What is it?
The Broadkaster name has been a constant in the Gretsch instrument family since the ’50s, but before it grew a neck and had strings attached to it, the Gretsch Broadkaster was (and remains) gulp… a drum kit.
Not only that, but it was the drum kit whose trademark changed the trajectory of rock ’n’ roll forever when it rock-blocked Leo Fender’s use of the name Broadcaster, resulting in the now-infamous wilderness-era ‘Nocasters’, before ‘Telecaster’ was settled on.
All’s well that ends well, because otherwise we’d all be abbreviating Leo’s lightning-in-a-bottle design to something ridiculous, like, ‘Broady’…
But that was then, and this is now, and ironically, since 2002, the Fender stable has handled production and distribution of Gretsch guitars worldwide. Which brings us to the latest iteration of the Broadkaster for 2025: the Professional Collection Broadkaster LX Center Block. That’s right, no confusing G-prefixed string of numbers, just a good old descriptive moniker.
This version sees the Broadkaster retain its essence – an archtop, semi-hollow design using laminated maple throughout for the body, glued-in maple neck, a pair of humbuckers and a Bigsby. But, all these features (and more) have been overhauled to give the Broadkaster LX a high-performance spec.
It starts with the body design, which sees the cutaways redrawn to offer better fret access above the 17th when compared with its Players Edition counterpart. Under the hood sits a centre-block, but rather than a single piece of spruce or maple, here Gretsch has split the difference by merging the two with its Channel Core design.
The block itself is chambered, with the intended result being extra bite from the maple, punch from the spruce and resonance all round.
Electronically, it’s the standard Broadkaster layout with a pair of humbuckers, individual volume controls plus a master tone and master volume control and a three-way switch.
But those humbuckers are Gretsch’s new Pro Twin Six humbuckers, which use Alnico V magnets in the neck, and Alnico IV in the bridge-position unit, with Gretsch describing them as some of its “most modern and powerful pickups to date”.
The ‘performance’ aspect continues with the hardware selection, too: a string-through Bigsby B7 to make changes easier and faster, and at the other end, Gretsch-branded Gotoh locking tuners to achieve the same speedy threading combined with stability.
Below this there’s a TUSQ nut; the bridge is Gotoh; and the side of the neck is adorned with 2mm diameter Luminlay side-dots, outlined neatly in black, which makes them feel less apologetic and more of an attention-grabber than some executions we’ve seen.
Specs
- PRICE: $2,839/£2,849 (inc case)
- ORIGIN: Japan
- TYPE: Semi-hollow electric
- BODY: Laminated maple
- NECK: Maple, glued-in
- SCALE LENGTH: 625mm (24.6”)
- NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech Tusq/42.86mm
- FINGERBOARD: Bound ebony, pearloid Neoclassical thumbnail face inlays, Luminlay side dots, 305mm (12”) radius
- FRETS: 22, medium jumbo
- HARDWARE: Gotoh locking tuners and tune-o-matic-style bridge, Bigsby B7 vibrato (string-through)
- STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
- ELECTRICS: 2x Gretsch Pro Twin Six pickups (neck w/ Alnico V magnet, bridge w/ Alnico IV), master volume w/ treble-bleed, master tone w/ no-load ‘Squeezebox’ capacitor, individual pickup volume controls, three-position toggle pickup selector switch
- WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.99/8.8
- LEFT-HANDERS: No
- FINISH: Black (as reviewed), Cadillac Green – high gloss
- CONTACT: Gretsch Guitars
Playability and sounds
Tradition tells us that few guitars shout ‘class’ like a big-bodied, ebony semi-hollow. Pulling the Broadkaster from its case takes things a step further as it comes out with enough drip to appear like it’s just ransacked a jewellery shop.
From the gold tuners and metal headstock plate down to the pickup covers, volume controls, bridge and the meaty Bigsby (even the binding matches the gold hue) we can only conclude that this was the contents of the briefcase that illuminated Travolta’s face in Pulp Fiction.
All of this might allude to a traditional player. But the U-shaped neck profile offers a modern ride without feeling too waify. The ebony fingerboard is flawless, and it’s joined by 22 medium-jumbo frets. It’s bound and subtly rolled at the edges making an overall comfortable playing experience.
Our review guitar comes perfectly intonated, with a pretty low action while the 625mm scale length gives a familiar, just-shorter-than-Gibson feel. But with the addition of the Bigsby, it feels less slinky with a little more perceived tension on string bends. As always, though, it plays nicely offering effortless flutters in both directions and returning to pitch with ease and accuracy.
Everything is put together nicely, even down to the pickup selector, which feels weighty and includes a purposeful ‘clunk’ when changing positions. Talking of weight, don’t let that semi-hollow construction fool you. The Bigsby keeps things anchored at the body end, which removes any potential for neck-dive, but also means the overall weight of this guitar is far from svelte at 3.99kg (8.8lbs).
Acoustically, it’s vibrant, with the sort of unplugged volume we’d expect from a guitar of this type. Plugged in, we get to discover what the Pro Twin Sixes are all about. In the bridge position, there’s a fairly well-balanced frequency response, which, as promised, comes punching out with plenty of attack.
The master volume is wired with a treble-bleed circuit and the master tone is a no-load type – with a ‘Squeezebox’ capacitor – effectively removing itself from the circuit with the control dialled all the way up.
Plugged in, we get to discover what the Pro Twin Sixes are all about. In the bridge position, there’s a fairly well-balanced frequency response, which, as promised, comes punching out with plenty of attack
Despite this, we still found ourselves reaching for the treble and presence control on our amp a little just to lift things in the upper frequencies. Yet surprisingly, the pickup still performs well under plenty of gain, maintaining note clarity and separation well.
It’s always nice to encounter two pickups with distinct voices, and the Broadkaster LX delivers on this front. Flipping to the neck position reveals a bit of a midrange scoop between 800Hz and 2,000Hz, and the tonal result is more chime and an almost Fender-ish snap to the note.
This is emphasised with the volume rolled back a little too, giving some extra percussion, and like its opposite number, the neck position is full of piano-like clarity under ’drive.
Verdict
Verdict: ★★★★½
This isn’t necessarily aimed at those looking for the archetypal ‘great Gretsch sound’, and that’s not a bad thing.
This isn’t necessarily aimed at those looking for the archetypal ‘great Gretsch sound’, and that’s not a bad thing
Outside of its vintage rock ’n’ roll stereotype, Gretsch’s ‘modern’ iterations often get lumped in with quiff-inspired punk and its sub-genres, but the Broadkaster LX provides something different. It’ll span plenty of rock ground, from classic to modern indie, while giving you a high-end ‘Nice Gretsch’ as your platform.
Guitar World verdict: The build is fantastic, and there are plenty of uprated appointments, which means you’re unlikely to mod it, because it’s already been done for you! Proof, once more, that semi-hollows can rock as hard as the clichés, even if they are bedecked with gold.
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