❌SOLD❌ Gretsch White Penguin G6134 DynaSonic, 2004

We don’t see these often! The Gretsch White Penguin is the ‘Jet’ bodied version of the classic White Falcon, and here carries DynaSonic pickups and a ‘Cadillac’ tailpiece!

The Gretsch White Penguin was officially launched in 1956 as a follow-up to the successful White Falcon. The White Falcon itself was created literally as a one-off showpiece, bling for the 1955 Winter NAMM show. However, the buyers at that show saw the Falcon differently and immediately placed more than enough orders to require regular production. The White Penguin didn’t get quite the same reaction. It didn’t appear in catalogs and only in a few price lists, and perhaps 50 units were built in the single-cutaway Jet form. For 1961, a double-cut version was made available, but even fewer were built.

Seen here is a 2004 reissue of the original style, pre-1958 Gretsch White Penguin, with single-coil DynaSonic pickups, the Cadillac tailpiece and ‘Melita’ adjustable bridge. For 1958, Gretsch introduced their new, Ray Butts-designed Filter ‘Tron humbuckers. With these new pickups, the wiring harness also changed. The deArmond DynaSonics used a single pickup selector, a master Volume, individual Volume controls and a master Tone control. The Filter ‘Tron harness uses the pickup selector, a second tone or ‘Mud’ switch, individual Volume controls and a master Volume. Most of the post-1958 models were also fitted with a Bigsby tailpiece and a rocking-bar bridge. The two versions are otherwise very similar, with the bright White finish, gold sparkle plastics for the binding, headstock logos, and access plates, gold hardware including Grover Imperial tuners with art deco-influenced stairstep buttons. And of course, the gold-plated G-arrow control knobs have a small red ‘jewel’ inlaid at the tip of the arrow.

This Gretsch White Penguin was built by Japan Terada, as attested by the ‘JT’ prefix for the serial number. It’s in very good clean condition with very little wear, and plays very well. The original Gretsch-branded hard shell case is included.