Description
Gretsch’s G9240 Alligator resonator belongs to the company’s Roots Collection and looks as if it stepped straight out of the 1930s. The 2-Color Sunburst finish, weathered nickel hardware, and small-bodied silhouette give it an honest vintage vibe that feels more like a pawnshop treasure than a recent build, yet fit and finish reflect modern factory consistency.
The body is laminated mahogany with an internal sound-well that helps focus low-end energy while keeping unwanted feedback in check. A medium V mahogany neck meets the body at the twelfth fret and carries a padauk fingerboard with 19 medium jumbo frets. The nut measures a roomy one and three quarter inches, a comfortable width for both fingerstyle work and slide playing. Subtle binding and a thin semi-gloss finish add a softly worn look without hampering resonance.
At the heart of the instrument sits Gretsch’s hand-spun Ampli-Sonic biscuit cone, fashioned from nearly pure aluminum and topped by a maple biscuit with an ebony capped saddle. This cone produces a dry, punchy midrange that slices through an ensemble yet still blooms with woody overtones when played gently. The guitar is surprisingly loud for its compact size, making it easy to record or busk without external amplification.
Players often comment on the lively projection and inviting neck profile, noting that the instrument offers an accessible route into classic Delta and ragtime sounds without the price tag of a pre war original. While seasonal humidity can nudge the action upward on any wooden resonator, a quick truss-rod adjustment usually restores the factory setup. Priced comfortably in the mid-six hundreds, the G9240 Alligator delivers plenty of vintage character and modern reliability for blues enthusiasts and acoustic slide fans alike.
Features
Hand Spun Ampli Sonic Cone
Gretsch outfits the Alligator with its Ampli Sonic biscuit cone, hand spun from nearly pure aluminum and crowned with a maple biscuit and ebony capped saddle. This light responsive diaphragm gives the guitar a dry vocal bark that pops in the mids yet still blooms when you ease up on the attack, making ragtime runs and slow slide passages sound full and alive. Players often note that the cone’s efficiency lets the instrument fill a room without a microphone, a welcome trait on small stages or street corners.
Mahogany Body with Focused Sound Well
The round shoulder body uses laminated mahogany for the top, back, and sides, chosen for its warm fundamentals and vintage look. Inside, a circular sound well cradles the cone and channels low end energy forward, adding punch while keeping feedback under control. The two-color sunburst finish, subtle binding, and weathered nickel cover plate give the guitar an older soul appearance, as if it spent decades riding in a railroad car yet emerged ready for the next jam.
Comfortable Vintage Style Neck
A mahogany neck carved to a medium V profile joins the body at the twelfth fret, echoing pre war blues boxes. The padauk fingerboard carries nineteen medium jumbo frets and a generous one and three quarter inch bone nut, a width that gives slide players room to maneuver while still feeling natural for standard fretting. The satin finish keeps the back of the neck slick and fast, encouraging long sets without hand fatigue.
Reliable Hardware and Road Ready Details
Grover Sta Tite open gear tuners hold pitch with surprising authority for a resonator that may ride in humid bars one night and dry living rooms the next. A trapeze tailpiece anchors the strings with classic flair, and the dual action truss rod lets you dial in relief when seasonal changes nudge the neck. Gretsch ships the Alligator with light phosphor bronze strings that balance brightness and warmth, so it feels settled right out of the case.
Strong Acoustic Projection
The combination of mahogany body, internal sound well, and lively cone gives the Alligator a voice that rises above casual conversation with ease. Chords thunk with authority, single note lines cut cleanly, and bottleneck slides bloom with a woody moan that belies the guitar’s modest footprint. Because it delivers so much natural volume and character, many players find they can record or busk without external pickups, leaning instead on a single microphone to capture its honest resonator growl.
