Review: Gretsch G5230T Sparkle Jet Electric Guitar

Gretsch guitars are not known for having a subtle aesthetic. They’re bright, they’re loud, they’re ostentatious and that’s how we like them. The way I see it, if you’re going to get up on stage and request that people look at you for anywhere between twenty minutes (if you’re the Ramones) and four hours (if you’re Bruce Springsteen), you may as well be holding a cool sparkly guitar that looks like it was designed for Barbarella. 

The Gretsch G5230T Sparkle Jet is that very guitar. It’s a sparkly silver space-age wonder dripping with Gretsch’s retro-futuristic appeal and whoever wields it won’t want for attention. From its slick single cut shape to its dazzling finish, the Sparkle Jet is a looker. Featuring simple, stripped back appointments, all the classic Gretsch trademarks and a big old Bigsby vibrato, it’s everything you want in an affordable Gretsch and more. 

The Sparkle Jet’s single-cut body is chambered mahogany, capped with a maple top for a rich, balanced sound. This robust acoustic foundation is integral to the Gretsch formula we all know and love and ensures a strong sonic profile. The body is relatively thin as compared to other well known single cut shapes which gives the guitar a sleek appearance and cuts down on excessive weight. The neck too is mahogany and is set nice and low for optimal access and performance. Even in an affordable model like this one, Gretsch have clearly prioritised using revered and trusted tonewoods. 

The Sparkle Jet’s body is simple yet eye-catching. Its glitzy silver finish has a classy black and white binding and its glossy mahogany back and sides have a pleasant dark chocolate hue that almost looks red when the light catches it. Chrome hardware completes the look, consisting of two humbucking pickups, a three way pickup selector, four controls, an Adjusto-Matic bridge and of course, no Gretsch would be complete without a B50 Bigsby.

Bigsby

The Sparkle Jet’s neck is incredibly comfortable and lightening fast. Featuring a classic thin U-shaped profile, this thing is built for speed. Combined with a smooth Laurel fretboard with a 12” radius, ensuring smooth effortless bends that never bottom out, the thin profile of the Sparkle Jet’s neck makes this guitar a lead player’s dream. The neck has a well balanced scale length of 24.6” inches and its gloss finish feels nice and smooth. Adorned with Gretsch’s timeless ‘thumbnail’ inlays, the Sparkle Jet’s Laurel fretboard is loaded with twenty-two medium-jumbo frets and has a lovely white binding. 

The Sparkle Jet is loaded with two FT-5E Filter’Tron pickups, the beating heart of the inimitable Gretsch sound. The Filter’Tron design is integral to what makes Gretsch guitars sound so unique and their distinctive look is a huge part of the brand’s aesthetic. Whilst Filter’Trons are humbucking, they are quite low in output, resulting in an uncompressed, dynamic and, consequently, huge sound. They’re also a lot brighter than the average humbucker, making them very versatile.

Filter’Tron

In the neck position, the Sparkle Jet sounds warm and full without losing any of the clarity that Filter’Trons are known for. The bottom end is expansive but tidy, allowing the solid midrange and zingy high end to shine through even when overdriven. Whilst the full bodied punch of the guitar is in full swing in this position, that classic high fidelity Gretsch chime is present as ever, never letting the Sparkle Jet get too muddy. 

The bridge pickup provides the shimmering high end and edgy midrange that Gretsch are famous for, perfect for country and rockabilly sounds when set clean and outrageous rock and roll tones when overdriven. This position exhibits as much chime and bite as you like, but never becomes shrill, always exhibiting that high fidelity sound that these guitars are revered for. In the middle position, both pickups can create a variety of timbres that are applicable to any situation. This is largely thanks to the guitar’s control layout which includes a very handy master volume. 

Whilst each pickup has an individual volume control, it’s the addition of a master volume that makes the Sparkle Jet’s middle position so useful. The three pot setup allows players to set a tonal balance between the pickups that suits them, whilst still having control over their overall level. The fullness of the neck pickup and searing highs of the bridge work beautifully together, making the ability to maintain this balance at any volume invaluable. Additionally, the Sparkle Jet’s master tone control acts as a nice linear treble roll-off, providing a very usable myriad of tonal options in all three positions and giving players maximum control over their sound. 

Despite the Sparkle Jet being one of Gretsch’s more affordable models, the attention to detail that was clearly put into it is very impressive. Small details like a silver plexi pickguard, pearloid fretboard inlays, classy knurled strap buttons, die-cast sealed tuning machines and the G-Arrow logos on the controls give the Sparkle Jet an up-market feel despite its modest price tag. 

All in all, Gretsch fans who are familiar with the Jet will be right at home with this guitar. It is, in essence, a very simple version of the iconic single-cut model with few frills and a reasonable price tag. The new sparkle finish however brings an element of glam to the instrument that may attract a broader audience. The Sparkle Jet is good enough for the pros, with solid build quality and fantastic tone, but it’s also accessible enough to make a very exciting and inspiring first guitar for a new player. And as I may have mentioned it also looks very cool because it’s sparkly. 

So if you’re a Gretsch fanatic looking to add a solid-body to their collection, a bit of a showboat looking to make a visual statement with their instrument or just a new player looking for a solid electric guitar with an exciting look, the Sparkle Jet could be the one for you. With great tonewoods, excellent build quality, a smooth, comfortable neck and that famous high-fi Gretsch sound, you can’t really go wrong with this one.

For more info and local enquiries, keep reading at Gretsch Guitars.