Most who were inspired by the new popular guitarists Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and other musical greats were turning to Fender, rather than Gretsch. Baldwin would have trouble understanding guitars in general and the White Falcon in particular, which was not successful out of the rockabilly era. It also switched to a twin-cutaway body beginning in 1962.įred Gretsch retired in 1967 and sold his company to the Baldwin Piano Company.
A stereo version (model 6137) became available as well. The block inlays on the ebony fretboard were replaced with half-moon shaped inlays in 1957, the original single-coil DeArmond Dynasonic pickups were replaced with Filter'Tron humbuckers in 1958, and that same year the Melita bridge was replaced with a Space Control bridge the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece was standard starting in 1962. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Gretsch tweaked the Falcon.
#1957 GRETSCH WHITE FALCON HOW TO#
As the company's new high-end guitar, Gretsch marketed it as "the finest guitar we know how to make – and what a beauty!" The White Falcon originally cost $600 (about $4,100, adjusted for inflation) this price was second only to the $690 price of Gibson's Super 400CESN. The high interest from sales representatives led Gretsch to rush the guitar into production, and the first White Falcons were sold in 1955, identified as the model 6136. It was supposed to be a showpiece, much like GM's Motorama "Dream Cars" of the day. It was displayed as "the guitar of the future," but Gretsch initially had no plans to manufacture the model. The White Falcon was unveiled at the NAMM show in July 1954. Many of Gretsch's drums were covered with thick sparkly gold plastic that could also be used as binding on guitars. From the banjo production line, Webster recalled the engraved pearl inlays that adorned the fretboard and headstock.
He wanted a "Dream Guitar", and gained his inspiration by walking through the Gretsch factory and watching the construction of the diversity of musical instruments the company produced. In early 1954, Gretsch marketing strategist Jimmie Webster sought to design a guitar to improve upon the Gibson Super 400. The White Falcon's distinctive appearance is owed to its 17-inch size (white, with gold-sparkle pickguard featuring an engraved falcon) and its striking hardware: Jimmie Webster's 1954 version had triple binding, gold-plated hardware, an ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl inlays, and an eye-catching "Cadillac G" tailpiece. As of 2013, Gretsch offers a number of regular models including a custom-built replica of the original, the latter priced in the US at $12,000 (approximately £8300). Since then it has undergone various changes, and is still being made.
ContentsĬreated as a "showpiece" exhibiting the craft of Gretsch's luthiers, sales and demonstration representative Jimmie Webster created it for the 1954 NAMM Show, where the guitar was so popular that it was put into production and went on sale the following year. The Gretsch White Falcon is a high-end electric hollowbody guitar introduced in 1954 by Gretsch.
0 kommentar(er)
