Gretsch G9500 2704000579 Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

The Gretsch G9500 acoustic guitar is a high-quality, handcrafted acoustic instrument that offers a rich, full tone and smooth playability. This dreadnought-style guitar has a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a comfortable body design. Gretsch is known for making classic American guitars with eye-catching visual styles, and the G9500 continues that tradition with its elegant appointments and stylish details. This guitar delivers warm, balanced sound across the tonal spectrum, making it suitable for many musical genres. The G9500 offers musicians a well-crafted instrument built to exacting standards by a storied guitar maker. With its quality construction and handsome aesthetics, this Gretsch acoustic is designed to inspire musicians and delight audiences.

Build Quality

The Gretsch G9500 acoustic guitar has excellent build quality, as you would expect from a premium instrument in this price range. The top, back and sides are made from solid Sitka spruce and mahogany, which are popular tonewoods known for their balanced sound and good projection.

The neck is also mahogany, with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Mahogany necks have a smooth feel and add warmth to the sound. Rosewood is a dense, oily wood that helps produce clear notes with good sustain. These all contribute to the full-bodied tone Gretsch is known for.

In terms of craftsmanship, the G9500 shows attention to detail. The dovetail neck joint is cleanly cut for stability. The nut and saddle are made from quality bone, and the frets are medium sized for comfortable playing. The fit and finish is excellent overall, with no sharp edges or uneven joints.

The gloss top and semi-gloss back and sides make for an attractive guitar that will age nicely over time. Given the solid wood construction and hand-crafted nature, this Gretsch acoustic is built to last for many years.

When comparing the Gretsch G9500 to other high-end acoustics like the Fender 0373450526, you'll notice some key differences in build quality. Fender uses solid spruce for the top but laminated mahogany for the back and sides. This can affect resonance and tone. The Fender also has a nato neck, which is a dense tropical wood. It has a smooth feel but doesn't impart as much warmth as mahogany.

The binding and rosette on the Gretsch are more ornate, demonstrating masterful craftsmanship. The fretwork is impeccable as well. While the Fender is still a quality instrument, the Gretsch exceeds it when examining all the small details that define first-rate construction. From the carefully chosen woods to the pristine finish, everything about the G9500 is built to last a lifetime and inspire the musician.

Sound Quality

The Gretsch G9500 produces a warm, balanced tone that projects nicely without being overly bright or boomy. The combination of a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides provides a pleasant blend of warmth and clarity.

The spruce top allows the guitar to project the sound outward and upward with volume and sweetness in the high end and mids. Yet the mahogany back and sides add some low end body and richness to the tone. There is good note separation and definition across the tonal spectrum.

The guitar has excellent sustain and resonance. Notes ring out with a pleasing bloom as the spruce top vibrates freely. The mahogany also helps sustain notes in the bass and midrange. Chords have nice decay and a singing voice-like quality.

The guitar's body shape further enhances the balanced and well-rounded tone. Its medium depth provides ample volume and bass response without becoming too boomy or muddy. The tone remains focused and clear during strumming or fingerpicking.

Overall, the G9500's tonewood combination and body size give it a very musical voice that works well for various playing styles and genres. It's balanced and responsive, projecting a clear, vibrant tone.

The Gretsch G9500's warm, balanced tone makes it a versatile acoustic guitar suitable for many musical applications. Its blend of spruce and mahogany produces great clarity and definition across the tonal range. Another comparable guitar is the Epiphone ENSVEBVCH1. This all-mahogany acoustic also delivers a balanced tone with nice warmth and body. Its mahogany top, back, and sides provide a smooth, even response tailored more for rhythm playing. The Epiphone produces a darker, mellower sound compared to the G9500's spruce and mahogany combination. While not as complex sounding, the ENSVEBVCH1's tone focuses on rich lows and rounded mids. So for players wanting a darker, bassier acoustic voice, the Epiphone is a good option to consider along with the Gretsch.

Playability

The G9500 parlour guitar features a comfortably shaped mahogany neck with a 12" radius rosewood fingerboard. The neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for fast, comfortable movement up and down the fretboard.

The string action on the G9500 is set low and fast right out of the box, making it very playable and beginner friendly. Both the first position action and overall action can be further adjusted to suit your playing style using the adjustable truss rod and bridge saddle height adjustments.

The medium jumbo frets are smoothly finished and polished for speed. The fret ends are carefully rounded over so you won't encounter any sharp edges while playing. The nut width of 1 11/16" provides ample room for fingerstyle playing without feeling too wide for strumming chords. Overall the G9500 offers excellent playability right out of the box.

