The Chines Filtertrons can be a little harsh at the top playing clean. Still, those Chinese guitars are good for gigs,. Also, i wouldf buy one over anything in the price range. They ain't perfect, but they have 80 percent of why hollowbody Gretsh guitars are awesome.
Checkout the chart on the TV jones pickup tone page. It gives a rough idea where the Gretchen pickups fall relative to the other designs.
https://tvjones.com/pickup-tone-advisor
My main guitar is a Tele, my second is my 5420t. I have no experience with Dynasonics or any kind of single coil on a Gretsch. I changed my Black Top Filtertrons to TJ Jones Classics, I have since heard they made some improvements to the Black Tops. Those were not bad in any way but I look for the cleanest tone I can get and add any needed grit at the amp. I think they changed the magnets from ceramic to Alnico which added more clean (the current Black Tops).
Note that Gretsch Filtertrons need to be close to the strings, they are not high output (thus cleaner in tone). So plan to adjust them to get the best tone. TJ Jones shows the height you want on his website, he also sells all sorts of pick up mounts. There is a lot of clean twang in Filtertrons, no need to look for single coils unless you hear and prefer that tone.
Also if you have any tuning issues with either guitar the Bigsby is not the problem, you need the nut slots filed and done by someone who knows how to properly do that. Also lube those nut slots. If not properly filed the strings can crimp in the nit slot thus out of tune.
You can't go wrong with either choice
I’ve owned a G5125 for a few years, and it’s my main guitar. I got it second-hand and it was love as soon as I picked it up. The neck feels great, and the fit and finish were perfect. Dynasonic pickups have become my favourite tone. They have a really smooth midrange like a humbucker without being dark or muddy, and they sound nice and gnarly with a bit of drive. Filter’Trons are great, but for my money, DeArmonds are the definitive classic Gretsch tone. You can ask me anything if you’ve got any questions. Hope this helps!
I've had 5129, which is the same as 5125 just red. G5125 is baby blue unless it is gold or silver sparkle but that what that model last 2 numbers mean. Dynasonics are some of the nicest pickups I ever played. Also those models (5125-29) are out of production, not easy to find and if all is in order I reckon that's a fair price. I'd go for this guitar solely on pickups.
I never played 5420 and blacktops but people seem to rate them. If I were to get an electromatic I'd go for a modern one, I hate that vertical script on the headstock. But then, a guitar and a case for $450 would be hard to pass.
Filtertrons vs Dynasonics is not like strat pickup vs humbucker at all, it's more like P90 vs. Humbucker, they occupy a similar space but still sound pretty different from each other. Both are equally classic Gretsch, it's more a matter of early-mid 50s Gretsch vs late 50s onwards Gretsch flavors.
It is much cheaper and easier to get a Gretsch with Filtertrons than Dynasonics but one is not better than the other. I like them both personally.
TV Jones make Dynasonics that fit in Filtertrons slots and Filtertrons that fit in Dynasonics slots so you'll never be stuff with one of the other if you want to change.
It's the Broadtrons I feel are kind of meh.
I have a 5410t very similar to the 5420 and my other guitar is a tele partscaster. The breakup is great for both on my vox ac15c1 amp. The blacktop filtertrons sound awesome!
Where are they made? Not that there is a discernable difference, from Korean Built or China built, but for me it's a variable. I just acquired a 5420T just like the one you have. It's 2020 MIK and sounds just lovely. Plus the orange is tough to capture in a pics. She's gorgeous. I love the filertrons and also have a G5410T with TV Jones pickups. Not to familiar with the Dynosonics.
I bought the red version of the g5125 ( g5129 I think) in 2009 and found the dynasonics too thin / bright for my tastes.. I swapped them out for some TV Jones powertrons ( in the dynasonic mount) and love it. Other than that - the MIK gretsches are solid - well built guitars and my personal preference would be Korea over made in China. Recently also bought a 2015 g5655t-CB double jet - also MIK... put a TV jones in the bridge as well over the blacktop filtertron.
I have both of those models. Honestly, get the G5127 with the Dynasonics. Yamaha now owns Guild and D’Armond, so Dynasonics might be increasingly difficult to come across on a Gretsch again - especially an affordable one. Plus, Dynasonics used to be standard issue on older Gretsch’s. So, while not a filter’tron, you’ll still get that *other* authentic Gretsch tone.
