Known for his shredding ways, Paul Gilbert shows PG host John Bohlinger his robust musical vocabulary that hinges on hummable melodies and creative chord progressions. Oh, and then there's the whole thing where he wrote his latest album, WROC,around George Washington’s Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation. Another impressive attribbute of Gilbert's is impeccable music intellect recall for songs and lyrics. He claims to have stolen most of what he knows and plays, but we think that's just humility. Enjoy the conversation, camaraderie, and jams with PG and JB!
Because I come from a family of Beatles freaks, I think the first Les Paul-style guitar I saw was really George Harrison’s black Bigsby-fitted Duo Jet. I loved that guitar—in no small part because it was a symbol of the Beatles’ punky Hamburg and Cavern days. The new, relatively affordable Electromatic Premier Jet reviewed here is, of course, a descendent of that old Duo Jet. It’s a lot flashier than George’s Jet, but you can see the silhouette, gentle curves, and balanced, handsome proportions that make the Gretsch such an appealing Les Paul alternative. The Premier Jet is also a very different and evolved animal in terms of sound and feel. Stylish though it may be—and in a very vintage Gretsch way, at that—the Premier Jet is an instrument with very modern leanings.
Light and Flash
Gretsch Jets differ from Gibson’s single-cutaway standard bearer in significant ways that aren’t obvious to the uninitiated. Jets are almost always chambered. They typically feature classic Gretsch family pickups like Filter’Trons and DynaSonics, each of which has a personality very different from PAF pickups. (P-90 players might find more common ground.) The Electromatic Premier Jet isn’t equipped with either of those classic Gretsch pickups. But the solid maple-capped mahogany body is chambered, and trimming some heft results in an instrument that hangs comfortably on the shoulders. It’s not featherweight, exactly, but it doesn’t immediately induce thoughts of the chiropractor’s office like some solidbodies can.
Light weight isn’t the Electromatic Premier Jet’s only ergonomic virtue. The volume knob is positioned just below and nearly parallel to the Lockdown locking wraparound bridge, facilitating easy volume swells and other active uses of the control. The two tone knobs are nicely spaced and oriented relative to their respective pickups, with the bridge positioned behind the neck. The tone controls each feature a no-load position which removes the tone capacitor from the circuit entirely. The no-load position is marked by a detent at the maximum position, which is great for confirmation that you're running the Jet wide open. But I would occasionally click into the no-load zone while searching for the maximum-tone-load-with-capacitor setting. I’m sure a little practice makes this maneuver second nature, but it threw me off balance more than once.
"Players that fight fret-hand fatigue will find the Electromatic Premier Jet to be friendly company.”
Back to the ergonomic upsides: The 10-14" radius ebony fretboard is a playground for the bend-happy set. Even though the action is low, full-step bends at the way up to the 22nd fret feel easy. And while George Harrison was on my mind from the second I opened the case, I’m pretty sure it was the slinky feel of the fretboard—rather than the guitar’s vague likeness to his Duo Jet—that led me to tinker endlessly with variations on his bubbly, bendy, super-fluid “Something” solo. This guitar practically compels you to play in this fashion—bluesy, languid, even tenderly. And between the compound radius and medium-jumbo frets, such expressions tend to feel effortless. Certainly, players that fight fret-hand fatigue will find the Electromatic Premier Jet to be friendly company. As far as the "performance-c"neck profile goes, players that like Gibson’s SlimTaper neck shape—one that appears across many Gibson and Epiphone models—will be very much at home here. I switched a lot between this guitar and a 1964-spec SG while seeking points of reference, and the two necks felt very similar in many regards.
Plump, Powerful, Brash, and Bratty
If the Electromatic Premier Jet’s compound radius fretboard, Luminlay side dots, locking tuners, and slyly flash “clairvoyant” sparkle finish (which shifts from deep blue to purple depending on the light and angle) weren’t hints enough, this guitar is not an exercise in vintage authenticity. It’s geared for players that are unencumbered by vintage-correct specifications and sounds, and this design orientation is most apparent in the Sphera Twin Six humbuckers.
