Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon - Overview and Best Prices

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Review
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  • From Gretsch's 2015 Professional Collection series
  • Bono Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" 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
  • Gretsch G Cadillac Tailpiece bridge
  • Bono Falcon Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover Imperial Die-Cast tuners
  • Side-By-Side Comparison
Show Specs
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Specifications
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon
General
Brand: Gretsch
Year: 2015
Configuration: HH
Strings: 6
Made in: Japan
Series: Professional Collection
Colors: Green
Left-Handed Version: No
Body
Top: Arched Laminated Maple
Type: Hollowbody
Body Material: Laminated Maple
Bridge: Gretsch G Cadillac Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set
Tuners: Grover Imperial Die-Cast
Fretboard: Ebony
Neck Material: Maple
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Humpblock with Feather Engraving
Scale Size: 25.5"
Shape: Bono Falcon
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo
Fretboard Radius: 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3
Knobs: Speed
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 3
Tone Controls: 0
Hardware
Strap Lock: No
Hardware Color: Gold
Show Diagram
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's switch options

Our Scores and Tone Evaluation

Playability 68
Sound 74
Build quality 77
Value for money 58
Overall Score 73
Tone Evaluation
  • Heavy Metal
  • Hard Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Funk
  • Country
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Price Overview

Its average competitor's price is $2500, which means that the Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon costs around 44% more than the competition. It might be due to it having additional features, but know that you can find cheaper similar alternatives. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 6 strings and Fixed bridge that are made in Japan.

User Reviews & Feedback

Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!

Weight

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Tuning stability

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Neck access to high frets

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Neck profile shape

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Fret edges

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Pickups noise

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's construction is balanced for most hand sizes.

Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this guitar—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.

Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's not bad for beginners, but it could be better. 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 to get used to.

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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Playability

Scale Length

Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.

Here's the Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's 25.5" scale length compared to other common sizes:

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Scale Length Comparison
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's scale length (at the top) compared to other popular sizes

This is the same scale length used in Stratocaster guitars, and it's one of the main reasons they have such a bright sound. It's considered a long scale when compared to most non-baritone guitars.

Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, you'll need to give the strings more tension to get them in tune. This higher tension will allow for a couple of things. First, you can get a lower action (get the strings closer to the fretboard) because the strings won't 'wiggle' too much when pluck and won't cause fret buzz. This can allow you to use lower tunings without increasing your string gauge, and it will make it easier to press down the strings fast.

However, the frets will also have a wider separation between each other, which can make it harder to play, especially if you got small hands. The higher tension will also make the strings feel stiffer, so bending will require more strength.

More with the same scale length:

Neck Profile

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Neck Profile
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's neck profile

The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.

It has a V type neck. This is a vintage type of neck that is not so common nowadays. Some people like it because they can rest their hand easily while letting their thumb hang over the edge of the fretboard. It's thicker than most modern necks, so it's great for playing chords but not so much for shredding.

More for different hand sizes

Fretboard Radius

When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon has a 12" fingerboard radius.

Here's an image comparing this fretboard radius to other popular choices:

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Fretboard Radius Comparison with Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's fretboard radius compared to others

This is the same radius that Gibson uses in most of their guitars. When compare to the other popular radius of Fender Stratocasters, you can see that it's a lot flatter. Guitars with this radius are usually made to bring a good balance between single-note and chord playing.

Compound radius fingerboards give the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, the Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon has the same radius across the board.

More with the same fretboard radius:

Playability compared to main competitors

25.5'' Scale Length
V Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
12'' Fretboard Radius
24.6'' Scale Length
V Neck Profile
1.685'' Nut Width
Compound Fretboard Radius
24.6'' Scale Length
V Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
Compound Fretboard Radius
24.6'' Scale Length
V Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
12'' Fretboard Radius
24.6'' Scale Length
U Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
12'' Fretboard Radius

Nut Width

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Nut Width
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Nut Width

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon has 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.

Frets

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon has 22 frets. Even though 24 frets has become really popular, there's still a good reason to get fewer frets; the pickup at the neck position will be further away from the bridge. This makes the neck pickup achieve a warmer tone. You might want this if you're playing Jazz or similar genres.

However, if you don't care about the warmer neck pickup, more frets will always be better. It's always nice to have the option to play higher notes if you want to.

