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Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
VS
Playability
63
Sound
73
Build
78
Value
56
Score
71
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Playability
75
Sound
73
Build
80
Value
66
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
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Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon vs G6128T Players Edition Jet FT

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon over G6128T Players Edition Jet FT

Neck Profile
Vintage vs Standard U
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Solid Body
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
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'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT over G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon

Release Year
2020 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Standard U vs Vintage
Comfortable neck with more grip
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
66 vs 56
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon vs G6128T Players Edition Jet FT

Body Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon vs G6128T Players Edition Jet FT

Bridge Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron
Same Neck Pickup
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
3
Same volume control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
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
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Arched Laminated Maple vs Laminated Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Vintage vs Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT wins when it comes to playability, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT is the better choice.

The Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon 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

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Comfortable neck
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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.

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2016 Professional Collection series
  • Stephen Stills Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Arched Laminated Maple top
  • Laminated Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 0 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B6G Vibrato Tailpiece with Gretsch Logo bridge
  • Vintage Set neck
  • 22 Vintage frets
  • Grover Imperial Die-Cast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2020 Professional Collection series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B7CP String-Thru bridge
  • Standard U Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh Locking 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 the Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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 G6128T Players Edition Jet FT

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

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: Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT.

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.

Only the Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's switch options
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT'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 G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 66
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 75
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 Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon compares to the Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT.

Country of Origin

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

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: 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.

The Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon 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 Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

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

The Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT 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: Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT.

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 G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Tremolo
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon
Quality of materials 70
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 78
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
Quality of materials 70
Features 75
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 80

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 G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon Nut Width
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

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's Scale Length
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's Scale Length
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT's Scale Length
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT'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 Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT 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 G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon Neck Profile
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's neck profile
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT Neck Profile
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT'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 G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

The Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT, 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

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon Fingerboard Radius
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's Fingerboard radius
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT Fingerboard Radius
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT'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 Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT'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 G6128T Players Edition Jet FT.

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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor large hands .

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon Frets Size
Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's Frets Size
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT Frets Size
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT's Frets Size

The Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon's Vintage 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

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 50
Playability 63
Gretsch G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon vs G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
General Gretsch G6136-1958 Stephen Stills Signature Falcon G6128T Players Edition Jet FT
Brand: Gretsch Gretsch
Year: 2016 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: Professional Collection Professional Collection
Colors: White Black, Orange
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Solid Body
Body Material: Laminated Maple Mahogany
Bridge: Bigsby B6G Vibrato Tailpiece with Gretsch Logo Bigsby B7CP String-Thru
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Imperial Die-Cast Gotoh Locking
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.6"
Shape: Vintage Standard U
Frets: 22 Vintage Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 3 3
Tone Controls: 0 1