hello all,
I have a few gretsch guitars, and this is one of them i'm looking to sell. I'm finding it hard to nail down what it is. other than a moccasin headstock, that is from the early 40's?? i cant make out exactly what # is but looks like "1278" in side
the guitar has no cracks, all the binding is in good shape. action is too high to make it a player but even with it this high it sounds pretty good, stays in tune relatively well for its age. i think it would need to have the neck clamped and straightened somehow, something i have no tools or space to do. i feel a guitar this so pretty and should be more than just a decoration in my office... is anyone even interested in these? if so where should i take it and how much is it even worth ??
thanks for the help

matthew

Here's one from the 1955 Gretsch catalog:

http://gretschpages.com/media/img/memorabilia/cat_1955gretsch_page131.jpeg

Look thru these catalogs maybe you can find something closer:

Old Gretsches (http://gretschpages.com/history/memorabilia/)

The New Yorker was a low end Gretsch, but some people like them.

Lee

Welcome aboard Matt! :D

Sounds to me like it may need a neck reset, which is common for acoustics & archtops that are that old.. just be sure that the body behind the bridge isn't bulging. If it's not then a tech could definitely turn it back into a 'player' for a couple of hundred dollars.

Good luck on your Gretschy quest!

We'll need to see a photo to determine if it's the post war version, as appears in the catalog that Lee provided above (although yours would have a rounded headstock shape, as it's earlier than '55), OR if it's a wartime version, which looks much more primitive, with the headstock "New Yorker" being stencil-painted on.