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PRS Hollowbody II Piezo
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
VS
Playability
70
Sound
75
Build
73
Value
58
Score
73
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
57
Value
79
Score
69
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PRS Hollowbody II Piezo vs Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Reasons to Get
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo over Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Pattern vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Avg. Weight
5.7lbs (2.6kgs) vs 8.175lbs (3.7kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT over PRS Hollowbody II Piezo

Release Year
2022 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Pattern
Comfortable neck with more grip
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
3 vs 1
More volume control
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
79 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo vs Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Bridge Pickup
PRS 58/15 LT vs Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
PRS 58/15 LT vs Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
PRS Propietary vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo vs Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone 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
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Carved Figured Maple vs Arched Laminated Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 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 the PRS Hollowbody II Piezo is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The PRS Hollowbody II Piezo wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

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?

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

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

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.

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo Overview

  • From PRS's 2018 Core series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Carved Figured Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 58/15 LT (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 58/15 LT (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Adjustable Piezo Stoptail bridge
  • Pattern Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • PRS Phase III Locking tuners
  • Weight around 5.7lbs (2.6kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2022 Electromatic series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Arched Laminated Maple top
  • Chambered 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
  • Anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Die-Cast tuners
  • Weight between 7.9lbs (3.6kgs) and 8.45lbs (3.8kgs)
  • 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

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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo

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.

Woods Used in the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel

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: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo.

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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo 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.

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo's switch options
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic 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: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo.

Final Sound Quality Scores

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 75
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic 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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo compares to the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The PRS Hollowbody II Piezo is built in United States while the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT is made in China.

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.

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: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo

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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo has a PRS Propietary nut. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT comes with 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.

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: 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: Tie.

Tuners

The PRS Hollowbody II Piezo 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: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo.

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
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
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

Final Build Quality Scores

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo
Quality of materials 50
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 73
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Quality of materials 60
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 57

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

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo 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

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo's Scale Length
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo's Scale Length
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT's Scale Length
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT'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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo has the longest scale: 25". The Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT is only 24.6" long. This is a 0.4'' (10.2mm) scale length difference.

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

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

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

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

Neck Profile

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo Neck Profile
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo's neck profile
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Neck Profile
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT'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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo 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 G5220 Electromatic Jet BT, 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

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo Fingerboard Radius
PRS Hollowbody II Piezo's Fingerboard radius
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT Fingerboard Radius
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT'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 PRS Hollowbody II Piezo's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT'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 G5220 Electromatic Jet BT.

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 are balanced for most hand sizes.

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo and Gretsch G5220 Electromatic 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

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 65
Playability 70
Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

PRS Hollowbody II Piezo vs Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
General PRS Hollowbody II Piezo Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT
Brand: PRS Gretsch
Year: 2018 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States China
Series: Core Electromatic
Colors: Gold, White, Black, Blue, Green, Black Burst, Orange, Purple, Yellow, Red Burst, Gold Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, McCarty Sunburst, McCarty Tobacco Sunburst Gold, Black, Blue, Brown Burst, Red, Gray
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Chambered Mahogany
Bridge: PRS Adjustable Piezo Stoptail Anchored Adjusto-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: PRS Phase III Locking Die-Cast
Fretboard: Rosewood Laurel
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Birds Pearloid Big Block
Scale Size: 25" 24.6"
Shape: Pattern Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm) - 12th Fret: 0.95'' (24.1mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" 12"
Nut: PRS Propietary Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: PRS 58/15 LT (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: PRS 58/15 LT (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch Black Top Broad'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 1 3
Tone Controls: 1 1