Bassic Review – Gretsch Electromatic® Junior Jet™ Bass II Short-Scale

First Impressions

First impressions mean a lot to me when doing reviews, and I usually can’t help but comment on my initial reaction when pulling one of these instruments out of the box. I feel it’s important to note when a manufacturer makes a stellar first impression, as Gretsch has ably done with the Electromatic® Junior Jet™ Bass II Short-Scale.

Admittedly, I wasn’t really sure what kind of quality to expect at $299.99 MAP, but the Junior Jet’s tight assembly inspired confidence right out of the gate – as soon as I put my hands on it, I immediately felt how well-constructed it was. It also arrived ready-to-go, with a playable set-up (nice low action and no fret buzz) that didn’t require any fine-tuning or finessing. It speaks volumes when the manufacturer takes the time to ensure that an instrument arrives ready to perform straight out of the box.

Aesthetically, the Junior Jet Bass sports many of the classic appointments one might expect from a legendary name like Gretsch, whose motto has long been “That Great Gretsch Sound,” and the attention to detail – like the sharp-looking G-Arrow logo on the volume and tone knobs, and the classy Imperial Stain finish – was immediately eye-catching and impressive for such a low-cost instrument.

A Very Brief History

Gretsch was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch when he began making banjos, drums, and tambourines in his Brooklyn-based, New York shop. His son Fred took over 12 years later, upon the elder Gretsch’s passing, and it was Fred who foresaw the demand for guitars, and subsequently launched Gretsch into that market by offering acoustic archtops for jazz musicians and flat-tops for country-western performers.

Fred’s sons, Fred Jr. and William, led the company for several decades after Fred Sr. retired in 1942, but the company then went through a bit of a “dark age” in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, until it was ultimately purchased by Fender Musical Instruments Corp. in 2002. Fender has worked diligently ever since to restore the brand’s legacy, in particular by bringing back into existence some of the more iconic retro models, albeit with modern upgrades – re-enter the Electromatic Collection.

That Great Gretsch Sound

The most obvious feature of the Electromatic Junior Jet Bass II Short-Scale is its 30.3” short-scale length. This alone makes the bass eminently playable, and an excellent low-cost solution for beginners. One thing young bass students often struggle with is the sheer size of an electric bass guitar, so a short-scale instrument like the Junior Jet seems perfectly suited to a young adolescent just starting out. But the Junior Jet is equally impressive on a professional level as well, and the shorter scale didn’t seem to have any negative effect whatsoever on its ability to fill a room with massive subsonic tone.

The instrument displayed significant punch and clarity, even unplugged, which can likely be attributed to the combination of basswood body and bolt-on maple neck. A tight, four-bolt neck pocket also seems to allow the resonance of these hard woods to really blossom, and even more so when amplified. The 12” radius black walnut fingerboard – with 20 medium jumbo frets and dot inlays – enhances the instrument’s clarity even further (another hardwood), while a pair of passive Gretsch single-coil bass pickups deliver attributes that have come to define that great Gretsch sound – crisp and articulate, without sounding tinny, and thick and creamy on the low end, without sounding muddy.

The three-position toggle switch, master volume, and master tone, provide plenty of tonal versatility, allowing the player to select between neck, bridge, or both pickups. The Junior Jet Bass is also equipped with a four-saddle adjustable bridge, synthetic bone nut, and die-cast tuners. The came set-up with nickel-plated steel D’Addario strings, gauges .045 – .105, which is the gauge I generally use, and it certainly added to the comfort factor.