GRETSCH G5700 LAP STEEL
27
SEPTEMBER 2022 GU ITARIST
B
ack in the 1930s, the ‘electric Hawaiian’ guitar pretty much beat the
‘electric Spanish’ instrument to market. Post-war, the Spanish style
began its ascendency and the lap steel became more niche. It differs from
the later pedal steel in numerous ways, not least that it doesn’t have any pedals.
As its name suggests, it’s simply played on your lap (table or keyboard stand),
and while console steels – one or more necks in different tunings with legs –
had their day, the lap steel remains devilishly simple for today’s musician.
It can be tuned in numerous ways and used for clean country or Hawaiian
styles, or played dirty through your pedalboard. You don’t need metal finger
picks or a metal bar to voice the notes, either: any slide will do, as will standard
pick and fingers. It’s a true punk of an electric guitar.
Gretsch’s G5700 (apparently based on the 1963 Electromatic Mainliner) has
been in the catalogue for some years. This year, it’s refreshed in new colours
and provides a solidbody option to the acoustic G9210 Boxcar and G9230
Bobtail square-neck resonators. Its classy, almost moulded-looking form
recalls the Art Deco style of many original (quite collectable) lap steels. The nut
is quoted as aluminium but looks like a nickel-plated metal part, likewise the
bridge, with the strings anchoring through the body. The metal coverplate over
the bridge actually sits quite high – we removed it to carry out our sound test.
The ‘low noise’ single coil has a measured DCR of 5.42kohms and is in a neat
logo’d chromed cover, the volume and tone controls under a plastic control
plate with the usual Gretsch ‘arrow’ knobs. The string spacing does seem
cramped compared with our old UK-made Bennett lap steel, which has a string
spread of 46mm at the nut and 55m at the bridge compared with the Gretsch’s
35mm/52.5mm spacing – more like a conventional electric. The output jack
is side mounted and feels a little loose. As shipped, the 0.012 to 0.052-gauge
strings feel pretty slack when tuned to open G, particularly on the short 572mm
(22.5-inch) scale. With raised tunings such as open A or E things will feel stiffer,
but we’d definitely raise the gauge here.
It might be basic, but it captures a pretty throaty single-coil sound that suits
pseudo pedal-steel cleans, especially with outboard compression and reverb,
and a volume pedal to add the swells. Kick in some overdrive and a small amp,
and it can sound really vicious. It’s a great asset for any recording musician, too
– you don’t have to have your slide chops down to get some useful sounds.
Words Dave Burrluck Photography Olly Curtis
A newly refreshed lap steel from Gretsch, with bags of style
Slide Show
FIRST PLAY
GRETSCH G5700 LAP STEEL
FIRST PLAY
GRETSCH G5700
LAP STEEL
PRICE: £495
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Solidbody lap steel
BODY & NECK: Mahogany
SCALE LENGTH: 572mm (22.5”)
NUT/STRING SPACING: Plated
metal/35mm
FINGERBOARD: Plastic with fret
and position markers
FRET MARKERS: 28
HARDWARE: Strings-through
metal bar bridge with cover,
enclosed tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE:
52.5mm
ELECTRICS: ‘Low noise’ single coil,
master volume and tone
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 2.49/5.478
OPTIONS: None
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISH: Tahiti Red (as reviewed),
Broadway Jade, Vintage White,
Tobacco
Fender Musical Instruments
EMEA
01342 331700
www.gretschguitars.com
8
PROS Perfectly good retro-style
lap steel; voicing suits both clean
and dirty slide styles
CONS The string spacing is
slightly cramped
4
3
1. As its most basic, a
lap steel is an easy DIY
project, but Gretsch has
piled on the style here.
The ‘ ngerboard’ is a thin
piece of plastic screwed to
the body; the fret position
markers are simply a guide
2. Like any single-pickup
guitar, volume and tone
are all you need. Here, the
controls are wired vintage
style using 500k mini pots,
and a .047 microfarads
(473J) tone cap. It’s basic
stu that could easily be
upgraded and/or modi ed
3. Aside from calling it a ‘low
noise’ single coil, there’s
little info about what’s
under the chromed metal
cover. It’s direct-mounted
to the body but does
have height-adjustable
poles and sits in a cavity
that measures 90mm by
38.7mm, pretty much the
size of a P-90 if you fancy
a swap
4. The nut is spec’d as being
aluminium, but it looks like
the same plated metal of
the bridge, which is hidden
under that rather over-
high cover. Like a Tele, the
strings are anchored on
the back of the body – and
you don’t need intonation
adjustment as the strings
aren’t being pushed down
onto the ngerboard
GIT489.rev_gretsch.indd 27GIT489.rev_gretsch.indd 27 26/07/2022 14:4926/07/2022 14:49