It comes with nickel silver frets, so they won't last as long as stainless steel frets. If you use your instrument a lot, you might need to replace the frets after a few years. But this is unlikely as most people change instruments before this happens.

More with the same amount of frets:

Fret Size

Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon Fret Size Comparison
Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's fret size (in orange) compared to other popular sizes

Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's frets are Medium Jumbo size. These sit somewhere between a Jumbo and a Medium fret. They're not quite as tall as a full Jumbo, so you'll still feel the fretboard, but you won't feel it as much as with medium frets. This is a good size if you want to make it easy to press the strings but would also like a little bit of ''feedback'' to know when to stop pressing so the notes don't go out of pitch.

More with the same type of frets:

Playability Score

Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 60
Playability 68

Tone

Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.

Wood

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple Body, Neck
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony Fretboard

Maple Body and Neck: This is one of the most popular types of wood used in all kinds of guitars. It's heavy, strong and compact, which makes it great for necks. However, it's also used for fretboards, bodies and tops due to its light color, resistance and beautiful patterns. When it comes to tone, it highlights the mid and high frequencies.

Ebony Fretboard: This is one of the most expensive woods there is, which is why it's mostly used for fretboards. It is dense, heavy, highly resistant and comes in a really dark color that gives any guitar a classy touch. Tone wise, it helps the high side of the spectrum and provides good sustain.

Pickups

This guitar comes with pickups from one of the top brands: Gretsch. So you can expect well built pickups with great sound that shouldn't need an upgrade anytime soon.

These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon's configuration is HH. With this pickup combination, you'll get warmer tones and more output than using single coils. Humbucker pickups cancel the noise that single-coil suffer from, which also results in a warmer tone. This pickup combination isn't only for high-gain music like Hard Rock or Heavy Metal. Their warmness is also popular for Jazz, Indie, R&B, Blues and more.

More with the same pickups

22 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Bridge Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Neck Pickup
22 Frets
Bigsby Tremolo Bridge
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Bridge Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Neck Pickup
22 Frets
Bigsby Tremolo Bridge
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Bridge Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Neck Pickup
22 Frets
Bigsby Tremolo Bridge
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Bridge Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Neck Pickup
22 Frets
Bigsby Tremolo Bridge
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Bridge Pickup
Gretsch High Sensitive Filter'Tron Neck Pickup

Versatility

It comes with the popular 3-way switch that is present in most guitars. For more versatility, players tend to prefer a 5-way switch, although it all depends on what you want to use your guitar for.

It has a Multi-Voicing option. This means the pickups can change their output, tone, or sound. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

What music genre is it good for?

As a 6 strings, Hollowbody guitar with HH configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Jazz or similar. However, you can use almost any guitar for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.

Sound Score

Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 74

Build Quality

Country of Origin

Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.

The Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon is made in Japan. You should expect a high-quality guitar with excellent quality control. It can be compared to guitars made in the US, which is why they're also expensive.

Bridge

Gretsch G Cadillac Tailpiece: The advantage of fixed bridges is that they don't require any kind of set-up. This makes it extremely easy when changing strings because you don't need to adjust anything besides tuning the guitar. Also, the fact that the bridge is directly attached to the body will help to increase sustain. The disadvantage is the lack of versatility since you can't create the same vibrato effects as with tremolo bridges.

More with the same type of bridge:

Nut Material

Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your guitar. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.

In this case, the Gretsch G6136I Bono Falcon has a Synthetic Bone nut. One of the best nuts you can have is a Bone nut thanks to their rich tonality and resistance. The problem is that they're a natural material, so different bone nuts will have inconsistent tonal properties. In other words, one bone nut might not sound as well as the other even when they're made from the same piece. Synthetic bone helps with this by giving you a high-quality, consistent nut that resembles the tone produced by bone.

Neck Joint

The neck joint is the part where the neck of the guitar meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.

This guitar has a Set neck joint. This type of neck joint consists of using different pieces of wood for the neck and the body of the guitar. Both pieces are then glued together. This is more expensive to make than a bolt-on neck, but it's cheaper than a neck-through guitar. Some people believe that this gives more sustain than a bolt-on neck due to both pieces having a 'better connection' than with bolts. Still, it's something difficult to prove.

However, this type of neck joint does have the disadvantage of not allowing you to easily swap the neck for another. This makes this type of neck joint less mod-friendly.

More with the same build:

Build Quality Score

Quality of materials 70
Features 60
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 77