Buying vintage Gretsch s is not without risks. There’s non-originality and outright forgery to consider, as well as structural issues that can compromise looks and playability. After reading this guide, you’ll know a good one when you see it.
Although vintage Gretsch s can be quite valuable, very few models command the stratospheric prices of iconic Gibsons and Fenders. As a consequence, Gretsch fakes are rarer beasts because the reward to risk ratio is somewhat less attractive to the crooks and swindlers. Nevertheless, there are forgeries out there, but far more common are Gretsch instruments that have had parts swapped for upgrades or running repairs.
Serial numbers can be used to date Gretsch s, but some printed sources have been shown to be inaccurate and when internal labels go missing, the numbers are often lost too. The best approach is to obtain a really good reference book and cross reference serial numbers with model features that pertain to specific years. Sometimes, with Gretsch, ‘approximately’ is as close as you’ll get.
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In this guide we’ll be discussing some of the key features, as well as the common problems that afflict vintage Gretsch s.
This is the most common issue with vintage Gretsch instruments – so much so that if you’re in the market for one, you should factor in the cost of a neck reset. You may get lucky, but play it safe rather than blow your budget on an expensive that is barely playable.
Why is this the case? The constant string pull and gradual deterioration of the glue bond over the years can result in the neck moving in its pocket. Always look out for a gap between the body and heel because even a paper width can compromise playability. Also examine the bridge because if it’s set as low as it can go on the base, you can be sure there’s a problem.
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With the exception of Gibsons, set neck joints working loose is far from unusual. Martin has been aware of the problem for so long that their necks and bodies have always been finished separately to make the inevitable neck reset a smooth process. The key difference between Martin and the Gretsch company in the 1950s and 60s is that Martin took great care to do the job properly in the first place.
Like Martin, Gretsch used a dovetail joint up to about 1961. Martin, however, cut the dovetail and neck block with a high degree of accuracy, so that tiny amounts of wood could be shaved from the sides of the dovetail until the neck could be pressed tightly into the block.
> Vintage Guitar And Bass - Vintage Gretsch Guitar Values title=List Of Vintage Gretsch Electric Guitars And Basses >> Vintage Guitar And Bass style=width:100%;text-align:center; onerror=this.onerror=null;this.src='https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSRarcVw1UZxMFj7yOCcD2AQdaIxFTIVYoDmI-kmB3hAL9sxSKx_JRnEmjJV7pyNNgNazA&usqp=CAU'; />When we removed the neck of our 1960 Gretsch Anniversary model, we discovered a 5mm thick mahogany shim that was used to fill the gap and centre the neck. And if you think that’s bad, another Gretsch-owning friend discovered cardboard shims in his neck pocket.
The History Of Gretsch Anniversary Models
Things improved somewhat when Gretsch transitioned to a mortise and tenon neck joint around 1961. This increased the surface area for the glue, and the securing screw that had hitherto passed through the heel was moved to the side of the cutaway.
Gretsch neck resets can be tricky and expensive, but if you’re considering buying a Gretsch that has already had a neck reset and the job has been professionally done, you can consider that a plus point.
Look closely at photographs of vintage Gretsch instruments and you will often see binding that has cracked, turned brown or even crumbled away completely. Theories about why this happens include the use of unsuitable plastics and incompatible glues, but nobody knows for sure. The commonly used term for the phenomenon is ‘binding rot’.
Nashville / G6120
It’s ironic that vintage Gretsch models in otherwise excellent condition often have the most severe cases of binding rot. When a is cosseted and kept in a case, the off-gassing of the binding material is contained within the case and causes the binding to deteriorate. It also attacks pickguards, plastic peghead overlays and metal parts.
This phenomenon is not confined to Gretsch instruments. Old Gibson and Epiphone pickguards – the celluloid faux-tortoiseshell types – sometimes suffer the same fate. Replacing a pickguard, however, is relatively cheap. Replacing Gretsch binding while preserving the original finish is a highly specialised procedure, though it has been suggested that binding rot can be stopped and stabilised using Super Glue.