The Spheras are driven by Alnico 6 magnets. They’re pretty hot, which has a significant effect on their basic voice. If you’re hunting for humbucker sounds in the most classic PAF mold (and given the guitar’s visual similarities to a Les Paul it’s reasonable to assume there are sonic ones, too) it’s wise to play the Gretsch before you buy. Oddly, at times the Spheras sounded as much like a hot, jumbo-sized Stratocaster pickup as anything else (especially when I used the push-pull, low-cut Lumen Filter). And compared to a PAF—even an Alnico 5 version—the Spheras are tightly focused and less airy around the edges where many harmonics and overtones do their most playful work.
On the other hand, you can hear a family resemblance to Gretsch’s hotter humbuckers like the Full’Tron, and more appropriately in this case, the muscular Broad’Tron. There’s midrange punch to spare that pairs handsomely with Fender-style amps, which offer the Premier Jet the headroom it needs. (Not surprisingly, jumped-up rockabilly through a piggyback Bassman and a Fender Reverb unit sounds pretty great.) British-style circuits are good running mates for the Spheras if you crave pure power. But even attenuated volume settings from the Jet tended to lead straight to crunch world with a midrange-y Marshall or Vox voice downstream, and consequently there’s a lot less dynamic space and headroom. There are many great sounds to find in these pairings, but they may confound expectations among less experienced players. Considering what amp you use the most and how you’ll use it with the Electromatic Premier Jet is time well spent.
The Verdict There’s much to love about the Electromatic Premier Jet. It’s outwardly seductive and arresting—particularly in the “clairvoyant” blue/purple sparkle. It’s comparatively light, and the flat-out ease of fretting, bending, and moving around the compound-radius fretboard makes it easy to disappear into a long practice or writing session—particularly if you dig fleet-fingered leads or melodic chord sequences. Features like the carved heel and belly and knee cuts make it more comfortable still. The locking tuners allow for quick string changes, and the overall quality of the instrument is excellent. If your sonic aims fit those of the hot, midrangey pickups, the $799 street price will be a bargain. For players that like more vintage-style sounds and style, Gretsch alternatives like the G5230T Electromatic Jet may make more sense. But if you’re unbound by such constraints, the Electromatic Premier Jet can prod a player down very different paths. And while its raw power can make it seem like it’s straining at the leash, the way it functions as a natural extension of the player’s body and fingers can, paradoxically, make the Jet quite civilized, too.
Caption: New York punk band Downtown Boys’ third full-length record, Public Luxury, is released on June 26 via Sub Pop.
A: My older brother played guitar and I inherited his old Peavey Rage amp when I started playing in high school. It seemed like the coolest, greatest amp in the world. Somehow it was already very beat up, even though it never left the house. It was way louder than I needed for home practice, and I wasn’t allowed to turn it up past being barely audible. To make it sound decent, you really had to crank up the gain and the highs, and I’m sure I’ve been chasing that treble-y distortion ever since. I no longer have a Peavey, but I do get excited when a venue has one for the backline.
Obsession: I’ve always loved her music, but I’ve been especially obsessed with Yasmine Hamdan over the past year. Her latest record I remember I forget is incredible. My band Downtown Boys loved her animated video for the title track “I Remember I Forget,” and we hired her animator Khalil to make the stunning music video for our recent single, “You’re a Ghost.”
Jon Levy, Publisher
A: I still have my first amp: a 1973 Fender Vibro Champ. It reigns over my home studio and I use it almost every day! This baby has endured more abuse than a one-legged rodeo clown. I’ve blown it up several times. (Did you know that amps don’t like it when you plug in a cranked MXR Distortion+ through a Morley Power Wah? My Vibro Champ taught me that valuable life lesson when I was 17.) After each repair it has returned stronger than ever … and it still sounds great. It has outlasted guitars, pedals, bands, and relationships. Hell, it’ll probably outlast me. I love that damn amp.
