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D'Angelico Deluxe DC
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
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Playability
72
Sound
77
Build
74
Value
69
Score
74
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Playability
75
Sound
73
Build
75
Value
64
Score
74
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D'Angelico Deluxe DC vs Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary

Reasons to Get
D'Angelico Deluxe DC over Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary

Release Year
2022 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
C-Shape vs Standard U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Hollowbody
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Tone Knobs
2 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Fixed vs Bigsby Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
69 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary over D'Angelico Deluxe DC

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Standard U vs C-Shape
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Semi-Hollow
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Volume Knobs
3 vs 2
More volume control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Fixed
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
D'Angelico Deluxe DC vs Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Bridge vs Gretsch TV Jones Hilo'Tron
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Neck vs Gretsch TV Jones Hilo'Tron
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
D'Angelico Deluxe DC vs Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary

Body Wood
Maple
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 74 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary wins when it comes to playability, build quality. On the other hand, the D'Angelico Deluxe DC has the upper hand when it comes to sound, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the D'Angelico Deluxe DC is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the D'Angelico Deluxe DC is the better choice.

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

D'Angelico Deluxe DC
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

D'Angelico Deluxe DC Overview

  • From D'Angelico's 2022 Deluxe series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Maple body
  • 3 piece: Maple/Walnut/Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Bridge (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Neck (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gold Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • C-Shape Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover 509 Super Rotomatic, Locking tuners
  • Weight between 7.2lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.45lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2016 Professional Collection series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Hilo'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Hilo'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 0 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B6C Vibrato Tailpiece with Gretsch Logo bridge
  • Standard U Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover V98 Sta-Tite Open-Back tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the D'Angelico Deluxe DC

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC has an HH configuration while the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary has SS pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC offers Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary comes with the following: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

D'Angelico Deluxe DC pickups switch and push knobs diagram
D'Angelico Deluxe DC's switch options
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary.

Final Sound Quality Scores

D'Angelico Deluxe DC
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 77
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 66
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the D'Angelico Deluxe DC compares to the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The D'Angelico Deluxe DC is built in South Korea while the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary is made in Japan.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

Winner: Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary's is a Bigsby Tremolo. Bigsby tremolos are built differently than regular tremolos. They have a stiffer arm, which is something a lot of people like because the arm won't wiggle around a lot. On the other hand, this type of tremolo is more complicated to restring and it might not be as newbie-friendly as other simpler tremolos.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary.

Tuners

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: D'Angelico Deluxe DC.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
D'Angelico Deluxe DC
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

D'Angelico Deluxe DC
Quality of materials 66
Features 75
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 74
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 75

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

D
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.9mm (1.688'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

D'Angelico Deluxe DC's Scale Length
D'Angelico Deluxe DC's Scale Length
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary's Scale Length
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC has the longest scale: 25". The Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary is only 24.6" long. This is a 0.4'' (10.2mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

D'Angelico Deluxe DC Neck Profile
D'Angelico Deluxe DC's neck profile
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary Neck Profile
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The D'Angelico Deluxe DC has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

The Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

D'Angelico Deluxe DC Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the D'Angelico Deluxe DC and the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary favors large hands more than the D'Angelico Deluxe DC.

D'Angelico Deluxe DC:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

D'Angelico Deluxe DC and Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

D'Angelico Deluxe DC
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

D'Angelico Deluxe DC vs Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
General D'Angelico Deluxe DC Gretsch G6118T-60 Vintage Select Edition '60 Anniversary
Brand: D'Angelico Gretsch
Year: 2022 2016
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea Japan
Series: Deluxe Professional Collection
Colors: Yellow Green
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Hollowbody
Body Material: Laminated Maple Laminated Maple
Bridge: Gold Tune-O-Matic Bigsby B6C Vibrato Tailpiece with Gretsch Logo
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover 509 Super Rotomatic, Locking Grover V98 Sta-Tite Open-Back
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: 3 piece: Maple/Walnut/Maple Maple
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Split Block Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail
Scale Size: 25" 24.6"
Shape: C-Shape Standard U
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch TV Jones Hilo'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Neck (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch TV Jones Hilo'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 2 3
Tone Controls: 2 0