strings do not have a ring like a regular size guitar. It was this or the 199 fender cp100. I would recommend it does have a quieter nice resonance. I rarely give reviews because I think most are laudatory over the top BS that seem paid for. This review is not paid for.

    One person found this helpful

  21. Gravey Shakes

    Love this guitar

    Bad – had to lube the saddle and nut the strings were sticking. It needs a machine head/tuner upgrade. They work but require a lot of effort to turn so you loose some of the ability to fine tune. Good – stays in tune once you get there. Absolutely love the sound – got that “blues” tone, size – light convenient,neck – smooth, color – flawless flat (I got the red) paint that can take getting bumped without leaving a mark. It sounds and feels like a $500 guitar. I am going to get another one to hot rod.

  22. Eleven

    Beautiful little guitar

    Confortable and good sound. Great for the money

  23. aaron Wagner

    Nice Guitar. Worth more than it is.

    I bought this guitar because i needed to have a smaller guitar for a boat trip down the Mississippi. Turns out it was still a bit large for our smallish boat. However, I was impressed by the quality and craftsmanship right out of the box. The sound isn’t booming, but i wouldn’t expect that from a parlor guitar. Instead, It’s a bit raw and perfect for starting slide work or for an inexpensive guitar that you don’t have to worry about leaving out of it’s case in order to quickly grab for a quick practice session.

    One person found this helpful

  24. John robbinsJohn robbins

    Opinion of a Manager at Manny’s Music NYC, a salesman at both Sam Ash NYC and Matt Umanov’s NYC:

    I worked at the above stores as well as several in Seattle for almost 20 years total. And I was looking for something that would stay in tune and I could actually play, and drag around to the beach or camping, perhaps busking and wouldn’t kill me if it were stolen or destroyed. That being said..This is an unbelievable deal. First this was shipped to me in December, and the frets were not protruding from the sides of the fretboard as often happens when a guitar is exposed to the cold. It was shipped from NJ to Seattle. The neck is streight and true, the action is quite playable though it could be lowered. It does not NEED to be lowered, it could be depending on personal preference. I searched each string and fret and there is ZERO fret buzz. Not a one needs to be filed down. And most importantly it stays in tune. I did not throw it out of tune from bending strings or traveling across town from warm to cold to warm. The tuners are the open gear type and aren’t the best but I haven’t had any problem tuning it so far. All the interior bracing seems solid, well placed and firmly glued with no gaps or spaces, drips etc. showing. Likewise the neck joint seems equally well made. There is a strap button on the bottom of the body, the other end must be tied under the strings on the headstock, or another strap button must be added. The bridge is well made and securely fastened to the face of the guitar. It does have the intimated B and high E string saddle which would need to be replaced if someone is thinking of stringing it lefty and flipping it over. It comes with a warranty card and an Allen wrench. If you are in the industry you can compare this to an entry level Yamaha acoustic from the late 1980’s early 1999’s as far as playability. It’s not a full scale nor is it a dreadnaught shape body as the top bout meets the neck at the 12th fret instead of 14th. But comparable quality. As far as sound it’s quite nice and much louder than I expected very articulate and …crisp mids, nice round highs, and the low end is pretty well balanced and has that growl you get in drop D owing to the short scale. Sounds like it’s just aching for a coricedan bottle!All in all I really can’t think of anything else to say other than I was really sceptical but hey this thing holds its own. For the money nothing else I have seen even comes close! I plan on using this live for a few songs.WORD OF WARNING: This came FedEx. I have received several packages this month from them. One requires a signature so I missed work to stay home and sign for it. Then at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon they changed the delivery date to “unknown”. because the item was still in Texas and wasn’t going to make it to Seattle by ground in the next day let alone by 8:00pm Saturday as they had been saying all week. It showed up Monday morning after I went to work (delivery date was still unknown on computer). And this guitar comes in a box that says Gretsch in giant letters on it. So I left a note telling them to leave it next door which is about 30ft from my door to theirs. FedEx just left the guitar on my porch with Gretsch facing out towards the street.

    97 people found this helpful

  25. David Lewis

    Tight

    Tidy

  26. Pcat

    Cheap Fun!!

