The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    All this Gretsch talk is making me regret selling my G-400 Synchromatic. That was a seriously good sounding guitar!

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  3. #27

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    Marty thanks for the observations and I am like you what about a label or SN? There must be one, otherwise how would Julien’s know the history? I just love the smaller outset f holes and the antique blonde stripe look so I don’t care. Yet I can’t wait to peer in that hole.


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  4. #28

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    Oh and it was lot # 985. Talk about a long wait!


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  5. #29

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    Great buys on that auction. I’d have bid on that sunburst Synchronatic if I’d have known about the auction. It clearly was a $4k guitar imho. I owned a blonde version back in 2012. It appeared as a carved Super Eagle in Gretsch trim. A beautiful carved arch top built by the previous Heritage owners in the early 90’s. Mine was a 1994 model.

    But I had read some 20 or so has been built. The auction said only 10 were built. I’m wondering if that information is suspect. Still, great buys all around and congratulations to those who were able to participate in the auction.

  6. #30

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    IMO you got the best looking Gretsch of the whole lot.

  7. #31

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    I opted for overnight shipping on my G410 and got an email with the tracking info. I called the number in the email and spoke to an Adrian, very easy going yet seasoned guy. He said they’re packing everything up like crazy. I mentioned the condition reports to him, he said the guitars are all very clean just weren’t stored in cases, but well cared for, I get mine Tuesday. Pics to follow.
    BIG

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by Crm114
    I opted for overnight shipping on my G410 and got an email with the tracking info. I called the number in the email and spoke to an Adrian, very easy going yet seasoned guy. He said they’re packing everything up like crazy. I mentioned the condition reports to him, he said the guitars are all very clean just weren’t stored in cases, but well cared for, I get mine Tuesday. Pics to follow.
    BIG
    It's true. It is a BIG guitar.

  9. #33

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    I wish I had seen this sooner. It looks like there was some cool stuff.

    There isn't a whole lot of Gretsch love around here so I take any opportunity to post my old pre-Streamliner.

    Do you dig Gretschs? Check out these.......-smallpre-streamliner-jpg

  10. #34

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    To be honest, I have not paid that much attention to Gretsches in my lifetime. I had a Country Gentleman late in high school I got in trade but kept it only a short while. The feedback problem and the lack of a fixed bridge using Slinky strings in a style with a lot of bends were issues.

    Later I began to admire the look of the Falcons and Penguins and I loved the Dearmond pickups.

    More recently the old carved Gretsches, including the Country Club, gained my respect.


  11. #35

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    Super Eagles in Gretsch trim. Gotta love it!

  12. #36

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    My first cutaway archtop was an early 60's Gretsch Double Anniversary model in about 1975. It was the two-tone funky green and I wanted a blonde guitar so I stripped it and gave it a french polish in a natural finish. Some audio/recording students who recorded me in a studio with a combo during my jazz studies years, said they thought it was one of the greatest sounding guitars they had worked with. What I remember the most of the guitar is how it always smelled like shellac and linseed oil.

    My new Gretsch reminds me of that one when I look at the strap button, of all things. Oh yeah I had a Country Gentleman in college for a while with the rubber mute that flipped up, padded back, and painted f-holes. Padded backs lol!

    Can''t wait to meet her!
    Do you dig Gretschs? Check out these.......-9c3997d1-e325-43d5-b8c0-606e6ae0800f-jpeg

  13. #37

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    The top on that is as good as it gets. The pickguard is classy. It looks like it has some sort of humbucker.

    I think you will be very happy with this instrument.

  14. #38

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    I'll add one more comment that is a plus for the Gretsch line. The tailpiece has complete channels to insert the strings into, not just slots. This makes restringing easier and avoids popping balls!

  15. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    Here are the differences I noticed.

    The model numbers are different. G410 is the Heritage model. Yours is a GGP415M. (M is for natural.)
    The f holes are a different design.
    The neck binding is thinner than I've seen on any Heritage.
    There are no nibs on yours.
    The neck has a tongue on yours. I haven't seen a tongue on any Heritage yet.
    The natural finish on yours is darker than the Heritage Gretsches.
    The pickguard is turquoise, not wood.
    The middle stripe in the neck is black, not reddish mahogany.
    The strap lock is on the upper bout. Heritage didn't do that on the others.
    Yours looks like a 17". To my knowledge Heritage only made the "Eldorado" Gretsch (18").
    The pickup on yours isn't a Heritage.

    All that being said, the auction did state that Heritage built it. Presumably there is a label attesting to that. And Heritage was a custom shop back then, and if Gretsch asked for those features that are on your guitar, Heritage would comply. Regardless, yours is a drop dead gorgeous guitar, and I'm very serious about that. It reminds me of the guitars Aaron Cowles built. It has the same natural shading, smaller f holes, cutaway style, the maple figuring he personally loved. The pickup looks like a Johnny Smith, which would be hotter than the Heritages.

