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GRETSCH GUITARS
Although not as popular with players as the Fender and Gibson guitars, the Gretsch had a style and sound unto itself. From Randy Bachman of Bachman Turner Overdrive playing his 6120 on "Taking Care of Business" to the Beatles playing their share of Nashvilles and Country Gentlemen, the Gretsch has become immortalized as one of the guitars to collect.
Gretsches from the mid 1950's with their western motif. Engraved position markers, the "G" brand, and western pickguards are what makes Gretsches valuable and collectable. This especially applies to the 1954 to 1956 western models such as the 6120 Chet Atkins hollowbody, the 6121 Chet Atkins solidbody, the 6130 Roundup and the 6022 Rancher.
The 6136 White Falcon and 6134 White Penguin from 1954 to 1957 are also highly collectable instruments. These have DeArmond pickups, engraved pearl position markers, vertical Gretsch logo, "Cadillac" tailpieces and gold sparkle binding. Unfortunately, after 1957 many of these attributes disappear, making later models less desirable.
Fred Gretsch III, in an effort to resurrect the company bought it back in January of 1985. With Duke Kramer at the helm they decided to introduce updated versions of the classic Gretsch models. They visited many American makers to petition their help in assembly of the guitars. Negotiations with US makers were unsuccessful and so their only option was to have them assembled in Japan. The Terada company was selected for their ability to produce quality hollow body guitars. Other Japanese makers at the time were used to solidbody construction techniques.
Serial Numbers
1949 to 1965 Gretsch Serial Numbers.
Serial numbers are stamped in ink on the inside, visible through the sound holes or on the Gretsch label. Solidbody models with control plates on the back have the label in the control cavity, and sometimes attached to the plate itself.
1965 to 1972 Serial Numbers.
The Serial Number is located on the back of the headstock, there should be no hyphen in the number, with "Made in USA" stamped next to serial number starting June 1967 to 1973.
1973 to 1981 Serial numbers.
Hyphenated serial numbers are impressed into back of headstock.
1965 to 1972 Serial Numbers.
Number on back of peghead, no hypen in number. "Made in USA" stamped on back
of peghead next to serial number starting June 1967 to 1973.
First digit or first 2 digits = month (1-12).
Next digit = last digit of the year (1965 to 1972: 5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2).
Remaining digits = rank of individual instrument.
Example:
106347 = October 1966, 347th instrument.
72084 = July 1972, 84th instrument.
787 = July 1968, 7th instrument.
1973 to 1981 Serial numbers.
Hyphenated number impressed into back of peghead.
1 or 2 digits before hyphen = month (1-12).
First digit after hyphen = last digit of year.
Last 3 digits = rank of instrument.
Example: 11-4252 = November 1974, 252nd instrument.
Gretsch Serial Numbers
Gretsch Pre-Baldwin
Guitars
| Model |
Year |
Specifications |
| 30 |
Prewar-War |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 35 |
Prewar-War |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 40 |
Prewar-Post |
Hawaiian Flattop |
| 75 |
Prewar-War |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 80 S |
Prewar-War |
Spanish Flattop |
| 80 H |
Prewar-Post |
Hawaiian Flattop |
| 100 |
Prewar |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 150 |
Prewar |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 160 |
Prewar-War |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 200 |
War-Post |
16" Archtop Acoustic |
| 250 |
Prewar |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 300 |
Prewar-War |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 400 |
Prewar-War |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 6000-1 |