    I was looking for a “knock-around” guitar and began stumbling across reviews for the Gretsch Jim Dandy. I have to be honest: I was deeply skeptical of the positive reviews this little $149 guitar was getting but I took a chance and ordered one. It definitely lives up to the hype but in the interest of being objective here are my observations:Appearance: Gretsch has nailed the retro vibe. If you’re looking for the aesthetics of deeply-grained tone-wood this isn’t your instrument but the Jim Dandy has it’s own vintage charm. The Tobacco Sunburst top is a matte spray finish that looks good and is evenly applied. The rest of the instrument is flat black which may be a fingerprint magnet … time will tell. The pinstripe on the top is obviously hand-painted; there are some minor imperfections but it really fits in with the retro theme Gretsch is shooting for. The cheesy (in my opinion) pick guard and open tuners only bolster that theme. My one complaint: Gretsch made the inexplicable decision to begin their fret markings at the fifth fret rather than the third. Overall, I’d grant the Jim Dandy an 8 out of 10 for appearance.Build: The Jim Dandy is a relatively light weight guitar and subjectively feels heavier than my Little Martin. My out-of-the-box inspection revealed no obvious flaws other than some small debris rattling around inside. The kerfing and bracing seems clean and tidy and the tuners, while stiff, function well. There are no bridge pins to lose with the Jim Dandy’s through-bridge design. Overall, I was impressed by the quality and the instrument was actually close to being in tune right out of the box! Further, the factory set-up is actually very good. The neck is straight, the nut is reasonably well cut, the action is quite playable with nary a buzz or dead spot. The real surprise is the fret work on this guitar. One British reviewer commented that the Jim Dandy had the best fret work of any entry-level guitar he’s seen. I’ll go a step further: the Jim Dandy I received has better fret work than guitars costing several hundred dollars more based on my auditioning of instruments at local music stores. Overall: a 10 out of 10 given the price point.Sound: Fun! Again, if you’re looking for high-end tone and sustain this isn’t your instrument. That said, the Jim Dandy has an enjoyable sound … it’s somewhat boxy yet sweet, especially when finger picked. If you’re a strummer I’d recommend trying light gauge nylon picks as these seem to emphasize the Jim Dandy’s mid-range where celluloid or tortex can ring a bit harsh. Does it have the clarity, voice or vibe of any of my Martins? No. But it has its own sound that is enjoyable. Overall: 8 out of 10.The Jim Dandy is an unapologetically budget guitar that manages to be playable and fun for a price point that’s really hard to believe. Really, it’s not hard to spend more on a case than you would spend on this guitar. In my opinion it’s a perfect instrument for places one might hesitate to take a more expensive guitar.

    35 people found this helpful

  27. DylanDylan

    Excellent Little Guitar!

    I picked this up to learn finger style delta blues after reading all the positive reviews and watching the video of Eric Bibb singing its praises.This is a very fun and comfortable guitar to play. It has a unique voice, the low end is a bit muted and the mid range is very strong and ‘woody’. On the one I kept the low C booms out a bit more than the other notes both on the A string and high up the neck on the low E. I like that, it gives it even more character than it already has, and it has quite a bit of character to begin with.Currently my two favorite acoustics are this Jim Dandy and my Gibson J-15. Entirely different beasts, but both very enjoyable to play.If I hit the lottery I’d buy these by the case and hand them out to random strangers and spread the joy!I did have to send one back for rough fret work and a few other issues, but the one I kept is very nicely made, and far nicer than I expected for a guitar under $200. Unfortunately it came with a dent in the back. The outer shipping carton was fine, but the inner carton took a hard hit at some point which went right through the box and dented the back. However since it’s plywood and the paint is very durable, there’s no splitting or paint missing and no damage visible inside the body. It’s a very sturdy little guitar! Since every guitar is unique and I happen to really like this particular guitar’s “booming C” I’m keeping the dented one for life. I’ll consider the dent a “beauty mark”.I lowered the string slots at the nut and the guitar plays like silk. Nearly every nut has the slots set high from the factory since you can always lower slots, so they leave them high and let the customer, (or the customer’s luthier), lower them to taste. So high action at the nut isn’t a criticism of the Jim Dandy, it’s standard in my experience. The only other thing I did was replace the plastic strap button with one more in the spirit of this guitar, a vintage style ivorid, (imitation ivory), button from Iluak Ivory. Luckily the screw holding the plastic button on was a smaller diameter than the replacement so I just had to drill out the hole. I’ve attached a photo of the ivorid button.Note that the Gretch Resonator Roots Collection gig bag fits the Jim Dandy well and is a nice looking and very high quality gig bag.

