Gretsch White Falcon: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|1954 electric hollow-body guitar}} |
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{{Infobox Guitar model |
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|image=[[Image:Grewhifalcus.jpg|300px]] |
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|title=Gretsch White Falcon |
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|image=[[File:Gretsch White Falcon (1995), played by The Reverend Horton Heat, Petersen Auto Museum.jpg|250px]] |
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|bgcolor=#FFFFFF |
|bgcolor=#FFFFFF |
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|manufacturer=[[Gretsch]] |
|manufacturer=[[Gretsch]] |
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|period= |
|period=1955–1980; 1996–Present |
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|bodytype=Hollow |
|bodytype=Hollow |
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|necktype= |
|necktype=Set |
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|scale=25.5" |
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|woodbody=17" wide, 2 3/4" deep laminated [[maple]] body |
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|woodbody=17" wide, solid spruce [[archtop]], laminated maple back and sides with gold sparkle-white-black-white layered binding, [[f-holes]] |
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|woodneck=[[Maple]] |
|woodneck=[[Maple]] |
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|woodfingerboard= |
|woodfingerboard=Ebony with pearl inlay and gold sparkle-white-black-white layered bindings; 25½" scale |
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|bridge=Ebony-based Space |
|bridge=Ebony-based "Space Control" roller bridge (since 1958) |
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|pickups=Two Dynasonic Single-coil Pickups/3- |
|pickups=Two Dynasonic Single-coil Pickups (1954–1958); two FilterTron Humbuckers (1958–Present)/3-position toggle |
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|colors=White |
|colors=White, black, silver |
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}} |
}} |
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The '''Gretsch White Falcon''' is an electric hollow-body guitar introduced in 1954 by [[Gretsch]]. |
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The '''Gretsch White Falcon''' (often referred to as simply the '''White Falcon''') was an innovative and revolutionary guitar which was introduced in the early 50's, and is considered by many as "One of the defining instruments of [[Rock (music)|Rock]]"[http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WhiteFalconDS/]. It obtained profitable success with many famous guitarists acclimatizing it into their repertoire. Although coming in only one model, style, and color (as well as the steep expense), it has remained a prime example of [[Rock (music)|Rock]] history. The unique style of Gold freeboards and 3 separate volume controls (Neck pickup, Bridge pickup, Master volume) allows the user to create a more controlled sound used to their desired craving. |
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This guitar was created as a "showpiece" to exhibit the craft of Gretsch's luthiers, sales, and demonstration representative, Jimmie Webster, who created it for the 1954 [[NAMM Show|NAMM Convention]]. The guitar was so popular that it was put into production and went on sale the following year. Since then, it has undergone various changes and is still being made today. {{As of|2013}}, Gretsch offers a number of guitars in its "Falcon" series, including a custom-built replica of the original, which is priced in the US at $12,000 (approximately £8300).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2401404805|title=G6136CST White Falcon|year=2013|publisher=Gretsch|accessdate=11 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023212006/http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2401404805|archive-date=23 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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The White Falcon is best known for its large, 17-inch size, striking appearance, with gleaming white paint, copious gold trim, and a [[Falcon]] in mid-flight engraved in in the gold pickguard. |
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The White Falcon's distinctive appearance is owed to its 17-inch width (white, with gold-sparkle pickguard featuring an engraved falcon) and its 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.<ref name="Meeker">{{cite news|title=The Gretsch 1955-'61 White Falcon: Jimmie Webster's Master Showpiece|last=Meeker|first=Ward|date=October 2009|work=[[Vintage Guitar (magazine)|Vintage Guitar]]|pages=46–47}}</ref> |
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In early 1954, [[Gretsch]] began designing an under-the-covers guitar in order to compete with other makes (such as the [[Fender Stratocaster]] and the [[Gibson Les Paul]]). Then, one year later, the White Falcon hit the market to acquire an unanticipated and previously unforeseeable success, due to its likeable design and exceptional sound production. Gretsch made an audacious move when designing the Falcon. It features gold fingerboards (previously unheard of), an immense size, a hollow body, and 3 pickup switch toggles to generate the player’s preferred sound. |
