❌SOLD❌ Gretsch 6136 White Falcon Archtop Electric, 2001

The Gretsch 6136 White Falcon appeared in 1955 as a trade show demonstration piece with no intention of being subtle or understated. Starting with a 17 inch wide body and long 25.5 inch scale length, the 6136 White Falcon sports not only a gloss white finish but gold sparkle binding, likely taken from Gretsch’s drum lines, and gold plated hardware. This guitar is guaranteed to stand out!   

The first Gretsch 6136 White Falcon featured a single cutaway body, a pair of deArmond DynaSonic single coil pickups, and the G-branded ‘Cadillac’ trapeze tailpiece. Bigsby vibratos were also available. For 1958, the pickup selection changed to the new Gretsch Filter Tron humbucking pickup designed by Ray Butts. By 1962, a double-cutaway body was used, and from 1958 this model was available in an optional Stereo configuration. Baldwin, the Gretsch parent, stopped production in 1981 as their financial problems escalated leading to a 1983 bankruptcy.

In 1985, Fred W Gretsch purchased the company from Baldwin and by 1989 production restarted. The company has greatly benefited from a 2002 alliance with Fender Musical Instrument Corporation, who have provided distribution, sales and marketing support.

Here we’re looking at a Gretsch 6136 White Falcon, dating to October 2001 and built by Terada in Nagoya. While not exact replicas of a 1950’s models, Gretsch guitars from this era are very well built and sound great. Construction of the body uses Maple Laminate with tone bar and sound post bracing. The neck is Maple with an bound Ebony fingerboard. Tuners are Gretsch-branded models with ‘deco stair step’ buttons. The ‘Cadillac’ tailpiece is in great shape, and the original bridge, possibly a ‘Melita’ style has been replaced with a gold plated Schaller roller tune-o-matic style bridge. Electronics include a pair of Filter ‘Trons but the deArmond style wiring, with a pickup selector, Master Volume, Individual Volumes, and a Master Tone control. All of the gold plating is well preserved.

This guitar has been used as intended and has been played on a number of shows and tours. It’s in remarkably good, clean condition with little wear, partly due to the owner’s preference for flat wound strings and partly due to the included flight case, which offers serious protection during transport.   Fret wear is light to moderate.  

This Gretsch 6136 White Falcon guitar is sold with a touring-grade, aluminum edged flight case.