Gretsch PX 6124 Single Anniversary Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1964), made in Brooklyn, NY, serial # 71126, sunburst lacquer finish, Laminated maple body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
While hardly a rare guitar, this 60 year old one-owner PX-6124 is a nice example of the Gretsch Single Anniversary model and remains nicely original overall. In 1964 the Single Anniversary was Gretsch's low/midline archtop model, more affordable than the Chet Atkins signature guitars or the high-end White Falcon and Country Club. Priced to be affordable to amateur players, it has the same basic body, neck, and feel as the 1950s Chet Atkins model 6120 but only one Hilo'tron pickup (basically a single coil version of the Filter'tron humbucker) and no Bigsby tailpiece. The round-backed neck is medium-chunky with an unbound rosewood fingerboard inlaid with "Neo-classic" pearl half-moons along the upper edge.
The single bound full-depth body has a fairly dark sunburst finish and large open F holes. The "Great Gretsch Sound" is provided by the single Hilo'Tron pickup controlled by a minimal layout comprising a volume knob on the lower cutaway bout and 3-way tone selector (A/K/A "Mud switch") on the upper which players usually ignore. The bridge is the "Space Control" unit mated to a "G" cutout tailpiece. Other hardware includes Van Gent single-unit tuners with oval plastic buttons and the unique screw-off strap buttons, still a great idea that has never really caught on elsewhere. This early Anniversary is a good player and even comes with the infamous Gretsch "Tone Twister" intact, a small add-on device that purports to be a vibrato but really does little more than occasionally break the high E string!
Overall length is 41 1/8 in. (104.5 cm.), 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This all-original 60+ year old Brooklyn Gretsch came in with the original owner; it has never left the area! There is no binding distress on the top or back; the heelcap and strip by the neck heel that were starting to crumble have been replaced. The guitar shows some light wear but no alterations; the finish shows dings, scrapes and scuffs; the area under the bridge has dinks and marks from it being mislocated over the years. The back of the neck has no really notable play wear but a few dings and dents. There are also a couple of small lamination cracks in the headstock veneer.
The neck has never been reset, the joint is solid and the angle relatively good. All hardware is original except apparently for all of the tuner mounting screws, which appear of later vintage. Why? We have no idea! It is complete down to the "Tone Twister" which sort of works, almost. The original small wire frets have some minor wear in the lower positions but the instrument plays well. This is a generally well preserved for a 1960s Gretsch and includes the original two-tone grey HSC showing some external wear but completely solid. The original "Gretsch guarantee" envelope is still inside with the "Space Control Bridge" instructions only enclosed. Overall Very Good + Condition.
