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Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
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Playability
75
Sound
71
Build
60
Value
74
Score
69
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Playability
80
Sound
72
Build
55
Value
79
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT vs G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT over G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT

Decorative Top
Arched Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Fixed
Intense vibrato with a solid arm

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT over G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT

Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Bigsby Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Value Score
79 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT vs G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT

Bridge Pickup
Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron vs Gretsch Black Top Broad’Tron
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron vs Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT vs G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
3
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
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

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

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 69 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT is the better choice.

The Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT 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

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Locking tuners

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.

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2020 Electromatic series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Arched Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby-Licensed B50 Vibrato bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Die-Cast tuners
  • Weight between 7.6lbs (3.4kgs) and 8.3lbs (3.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2020 Electromatic series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch Black Top Broad’Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gretsch V Stoptail bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Die-Cast 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

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. 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.

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.

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

They both share the following switching options:

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT and Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT and Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT'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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 71
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT compares to the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in China.

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.

Winner: Tie

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 Synthetic Bone nuts. 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.

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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT's 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.

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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Die-Cast.

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.

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
Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Tremolo
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT
Quality of materials 60
Features 60
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 60
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 55

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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT Nut Width
Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT Nut Width
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT Nut Width
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT 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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT, 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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT and Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT's Scale Length
Both have the same 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.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.6".

This is a vintage-style scale length that's relatively short when compared to modern standards. A short scale makes the string tension lower, which makes the strings feel looser. This makes it easier to bend the strings, but it also makes fret buzz more likely if the action is set too low.

The shorter length also means a shorter separation of the frets. It also makes the overall tone sound warmer since the harmonics and overtones will have less space to breathe.

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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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.

Both the Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT and the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT have a U-shaped 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

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT 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 Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT and the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT 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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT favors large hands more than the Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT.

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT and Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT 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 G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 75
Gretsch G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT vs G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
General Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT G5222 Electromatic Double Jet BT
Brand: Gretsch Gretsch
Year: 2020 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Electromatic Electromatic
Colors: Gold, Blue, Red Blue, Brown, Natural, Gray
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Bigsby-Licensed B50 Vibrato Gretsch V Stoptail
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Die-Cast Die-Cast
Fretboard: Laurel Laurel
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail
Scale Size: 24.6" 24.6"
Shape: Thin U Thin U
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch Black Top Broad’Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gretsch Black Top Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 3 3
Tone Controls: 1 1