    8 people found this helpful

  28. Jose E Rodriguez

    Jim Dandy not parlor but parlor size

    Overall I’m okay with my purchase. It’s a parlor size guitar but it is not really parlor but Jim Dandy which is something unique on its own. That means that the style and tone are targeted for blues/country/folk and to be accompanied with steel guitar and-or resonator. Not your typical parlor guitar tones which is what I wanted until I played blues with it and fell in love with what I would describe as somewhat tin box tones mixed with slight touch of guitarlele tones in good taste. It is hard to describe but the wood used sure produces unique delta blues tones. Strongly suggest replacing the strings that comes with it, good strings makes a huge difference. I have to admit, it took some getting used to play with the short scale and no dot mark on the third fret. Definitely no high octave shredding on this. Also, the neck is chunky and action is higher than what I’m used to, probably for the use of a slide but it’s not bad. The guitar has great timbre for a small size, which makes finger picking sounds great and effortless but strumming is not as good in tone.I would say it’s a good beginner’s guitar if you are into blues otherwise your regular pop songs will sound a little off and the sound quality may not be as pleasant to you. If you like more of pop rock music spend a little more and go for the typical parlor Gretsch G9511 or Fender, Ibanez, etc.The guitar looks of quality that surpasses price which is something you see often with Gretsch. At first I thought the open tuners were not going to last but I’m pleasantly surprised that hold tune incredibly well and passed the beach and camping test. The size is perfect, makes it easy, fun to play and practice anywhere and that alone will make you love it. I have 2 more guitars but this one has become my go to guitar and it is the cheapest one. I assume because of the small size it comes with only one strap pin, thus the strap must go thru the tuning headstock but with strap it can hang on your back like a backpack very comfortably and it makes you look cool. :)I had to lower my rating to 3 stars because the fretboard is abrasive in some spots when string bending and even soaked in oil will occasionally have crunchy tones when bending, and it is becoming an annoyance. Is like the neck quality control is completely different from the body. I got it fixed with light sanding but it reflects price vs quality. Although double action thrust rod for that price is a nice surprise. But again, overall It’s okay or great if you’re not too picky.

    21 people found this helpful

  29. Ratboy

    Updated: I do love this little dude…

    Well I just got mine… arrived a few hours ago. I’ve been playing it non-stop since. I really can do little more than repeat what others before me (the good reviews) have said: she’s a little darling… incredibly easy to play – fits perfectly in my arms and hands. The neck is beautifully shaped; the fretboard is fantastic. The string spacing is perfect for us fingerpickers… and when I tune her to an Open tuning and get out my Rock Slide brass slide – she’s at home. As far as looks go – well, I can’t tell what she looks like when I’m playing her so who cares? She looks fine sitting on my stand where she won’t spend a lot of time. This is, easily, the most guitar I’ve ever received for $150.00… do not hesitate to buy this baby if it’s an easy-playing small guitar you’re looking for… she’s just great. Love her instantly from the moment I get her the way I wanted… even the strings she came with are fantastic – with great action; Everything is really perfect. Couldn’t be happier… well there’s one thing: the frets are a bit sharp and need to be worked on, but… c’mon, if that’s the worst thing I can say about this guitar you know she’s a winner. Amazing price to value ratio.Update: I’ve had this guitar for, I don’t know, a few months now… I just wanted to say that this is the best guitar I’ve ever owned. I mean, not just in relation to the cost of the instrument, but… it’s the most enjoyable to play… it has superb tone (lacks a tad on the lower register but it’ a parlor, that’s too be expected…) and it plays like a dream. It is constantly by my side or in my hands. I love it. I cannot possibly imagine a better deal on a guitar anywhere or from anyone. Gretsch has simply *killed it* with this one. I am astounded… There must be something in the drinking water in Indonesia because every guitar I’ve had that has been made there has been good… but this… I just cannot recommend this guitar enough. Am I making myself clear? Buy this guitar if you are even remotely considering it. You will not do any better buying anything else. It is… the best. A great guitar. If I had paid 500 bucks for it I’d be saying the same thing, by the way…

