Anyone have/played a Chet like Dave's?

[NJPearce22]

I was just wondering what they were like. They sound awesome from what I've heard of them. They look like they'd play like an electric. I just want to know the hard facts about them. Like, can you play them while not plugged in and still get decent sound? I'm guessing not, but still. I'd someday like to get one and a really good acoustic amp. That's my dream guitar!

[DrFartbrain]

I don't really like the design at all. I want to play one, just to see how it feels, though...

[DMBFan63]

dave's has fishman electronics in it, put in by his guitar tech, so a stock Gibson Chet SST isn't gonna sound anything like dave's

[filmdude100cms]

ive played a few chets, once i played one through a trace elliot...... lemme dream a few mins on that one, love the guitar what can i say

[jeffro]

It's doesn't play exactly like an electric, but it's very close.

[Ranting Thespian]

it's like a hybrid. I played a Gibson one at Good & Loud. I thought it played very well. I played it through an acoustic amp, and it sounded great. I don't see why people don't like the sound, it sounds fine.

[Thomas]

i absolutely love the sound of a gibson chet through a great acoustic amp.

i'm torn as to whether or not to get a full bodied acoustic or this one.

but no, you can't play it unplugged and get a good sound out of it. it'll sound about the same as an ordinary electric unplugged.

[GrateDMB21]

I jus got my Gibson Chet back from Fishman and the tech guy (Joe) did the same exact things for mine as he did Daves. Wow! complete difference. Sounds so much better.

[Ranting Thespian]

I jus got my Gibson Chet back from Fishman and the tech guy (Joe) did the same exact things for mine as he did Daves. Wow! complete difference. Sounds so much better.

how much was it?

[Thomas]

I jus got my Gibson Chet back from Fishman and the tech guy (Joe) did the same exact things for mine as he did Daves. Wow! complete difference. Sounds so much better.

how much was it?

and how do you go about doing it?

[GrateDMB21]

Went to Fishman.com, sent an email to tech support about the guitar not sounding all that acoustic, need more of an acoustic sound, while still being able to use the control panel (volume,bass,treble) on the Gibson. So Joe Barbieri (main Fishman tech guy) emailed me back saying he's done alot of guitars for Dave (Martins, Taylors, & all of Dave's Chets). He explained how it works, etc. He replaces the exsisting saddle, with Fishman Cleartone Saddle and replaces undersaddle pickup with a Natural Acoustic Matrix I Series pickup and connects it so it works with the control panel. The cost of everything (pickup, saddle, labor, new strings, UPS 2nd Day Air, and small things like lowering the action) cost $200. It's worth it! http://www.fishman.com/support/joe.asp. Send him an email and then he'll send you an email with all the information. Hope that helps!

[NJPearce22]

Went to Fishman.com, sent an email to tech support about the guitar not sounding all that acoustic, need more of an acoustic sound, while still being able to use the control panel (volume,bass,treble) on the Gibson. So Joe Barbieri (main Fishman tech guy) emailed me back saying he's done alot of guitars for Dave (Martins, Taylors, & all of Dave's Chets). He explained how it works, etc. He replaces the exsisting saddle, with Fishman Cleartone Saddle and replaces undersaddle pickup with a Natural Acoustic Matrix I Series pickup and connects it so it works with the control panel. The cost of everything (pickup, saddle, labor, new strings, UPS 2nd Day Air, and small things like lowering the action) cost $200. It's worth it! http://www.fishman.com/support/joe.asp. Send him an email and then he'll send you an email with all the information. Hope that helps!

So your saying instead of dropping $2000 on a Martin or Taylor, you can get a Dave-ish Chet for the same price! That is so sweet. I'm envious of you man!

[GuitarGuy305]

I have a Gibson Chet Atkins SST, black like Dave's. Back in 1998, I was in a huge instrumental phase, heavy on delay, wah, and other effects, a la Tim Reynolds. Ironically, this style, more on the TR side, led me to this guitar, which Dave was known for playing. I bought it because it didn't feed back with the wah as my other acoustic electric did. And I got black because it was the cheapest model, because the black paint covers up any imperfections in the wood! I love it, and it's just got the Gibby pickups in it. One day I'll get a Fishman put in it simply from what I've heard about thier pickups, and how my Martin sounds with a Fishman in it. But for now, and what I use it for, the Gibson pickups sound great in the Chet SST.


Adam

[Beauford33]

Okay, I got one and absolutley love it. Awsome guitar and a great feel. In fact, I prefer it over my Taylor and Martin for some unknown reason considering they beat the living hell out of it...but its just too damn awsome.I run mine through an electric amp and it sounds better then an acoustic amp IMO. It gives it that bright sound Dave has withought getting the pickups messed with. I also own a Epi Chet and that sounds very good as well. Not exactly like the Gibson one, but stil a good choice. Very underrated in my opinion and sounds great considering I got it for 400. Doest sound like 400 to me.

[johnnyd]

I stopped at the local music store last night for strings and they had one of the Epiphone Chets there. I played it through a Fender Acoustic amp and it sounded great! It was a little too brite at first but if you back down on the treble knob it's perfect. I need another guitar like a hole in the head but I think I'm going back there tonight and buy it. They offered it to me for $350 which sounds good. They're like $395 at Musicians Friend.

And yea you have to plug it in. Otherwise it sounds like an unamplified electric.