Description
The Gretsch Custom Shop Masterbuilt G6130-CST 1954 Tuxedo Roundup NOS in Black Stain Top and White is a remarkable interpretation of one of the most distinctive electric guitars of the 1950s. Introduced in 1954, the original Roundup captured the era's fascination with Western imagery, combining bold decorative details with the sound and character of Gretsch's early electric designs. This Custom Shop creation, masterbuilt by Chad Henrichsen, preserves that unmistakable personality while introducing a striking two-tone color scheme and a carefully selected combination of pickups and hardware. It's a guitar that celebrates Gretsch history without feeling confined by it.
The body pairs a knotty pine top with mahogany back and sides, bringing together two woods closely associated with the original Roundup design. The top features a transparent black stain that allows the pine's natural grain and knots to remain visible, while the back, sides, and neck are finished in contrasting white. The NOS lacquer finish maintains a clean, unaged appearance, allowing the unusual materials and meticulous craftsmanship to take center stage. Reverse binding and purfling frame the body, while black leather trim around the sides adds another layer of Western-inspired detail. The traditional branded "G" on the top completes an unmistakably Gretsch aesthetic.
The mahogany neck features a comfortable C profile and an ebony fingerboard with a 12" radius, providing a playing surface that feels familiar and accommodating for both chord work and lead playing. Twenty-two vintage frets maintain a traditional feel, while a bone nut and Gotoh tuning machines contribute to dependable tuning performance. The fingerboard features mother-of-pearl Western motif inlays inspired by the original Roundup, with decorative designs that reinforce the guitar's connection to Gretsch's colorful history. White side dots complement the contrasting body finish, and the headstock carries a mother-of-pearl script Gretsch logo and steerhead inlay.
One of the most interesting aspects of this particular Roundup is its pickup pairing. A Seymour Duncan Dynasonic in the neck position delivers the articulate, open character associated with classic Gretsch single-coil designs, with clear highs and a responsive attack. In the bridge position, a TV Jones Classic Plus Filter'Tron-style humbucker offers a fuller, more muscular voice while retaining the definition and snap that make Gretsch guitars so appealing. Together, these pickups provide a distinctive range of tones suited to rockabilly, country, blues, roots rock, and classic rock. The control arrangement includes a tone control with treble bleed wiring, helping preserve clarity when adjusting the guitar's output.
Gold hardware provides an elegant contrast against the black and white finish, including an Adjusto-Matic bridge and the unmistakable Gretsch Belt Buckle tailpiece. The tailpiece is more than a decorative flourish; its Western-inspired design is one of the defining visual features of the original Roundup. A black pickguard with steerhead engraving, plain-top control knobs, and the elaborate headstock appointments complete a guitar that rewards a closer look. Every detail feels connected to the instrument's history, yet the restrained two-tone finish gives this example a personality all its own.
At Cream City Music, we have a particular appreciation for Custom Shop instruments that bring something genuinely different to a familiar design, and this Chad Henrichsen Masterbuilt Roundup is an excellent example. The knotty pine top, contrasting white body, intricate Western appointments, and unusual Dynasonic and TV Jones pickup combination make it a compelling guitar for both dedicated Gretsch enthusiasts and players looking for something outside the ordinary. It captures the adventurous spirit of the original 1954 Roundup while offering a distinctive voice and appearance that stand comfortably on their own. Complete with its Gretsch Custom Shop hardshell case, leather strap, and signed certificate of authenticity, this is a memorable instrument with craftsmanship and character to match.
Specifications:
- Model: G6130-54 1954 Tuxedo Roundup
- Series: Gretsch Custom Shop Masterbuilt
- Master Builder: Chad Henrichsen
- Body Style: 1954 Roundup
- Top Material: Knotty Pine with Maple Ply
- Back Material: Mahogany
- Sides Material: Mahogany
- Body Binding: Reverse Binding and Purfling
- Body Trim: Black Leather
- Top Detail: Branded G Logo
- Finish: NOS Lacquer
- Color: Black Stain Top and White Back, Sides, and Neck
- Neck Material: Mahogany
- Neck Profile: Stock C
- Fingerboard Material: Ebony
- Fingerboard Radius: 12"
- Number of Frets: 22
- Fret Size: Vintage
- Fingerboard Inlays: Mother-of-Pearl 1954 Roundup Western Motifs
- Side Dots: White
- Nut Material: Bone
- Headstock Style: 1954 Roundup
- Headstock Logo: Mother-of-Pearl Script Gretsch with Steerhead Inlay
- Tuning Machines: Gotoh
- Bridge: Adjusto-Matic
- Tailpiece: Gretsch Belt Buckle
- Hardware Finish: Gold
- Pickguard: Black with Steerhead Engraving
- Control Knobs: Plain Top
- Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Dynasonic
- Bridge Pickup: TV Jones Classic Plus
- Electronics: Tone Control with Treble Bleed Wiring
- Case Included: Gretsch Custom Shop Hardshell Case
- Accessories: El Dorado Leather Strap, Signed Certificate of Authenticity
Sku: 9252004221