    4 people found this helpful

  30. Natroneous

    Great guitar arrived with junk strings

    Overall I’m really happy. I’ve been looking to get one of these since they came out and happy I finally did. Love the finish and overall the craftsmanship on mine is quite nice for a sub $200 guitar.My only complaint is that the included strings were so tarnished and old that I had to replace them immediately (I used Martin Retro Modals). The Jim Dandy actually comes with decent D’addario strings, so it was a shame to cut them off without using (and a waste of $).When I wrote to “Gretsch” about the strings they told me “no replacements are available “ SAY WHA??? For one, they are actually even available on Amazon. 2, was I supposed to keep those old strings on for the life of the guitar? For those reading, it was very easy to find and replace them ;)Anyway, I’m certainly not sending back the guitar with my brand new strings on it. I like the guitar now, I was just hoping for a new set sent to me.Also for what it’s worth all responses came from a company named Adorma – not Gretsch, so even though it looks like it in the listing, I’m not sure this is really coming from Gretsch directly.

    3 people found this helpful

  31. jonesvox

    Just Dandy

    Well, isn’t this “dandy?” I received my new Jim Dandy yesterday. Packaged very well but still has an odd scratch on the front and some wipe mark as if the person who applied the pick guard got glue on it and attempted to “fix” it. Not that noticeable so I will keep the guitar. It was actually almost in tune out of the box. Never had that with a new guitar.Stings are a bit heavy gauge for me. Plays fairly well. No fret buzz. It’s a fun & quirky. I’m going to install a preamp and under saddle pickup. It will be fun and add a retro vibe to my solo gigs. It’s a fun little guitar to leave on the couch & noodle with. For the low price it’s a blast.

    2 people found this helpful

  32. Ringo

    Great Value, but keep in mind the small scale

    Great sounding guitar, beautiful finish, and very well made. A great recreation of the old parlor/ catalog guitars meaning its a smaller scale. Not only is the body smaller, the neck is a smaller scale, thus the frets are as well.

  33. Dave

    Very impressive

    Very impresssive guitar for the price. I wanted something I could take with me when I travel, and for family gatherings. This guitar met every need and sounds fantastic. I have always known Gretsch to make quality instruments but for the price, this guitar is worth a lot more. The small body size makes it very comfortable to play, and the neck is very beefy and instantly makes you feel at home. I have had this guitar by the campfire, out early in the morning, and have let it sit for over a week, and it still stays in tune. Whether you’re looking for a cheap beater to have around the house, or a solid back up travel guitar, this thing will certainly fit the bill.

    13 people found this helpful

  34. Dark one

    Looks better than it plays!

    I had been waiting to buy this guitar since September 2019. This guitar was so hot that it supposedly all sold out and we had to wait till Feb 2020 before they made anymore. I was hugely underwhelmed by the following. This is not a smaller guitar like the Baby Taylor. This is actually a 3/4 size guitar. It really only has 12 playable frets almost like a toy guitar. Any fret higher than 12 is not really playable or it sounds like a toy. Looks great like an ancient parlor guitar. It sounds deep and I could still smell the smell of newly cut wood because this was a new batch. The problem I have is, it just sounds like a cheap guitar. Nothing really special. It doesn’t sound like a parlor guitar as I expected. It just sounds a tad better than a guitar for that price but by no means does it sound like those old blues guitars and I am not sure if you can even get those types of tones. It sounds deep and dry to me. Maybe the guitar needs to age and might benefit from different strings. Clearly it looks better than it plays.

