[freddyfingers]

Is this a real deal, or is this person scamming people. I don't know enough about them to look at the pics and say.


http://richmond.craigslist.org/msg/2758481430.html

[The Marlin]

Yea, looks right to me. Right shape, right headstock, tuners, bars, trem.

It's had some work done, book looks pretty honest. It's easily worth $500. If anything, it's dirt cheap.

Marlin

[freddyfingers]

And that headstock looks right? I am concerned about the refinishing, and what he means by electronics redone. I have an email out to him.

[Wayne Gretschzky]

You know, last year there was a cash of NOS Gretsch solidbody bodies found in a warehouse, and sold through the GDP forum and I've seen a bunch on Ebay as well. They were Corvette and Astro Jet bodies. I wouldn't consider this a real one until the seller gives you the serial number. If it doesn't have one... it might not be real.

[freddyfingers]

I didn't know that, Thanks. Where are the serial numbers on these?

[Wayne Gretschzky]

The serial number should be stamped on the back of the headstock. One possibility is that the refinish (assuming it's a legit Corvette) removed the serial number. But even so... because of the large number of the do-it-yourself Corvettes resulting from the sale of so many NOS bodies, I would be very cautious.

[jbcallender]

I bought one of the corvette bodies that I'm doing a project on. I think some of them might have been seconds. The one I have is needing a lot of filling on some of the end grains and the compund curves. I had a neck made for it but rather than being a 2+4, it came out a 4+2.

[The Marlin]

I hadn't heard about the NOS bodies. Damn, would kill (well, not kill, maybe 'graze', or lightly 'bruise') for an Astro Jet.

Marlin

[freddyfingers]

Got an email back. It doesn't have a bigsby, but he says it has some sought of original tremelo. Thought they all had bigsbys. The pickups are lindy fralin, with gretsch covers. He says the knobs and pick guard are stock, so its getting harder to tell how much is stock. He doesn't seem to be to far away to check out, but he wants a sg with p90 to trade, and i don't have that, that or a clear guitar. I am waiting another response, and will decide from there.

[freddyfingers]

Apparantly these came with what is called a burns vibrato. I learn something every day.

[tartanphantom]

Originally Posted by jbcallender

I bought one of the corvette bodies that I'm doing a project on. I think some of them might have been seconds. The one I have is needing a lot of filling on some of the end grains and the compund curves. I had a neck made for it but rather than being a 2+4, it came out a 4+2.

The reason for this is that the vast majority of the Corvette and Astrojet bodies were primarily rough cuts with either no sanding or perhaps the first sanding/shaping done. None of the bodies were finished in any way. If you buy a pre-cut body from Warmoth or Stewart-McDonald, they've already been pretty much fully shaped, sanded 2-3 times, and grain-filled. That's because they're intended to be sold for individual kit projects.
This big lot of found Gretsch bodies was never intended to be sold as individual kit projects. Nevertheless, they weren't "seconds", they had just not been stored properly over the years.

The Gretsch bodies had been sitting in the un-air-conditioned loft of the old Sho-Bud Company on Broad Street in Nashville for roughly 10-15 years. After that, they sat stacked up in a 100-year-old free-ventilation corn crib for another 30 years. They were largely protected from direct rain and sun, but not from the middle Tennessee humidity or temperature changes.

I know all of this because I'm the one who "discovered" them-- or rather, I discovered the gentleman who had been sitting on them for the last 30 years. He didn't know what he had.

[freddyfingers]

Originally Posted by tartanphantom

The reason for this is that the vast majority of the Corvette and Astrojet bodies were primarily rough cuts with either no sanding or perhaps the first sanding/shaping done. None of the bodies were finished in any way. If you buy a pre-cut body from Warmoth or Stewart-McDonald, they've already been pretty much fully shaped, sanded 2-3 times, and grain-filled. That's because they're intended to be sold for individual kit projects.
This big lot of found Gretsch bodies was never intended to be sold as individual kit projects. Nevertheless, they weren't "seconds", they had just not been stored properly over the years.

The Gretsch bodies had been sitting in the un-air-conditioned loft of the old Sho-Bud Company on Broad Street in Nashville for roughly 10-15 years. After that, they sat stacked up in a 100-year-old free-ventilation corn crib for another 30 years. They were largely protected from direct rain and sun, but not from the middle Tennessee humidity or temperature changes.

I know all of this because I'm the one who "discovered" them-- or rather, I discovered the gentleman who had been sitting on them for the last 30 years. He didn't know what he had.

How many were there? And when did this discovery happen? What became of them all?

[dgshooter]

I'm working on one of the Astro Jet bodies and neck I bought from another member here. Used some filler on the endgrain and on the face where there was some checking. After about ten sanding sealer/sandings it is smooth enough for paint. I am little worried about the neck. The joint is OK, but it is too small to blend with the body. I will be checking withe the local luthier before going any further.

[tartanphantom]

Originally Posted by freddyfingers

How many were there? And when did this discovery happen? What became of them all?

There were approximately 500+ bodies, about 50/50 Corvettes and Astro-Jets. I first made contact with the owner in April 2010.

Ultimately, he sold a lot of them individually after I put the word out, and I acted as a proxy for some other folks, hand-picking their bodies for them, to get the "good ones". I suggested to Mike (the original owner/seller) that he might contact Gretsch to see if they might consider buying some to do a limited Custom Shop run. He did contact them, but the FMIC marketing department shot the idea down. He also sold a few on Ebay, but Mike ended up selling most of the remaining bodies in bulk to a few people, most of whom are members of gretschpages.com. Some of these folks have in turn re-sold them on Ebay from time to time.

I'm not sure if Mike still has any bodies remaining, I haven't talked to him in about a year now.

Here are some pics from the first day that I hunted them down-- these pics were taken at Mike's home, about 50 miles from my house.

[The Marlin]

I need to get me to an Astro Jettery....

Marlin

[freddyfingers]

Those are some neat photos, thanks for sharing.

[freddyfingers]

After emailing a bit back and forth, I passed. he wasn't going to budge, he says thats how much he spent on it from a Guitar Center in Richmond just a month ago, and they assured him it was worth twice that. Hard to swallow that they would allow it to get away at half price. Anyway, I have nothing he wants, nor do I have cash. If push came to shove i could have sold other items off quickly to secure his, but at that price, i thought i would rather go new, with warranty. The search continues......

[Skev]

I have contacted the guy of the 'vette . All that i can say , it s a cool guy, really. Think we can trust in him , what do you think of a trade between my sg std 93 and his gretsch ( bad points: no gretsch logo, no serial numbers)?

[freddyfingers]

Originally Posted by Skev

I have contacted the guy of the 'vette . All that i can say , it s a cool guy, really. Think we can trust in him , what do you think of a trade between my sg std 93 and his gretsch ( bad points: no gretsch logo, no serial numbers)?

Well, he is in Richmond Va, USa, and you are in Europe, is the cost of shipping worth it?

[Wayne Gretschzky]

I'm not convinced it's even a Gretsch. Cool guy or not. Ask him what the pot codes are. If it's a vintage Corvette (and only refinished) the pots will prove it.