Old Gretch guitar

[lonnie james barber]

Hi Fellows;while taking my wife to work I had to stop at the county dumpsters to toss out the trash.While waiting in line I noticed a couple tossing away a guitar.I could see the headstock was broken off and dangling by some old strings.My curiosity piqued, I walked over, the name on the guitar said Gretch.I asked if they were throwing it away.The lady said yes,so I asked if I could have it.She agreed and I thanked her and walked proudly back to my car.My wife looked at me like I was crazy and said what did I want with that piece of trash.I explained to her that it was a Gretch guitar and might be worth a good home.After getting it home I looked inside to read the label.It said THE FRED, GRETCH MFG.CO Brooklyn (11),N.Y. Upon closer inspection I noticed the top was cracked with a fairly wide (smile).To be honest it looks like the guitar may have been used as a canoe paddle sometime ago by maybe Hiawatha.The bridge is cracked all the way across where the bridge pins go,but still solidly glued to the what appears to be a white spruce top.The back looks like Mahogony as does the broken headstock.The truss rod seems secure in side it's little room (i.e.not tampered with).The finish is badly cracked all the way around.This guitar does not seem to have a whole lot going for it except it's name and manufacturer.The serial number is 62,035.The line for the model number is blank.At one time I feel like this little accoustic was a very fine guitar.The fingerboard is rosewood.The finish is what we refer to as sunburst.My questions fellows,does anyone out there have a clue about this guitar?I won't begin working on this ol fella untill cooler weather.

[Murray MacLeod]

It's a fake, guaranteed.

If it was genuine, the name on the headstock would have read GRETSCH, not GRETCH ...

[lonnie james barber]

Murray my mistake the name on the guitar is GRETSCH

[Tim Mace]

we like pictures .........

[lonnie james barber]

Sorry Tim I'm not having  to much luck sending pictures on th is computer going to the verizon store for help

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi Lonnie.

Cool dumpster find.

I'll try to say this as kindly as I can.... I've never played or seen a Gretsch flat top worth the price of a new set of strings, let alone a restoration.  Even their top of the line "Rancher" was an amazingly poor sounding instrument.  Most Gretsch acoustics sound like $25 '60s era press-wood Stellas.

There's a seemingly "highly romanticized" opinion of vintage Gretch's out there today. Do they look cool?  You bet, they are some beautiful aesthetically designed instruments.  Do they sound good?  You betcha (this applies ONLY to their US made electrics).  They are, however, some of the most poorly constructed guitars ever made.  It's all to common to see a neck separating from the body, tops collapsing and the bindings rotting away.  Those are simply my personal observations based on repairs I've done and 45+ years of playing experience.  BTW: The new US made Gretsch electric guitars (made by the Fender corporation) are very fine instruments. Their reissue of the acoustic Rancher is a joke as the original was too.

Best of luck with whatever destiny you have planned for your find (-:

[lonnie james barber]

Thanks Paul,I believe you about the sound of this guitar I know your experience...By the way it's good to hear from you again.I will put this instrument back into playable condition and perhaps give it away or something.It's a small guitar 11" at the upper bout 14" at the lower bout.18" long so it seems like a womens guitar a whopping 1 5/8" at the nut.It is made with good tone wood and what I can tell no sinking of the top or rotting braces in fact it seems like a well constructed instrument.The neck is not splitting away from the body.The only damage is the broken headstock.Someone leaned it against a wall and it did a no no.I've seen it happen before.I caution my students not to do these things.It's a natural thing to do though.I tell them to put it back in it's case when not in use.Like I said the top does have two cracks.Nothing major.The binding surrounding the guitar front and back is in good shape.The sound hole (in the shape of a guitar pick) the binding is beginning to come off.It seems to be a form of plastic.Heck it had five strings on it they reminded me of the Black Diamonds I used to buy back in the fiftys.They were huge looked like they could have pulled a Battleship.I'm going to have fun putting it back into working condition.Again glad to hear from you.Wishing you and yours a happy Independance day.Regards Lonnie

[Ian Barker]

S. No 62035 apparently corresponds to 1963, Gretsch catalog for that year is here: http://gretschpages.com/history/memorabilia/1963-gretsch-catalog/.  Nothing in it that looks like yours, though - only one model (Rancher) with the weird soundhole.

[lonnie james barber]

Thanks Ian,I went to the website and your correct nothing in there comes close to the guitar I found.I did however join their discussion group.I left the particulars with the group.This guitar appears more like the folk model except with the pick shaped soundhole.Like I've mentioned before this is a very small guitar.According to the info on their website there's a possibility (according to the labels mentioned) that the guitar was made sometime between 1949-1957.However the serial number Indicates a possible later date maybe 1962.I.m hoping to recieve some feedback from the Gretsch discussion group.Thanks for the help my friend,regards Lonnie

[lonnie james barber]

While browsing through the Gretsch catalogue 1948-49 I found an almost identical match.It's the sierra model however nobody at Gretsch pages has ever posted anything on this model before.Such is my luck hopefully someone there will recognize it when I post pictures later this afternoon.Lonnieboy

[lonnie james barber]

Hi guys;I did post pics on Gretschpages,or I should say my golfing buddy did it for me.I am still at a loss on this computer.So untill I get more savvy on this computer thingamabob please go to the Gretschpages.com under dumpsterfind.

[lonnie james barber]

Well I was able to get one pic posted unfortunatly it's the backside I don't know how I did it either.

[lonnie james barber]

I repaired the headstock.Only have 5 tuners that are useable.So I have 5 strings on it tuned to 440 pitch.It sounds pretty good for a 50 year old guitar.The fellas at gretsch pages are researching all the records trying to find the model number.They have found an identical guitar somewhere on the internet but still no word.It seems maybe to be a 1964 model,or a 1948 model the jury is still out.I'm playing it though.Got a new set of tuners coming from stewmac should be here Wed.I normally play a classical guitar so even light gauge Martins are killing my fingers.Gonna put on a set of extra lights.:0)