Vintage Guitar has an article on the Atkins Super Ace.
https://www.vintageguitar.com/1983/gretsch-7680-super-axe/
https://www.vintageguitar.com/1983/gretsch-7680-super-axe/
Super Axe article
- Thread starter drmilktruck
- Start date
The guitar is interesting due to its history but I’ve always felt it was/is one of the ugliest guitars Gretsch ever produced. That football shaped control plate and those square fingerboard inlays just turn me off.
I agree that they were butt ugly. However, as ugly as they seem, many found their way into several recording studios. I can't say that all the Baldwin era guitars were bad, I had a 1968 Champagne Due Jet, that I thought that the pickups were great. I am not a fan of the football look, but honestly, they could perform.
afire
Friend of Fred
I can't say I'm a fan of the control panel. The square inlays were a vestige of the original intent to name it the "High Roller", with dice inlays. Some prude (not sure if it was Chet or somebody at Gretsch) vetoed that plan as being distasteful, but it kept the square inlays.
But I've always thought that the silhouette was very attractive, and along with the Super Chet, one of the only Baldwin designs that worked well aesthetically.
I like the body shape. I bought a Super Axe body cutout on eBay awhile ago. It's one of my 2022 projects.
Thanks for sharing. I have been wondering about that model.
Yes the body shape is very nice. A Tele type shape with a Florentine cut.
Thanks for the post! One of my favorite topics.
I like mine, that's for sure. I even nicked my User ID here from it.
The article mentions the pups being made in Japan, not sure how accurate that is - they're DiMarzios, which is US based and outsourcing was far less common in 1978 than it is now. I've always assumed they were made in the US. Whatever the point of origin, they don't sound even remotely filtertron-ish. It's PAF tone all the way.
Ebony board (love it), thin fast neck, comfortable to play. The electronics (on board phaser and compressor/distortion) are getting finicky - that's pretty common for these now. We're talking 40+ year old analog electronics! I'm the most surprised when they DO decide to work! But assuming you simply don't turn them on, you've got a totally gig worthy guitar there.
Some people don't like the football plate. I think it stands out like a sore thumb on the red ones, but with the charcoal grey 7681, it blends in a lot better. Big improvement aesthetically. See what you think.
I like mine, that's for sure. I even nicked my User ID here from it.
The article mentions the pups being made in Japan, not sure how accurate that is - they're DiMarzios, which is US based and outsourcing was far less common in 1978 than it is now. I've always assumed they were made in the US. Whatever the point of origin, they don't sound even remotely filtertron-ish. It's PAF tone all the way.
Ebony board (love it), thin fast neck, comfortable to play. The electronics (on board phaser and compressor/distortion) are getting finicky - that's pretty common for these now. We're talking 40+ year old analog electronics! I'm the most surprised when they DO decide to work! But assuming you simply don't turn them on, you've got a totally gig worthy guitar there.
Some people don't like the football plate. I think it stands out like a sore thumb on the red ones, but with the charcoal grey 7681, it blends in a lot better. Big improvement aesthetically. See what you think.
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It was Baldwin brass, who owned Gretsch at the time. Chet was the one that came up with the High Roller idea. Stupid Baldwin, they never did understand guitars! LoL!
It looks great in black
In case anyone wants one. https://reverb.com/item/43334688-gretsch-super-axe-1977-81-charcoal-trans
I think we all hit Reverb when reading this! Now I'm interested.
Wow! Checked that Reverb ad, surprised what they're getting for these things these days.
I got mine something like 20 years ago, for $800. We were in Harrisonburg VA for Grandma's funeral, and I stumbled across a little mom'n'pop music store near my hotel. It was the only decent guitar in the shop, a consignment sale. Everything else was low end beginner stuff.
So yeah, I went to a funeral and brought home a guitar. LoL! Sometimes I feel a little guilty about that, but hey, you take your deals where you find them!
And I think about her every time I play it.
I got mine something like 20 years ago, for $800. We were in Harrisonburg VA for Grandma's funeral, and I stumbled across a little mom'n'pop music store near my hotel. It was the only decent guitar in the shop, a consignment sale. Everything else was low end beginner stuff.
So yeah, I went to a funeral and brought home a guitar. LoL! Sometimes I feel a little guilty about that, but hey, you take your deals where you find them!
And I think about her every time I play it.
afire
Friend of Fred
For anybody intrigued by the Super Axe, but put off by the football control plate and onboard effects, there is also the Atkins Axe, 7685 and 7686, which has standard electronics.
I would prefer that, myself. Nothing against the effects, but I strongly prefer that the effects I use be on a pedalboard and be independent of one another.For anybody intrigued by the Super Axe, but put off by the football control plate and onboard effects, there is also the Atkins Axe, 7685 and 7686, which has standard electronics.
I love the concept of these guitars. Solid bodies are not my first choice, by any means, but they have a very important role and I love to see solid body guitars that are designed to a purpose, as opposed to some which seem to have been designed strictly for visual impact.
I just started a newer thread because I was looking for a 7680 (orange) or 7681 (ebony). My wife bought me a 7681 in the early ‘80’s (for $650) and I loved everything about the guitar. It replaced a Gibson 335 and I’ve been a Gretsch aficionado ever since! The compression/sustain feature is great and the neck is sooo easy to play on. But I sold her ~5 years ago to try other guitars, and now I need another…Other Gretsch models and other brands just don’t compare to the Super Axe, to me at least.
I’ve found only one 7681 for sale (in London) in very good condition, but that was put on hold just as I was ready to place the order...Strange coincidence. 7681’s on eBay and other sites around the globe are in poor condition. I’m not a fan of the sunburst (7682), and I’m now comparing two 7680’s in EU and the US. I assumed I would choose the ebony/walnut stain over the orange if I had the choice because I am so used to that. But I actually like the aesthetics of the orange stain and am fine with the control panel on that model. This guitar is just so nice
If you haven’t played this guitar and you come across one try it out! And if anyone knows of a 7681 or 7680 in good condition for sale please share that!
I’ve found only one 7681 for sale (in London) in very good condition, but that was put on hold just as I was ready to place the order...Strange coincidence. 7681’s on eBay and other sites around the globe are in poor condition. I’m not a fan of the sunburst (7682), and I’m now comparing two 7680’s in EU and the US. I assumed I would choose the ebony/walnut stain over the orange if I had the choice because I am so used to that. But I actually like the aesthetics of the orange stain and am fine with the control panel on that model. This guitar is just so nice
If you haven’t played this guitar and you come across one try it out! And if anyone knows of a 7681 or 7680 in good condition for sale please share that!
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