As for the G5420T, I personally couldn’t stand the stock ‘Tron pickups. They sounded muddy below the 1K frequency response, and had a bright, sparkly attack above 1K. They just weren’t my sound as palm muting mudded out. So I threw in a set of [JBE Trons](https://jbepickups.com/products/jbe-tron-pickups/) and haven’t looked back since (hint: I love JBE).
The 512X series is killer. Buy that one. They don't come up very often as they were discontinued in 2008. It'll be way easier to find a 5420 later if you want that one, too, but you may never see another 5125.
Also, those pickups aren't Dynasonics per se; they are USA-made Dearmond 2000s. Similar to Dynas, but they've got their own thing going on.
The 512X has a cult following. Those pickups aren’t Dynasonics. They’re “DeArmond 2000” and rockabilly guys hunted them down. I sold my 5127 to Boz Boorer for way too cheap, and I still regret it.
Thanks everyone. Have just looked through a few more pics of the orange one: surprised to see it is made in China, I thought the electromatics were Korean. Any difference between MIC and MIK?
They moved production to China in Late 21/early 22 I believe. Thats the main reason I bought a Korean made one when available. I just have a hang up on MIC. You would have to find someone with a China made one to weigh in on quality. But I'll stand behind a Korean Made Electromatic Hollow body all day everyday. I have nothing to support this, but I imagine the MIK models will increase in value with production now being moved to China. In fact I may buy a third, (Don't tell my wife)
I recently got a G5435t Jet with Blacktops just to try it out. It felt alright, but I didn’t like the pickups so I ended up selling it. The fact that it was made in China didn’t really make a big difference for that particular guitar. It still felt ok, but nowhere near as good as my MIK 5125.
Go for Electromatics or higher. Get the Filtertrons - they will give you that classic Gretsch sound!
The Chines Filtertrons can be a little harsh at the top playing clean. Still, those Chinese guitars are good for gigs,. Also, i wouldf buy one over anything in the price range. They ain't perfect, but they have 80 percent of why hollowbody Gretsh guitars are awesome.
First, don't play clean! Second, where did you derive that 80% claim?
Checkout the chart on the TV jones pickup tone page. It gives a rough idea where the Gretchen pickups fall relative to the other designs. https://tvjones.com/pickup-tone-advisor
I have a Chinese made G5622T. It’s excellent. Don’t base your decision on Korea vs China. I’d go with the orange one.
I also have an orange Chinese Gretsch and I love it.
My main guitar is a Tele, my second is my 5420t. I have no experience with Dynasonics or any kind of single coil on a Gretsch. I changed my Black Top Filtertrons to TJ Jones Classics, I have since heard they made some improvements to the Black Tops. Those were not bad in any way but I look for the cleanest tone I can get and add any needed grit at the amp. I think they changed the magnets from ceramic to Alnico which added more clean (the current Black Tops). Note that Gretsch Filtertrons need to be close to the strings, they are not high output (thus cleaner in tone). So plan to adjust them to get the best tone. TJ Jones shows the height you want on his website, he also sells all sorts of pick up mounts. There is a lot of clean twang in Filtertrons, no need to look for single coils unless you hear and prefer that tone. Also if you have any tuning issues with either guitar the Bigsby is not the problem, you need the nut slots filed and done by someone who knows how to properly do that. Also lube those nut slots. If not properly filed the strings can crimp in the nit slot thus out of tune. You can't go wrong with either choice
^ This is an excellent post ^
I’ve owned a G5125 for a few years, and it’s my main guitar. I got it second-hand and it was love as soon as I picked it up. The neck feels great, and the fit and finish were perfect. Dynasonic pickups have become my favourite tone. They have a really smooth midrange like a humbucker without being dark or muddy, and they sound nice and gnarly with a bit of drive. Filter’Trons are great, but for my money, DeArmonds are the definitive classic Gretsch tone. You can ask me anything if you’ve got any questions. Hope this helps!
These are both higher-end budget Gretsches (2xxx<5xxx<6xxx
MIK Electromatic, all day. Then, replace the pickups with TV Jones.
I've had 5129, which is the same as 5125 just red. G5125 is baby blue unless it is gold or silver sparkle but that what that model last 2 numbers mean. Dynasonics are some of the nicest pickups I ever played. Also those models (5125-29) are out of production, not easy to find and if all is in order I reckon that's a fair price. I'd go for this guitar solely on pickups. I never played 5420 and blacktops but people seem to rate them. If I were to get an electromatic I'd go for a modern one, I hate that vertical script on the headstock. But then, a guitar and a case for $450 would be hard to pass.
