Gretsch has unveiled the latest guitar to come off its production line, and the Streamliner CVT stays true to its name with a sleek, no-nonsense design.
The Fender-owned firm has been smashing out some very impressive budget builds of late, with the single-cut Premier Jet and Electromatic Jet baritone proof of that. At $249, its new stablemate is another axe that’s kind to your wallet, and this time, is geared primarily for rock and metal.
The key details to note, besides its simplicity, are the high-output HotWire pickups, which give it its voice, and a C-shaped neck built with fast playing in mind. The two humbuckers, which sit atop a solid and contoured mahogany body that nods to the Gretsch Corvette models, are wound with a mid-range focus for “fiery riffs”.
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Both pickups are also wax-potted to kick signal buzz to the curb, and such heat should encourage players to dig in and get heavy. With that in mind, a pitch-perfect head angle, compensated wraparound bridge, and die-cast tuners mean it should take the beating with aplomb.
The headstock design helps reduce string tension and keep strings from slipping, and the NuBone nut promises to keep the guitar’s tone consistent and balanced, improving sustain. Those small details matter.
Mahogany features again with its bolt-on neck, which gets a rounded heel. It’s capped with a 22-fret Indian laurel fingerboard, a GraphTech NuBone nut, and thumbnail inlays.
While the more clichéd chic of Jet Black is catered for with its finish options, Sea Foam Green, Aged White, and Olive Drab also offer a splash of color. Black pickguards are a non-negotiable.
“This no-nonsense tone machine delivers exceptional performance, easy playability and rock-solid tuning stability at an incredible value,” says Gretsch.
The Gretsch Streamliner CVT is available now for $249/£299/€349.
See Gretsch for more.
