These instruments are based on classic Gretsch designs, including the venerable White Falcon.įrom its introduction in 1954 through today, the White Falcon has always been known for its white finish, ebony fingerboard, 17" wide hollow body, gold-plated hardware, engraved gold pickguard, and gold sparkle binding. In 1989, Fred Gretsch III resumed control of the family business and began making guitars again. being relegated to the domain of "collectibles". Gretsch limped through the '70s and finally stopped being produced in the '80s. Baldwin would have trouble understanding guitars in general and to make matters worse, the rapidly deteriorating Baldwin Manufacturing experienced two destructive fires at its new Arkansas plant in 1973. and after a decade of accomplishment, Fred Gretsch retired in 1967 and sold his company to Baldwin Manufacturing. The new era of rock guitarist such as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and other musical greats were turning to Fender, rather than Gretsch, and bringing the burgeoning flock of wannabes along with them and the Gretsch Golden Years soon began it's decline. It has also switched to a twin-cutaway body beginning in 1962. Through the '60s, Webster continually improved on the Falcon with more features, including a Stereo version and the late '60s, the Falcon was covered with controls and knobs. So popular was the White Falcon, and the other Gretsch models of the time, that this era is frequently referred to as "The Golden Years" or "The Great Years" in Gretsch History. It was supposed to be a showpiece, but the sheer volume of questions received about the eye-catching instrument led to a reevaluation of this position, and the White Falcon hit stores in 1955 at the cost of $600, (over $4000 by todays standards). The White Falcon was unveiled at the NAMM show in July 1954 being displayed as "the guitar of the future," but Gretsch initially had no plans to actually manufacture the model. The combination of these eye-catching features with an immense 17" wide by 2-3/4" deep white body and highest quality gold-plated hardware rendered "the Cadillac of guitars," the White Falcon. 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. The Falcon was the brainchild of Gretsch marketing strategist Jimmie Webster, who in 1954 sought to design a "Dream Guitar", and gained his inspiration by walking through the Gretsch factory and watching the construction of the staggering diversity of musical instruments the company produced. The White Falcon is best known for its large size, (17" in width"), and distinctive appearance, with bright white paint, gold trim, and soaring falcon engraved on the gold pickguard. While it has had many substantial changes to its body shape and features through the years, being currently offered in several styles, the White Falcon has always maintained a striking and unmistakable presence and has become a highly recognized piece of Rock history. The Gretsch White Falcon guitar has a very unique, distinct appearance and was commercially introduced in 1955 by Gretsch. Hammond B3 - Flying V - Les Paul - Leslie - Moog - Stratocaster - Telecaster - White Falcon - Wurlitzer The guitar comes complete with a sturdy G6267 Deluxe Hardshell guitar case.Guitars - Acoustic - Electric - Custom | Keyboards - Acoustic - Digital | Drums | Cymbals | Recording / Studio | Microphones | Amplifiers | Affiliates The master volume, the master tone and the volume of the two pickups can be easily adjusted. The pickups - two High Sensitive Filter'Trons™ - are placed near the bridge and the neck and provide you with a choice of three different configurations. The neck is made of 3-ply maple and its ebony fingerboard is equipped with 22 medium jumbo frets. Finally, because the bridge and the block are connected, sound is transferred more efficiently to the F holes leading to a fuller tone overall. To keep it lightweight, the block has been chambered. The block is made of spruce which adds a lively tone. For starters, it reduces body-resonant feedback, enabling you to play with more gain. The Center Block runs along the length of the body and offers a number of advantages. This Falcon owes its great, full sound to a 3-ply maple body, large f-shaped sound holes and a Center Block. It has gold hardware and features a double cutaway at the neck to enhance its playability. The Gretsch G6139T-CBDC is one of the new white models. New additions to the range include black and white Falcons. Gretsch's Professional Collection features a number of beautiful and valuable guitars.
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