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So popular was the White Falcon that this epoch in Gretsch guitar history is frequently referred to as “The Golden Years” or “The Great Years” because of its asphyxiating success. With over a decade of accomplishment, Fred Gretsch retired and, for better or worse, sold his company to Baldwin Manufacturing. Baldwin would, however, have trouble understanding guitars in general; especially the White Falcon, which disastrously failed to evolve smoothly into the [[psychedelic Rock|psychedelic]] period and the up-and-coming [[Hard Rock]] 70s’. Most who were inspired by [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Jeff Beck]], [[Eric Clapton]] and other musical greats were turning to [[Fender]], rather than Gretsch. Thus, the White Falcon seldom received even the smallest structure of recognition during this period, and went completely overlooked. |
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In early 1954, Jimmie Webster sought to design a guitar to improve upon the [[Gibson Super 400]]. He wanted a "Dream Guitar," and gained his inspiration by walking through the Gretsch factory watching the construction of the many diverse musical instruments the company produced. From the [[banjo]] production line, Webster recalled the engraved pearl inlays that adorned the fretboard and headstock. Many of Gretsch's drums were covered with thick sparkly gold plastic that could also be used as binding on guitars. |
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The White Falcon was unveiled at the NAMM Convention in July 1954. It was displayed as "the guitar of the future," but Gretsch initially had no plans to manufacture the model. It was supposed to be a showpiece, much like GM's Motorama "Dream Cars" of the day. |
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To make matters worse, the deteriorating Balding Manufacturing experienced two destructive warehouse fires. Gretsch limped through the 70s’ and finally closed production in the 80s’. Falcons soon became instruments only collectors owned and swiftly became forgotten altogether. It wasn’t until the mid-90s’, when Fred Gretsch III reintroduced his family’s previous legacy and, due to this effort, conveyed the White Falcon into the limelight, once again. |
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[[File:Neil Young 2012.jpg|thumb|left|220px|[[Neil Young]], playing a Gretsch White Falcon on June 20, 2009]] |
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==Notable White Falcon Players== |
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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.<ref name="Meeker"/> As the company's new high-end guitar, Gretsch marketed it as "the finest guitar we know how to make – and what a beauty!"{{cn|date=October 2013}} The White Falcon originally cost $600 ({{inflation|US|600|1955|fmt=eq}});<ref name="Meeker"/> this price was second only to the $690 price of Gibson's Super 400CESN.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bacon |first1=Tony |title=Electric guitars : the illustrated encyclopedia |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=0-681-37274-5 |pages=168 |edition=Pbk.}}</ref> |
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*[[Steven Stills]] |
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*[[Neil Young]] |
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Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Gretsch tweaked the Falcon. The block inlays on the ebony fretboard were replaced with half-moon shaped inlays in 1957, the original single-coil [[Harry DeArmond|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. Later, a stereo version (model 6137) became available as well.<ref name="Meeker"/> It also switched to a twin-cutaway body beginning in 1962. |
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*[[John Frusciante]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] |
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[[Image:otherside2003.jpg|300px|thumb|right|[[John Frusciante]] playing a White Falcon at [[Slane Concert|Slane Castle]]. He primarily used the vintage guitar (which he reportedly purchased for $30,000) on the tracks "[[Otherside]]" and "[[Californication (song)|Californication]]" from the album ''[[Californication (album)|Californication]]''.]] |
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Fred Gretsch, the company's owner at the time,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gretsch.com/2018/03/the-fred-thread-four-gretsch-presidents-namedfred-fred-3/|title=The Fred Thread: Four Gretsch Presidents Named…Fred (Fred #3) {{!}} Gretsch|website=www.gretsch.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-15}}</ref> retired in 1967 and sold his company to the [[Baldwin Piano Company]]. Baldwin would have trouble understanding guitars, which would cause the guitar to lose its popularity. This was not good for the company; the [[rockabilly]] era was just ending and Rock and Roll was just getting popular with the rise of new guitarists like [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Jeff Beck]], [[Eric Clapton]] and other musical greats were turning to [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]], rather than Gretsch. |
