What kind of guitar can do this?

Question

I'm looking to buy a better guitar than my Peavy Raptor Plus. I'm willing to spend 500 or 600 dollars, but no more than that. I usually play on the clean channel with no distortion (like blues or rockabilly), but I also like to play rock or punk sometimes. I like the Gretsch G5120 electromatic hollowbody (I don't really like the bridge, though) but I also like the Epiphone Les Paul. Should I get a hollow body or a strat or what? Suggestions on anything would be helpful. Thanks.

Answer 1

i'd get a tele or a strat, if it's versatility you want, and for blues and rockabilly.  gretsch's are great but you'll get more mileage with either of these two.

Answer 2

Rockabilly  or blues... you need a Telecaster with Texas pick-ups. The difference between a Tele and Strat is that a Telecaster is used more for country, rockabilly, and blues, or something with a "twangier" sound. A Strat is used more often for rock or something with more of a hard sound. A hollow body would be ideal for blues, but I'd stay away from the Gretsch and go for the Epi Les Paul you mentioned.

Answer 3

Gretschs have been long known for blues and rockabilly through the years, including jazz, pop tunes and so forth.

Strats and Gibsons are good for the genre you wish to play, but if you're striving for smoothness in bass and trebles then Gretsch is the way to go.

I have a 1964 Chet Atkins Gretsch Nashville (6120) that I used in my professional years and it served me well. Like you, however, I wasn't entirely fond of the bridge setup.