    13 people found this helpful

  35. Amazon Customer

    Great smaller guitar

    I’m a beginner and the size is perfect. It sounds great. The only beef I have is there is no where to connect a guitar strap.

  36. Grant

    Exactly what I needed

    No damage while shipping. Guitar is the perfect size. Sound is amazing considering the size and price. Prior to purchasing I read other reviews and detail and they were all pretty spot on. I’m a beginner and I find this guitar easy to play on. If you’re looking for a small guitar at a good price this is the one.

  37. john heckman

    impressed.

    For 150 dollars u cant go wrong with this guitar. I have a very expensive acoustic that sounds amazing, but its huge and a bit of a hassle to play. I bought this guitar with the thought of campfire songs and easier practice. Ill tell u what right out of the box i fell in love with it. Ie been playing guitar 6 years and this guitar is one of my favorites. It is so much fun to play, if your into noodleing and chords while your taveling this is the guitar for you.Now about the guitar, the finish isnt what u expect, its not a laquer, so i dont know how it holds up to temperature. Theie are slight cracks in the finish on the neck, probably from quick temperature flux. And th white line bordering the edges dosent go under the neck, it just stops. The intination is great, i only found one dead note, the tuners fit perfectly with the desighn. The only thing i dont really like about this guitar is the fretboard. The lay ins are huge, and the wood for the fret board just looks cheap. This is a 150 dollar guitar and u will be suprised how nice it feels when u start playing. Id buy it again

    15 people found this helpful

  38. nick tannehill

    M-!-S-S-!-S-S-!-P-P-!

    Great guitar, solidly built. Anyone who may complain about finishing issues, I think, is missing the point of this guitar. It has a beefy neck which is taking some getting used to, It stays in tune better than the Taylor GS mini and it sounds great! At this price I plan to get every color and tune each one to a different open tuning. This guitar coupled with the Jim Dunlop 232 Harris brass slide(and a little truss rod adjustment to bring up the action) will transport you to the front porch of a rundown country house deep down in Mississippi on a scorching hot day, with dust kicking up in the wind and… I think you catch my drift. I decided to remove the pick-guard which was about as easy as removing the UPC sticker from a Bic lighter. I’ve handled both the Fender and Recording King parlor guitars and even if they were $149 instead of $199, I’d still get this guitar.

    29 people found this helpful

  39. April HApril H

    I ended up buying a second one for myself

    This is an incredibly good sounding guitar. I bought for my grandson. I had it shipped to me tune it up and started playing. And I bought another one for my son-in-law. And I thought I would just add a picture of my dog because she’s so cute that’s Maggie.

    11 people found this helpful

  40. Nicholas Mageras

    Very happy.

    My guitar arrived quite early, and I couldn’t be more happy with it. It’s construction is solid. I was deciding between this and and something else, but in my opinion you can’t really go wrong with a Gretsh, even in this price range. It sounds like it was made to play the blues, and it’s perfect size for travel.

  41. C L Wheeler

    Awesome 12 Fret Small Body Blues / Travel Guitar for the Price (Cheap)!

    Met all the expectations I had after reading review after review about how great a guitar it is for $150. Didn’t have an opportunity to see one in person and I was skeptical when I ordered it because I’ve heard stories like that before. The finish is pretty terrible and sloppy and I had to take a minute to get over that before really deciding what I thought about it. Especially for a guitar it’s size (its small) it has great volume and tone; it plays really good right out of the box; it stays in tune really good and has good intonation; the frets, fret board, nut, and saddle setup are great, and the neck action is like a full size guitar not like the the action on other ‘Travel” guitars I’ve had experience with. What more could you want for a $150 12 fret small body blues player/beater?

    7 people found this helpful

  42. C. MarinoC. Marino

    A good little parlor for the beach

    Perfect for what I was looking for, a small, inexpensive guitar for travel, camping, beach so that one would not be devastated if it got lost or damaged. Of course it would be great if it looked and sounded like a $2,500 parlor guitar, but then it would not have cost only $169 and I would not be taking it to the beach. It is easy to play, balanced and a solid little guitar. I would have happily paid a bit more for better tuners, these work but slip a bit when tuning. Maybe an upgrade down the road.

