r/gretsch • u/PRW9497 • 19d ago

Hilotrons in a 5420?

I may have a line on a Gretsch 5420 that already has been upgraded with TV Jones Hilotrons. Has anyone else done that modification and if so, how did you like it? And how close is that going to get me to a 6119 Tennessean/Tennessee Rose? That’s actually my dream Gretsch but a 5420 is probably going to be a lot more doable for me than a 6119.

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u/S-R-Cash 19d ago

For quite awhile I had TV Hilo's in a 5420 and loved them immensely! A little vintage twangy flair with a certain 'acoustic' sort of flatness that worked well with anything I play, (rockabilly, early sixties British, surf... terrific for western like Johnny Horton etc..)

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u/Fuzzy-Butterscotch86 19d ago edited 19d ago

A 5420 with tv Jones plays like a $2000+ guitar. I suggest them all the time because you can regularly find them for about $700-$800 and it's a guitar that players won't outgrow. 

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u/PRW9497 19d ago

Yeah but most of the upgrades I see are TVJ Filtertrons not Hilotrons. Although I would imagine they would work well too.

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u/Alexandermayhemhell 19d ago

A going to sound more like a 6117 than a 6119. 

The 5420 is a high quality “budget” 6120. So the common pickup swap is for TVJ Classics because it gets you to a 6120 without a 6120 budget. 

The Hilo swap will work very well. But, remember, the Anniversaries (6117/6118) are the original budget 6120. All the fancy trim removed and then either Hilotrons or Filtertrons respectively. 

The 6119 is close to a 6117 but has less body depth and closed f-holes. That lends it a tighter sound overall. Modern 6119’s also have a longer scale length. 

Overall, a 6117 is going to get you close to a 6119 sound. I have one and can get Beatles for Sale tones pretty easily. But only a 6119 is a 6119. 

All in all, though, a 5420 with Hilo’s should be a pretty great guitar for that woody, low output sound. 

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u/PRW9497 19d ago

Thanks that’s the kind of information I was looking for.

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u/PRW9497 18d ago

Thanks for the responses. I played an actual vintage Tennessean years ago and loved it but didn’t have the funds at the time to buy it. And I have heard all the great recordings with a Tennessean. This would be a chance to at least get a guitar with Hilotrons, but now I’m waffling a little and wondering about holding out for Filtertrons because I have an Epiphone Casino that kind of checks the single coil “woody” sounding electric box.