Description
What makes this guitar special: This is a very unique Anniversary model that is part of a similarly unique point in Gretsch history. It has been refinished, so despite its various love marks, it still looks pretty clean for its age. It has also been re-fretted so the frets still have quite a bit of life left in them, providing it rare playability for its age. The serial tag dates the body back to 1957, but it is actually estimated to be a 1965 since Gretsch had put older tags on a few models from that year, and the volume pot dates to ’65 as well. It also features earlier production two tone bar bracing over the trestle bracing common after about 1959. Either way, the body is wonderfully resonant, the pickup has a clean and warm response with the characteristic rounded pop perfect Chet-style playing, and it still plays great for a guitar that is around half a century old.
Condition: This guitar is in good condition overall. It does possess various nicks, dings, dents, chips, and scratches from being played, but is still in great shape for its age. As per many of this era, the binding is starting to deteriorate but is not actively chipping/falling off. The frets show only light to mild wear and still have a ton of playing time left in them. The neck is comfortable and the truss rod functions.
Body: Single-cutaway double-bound hollow maple body with arched maple top, all refinished in Sunburst. Gretsch “G” tailpiece. Unoriginal rosewood bridge. Unoriginal switch tip. Missing pickguard. Two tone bar bracing.
Neck: Slim to medium depth C shape neck and rosewood fingerboard with thumbnail fret markers. Fully re-fretted, 21 frets. 1 5/8” nut. Nickel open-gear tuning machines (at least 1 replaced).
Electronics: HiLo’Tron pickup in the neck. Volume pot dated to 1965. 3-way tone switch.
Neck: 3.45k Ohms
Weight: 6 lbs 6.9 oz
Playability/Sound: The HiLo’Tron stays pretty clean and has a nicely rounded upper mid-range with good pop, along with its mild sustain and woody tone derived from its hollow body construction. The C shape neck is easy and comfortable from the nut to the cutaway.
Case: Includes hardshell case.