  43. Amazon Customer

    Perfect parlor guitar

    This is not a toy guitar. It is a parlor acoustic guitar. These are smaller guitars, more comfortable and they unique sound. I love this guitar. And it is perfect for practice.

    3 people found this helpful

  44. kaveh

    An extremely comfortable guitar to play….

    I have the sunburst version. I took the pick guard off likety-split….to get rid of the unsightly “G”….came off very easy….looks eve better without the pick guard… This is an excellent guitar. It is extremely comfortable to play, mostly because it is so small. It is probably the smallest parlor guitar that you’ll be able to find. The sound is “tinny” ….as everybody who plays it will tell you…..because of the cheap/laminate woods used…..but it does give the guitar an old-school Delta blues sound. Those old-school blues guys weren’t playing fancy-pants expensive guitars….I have 6 or 7 guitars…acoustic and electric…that are more expense than this one….but I still come back to my trusty “Jim Dandy”….great guitar to learn on too….buy it…you won’t be disappointed…

    3 people found this helpful

  45. Fatratdaddy

    Just picking it up will make you smile.

    It didn’t come double boxed, but it was well packed so there were no shipping issues. It’s set up very well and it’s ready to play out of the box. I changed the strings, polished the frets, oiled the fretboard and I’ve been really pleased with the results. It’s just a fun guitar to play.

  46. J. Ellick

    Another Gretsch Masterpiece !!!

    Wanted the blue one, but ended up with the cherryburst. The action was alittle high out of the box, but a quick neck adjustment lowered it where it plays comfortable, with no buzz and perfect intonation. The body is small but comfortable.I’ve played for 40 years and owned the best guitars out there,this acoustic is a quality instrument. Kinda ugly finish ,but a great classic palor guitar aka Robert Johnson tone. The hardware may be cheap but works perfectly, no tune slippage. The strings work well right out of the box , no need to change them. The neck is wide for such a small guitar but it serves a purpose, a great players design. I agree with all the positive reviews ,this guitar is worth every penny. Beginner to proffesional this is worth having. I’m happy I purchased one.

    11 people found this helpful

  47. iLean

    Not for strumming

    I loved that bass it put out, but only when you’re picking. I read a lot of good reviews and a few that said not good for upbeat songs, nor strumming. I took my chances and returned it after only 2 days. When in boxing, the G string was broken. I replaced them and initially thought it was going to be perfect for small group platform. I tried it the next day at one and boy was it a train wreck. The room ate up the bass and the clanging shrill was all that lingered. In a small room by yourself or with 2 people, it sounds clean and meaty. I was so disappointed with the sound quality I returned it immediately. I gave it great stars individually bc for picking it is nice, just not strumming. I bought a Yamaha JR1 the next weekend for $149 that does the job much better and more affordably.

  48. Jeremy

    You won’t be disappointed…if you know what to expect at this price range.

    I wanted to get back into playing, but didn’t want to spend a fortune. In the past, I had great luck with cheaper guitars costing $200 or less. All you’ve got to do is bring them to a guy or gal to get them set up.I’ve had a couple of hours now to play around with this beauty. I wasn’t expecting a great dynamic range from this type of wood & at this price, but this guitar is a keeper for only 169.99 plus free shipping.If any of you are looking for a guitar to travel with, to give as a gift for someone, then look no further. They say that some things are too good to be true, but this isn’t. It’s too good and it’s true.

    3 people found this helpful

  49. Kenneth

    Highly Prized !!

    This Jim Dandy arrived in excellent protective packaging with no damage. I owned a Baby Taylor but sold it and now have replaced it with the Jim Dandy and I’m very satisfied with the sound and quality. Ordered the brown which gives it a rustic look. I’ve added a removable pick up and practice slide guitar. This is a very good purchase and I highly recommend the Jim Dandy. I checked out the you tube vids and that’s what convinced me to order it. I looked at other parlor guitars and this has the best bang for the buck and hey it’s a Gretsch. I also own Gibson, Epiphone, Wechter and Fender acoustic guitars and I feel I’m qualified to make this recommendation.

