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Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
VS
Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
75
Value
58
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
75
Sound
70
Build
62
Value
74
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic vs Gretsch G5422T Electromatic

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic over Gretsch G5422T Electromatic

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2020 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
1960 Oval C vs U Shape
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Hollowbody
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Relic vs Poly
Looks like an old and slightly beaten up instrument
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12.6'' (320mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic over Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
U Shape vs 1960 Oval C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Semi-Hollow
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Relic
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12.6'' (320mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
74 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic vs Gretsch G5422T Electromatic

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Twisted Tele Single-Coil vs Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Twisted Tele Single-Coil vs Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs NuBone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic vs Gretsch G5422T Electromatic

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Prices

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Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic is the better choice.

The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic meets only 4. 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

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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.

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2020 Time Machine series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • 1-Piece Vintage Michigan Mahogany body
  • Rift Sawn Maple neck
  • Round-Laminated Rift Sawn Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Twisted Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Twisted Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B5 Bridge and Tailpiece bridge
  • 1960 Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Narrow Tall frets
  • Schaller F tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2016 Electromatic series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12.6" Fretboard Radius
  • 5-Ply Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby Licensed B60 Vibrato Tailpiece bridge
  • U Shape Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage-Style Open Back tuners
  • Weight between 6.9lbs (3.1kgs) and 7.5lbs (3.4kgs)
  • 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 Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic

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 Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic has an SS configuration while the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic has HH pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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.

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.

However, the Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic.

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.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's switch options
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic'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: Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 56
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 70

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 Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic compares to the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic is built in United States while the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic is made in South Korea.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

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.

Winner: Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic

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.

The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic has a Bone nut. 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.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic comes with a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.

Winner: Tie.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's are Schaller F while the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's are Vintage-Style Open Back

Winner: Tie.

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.

The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic has a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic comes with 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: Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic
Quality of materials 66
Features 60
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 75
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
Quality of materials 56
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62

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

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Nut Width
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Nut Width
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Nut Width
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1mm (0.038'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's Scale Length
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's Scale Length
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's Scale Length
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic'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 Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gretsch G5422T Electromatic is only 24.6" long. This is a 0.9'' (22.9mm) 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

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Neck Profile
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's neck profile
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Neck Profile
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic'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 Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic 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 G5422T Electromatic, 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

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Fingerboard Radius
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's Fingerboard radius
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Fingerboard Radius
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's Fingerboard 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.

In this case, the Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic.

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 G5422T Electromatic favors large hands more than the Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic.

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Frets Size
Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic's Frets Size
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic Frets Size
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's Frets Size

The Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Gretsch G5422T Electromatic's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic vs Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
General Fender Custom '68 Tele Thinline Journeyman Relic Gretsch G5422T Electromatic
Brand: Fender Custom Gretsch
Year: 2020 2016
Configuration: SS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States South Korea
Series: Time Machine Electromatic
Colors: Sunburst, Black, Natural Black, Orange
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Hollowbody
Body Material: 1-Piece Vintage Michigan Mahogany 5-Ply Maple
Bridge: Bigsby B5 Bridge and Tailpiece Bigsby Licensed B60 Vibrato Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Schaller F Vintage-Style Open Back
Fretboard: Round-Laminated Rift Sawn Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Rift Sawn Maple Maple
Decoration: Micarta Black Dot Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.6"
Shape: 1960 Oval C U Shape
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12.6"
Nut: Bone NuBone
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Twisted Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Twisted Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1