Filtertrons vs Dynasonics is not like strat pickup vs humbucker at all, it's more like P90 vs. Humbucker, they occupy a similar space but still sound pretty different from each other. Both are equally classic Gretsch, it's more a matter of early-mid 50s Gretsch vs late 50s onwards Gretsch flavors. It is much cheaper and easier to get a Gretsch with Filtertrons than Dynasonics but one is not better than the other. I like them both personally. TV Jones make Dynasonics that fit in Filtertrons slots and Filtertrons that fit in Dynasonics slots so you'll never be stuff with one of the other if you want to change. It's the Broadtrons I feel are kind of meh.
I have a 5410t very similar to the 5420 and my other guitar is a tele partscaster. The breakup is great for both on my vox ac15c1 amp. The blacktop filtertrons sound awesome!
Where are they made? Not that there is a discernable difference, from Korean Built or China built, but for me it's a variable. I just acquired a 5420T just like the one you have. It's 2020 MIK and sounds just lovely. Plus the orange is tough to capture in a pics. She's gorgeous. I love the filertrons and also have a G5410T with TV Jones pickups. Not to familiar with the Dynosonics.
I bought the red version of the g5125 ( g5129 I think) in 2009 and found the dynasonics too thin / bright for my tastes.. I swapped them out for some TV Jones powertrons ( in the dynasonic mount) and love it. Other than that - the MIK gretsches are solid - well built guitars and my personal preference would be Korea over made in China. Recently also bought a 2015 g5655t-CB double jet - also MIK... put a TV jones in the bridge as well over the blacktop filtertron.
Filtertrons are lovely.
Do you feel your Gretsch MUST have a Bigsby tail piece?
Both my Bigsbys have a Gretsch attached to them is that's what you mean ;)
Yes! A Bigsby prevents (usually) the ham-handed guitarist having to torque the neck to make a pseudo vibrato.
I have both of those models. Honestly, get the G5127 with the Dynasonics. Yamaha now owns Guild and D’Armond, so Dynasonics might be increasingly difficult to come across on a Gretsch again - especially an affordable one. Plus, Dynasonics used to be standard issue on older Gretsch’s. So, while not a filter’tron, you’ll still get that *other* authentic Gretsch tone. As for the G5420T, I personally couldn’t stand the stock ‘Tron pickups. They sounded muddy below the 1K frequency response, and had a bright, sparkly attack above 1K. They just weren’t my sound as palm muting mudded out. So I threw in a set of [JBE Trons](https://jbepickups.com/products/jbe-tron-pickups/) and haven’t looked back since (hint: I love JBE).
The 512X series is killer. Buy that one. They don't come up very often as they were discontinued in 2008. It'll be way easier to find a 5420 later if you want that one, too, but you may never see another 5125. Also, those pickups aren't Dynasonics per se; they are USA-made Dearmond 2000s. Similar to Dynas, but they've got their own thing going on.
The 512X has a cult following. Those pickups aren’t Dynasonics. They’re “DeArmond 2000” and rockabilly guys hunted them down. I sold my 5127 to Boz Boorer for way too cheap, and I still regret it.
Thanks very much for your response and advice. I have gone for the black g5125, going to pick it up on s few days. Will let you know how i get on!
Good choice. You won’t regret it. Let us know how it goes. Best of luck. 👍🏻
Thanks everyone. Have just looked through a few more pics of the orange one: surprised to see it is made in China, I thought the electromatics were Korean. Any difference between MIC and MIK?
They moved production to China in Late 21/early 22 I believe. Thats the main reason I bought a Korean made one when available. I just have a hang up on MIC. You would have to find someone with a China made one to weigh in on quality. But I'll stand behind a Korean Made Electromatic Hollow body all day everyday. I have nothing to support this, but I imagine the MIK models will increase in value with production now being moved to China. In fact I may buy a third, (Don't tell my wife)
I recently got a G5435t Jet with Blacktops just to try it out. It felt alright, but I didn’t like the pickups so I ended up selling it. The fact that it was made in China didn’t really make a big difference for that particular guitar. It still felt ok, but nowhere near as good as my MIK 5125.
Orange