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Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
57
Value
79
Score
69
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Playability
70
Sound
78
Build
75
Value
64
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT vs Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Specs Comparison
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
General
Brand: Gretsch Fender
Year: 2022 2019
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China United States
Series: Electromatic American Ultra
Colors: Gold, Black, Blue, Brown Burst, Red, Gray Sunburst, Blue, Brown Burst
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Mahogany Alder
Bridge: Anchored Adjusto-Matic American Professional Jazzmaster
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Die-Cast Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking (all short posts)
Fretboard: Laurel Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Big Block White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 24.6" 25.5"
Shape: Thin U Ultra Modern D
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 10" to 14"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: None Series Split
Volume Controls: 3 2
Tone Controls: 1 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's switch options
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT over Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Decorative Top
Arched Laminated Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2022 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Ultra Modern D
Comfortable neck with more grip
Volume Knobs
3 vs 2
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 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
79 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster over Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Ultra Modern D vs Thin U
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs None
Connects pickups in series to imitate a humbucker
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT vs Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster

Bridge Pickup
Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron vs Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazzmaster
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron vs Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazzmaster
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT vs Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
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

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT favors large hands more than the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster.

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT meets only 5. 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

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

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 the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel

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.

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Woods Used in the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

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.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT has an HH configuration while the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster 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.

However, the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster 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 American Ultra Jazzmaster.

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.

Only the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster comes with some kind of pickup modification: Series Split.

The Series Split feature allows it to split and connect some of the pickups in series. When wired in series, the resulting tone is similar to a Humbucker's. The pickups will work together and produce a fuller tone with more output than single-coils, but less than Humbuckers.

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 American Ultra Jazzmaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 78
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 78

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 Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT compares to the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT is built in China while the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster is made in United States.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like 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.

Winner: Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster

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 Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT has a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster comes with 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.

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.

The Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT'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 Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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

The Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster 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: Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster.

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 Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT has 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.

On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster comes with 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.

Winner: Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Series Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Quality of materials 60
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 57
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 80
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

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Nut Width
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42.8mm (1.685''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0029999999999999'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's Scale Length
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's Scale Length
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster's Scale Length
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster'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 American Ultra Jazzmaster has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT 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

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Neck Profile
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's neck profile
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster'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 Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT has a U type of 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.

The Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Fingerboard Radius
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster's Compound 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.

In this case, the Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT and Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster 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

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 77
Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70