![]() ![]() By the early 1970s, however, there was enough demand for the original single-cutaway that Gretsch reintroduced it, and the White Falcon became the only Gretsch model offered in single- and double-cutaway versions at the same time. Like the higher Chet Atkins Hollow Body and Country Gentleman, the White Falcon was “modernized” with a double-cutaway body in the early 1960s. ![]() The 1959 version featured four switches on the upper bass bout by 1965, they were moved to the lower treble bout. The Filter’Tron pickups with three missing polepieces were no longer a visual indication of stereo, having been replaced by standard-looking units, but a stereo guitar was now even more easily identifiable by the extra switches – five switches in all, along with two knobs. So they do provide a fence post in the window of production opportunity a particular guitar or its batch was made.Gretsch’s Project o-sonic stereo, which was available on the White Falcon in 1958, had initially been controlled with a simple two-knob, three-switch system, but within a year of Project-o-sonic’s introduction, Gretsch’s head designer Jimmie Webster couldn’t resist making it better – or at least more complicated. But the fact remains that a Gretsch guitar could not be produced before the pots used inside (assuming they are original). As the success of the golden era pushed Gretsch production, toward and then through the boom of the 60s (Dan Duffy's characterization) they were buying pots in much larger quantities, lessening the value of of that data. In the early-mid 50s they bought smaller lots of pots and therefore they are more reliable to assist in dating Gretsch guitars. only to be used many months later in a batch of guitars that otherwise have much younger pots. Dan Duffy explained that the periodic "much older" pots that surface are because they kept these in buckets on the production line, and when the supply was getting low they would refresh with newer pots, right on top of the older one's that sometimes remained at the bottom of the bucket for a long time. Granted pot codes don't tell you everything and I don't know how quickly Gretsch was cycling through pots at that time, but I'm sure they'd tell us something useful.Ĭlick to expand.I can certify that they did NOT religiously abide to the FIFO standard. 1962 was the first year of the double cutaway and this one is quite an example. I would be that they would more likely correspond to a 1962 or 1963 Anniversary. Exceptionally fine one owner 1962 Gretsch White Falcon with a great story. I.e., I would bet my paycheck that the pots on the "1960" flip-up mute Falcon would not correspond to the pot codes on a 1960 Anniversary. The value of that would be that then you could compare pot codes on Falcons to pot codes on more common models. If I could snap my fingers and conjure up a complete set of data points it would be pot codes for this batch of Falcons. But when you see a single cut with flip-up mutes, it makes you realize that nothing can be assumed. Then finally double cuts with flip-up mutes. Then some double cuts with dial-up mutes. ![]() Then you'd see a handful of single cuts with dial-up mutes. The most logical order of things would be that the start of this batch would be single cut, no mutes. Other features include a three-piece maple neck, ebony fingerboard. The double-cutaway body has an arched top with oversized bound F-holes, gold-sparkle binding and white back pad. But exactly how production flowed would be pure conjecture. This gorgeous top-of-the-line Gretsch bass is modeled on the classic White Falcon guitar. And there probably wasn't much point in dedicating the time and resources to labor intensive guitars that they knew would be ordered only on a sporadic basis compared to other models. ![]() Dan Duffy mentioned how much the factory workers hated dealing with Falcons, so that may be at least partially the reason for spreading out the misery. Did they fabricate 10 or 50 or 100 bodies at once? Bind them all together, one at a time, or small batches? Same with attaching necks, or finishing. Model: G6636T Players Edition Falcon Center Block Double-Cut with String-Thru Bigsby, FilterTron Pickups, White Model : 2400900805 Color: White. But I haven't got the slightest clue what may or may not have happened before then. When you see certain features that didn't exist before a certain time, that suggests it couldn't have been completed before a certain time frame. I was in Ocean Way studios recording ‘The Capsules’ with The Cult and I really wanted the White Falcon sound on a track. Exclusive Gretsch Vibratofor that exciting tremolo effect. Gretsch White Falcon 1960s Double Cutaway. Body finished in white lacquer, hand rubbed to a high luster. When I say "completed" that's exactly what I mean. The 'White Falcon' features a slim 17' double cutaway gleaming white body of 2' thickness with 24-karat gold-plated metal parts, with multiple binding thru-out body and neck. Click to expand.There's absolutely more than meets the eye. ![]()
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