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*[[James Hetfield]] of [[Metallica]] |
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*[[Leo Moran]] of The [[Saw Doctors]] |
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The rapidly deteriorating Baldwin Manufacturing then experienced two destructive fires at its new Arkansas plant in 1973. Gretsch limped through the 1970s and finally closed in the 1980s. In 1989 Fred Gretsch III resumed control of the family business and began making guitars again. These instruments are based on classic Gretsch designs, including the White Falcon. |
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*[[Davy Carton]] of The [[Saw Doctors]] |
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*[[David Grohl]] and [[Pat Smear]] of the [[Foo Fighters]] |
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==1995–present, model numbers 6136 and 7593== |
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*[[Chris Cheney]] of [[The Living End]] |
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{{no sources section|date=September 2022}} |
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*[[Rich Robinson]] of the [[Black Crowes]] |
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[[File:Rhcp-live-pinkpop05.jpg|thumb|[[John Frusciante]] of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] performing with a White Falcon in 2006]] |
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Models are now available commemorating every phase in the design of the White Falcon. Features are reproduced accordingly. Modern Falcons are also available in black and silver, and include a [[Stephen Stills]] signature model (based on the 1958 incarnation), as well as a green [[Bono]] Irish Falcon that incorporates the original vertical headstock logo and engraved block inlays with the post-1958 electronics configuration and features "The Goal Is Soul" silkscreened onto the pickguard. Gretsch added a [[Brian Setzer]] Black Phoenix model to its lineup. Like Brian Setzer's signature Hot Rod 6120, the Black Phoenix features stripped-down electronics that consist of two pickups, a selector switch, and a volume knob. In January 2013, Gretsch introduced the [[Billy Duffy]] signature model, replicating the Baldwin-era design with silver binding and chrome hardware. |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==Bibliography== |
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*{{cite book|last=Bacon|first=Tony|title=Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia|year=2000|publisher=Thunder Bay|isbn=978-1-57145-281-8|author2=Dave Burrluck |author3=Paul Day |author4=Michael Wright }} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http:// |
* [http://gretschpages.com/guitars/falcons/ The Gretsch Pages: White Falcon models] |
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* [http://www.gretschpages.com/history/ The Gretsch Pages: History] |
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;6136 variants |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071016174835/http://gretschguitars.com/gear/index.php?product=G6136SLBP&cat1=&cat2=&q=&st=1 ''Brian Setzer Black Falcon'' ('''6136 SLBP''')] |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071016174056/http://gretschguitars.com/gear/index.php?product=G6136I&cat1=&cat2=&q=&st=1 ''Bono Irish Falcon'' ('''6136 I''')] |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071016174840/http://gretschguitars.com/gear/index.php?product=G6136TSL&cat1=&cat2=&q=&st=1 ''Silver Falcon'' ('''6136 TSL''')] |
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* [http://www.zuitar.com/guitar/100662-Black_Falcon_with_Bigsby.html ''Black Falcon with Bigsby'' ('''G6136TBK''')]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} |
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{{Gretsch}} |
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[[Category:Gretsch electric guitars]] |
[[Category:Gretsch electric guitars|White Falcon]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Semi-acoustic guitars]] |
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Latest revision as of 15:22, 7 June 2024
| Gretsch White Falcon | |
|---|---|
,_played_by_The_Reverend_Horton_Heat,_Petersen_Auto_Museum.jpg) | |
| Manufacturer | Gretsch |
| Period | 1955–1980; 1996–Present |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Hollow |
| Neck joint | Set |
| Scale | 25.5" |
| Woods | |
| Body | 17" wide, solid spruce archtop, laminated maple back and sides with gold sparkle-white-black-white layered binding, f-holes |
| Neck | Maple |
| Fretboard | Ebony with pearl inlay and gold sparkle-white-black-white layered bindings; 25½" scale |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Ebony-based "Space Control" roller bridge (since 1958) |
| Pickup(s) | Two Dynasonic Single-coil Pickups (1954–1958); two FilterTron Humbuckers (1958–Present)/3-position toggle |
| Colors available | |
| White, black, silver | |
The Gretsch White Falcon is an electric hollow-body guitar introduced in 1954 by Gretsch.
