Gretsch Guitars

VINTAGE 1961 GRETSCH CORVETTE.

MODEL 6132. SERIAL NUMBER 41240

NOT ALL ORIGINAL BUT A NICE GUITAR.

WHEN I AUQUIRED IT THE GUITAR HAD BEEN SPRAYPAINTED BLUE, PROBABLY BACK IN THE 80'S WHEN ALOT OF PEOPLE WERE HACKIN UP GUITARS.

I STRIPPED THE PAINT AND PUT ABOUT 6 COATS OF TUNG OIL FINISH ON IT.  SOME OF THE STRIPPER LEAKED THROUGH THE TUNERS HOLES TO THE FRONT OF THE PEGHEAD REMOVING SOME OF THE BLACK FINISH. I THOUGHT OF STRIPPING THE REST OF AND LEAVING THE NATURAL MAHOGANY BUT THEN THE GRETSCH LOGO WOULD BE GONE SO I TAPED OFF THE LOGO AND OVERSPRAYED WITH BLACK PAINT.

 I MADE A NEW PICKGUARD SINCE THE ONE ON IT WAS MADE OF PLYWOOD AND PAINTED BLACK. LOOKED LIKE SH** BUT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE A TEMPLATE FROM.

THE PICKUP WAS MISSING SO I BOUGHT A NEW GRETSCH HILO TRON BRIDGE PICKUP. THE PICKUP WAS TOO HIGH SO I CHISELED OUT THE DEPTH OF THE PICKUP CAVITY SO THERE'S ENOUGH STRING CLEARANCE.

THE POTS WEREN'T ORIGINAL SO I PUT NEW GRETSCH 500K POTS IN, WHICH AS FAR AS I'VE READ ON THE WEB IS WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED.

THE BRIDGE IS A NEW GRETSCH BRIDGE LIKE THE ORIGINAL BUT THE BRIDGE PLATE WAS FOR AN ARCHTOP SO I HAD TO TRIM IT AND SAND IT FLAT. WORKS GOOD.

FRETS HAD SOME GROOVES SO THEY WERE LEVELED AND CROWNED.

THE ACTION IS 1/8" AT THE 12TH FRET WITH NO HUM OR BUZZ UP AND DOWN THE NECK. VERY EASY TO PLAY.

TUNERS APPEAR TO BE THE ORIGINAL KLUSON DELUXE, NOT SURE ABOUT THE SCREWS.

THE TAILPIECE, STRAP BUTTONS,OUTPUT JACK AND THE NUT ARE ORIGINAL.

ALSO COMES WITH THE ORIGINAL CASE WHICH SOMEHOW SURVIVED IN VERY GOOD CONDITION EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE OF MINOR SCUFFS AND SOME LOOSE STITCHING.

SOUNDS A BIT LIKE A TELECASTER, WITH A TWANGY, BUT PUNCHY SOUND. THE SOUND COULD PROBABLY BE CHANGED UP BY EXPERIMENTING WITH A DIFFERENT TONE CAP.

I THINK THAT ABOUT COVERS IT BUT FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.