    5 people found this helpful

  50. Douglas R. Harwood

    Gift one of these to a child! Perfect social media killer!

    Bought this little parlor back in early August to set up as a Delta Blues machine and for slide. Absolutely loved the retro sound. Carefully removed the pickguard and kept the action a little high. Unfortunately my 11 year old granddaughter also loved it. So “Papaw” lowered the action, light gauge Ernie Ball phosphors, new gig bag and tuner and put it on Santa’s sled. She’s named it “Baby”. Priceless! Ear to ear smile. I wonder who’ll end up with my vintage Martin collection?

    2 people found this helpful

  51. K Ryder

    After two years still going strong

    I purchased this guitar in Nov 2018 and have been steadily playing it since then. I own or have owned Martin, Gibson, Taylor, and Yamaha higher end guitars. I purchased this as my knock around guitar. It has nice low action, stays in tune, and has held up perfectly since the day I got it with no issues. It didn’t even need a setup when it arrived, as it played great out of the box. It sits on a stand in my living room so that I can just pick it up whenever the mood strikes. All that being said, you should have realistic expectations. It has a boxy sound which is actually reminiscent of some low end guitars made decades ago. Think the old blues players from the 30’s who created amazing music on those cheap guitars. For the money, it has a comfortable neck and it’s good sounding for what it is. Again I’ll emphasize, it’s not going to sound like something that costs several hundred or more dollars. For this price it does what it’s designed to do.

    4 people found this helpful

  52. SteveW

    Great little travel guitar

    Excellent little travel guitar. Easy to take with you. Sounds is about what I expected for this smaller sized guitar. No issues with string action. Really fun to play. I purchased when it went on sale. For $120 this was a no brainer to purchase.

    2 people found this helpful

  53. Parkerpusher

    This Blues Box Made For Travelin..

    Really cool little guitar….gets the most play now around the house. I bought it originally because I was looking at travel guitars to take with me on the road with my construction job that takes me out of town alot. I couldn’t find one locally, but I did play the little martin and baby taylor at the GC here in town. I didn’t really like the sound that much, and they were too dang small. This Gretsch has a 24″ scale, like a fender mustang or the likes, so it’s small but it is more parlor size than travel size. So, I bought it online here without ever playing it.How does it sound? Just like a cheap plywood parlor guitar should sound. Awesomely boxy, plenty of volume, not trying to be a small version of a bigger guitar but just content to be what it is. The old vintage Montgomery Ward guitars have some competition here. Put a soundhole pickup (Lace) and changed the strings to John Pearce 12s, and this thing is totally gig worthy. If you like the whole vintage thing, and don’t have any brand loyalties to martin and taylot (I only mention these since their small guitars are very popular for travel, which was my need), I think this is a better guitar for half the price. Action is low, plays easy, and has a nice chubby vintage neck (I like that, you might not). Intonation is perfect, open gear tuners with white knobs look killer. I love it.

    17 people found this helpful

  54. liquid

    I want another one

    Great little guitar. Comes with light strings that make it feel cheaper than it is.. I put some 13s on it and it sings beautifully. Can’t imagine needing more if you’re hoping to spend around 150 for a nice “beater” or whatever you want to call it. Perfect beginner’s item, perfect traveler’s item, perfect lounge item, etc. Great action, and I’m comparing it to my Martin DCME, whose action inspires faster playing than most electric guitars I’ve played in my time. It also has a very sweet minimalist look, which you can probably already see in the picture. Looks ever better in person. The red in the center is darker than I thought it would be, but who cares. So buy it. Buy it instead of that fender or yamaha or ibanez or whatever other parlor/cheapy you’re looking at or going to see while shoppin around. Buy it for your mother and tell her you love her. Then when she says “Why did you give me this? I don’t play guitar.” Tell her it’s the thought that counts and it will be there waiting when you go see her. Then steal it.You might be hearin people say “check ebay or craigslist for a nice kay or silvertone instead..” if you’re researching forums for a new cheap axe.. I have an old Kay parlor from the 50s that I love. It has a type of life that these newer guitars do not, but this guitar is smooth like butter and will outplay almost all of those vintage ladies that you won’t be able to play in store before purchasing. Just a thought.weeeeeeeeeeeI posted a short video of some live action on youtube. Go find it. No talkin, just playin

