Gretsch Guitars G5191 Tim Armstrong Electromatic Hollowbody Left-Handed Electric Guitar Black
Rancid's Tim Armstrong signature hollowbody brings punk-ready volume and sustain to the Electromatic line. 17-inch fully hollow body with parallel tone bars and dual Black Top Filter'Trons - it's a Gretsch that won't feed back at high gain.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Sound post and parallel tone bars deliver "piano-like" fullness with exceptional sustain despite being fully hollow
- +Black Top Filter'Tron pickups offer classic Gretsch jangle plus enough output for punk and hard rock
- +Vintage Guitar calls it "the best Electromatic to date" for build quality
- +Harp tailpiece and 24.75" scale provide tuning stability and sustain
- +Surprisingly feedback-resistant for a hollowbody - doesn't fall into the "relentless feedback trap" per MusicRadar
Cons
- −Gold hardware is polarizing - some users prefer chrome or black
- −No Bigsby vibrato (by design, but Armstrong fans may miss it)
- −Left-handed version limits availability
- −Made in Korea (Electromatic series), not Japan like Pro Line models
The Verdict
MusicRadar’s 4/5 score is fair but conservative. This is a Baldwin-era recreation that captures Tim Armstrong’s actual working guitar, not some generic signature cash-grab. The neck pickup’s “bass-heavy, woody tone” excels at rhythm work, and the bridge position snarls with authority. At $1,700 it’s not cheap for an import, but Vintage Guitar’s assessment rings true: “Will it rock your socks off? Without fail.” If you want hollowbody versatility that can handle distortion without howling feedback, the G5191 earns its keep.
Specifications
| Scale length | 24.33in (618 mm) |
| Nut width | 1 11/16in (43 mm) |