This guitar was created as a "showpiece" to exhibit the craft of Gretsch's luthiers, sales, and demonstration representative, Jimmie Webster, who created it for the 1954 NAMM Convention. The guitar was so popular that it was put into production and went on sale the following year. Since then, it has undergone various changes and is still being made today. As of 2013[update], Gretsch offers a number of guitars in its "Falcon" series, including a custom-built replica of the original, which is priced in the US at $12,000 (approximately £8300).[1]
The White Falcon's distinctive appearance is owed to its 17-inch width (white, with gold-sparkle pickguard featuring an engraved falcon) and its 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.[2]
Origins and history
[edit]In early 1954, Jimmie Webster sought to design a guitar to improve upon the Gibson Super 400. He wanted a "Dream Guitar," and gained his inspiration by walking through the Gretsch factory watching the construction of the many diverse musical instruments the company produced. From the banjo production line, Webster recalled the engraved pearl inlays that adorned the fretboard and headstock. Many of Gretsch's drums were covered with thick sparkly gold plastic that could also be used as binding on guitars.
The White Falcon was unveiled at the NAMM Convention in July 1954. It was displayed as "the guitar of the future," but Gretsch initially had no plans to manufacture the model. It was supposed to be a showpiece, much like GM's Motorama "Dream Cars" of the day.
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.[2] As the company's new high-end guitar, Gretsch marketed it as "the finest guitar we know how to make – and what a beauty!"[citation needed] The White Falcon originally cost $600 (equivalent to $6,824 in 2023);[2] this price was second only to the $690 price of Gibson's Super 400CESN.[3]
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Gretsch tweaked the Falcon. 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. Later, a stereo version (model 6137) became available as well.[2] It also switched to a twin-cutaway body beginning in 1962.
Fred Gretsch, the company's owner at the time,[4] retired in 1967 and sold his company to the Baldwin Piano Company. Baldwin would have trouble understanding guitars, which would cause the guitar to lose its popularity. This was not good for the company; the rockabilly era was just ending and Rock and Roll was just getting popular with the rise of new guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and other musical greats were turning to Fender, rather than Gretsch.
The rapidly deteriorating Baldwin Manufacturing then experienced two destructive fires at its new Arkansas plant in 1973. Gretsch limped through the 1970s and finally closed in the 1980s. In 1989 Fred Gretsch III resumed control of the family business and began making guitars again. These instruments are based on classic Gretsch designs, including the White Falcon.
1995–present, model numbers 6136 and 7593
[edit] |
Models are now available commemorating every phase in the design of the White Falcon. Features are reproduced accordingly. Modern Falcons are also available in black and silver, and include a Stephen Stills signature model (based on the 1958 incarnation), as well as a green Bono Irish Falcon that incorporates the original vertical headstock logo and engraved block inlays with the post-1958 electronics configuration and features "The Goal Is Soul" silkscreened onto the pickguard. Gretsch added a Brian Setzer Black Phoenix model to its lineup. Like Brian Setzer's signature Hot Rod 6120, the Black Phoenix features stripped-down electronics that consist of two pickups, a selector switch, and a volume knob. In January 2013, Gretsch introduced the Billy Duffy signature model, replicating the Baldwin-era design with silver binding and chrome hardware.
References
[edit]- ^ "G6136CST White Falcon". Gretsch. 2013. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d Meeker, Ward (October 2009). "The Gretsch 1955-'61 White Falcon: Jimmie Webster's Master Showpiece". Vintage Guitar. pp. 46–47.
- ^ Bacon, Tony. Electric guitars : the illustrated encyclopedia (Pbk. ed.). Backbeat Books. p. 168. ISBN 0-681-37274-5.
- ^ "The Fred Thread: Four Gretsch Presidents Named…Fred (Fred #3) | Gretsch". www.gretsch.com. Retrieved 2018-10-15.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bacon, Tony; Dave Burrluck; Paul Day; Michael Wright (2000). Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia. Thunder Bay. ISBN 978-1-57145-281-8.
External links
[edit]- 6136 variants