    I bid on your guitar early on. Yours was the last of the ones I was interested in. I was tapped out at item 793. Yours was 828. I may have given you a little competition if money grew on trees!

    I'm very curious about the label.
    There is nothing inside the guitar except a cob web and a ghost. No labels/no numbers. I am not convinced it is Heritage-built as described. But I am blown away with the guitar although it has some minor aging issues. I am in contact with Julien's inquiring who the descriptor was, and how he ascertained the builder. From my research so far, it appears to be built by Hidesato Shino. It looks like one of his EXL-1A's and it has similar neck binding and no nibs. The placement and design of the f-holes is very similar. There is the same step-off at the neck heel binding. The is a single dark walnut appearing stripe down the back of the neck and a tongue just like the EXL-1A. I am not upset if it is not a Heritage build, I just would like some confirmation of my suspicions. It is beautiful and the only guitar in the auction I wanted, to tell you the truth. I will post a NGD when I get some answers. Thank you Marty Grass for your insights.
    EXL-1A
    Do you dig Gretschs? Check out these.......-28c47707-8525-4070-b0e1-770ef846dbc7_1_201_a-jpeg
    My Gretsch Ghost
    Do you dig Gretschs? Check out these.......-4e3c3288-aad5-4736-8803-6702e7297424_4_5005_c-jpeg

  16. #40

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    That is a stunning guitar no matter it's origin.

  17. #41

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    I agree wholeheartedly with Marty that is a stunning Guitar no matter what its origin

    I think we all did real good, the underlying thing we have to all remember though is that these guitars were not stored in cases and they need some restoration and enrichment if you will
    but that aside these are from what I think of is the golden era from Heritage from the old Masters

  18. #42

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    It's actually slightly less. These are NOS instruments built by people I know with great care. They have never been in shops or sold. They are 18" bodies. I suspect they were tap tuned, as Heritage did for the D'Angelicos they built. The bodies actually are the same as the Heritage Johnny Smith 18", of which only two were made. I've added two videos demonstrating their potential.
    These guitars are not for every player. I get that. But they have a great acoustic and amplified sound.
    In my view these were a fair deal. The White Falcons were going for double often at this auction.

    Hi MG,
    Thank you for attaching a couple of my videos.
    I remember recording the “What’s New” vid. I had FULL BLOWN Shingles during the recording. I see a little bit on my hand.
    That was a really dark time in my life. I appreciated having that guitar. It got me through.
    The Heritage boys made some really spectacular guitars. That one and the Ghost built New Yorker that Stringswinger now has are really special guitars that I’ve had the luxury of having for a while. I’ve been very lucky.
    Believe it or not, I had a Gretsch drum set when I was a kid. Me and my brother found it in the garbage and put it together in my attack. We never played it, because it was always like 700 degrees in the attack. It was a lot easier to sneak my fathers guitar out from under his bed when he wasn’t home..

    Thanks again. Both of you guys for making it possible for a “Rose” to be a part of my life for a while.

    Joe D

  19. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by DMgolf66
    I'm sure there won't be any "steals", but as my Grandmother used to say "thats an shitload of guitars"!
    Bid in Property From The Gretsch Family Archives Auction on Mar 27, 2021 by Julien'''s Auctions in CA
    I spotted five Heritage-built Gertch archtops, plus the Shino. Any idea what the dealio is on the Gertsch-labelled D'Angelico copies or the big acoustic non-cutaway archtops?

    I'd characterize a couple of the Heritage-built archtops as excellent value deals, even with the 28% premium, state sales tax, and insured shipping.

  20. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hammertone
    I spotted five Heritage-built Gertch archtops, plus the Shino. Any idea what the dealio is on the Gertsch-labelled D'Angelico copies or the big acoustic non-cutaway archtops?

    I'd characterize a couple of the Heritage-built archtops as excellent value deals, even with the 28% premium, state sales tax, and insured shipping.
    I can't answer your questions.

    I expected to put some work into the Gretsches to get them ready to play. New guitars from any factory generally need some care.

    After strip cleaning the one I have at home, I put relatively heavy strings on it. I had to do a little work on the saddle so that it lined up well with the 12" radius of the fretboard. There was a fair amount of tweaking needed here and there, for example, to make the pickup flush with the top on the bass and treble sides. But none of this is unexpected.

    It now is a wonderful instrument in tone and playability. The 20th fret under the high E needs a touch of filing. That's about it.

    I find that it helps bond with an instrument to do this sort of work. Playing helps too!