All Years |
Hauser Classicals |
| 6002 |
All Years |
Burl Ives, Flattop |
| 6003 |
All Years |
Jimmie Rodgers, Flattop |
| 6004 |
50's |
Burl Ives, Flattop |
| 6006 |
60's |
Ozark, Flattop |
| 6007 |
Late 40's-Early 50's |
Sierra-Flattop |
| 6008 |
60's |
Wayfarer-Flattop |
| 6010 |
All Years |
Sun Valley, Flattop |
| 6014-5 |
Early-Mid 50's |
Archtop Acoustic |
| 6016 |
Early-Mid 50's |
Bordeaux Burgundy |
| 6016 |
Late 50's-Early 60's |
Corsair-Cutaway |
| 6020 |
60's |
12-String Flattop |
| 6021 |
Late 40's-Early 50's |
125F-Flattop |
| 6021 |
1950's |
Town"n"Country, Flattop |
| 6022 |
1954-Late 60's |
Rancher |
| 6023-5 |
1961-1962 |
Bikini |
| 6036-7 |
Late 40's-Early 50's |
Non-cut |
| 6038-9 |
Early-Mid 50's |
Fleetwood-Cutaway |
| 6038-9 |
All Years |
Eldorado-Cutaway-17" |
| 6040-1 |
Late 40's-Early 50's |
Eldorado-Non-cut |
| 6040-1 |
All Years |
Eldorado-Cutaway-18" |
| 6042 |
Late 40's-Early 50's |
400F Flattop |
| 6050 |
1940's-1950's |
New Yorker |
| 6070-73 |
60's |
Bass |
| 6075 |
60's |
12-String Electric |
| 6101 |
1958-1959 |
Project-O-Sonic, SB |
| 6102 |
1958-1959 |
Project-O-Sonic, Natural |
| 6101-2 |
60's |
Blackhawk |
| 6103 |
1958-1959 |
Project-O-Sonic, Cadillac Green |
| 6104-5 |
60's |
Rally |
| 6106 |
All Years |
Princess |
| 6109-10 |
1960's |
Twist, Silver Duke |
| 6115 |
All Years |
Rambler, 3/4 size |
| 6117-8 |
1958-1960 |
2-Filtertrons |
| 6117 |
1961-Late 60's |
2-Hi-Lo-trons, Sunburst |
| 6117 |
60's |
Cat's Eye Electric |
| 6118 |
1961-Late 60's |
Brian Jones model |
| 6119 |
1958-1961 |
Tennessean, Filtertron |
| 6119 |
1962-Late 60's |
Tennessean, Electrotone |
| 6120 |
1954-1960 |
Single-Cutaway |
| 6120 |
1961 |
Thin Body Style |
| 6120 |
1962-1966 |
Double-Cutaway, Horseshoe on headstock |
| 6120 |
1966-1967 |
Nashville, Plate on headstock |
| 6121 |
1954-1960 |
Chet Atkins Solidbody |
| 6122 |
1958-1960 |
Country Gentleman |
| 6122 |
1961 |
Country Gentleman, Thin Body |
| 6122 |
1962-1963 |
Country Gentleman, George Harrison |
| 6122 |
1964-1966 |
Country Gentleman, Double Mute |
| 6122 |
1967-Late 60's |
Country Gentleman, Single Mute |
| 6124-5 |
1958-1960 |
1-Filtertron |
| 6125 |
60's |
Astro-Jet |
| 6124-5 |
1961-Late 60's |
1-Hi-Lo-tron |
| 6126-7 |
1950's |
Tenor, Baritone Uke |
| 6128 |
1954-1956 |
Black, Duo Jet |
| 6128 |
1957 |
Humped block inlays |
| 6128 |
1958-1960 |
Filter-trons |
| 6128 |
1961 |
Double-Cutaway, Chrome parts |
| 6129 |
1954-1957 |
Silver Jet |
| 6129 |
1958-1960 |
Filtertrons |
| 6129 |
1961-Late 60's |
Double-Cutaway |
| 6129 |
1961-Late 60's |
More Sparkle Jets |
| 6130 |
All Years |
Roundup |
| 6131 |
1955-1957 |
Red Jet Firebird |
| 6131 |
1958-1960 |
Jet Firebird, Filtertrons |
| 6131 |
1961-Late 60's |
Jet Firebird,Double Cutaway, Chrome Parts |
| 6132-3-5 |
1961-Late 60's |
Corvette, Slab body |
| 6134 |
1955-1960 |
Black Penguin |
| 6134 |
1961-1962 |
Black Penguin, Double cutaway |
| 6136 |
1954-1957 |
Black Falcon |
| 6136 |
1954-1957 |
Black Falcon, Monaural |
| 6136 |
1961 |
Black Falcon, Thin body |
| 6136 |
1962-Late 60's |
Black Falcon, Monaural, Double-cut |
| 6137 |
1958-1959 |
Project-O-Sonic |
| 6137 |
1960-1961 |
Project-O-Sonic |
| 6137 |
1962-Late 60's |
Stereo, Double cutaway |
| 6186-7 |
All Years |
Clipper |
| 6187 |
50's |
Two-Tone, Cutaway |
| 6187 |
50's |
Two-Tone, Non-cut |
| 6187 |
60's |
Viking, Sunburst |
| 6188 |
60's |
Viking, Natural |
| 6188 |
50's |
Natural, Cutaway |
| 6188 |
50's |
Natural, Non-cut |
| 6189 |
60's |
Viking, Cadillac Green |
| 6192 |
Late-50's |
Sunburst |
| 6192-3 |
Early-Late-60's |
Sunburst |
| 6193 |
Late-50's |
Natural |
| 6196 |
Late-50's |
Cadillac Green |
| 6199 |
50's |
Convertible |
| 6199 |
All Years |
Sal Salvador |
| Monkee's |
60's |
Rock"n"Roll model |
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