There is a general rule when it comes to Gretsch guitars and that is if you see one you like and you’ve got the bread then buy it before it is too late, because the lineup is always getting refreshed.
And if ever there was a day to buy one on impulse it is today, because Gretsch has just rolled out its latest Jim Dandy parlour-sized acoustic guitar, and it’s super affordable at $249, and it’s as cool a retro-inspired acoustic as you will see all year.
We could actually just repost this story annually, because a new Jim Dandy comes along every year, inspired by the old Rex catalogue model of the 1930s through ‘50s, boasting some old-timey finish.
Around this time last year we saw the launch of a pair of upgraded Jim Dandy acoustics, one concert-sized, one a parlour, both with solid spruce tops and dressed in a Heritage Burst finish.
This time that old-timey finish is a very agreeable Vintage White, complemented by the black tuner buttons, pin-stripe purfling (subtly so – this ain’t a Jackson Rhoads in Ivory), and the layered sapele back and sides left in a dark natural stain. As you can see in the pics, it is a looker.
Now, we must register a little disappointment. Last year’s Jim Dandy’s had solid Spruce tops, whereas this year’s are all laminated sapele. Perhaps in these straitened times, et cetera, a solid-wood top is too much to expect for $249 (incidentally, the 2025 Jim Dandys also retailed at $249)
But still, this looks like it will be a more than respectable couch buddy – or porch, should you be lucky enough to have a space where you can throw some chords around in the open air. And the small-bodied Jim Dandy is always a fun time with its 24” scale length, the easy C neck profile and the 12” radius walnut fingerboard.
Speaking of the neck, this one is nato, and it is finished in semi-gloss. You get 18 frets on these little guys, with the neck joining the body at the 12th fret (but unless you are pie-eyed, what are you doing above the 7th fret on one of these?).
There is X-pattern bracing under the hood. We’ve saved one of our favourite details till last – yes, those open-gear three-on-a-plate tuners are too cool, especially with the black tuner buttons in contrast to the top’s finish and the matching headstock.
So yeah, very cool, with the only minor disappointment being the lack of a solid top.
The Gretsch Jim Dandy Limited is available now, priced £239/$249.
See Gretsch for more details.