Hardware

The Gretsch G9500 sports quality hardware that complements the guitar's build and sound. The die-cast tuning machines work smoothly and hold tune reliably. The adjustable bridge and compensated saddle are made from quality rosewood and allow for proper intonation.

The nut is also rosewood, cut for ideal string spacing and height. It contributes to the guitar's comfortable playability up and down the neck. The hardware components come together to provide great sustain, resonance, and balanced tone across all six strings.

Overall, the hardware supports the G9500's excellent playability while retaining the Gretsch sound and style. The components are thoughtfully designed for an acoustic guitar in this price range.

Electronics

The Gretsch G9500 features high quality onboard electronics to shape your amplified tone. It has a built-in Gretsch Ampli-Sonic preamp with volume and tone controls.

The volume knob allows you to adjust the overall output level of the preamp. Turn it up higher for more volume, or lower for a cleaner sound. The tone knob lets you shape the EQ, going from a brighter, more treble focused tone when turned up, to a darker, bassier tone when turned down.

Having these simple but effective controls right on the guitar makes it easy to dial in your ideal amplified tone without needing any outboard EQs or effects. Whether you want a lush, warm jazz sound or a punchy, jangly rock tone, the preamp gives you plenty of versatility.

Overall, the onboard electronics are thoughtfully designed and well-executed. They capture the natural acoustic tone nicely, while giving you the control you need for stage and studio work.

Comfort and Ergonomics

The Gretsch G9500 is an extremely comfortable guitar to play thanks to its slim taper "C"-shaped mahogany neck and 12"-radius laurel fingerboard. The neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for very fast and fluid playing up and down the fretboard.

Despite its full dreadnought size, the G9500 feels nicely balanced on a strap or seated. The all-mahogany body contributes to the guitar's light 7.6 lb weight, making it easy on the back and shoulders during longer playing sessions.

The wider nut width of 1.725" provides a roomy feel for fretting chords and notes, especially for those with larger hands. Overall the G9500's design prioritizes playing comfort, allowing guitarists to concentrate on their music rather than fighting their instrument.

Styling

The Gretsch G9500 features a classic dreadnought body shape with a natural gloss finish. This gives it an elegant, vintage look that many players find appealing.

The top, back, and sides are all solid Sitka spruce, which allows the wood's natural grain patterns to show through clearly. There is single-ply binding along the body and neck, providing a nice decorative touch.

The fretboard and headstock have no inlay, keeping things simple and focused on the natural wood elements. Some may prefer the ornamentation of fretboard dots or other inlays, but the lack of inlays contributes to the pared-down aesthetic of this model.

The vintage-style pickguard is another nod to classic styling. Along with the shape and gloss finish, the G9500 has many visual design cues of a traditional acoustic guitar. Players who want a more ornate or flashy guitar may want to look elsewhere, but those seeking a straightforward, timeless look will appreciate the styling of the Gretsch G9500.

Notable Features

The Gretsch G9500 stands out for its classic triangular soundhole and elegant appointments that give it a truly vintage vibe. Though it has a historic look, the guitar incorporates several modern design elements:

• Highly figured maple binding and backstripe provide a touch of elegance and flair.

• The mahogany neck has a comfortable, slim taper "C"-shaped profile that makes it very playable.

• It uses a Graph Tech NuBone nut and saddle for improved sustain and clarity.

• Die-cast chrome sealed tuning machines keep it in tune through changes in humidity and temperature.

• The onboard LR Baggs Element VTC pickup system lets you plug into an amplifier or PA system for amplified performances.

• It comes strung with medium gauge phosphor bronze strings for a balanced tone.

• The vintage style hardshell case protects the guitar and gives it a retro look.

Overall, the G9500 artfully blends vintage styling with useful modern upgrades for great tone, comfort, and reliability. The elegant appointments and quality workmanship give it a high-end look and feel.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Solid spruce top provides excellent tone and projection
• Mahogany back and sides offer resonant warmth and depth
• Jumbo body style produces rich bass and bright treble
• Modified low oval neck shape feels comfortable and fast
• Fishman Presys Blend pickup lets you plug in or play acoustic
• Elegant appointments like tortoiseshell binding and headstock

Cons

• Larger jumbo body not ideal for smaller players
• Electronics can feed back at high volumes when amplified
• Higher action from bridge may make barre chords more difficult
• Does not come with a case, so one must be purchased separately
• Finish and binding may be more delicate and require care