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Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 7:27 am
by GaryL
Looing at the video again, I don't think it's a baldwin 6120. The metal nameplate on the headstock started in 1967 per Jay Scott's book.
GaryL

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:15 am
by thenorm
As earlier noted...Baldwyn tended to re-shape the pickguards. There are other vids of him playing that guitar and it looks like a double cut "Nashville" Double cuts came out in '62 and were in production in Brooklyn for roughly 18 years

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:13 pm
by Vidar Lund
It may have been built by Baldwin but with original Gretsch parts for some years after the takeover, so it´s a genuine Gretsch. About 1970 original parts were becoming scarce and Baldwin parts were replacing them little by little. One of the first and most easily spotted was the cutaway pickguard. "By 1972, the whole Gretsch range had been redesigned and the model numbers of all guitars changed", according to Jay Scott´s book. The 6120 Nashville changed to 7660 Nashville.

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:59 pm
by thenorm
I don't understand the apparent push to make it a Balldwyn guitar. It looks like a double cut 6120 complete with the lever/knob for the mute. They made them that way for almost twenty years, from 1962 to roughly 1980. Why can't it just be one of those? The vid quality leaves the pickup style inconclusive.

Here's a link to the same show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npRqXEk9FT8

"Warsaw, 1976"

Baldwyin didn't enter into the gretsch business for another four years or so.

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 10:33 pm
by Ray Bohlken
I agree, it looks like a standard acme Gretsch 6120 Nashville. I think that Baldwin bought out Gretsch in 1967, though. This Gretsch has the little metallic thing set into the headstock that appeared about that time if memory serves me right. I've often been wrong about things like that, though.
Ray

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 1:16 am
by thenorm
I was confusing it with Chet bailing on them but by that time they had deteriorated in quality control and were just letting it auger in.

This is from gretschpages history section

1967
Fred Gretsch sells out to Baldwin Piano company.
1970
Guitar production moved to Booneville, Ark.
1972
Gretsch New York business offices shut down and moved to Chicago.
1973
Baldwin signs over production duties to Bill Hagner and his newly-formed Hagner Musical Instrument Corp. Arkansas guitar plant suffers two disastrous fires.
1978
Production reverts from Bill Hagner back to Baldwin.
1979
Sales and administration offices moved to Chanute, Kan.
1981
Baldwin shuts down Gretsch guitar production.

Still doesn't help with pegging Cal's guitar, Makes it even harder, actually. I've watched that vid a few times and if those F-holes are indeed cut out it would pretty much nail it as a Baldwyn I think. I don't believe Gretsch/Brooklyn offered the 6120 with open f-holes after 1962.

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:31 pm
by Ray Bohlken
Ray Bohlken wrote: This Gretsch has the little metallic thing set into the headstock that appeared about that time if memory serves me right. I've often been wrong about things like that, though.
Ray

I checked in the Gruhn book and the little metal plate was added to the 6120 when the Nashville name was added in 1964. I can't rely on my memory at all.
Ray

Re: Guitar identification

PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 7:22 am
by Billy Anderson
Boy does this bring back bad memories of stupid mistakes in the wonderful world of guitar. I had one of these and traded it off for a Peavey T-something or other when Jerry Reed and everyone else suddenly went to Peavey. Wish I could go back but my philosophy has always been:

If I could just live my life over again
The chance I would jump at most gladly
The only problem is likely as not
I'd still screw it up just as badly!

Billy