I'm a huge Gretsch fan and every few years or so when I can, I attend Gretsch fan gatherings called Gretsch Roundups. They're like music family reunions - fun times.fuzzjunkie wrote: ↑Sat May 08, 2021 8:31 amWhen Fender bought Gretsch all that changed. They introduced Silver Falcons, Black Falcons and even a Black Phoenix. They were still huge and expensive though. It just felt strange playing a guitar that big after playing Jaguars and Telecasters for so long. I kept thinking I should just get a thin line Tennessee Rose or something as my Gretsch guitar, but that idea just never got off the ground.
A few years ago Fender introduced a thin line Silver Falcon. I grabbed one and it is perfect. I could barely afford it, but I finally had a guitar that I had wanted for almost 20 years.
So grab that LPB Coronado if you can. $2000 is less than half (a third?) the price you’d pay for a vintage LPB Jazzmaster, and maybe less than what a new one goes for.
The Gretsch family bought back the Gretsch line of instruments from Baldwin in '85 and to this day, still retain ownership. In '89, Gretsch restarted large scale production of new guitars based on the classic Gretsch models. The pro line guitars are made by Terada in Japan, Electromatics are made by Samick in Korea, and the Streamliner line of guitars are built in Indonesia.
In 2002, Fender and Gretsch did a deal giving Fender control over marketing, production, and distribution. In the Fender factory in Corona, the Gretsch Custom Shop is located in one of the upper levels of the building. I did a Fender tour when I went out to a Surf Guitar 101 convention back in 2018. I had the opportunity to go to get a private tour with some fellow Gretsch nerds of the Gretsch Custom Shop, but I had to get back to LA to get my luggage that was lost by the airlines for a few days after I arrived. It would have been nice to check out the Custom Shop.
My Gretsch guitars from L to R:
- Gretsch G6196T-59 Vintage Select '59 Country Club with stock TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic pickups (I won this guitar in a giveaway contest at one of the Nashville Gretsch Roundup gatherings)
- Gretsch G6120BS (blueburst) Chet Atkins Hollow Body modded with TV Jones T-Armond pickups
- Gretsch G5410T Electromatic Rat Rod modded with Fralin Hum-Cancelling Dogear P90s
- Gretsch G2215-P90 Streamliner Junior Jet Club
- Gretsch FSR G5135 CVT Electromatic modded with Gretsch HS Filter'Trons pickups (from the 6120BS)
- Gretsch Astro Jet body partsbuild, the Astro-Sonic with TV Jones T-Armond pickups
I also have the Gretsch G6128T-53 Vintage Select '53 Duo Jet with stock TV Jones T-Armond pickups, but I'm in process of moving it on to help pay for my recent Fender acquisitions.
There's a slim chance I might be able to hold on to it...here's hoping!