    64 people found this helpful

  55. ……lookylul

    grandpa’s gut bucket resurrected

    Its a straight up gut bucket from the old days. The tone is “cardboard” but it nails the old blues tone perfectly. A couple of points: the action is fine, many reviewers said it was too high. Mine was perfect outta the box. Other reviewers said its a good fingerpickin’ guitar. I wouldn’t know as that is not my style. I play chords and flatpick. Jazz chords sound ok, cowboy chords sound great! I played a classical sax piece in 5th position with no problem. The construction is very basic. I’ve handled guitars from the 60s that were also mass produced and this one feels exactly like that. I played it all day when I got it and it stayed in tune. So…you want a guitar to play at home? Buy it! You want to take it on stage…hmmmm…not really a good choice due to the low volume. You need a small guitar for travel? Yes, get it now! Maybe you have never played before and need a guitar to learn on? Do it! You will not develop bad habits from its size and the low projection means you can play longer without disturbing anyone. You play metal? Blues? Folk? Country? It will do the job for practice purposes. Hope this review helps.

    5 people found this helpful

  56. Ryan MooreRyan Moore

    My favorite guitar I own.

    A friend of mine introduced me to this guitar. I fell in love with his the minute I picked it up. So I csme straight home and ordered one for myself.

    One person found this helpful

  57. Ambodian

    The quality is much better than you would expect for the price

    The quality is much better than you would expect for the price. If you really want a comparison, you could pay the same amount for a guitar with the same price in dollars in the 1960s and get nothing remotely close to the quality of this guitar. I also took a look at some of the Recording King models, but the reports of seams coming apart led me to choose this. Now I can record my CD of hokey songs about cats.Update – this guitar really grows on you. I’ve also found it records really well, especially for late 20’s early 30’s style jazz. The tone is surprisingly fat, but not boomy, and I’d guess the upper mid-range frequencies account for this. The projection quality seems better than a larger guitar.Update March 7, 2017I installed a Tusq saddle last night, PQ-9216-C0, listed as being for larivee guitars. It turned out to be close to a perfect fit with a little bit of filing and sanding, mostly on the bottom, and a tiny bit on the thickness. I also put in a set of StewMac Golden Age tuners, a little over $40 last summer, which are a significant improvement over the ones that came with it..

    21 people found this helpful

  58. Ben

    Bravo, Gretsch!

    This little number is hands down the best value on the guitar market. First of all: it sounds FANTASTIC. Loud, resonant, warm. Secondly: it’s made extremely well for the price. The satin finish is gorgeous and enhances playability. It stays in tune pretty well. The frets on mine do stick out a hair, but not enough to gouge you or effect fingering. Ive seen worse on more expensive guitars. I had to adjust the truss rod a bit to lower the action but it was very easy. Cannot recommend the Jim Dandy enough. Bravo, Gretsch!

    3 people found this helpful

  59. Lisa Garcia

    Get it, you can’t go wrong.

    Outstanding quality and craftsmanship on a very affordable parlor-style, travel guitar. Can’t go wrong unless you are expecting a larger sound which this is not intended to do. The old time bluesy sound is incredible and just like in the YouTube videos. Wish I knew how to use a slide. This is my go-to, take-along, strum anywhere guitar. Smaller scale is easy to get used to but I have medium sized mitts. It’s a keeper.

    One person found this helpful

  60. Jonah

    Very pleased

    This is my first guitar, and I was told my friends not to get anything less than $100. That originally was not really my budget but I’m really glad I extended it to get this one. I’m a total beginner and this is perfect for me. I’ve struggled in the past with guitars that were too big for me (I’m 5’4″) but this one is the perfect size.The sound is great but there is a bit of fret buzz. The guitar itself is really nice looking, the color is great and it has a cool southern / Johnny Cash vibe to it.Really the perfect guitar for a beginner or someone looking for a smaller sized model. I’m so happy with it.

    4 people found this helpful

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