Many vintage Gretsch s will be completely free of binding rot and if you want to keep them that way, you should hang them on the wall or keep them on stands rather than lock them away in cases. It’s no bad thing because they’ll be more likely to get played and they don’t exactly make bad-looking wall ornaments.
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Some players find the central placement of single pickups on Gibson’s ‘budget’ thinline cutaways annoying and, unless you are prepared to live with an ugly hole in the top of your , converting an ES-225 or ES-330 into a twin-pickup isn’t an option. Fortunately, on Gretsch’s more affordable single-pickup models, the Brooklyn company was never that cruel… or maybe canny.
The Gretsch Anniversary model was produced in huge numbers during the vintage era in one and two-pickup configurations known as the Single and Double Anniversary respectively. The Single Anniversary always had a neck pickup, so it’s very easy to add a bridge unit. The Double Anniversary had two switches – one for pickup selection and the other for tone control – but more on that later. They also had individual volume controls adjacent to the treble side f-hole to augment the master volume on the cutaway horn.
Gretsch used celluloid risers for DeArmond pickups and they tended to deteriorate. Off-gassing can damage the lacquer and the metal parts, as seen here, but fortunately, replacement risers are available
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Experts can sometimes spot a full-on Single to Double Anniversary conversion by the switch placement. They may appear a bit too close together, but then again Gretsch could be inconsistent with these things. Model numbers are the best signifier, with the sunburst and green Single Anniversaries being the 6124 and 6125 respectively, and the Double Anniversaries designated as 6117 and 6118. Always check the label.
For the first three years, the 6119 Tennessean also had a single pickup – a Filter’Tron in the bridge position. With its translucent red finish, black pickguard, stripped down aesthetic and factory Bigsby, some regard it as the coolest of all the Gretsch single cutaways. Many of these s have also been converted, with a pickup added in the neck position.
This type of conversion impacts the value of the Tennessean more than the Anniversary. So long as you understand that you’re buying a modified , and that’s reflected in the price, these can be good value for money. Most players would argue that both models are actually improved by the additional versatility of a second pickup.
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Filter’Tron equipped Tennesseans and Anniversaries made between 1958 and 1960 have a hidden feature that makes them particularly desirable; their trestle bracing makes them structurally identical to the revered 6120 model of that period.
As a consequence, some Tennesseans and Anniversaries have been stripped and converted into 6120s. It’s the Gretsch equivalent of turning pre-57 Goldtop Les Pauls into faux Bursts. If you see a 6120 for sale with a rosewood fingerboard and no zero fret, assume it’s an Anniversary conversion. And if there are Filter’Tron pickups but no trestle bracing it’s definitely a conversion.
Also look out for oddly placed switches and fretboards that stop short of the neck pickup. A properly done Anniversary or Tennessean conversion will also require a new peghead overlay with binding, fretboard binding and re-shaped and bound f-holes.
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The single-pickup Streamliner, especially 1957 and 1958 models, is also a strong candidate for a 6120 conversion. In 1957 both s shared the same hump-block markers, bound fretboard and DeArmond Dynasonic pickups. In 1958, the Streamliner acquired trestle bracing and a single Filter’Tron, which makes them very easy to convert.
The real danger lies in big-budget Gretsches. It’s not unheard of for Country Clubs and Electromatics to be converted into White Falcons and for White Penguins to be created from donor Duo Jets. Duo Jets have also been converted to Round Ups.
So long as everything is above board, you can score a fantasy Gretsch that’s made from vintage wood, and comes with vintage hardware and electronics. Unfortunately, some of these s have been converted or sold with the intention to deceive, so be careful out there.
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At the time when vintage s were merely secondhand, some manufacturers exercised a ‘replace rather than repair’ policy. s with failing neck joints or snapped headstocks that were sent back to the Gretsch factory for repair often ended up with a new neck straight off the production line.
Gretsch features were continually updated, so this can cause a lot of confusion. Early 1950s DeArmond-loaded Duo Jets show up with later 1950s necks – complete with hump-block or thumbnail markers rather than blocks and block logos rather than the coveted script logo.
This adversely affects a ’s value, but it can make an otherwise expensive vintage a little more
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