Gretsch Jet Fire Bird Model Solid Body Electric Guitar, c. 1966, made in Brooklyn, NY, Oriental red top, black back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck, two-tone original hard shell case.
A good "gigging" 1960s Gretsch Jet Firebird, in excellent playing condition. Body and hardware are very nice and original. Neck has had some work done and is in excellent playing order. Basically it looks as if someone had this converted from having a zero fret to having a standard nut, and so the headstock veneer and binding and truss rod cover have been redone, and the neck finish resprayed. All of this work is very professionally done, and the guitar is a very fine playing instrument.
Electronics are original, including two gold plated Super'tron pickups. Hardware is original except for the pickguard bracket and master volume knobs which are reissue parts, and the forward strap button which has also been relocated to the heel. The original gold-plated German-made tuners are still present and working well.
There is no serial number visible (it would have been on the headstock) but this guitar dates to around 1966, with Super'tron pickups rather than filter'trons and a "Gretsch by Bigsby" tailpiece replacing the earlier Burns tremolo unit, but still with the original pre-Baldwin "G/arrow" knobs that were last used in 1967. The body finish is all original, with a well-preserved unfaded Oriental red top and somewhat more wear to the back and sides.
This is a great guitar for live playing and recording purposes, as it preserves the "cool" factor of a mid-'60s Jet with a noticeably more modern feel and a considerably lower price tag.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 13 7/16 in. (34.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.).
Overall fine with re-working as noted. Some checking to the top and very light chipping; more wear to the back and especially sides. Neck finish and fretwork are excellent. Includes a very fine original Gretsch case.