Obsession: Playing bass again. I recently gigged on bass for the first time in a few years. It reminded me how much I love playing bass, and how it improves my playing/listening when I’m back on guitar. My advice: Embrace the opportunity to play other instruments. It’ll infuse and benefit your guitar playing in cool, unexpected ways.
Richard Bienstock, Editorial Director
Photo by Ron Lyon
A: My first amp was a Gorilla GG-20, which doesn’t speak so much to their popularity at the time—though plenty of kids starting out in my day had one—but more to the fact that it was what the mom-and-pop music store in my town, which was also where you took lessons, had in stock. Solid state, harsh, unforgiving—it was exactly what you expect from a first amp. Disclaimer: The “Tube Stack” distortion switch did not, in fact, offer up authentic-sounding tube tone. Paired with an Aria Pro II superstrat in searing neon yellow (the color didn’t affect the tone, but it certainly didn’t help) and a Boss HM-2, and you were ready for maximum buzzsaw.
Obsession: Harmony guitar. I’ve loved it since the first time I heard “The Boys Are Back in Town” (or maybe it was Ratt’s “Round and Round”?), but I’m back on it in a big way—mostly because my son plays now, so we’ve got our own twin-guitar team in-house. Thirds, sixths, majors, minors, octaves—endless combinations, all of them killer.
Luke Ottenhof, Associate Editor
A: I think I must’ve been around 10 years old when my parents bought me a Barracuda Strat copy along with a Kustom Solo 16R combo. God, could that thing squeal. It was tinny and thin and vicious, and I didn’t do much with it besides dime the gain and try to get as close to Randy Rhoads’ tone as I could. (Spoiler: I did not get very close!) I also had a Zoom G1 multi-effects unit with a tone like Steve Lukather’s solo on “Hold the Line,” and I can only imagine how insane it must have sounded through my little Solo 16R. I might have to recreate that rig one of these days…
Obsession: Biking. Warm weather is finally back in Montreal after a particularly snowy winter, and I’m so thrilled to be zipping around on my two-wheeled chariot again. It’s one of the fastest and most enjoyable ways to move around the city—provided you keep your pothole radar sharp. Those things will kill you and your bike.
Designed and assembled in the USA using 360 brass, the Trem-Band™ Brass Tremolo Blocker prevents upward motion in Floyd Rose® and other select tremolos. Its band and compression fitting system allows for a quick, secure, and fully reversible installation with no permanent modifications required.
The block and wedge system provides the highest vibrational transference available—delivering increased sustain and improved resonance for an overall clearer, more articulate tone. Instant punch you can feel. This makes it the ideal solution for players seeking dependable performance, including those using the EVH D-Tuna® system.
Benefits include:
No drilling holes into the guitar—fully reversible installation
360 brass construction for increased sustain and enhanced tone
Downward-only/non-floating tremolo operation for improved tuning stability
Band and Compression fitting system for easy installation
Greatly reduces time spent changing strings and tuning your instrument
Trem-Band LLC develops innovative, non-invasive hardware solutions that improve tremolo performance, tone, and tuning stability. The company is committed to precision engineering, hands-on customer service, and seamless integration with existing guitar systems.
The Trem-Band™ Brass Tremolo Blocker is available now at www.trem-band.com
Mad Professor Amplification has released an updated version of the award winning Super Black pedal. This new compact version has increased headroom and output level along with the new smaller footprint.
The all analog circuit replicates the whole signal path of the legendary 60’s Black Panel amplifier in a pedalboard friendly format. From sparkly clean tone to powerful overdrive, this pedal will give you all the dynamics of the amp with no need for excessive volume. The SB mini can be used as a tone shaping overdrive in front of an amp or as a standalone preamp straight into a cabinet IR or FX loop return of an amplifier.
High headroom preamp/overdrive pedal for guitar and bass
Can be powered from 9V to 18V – increased headroom with higher voltages
Super Black mini is part of Mad Professor’s factory series manufactured in Taiwan. Preorders now open at www.mpamp.com and pedals will ship on July 1st. Available also from official retailers. Suggested retail price 219€ (US street price 219$).
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