Gretsch EMTC Premier Jet ONYX STRM

Gretsch EMTC Premier Jet ONYX STRM review

The Gretsch EMTC Premier Jet ONYX STRM is a solid-body electric guitar with a chambered mahogany body, a maple top, and two Sphera Twin Six humbucking pickups. Its listed price is 658, and it has been available since March 2026. The specification sheet names the finish Onyx Black, while the supplied product name and player feedback refer to Onyx Storm. That naming difference is worth checking with the seller if you need to confirm the exact finish before ordering.

The player feedback describes a guitar that feels carefully finished and balanced, with a comfortable neck suited to extended playing. The reviewer was impressed by its overall build and described the finish as understated and elegant. Those impressions are subjective, but they provide useful context alongside the construction details: this is a set-neck design, with a mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard.

Construction and playing feel

The 632 mm scale, equivalent to 24.88 inches, is shorter than the 25.5-inch scale common on many electric guitars. The nut measures 42.86 mm wide. Gretsch specifies a Performance C neck profile, 22 medium-jumbo frets, and a compound fingerboard radius that transitions from 254 mm to 355.6 mm, or 10 to 14 inches. The fingerboard has pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays.

The compound radius becomes flatter toward the higher frets, a shape that can feel comfortable for bends and lead playing while retaining a more curved surface in the lower positions. Whether that suits a particular player depends on hand size, setup, and preferred technique. In the supplied feedback, the neck is described as smooth and comfortable, with a good overall balance. There are no measurements or setup details behind that account, so treat it as one player's impression rather than a guarantee of how every example will feel.

The body is chambered mahogany, capped with maple. These materials define the instrument's construction, but they do not by themselves establish a particular tone. The guitar's sound will also depend on its pickups, electronics, strings, amplifier, and setup. Its black plexiglass pickguard and nickel-plated hardware complete the listed specification. Gretsch includes neither a case nor a gig bag, so buyers who need protection for transport should account for that separately.

Pickups and controls

Two Sphera Twin Six humbuckers provide the pickup configuration. The supplied player review reports a rich, dynamic sound with clear, warm response, and says the guitar worked well clean and with some crunch. That is encouraging feedback for players looking for a versatile humbucker-equipped instrument, though the review does not identify an amplifier, settings, or recording method.

The master volume control includes a treble-bleed circuit and a push-pull switch for the Lumen filter. The guitar also has two no-load tone controls and a three-way pickup selector. These controls give the player several ways to adjust the signal at the instrument, while the precise effect of the Lumen filter is not detailed in the supplied information. A treble bleed is intended to retain high frequencies as the volume is reduced; its audible result can vary with the rest of the signal chain.

Hardware and setup details

A LockDown locking bridge and sealed, die-cast locking tuning machines are fitted. The bridge and tuners are designed around secure string retention, although the provided specifications do not claim a particular improvement in tuning stability. The guitar ships with nickel-plated steel strings in.010 to.046 gauges. There is no tremolo system, which leaves the bridge setup focused on fixed-pitch playing rather than vibrato-arm use.

The nut is made from Graph Tech NuBone. Combined with the short scale and locking hardware, this gives players clear setup details to consider when evaluating string feel, tuning changes, or alternate tunings. The included information does not state the factory action, pickup height, or relief, so those should be assessed on the individual instrument.

Verdict

The Gretsch EMTC Premier Jet ONYX STRM brings together a chambered mahogany body, maple top, ebony fingerboard, short scale, and a flexible control layout. The available player feedback is strongly positive about finish quality, comfort, balance, and clean-to-crunch performance. Its main practical omissions are the lack of a case or gig bag, while the finish naming differs between the product listing and the supplied review. At a listed price of 658, it merits consideration by players drawn to its specifications and reported feel. Confirm the finish and try the neck and controls in person when possible.