NVGD: 1957 Gretsch New Yorker

[rollypolly]

Lately I've been downsizing my collection. Many of my guitars were pretty similar in tone and I've enjoyed them all, but when you have enough for one in every corner of the house, something has to give. So I've sold several, including both Martin dreads.

This lead me to think about replacing those with one vintage dread, like a Guild, so I went to my local GC to play a couple they had. They were decent but not so good that I had to have them on the spot.

Then I see this vintage archtop and assume it's an old Gibson. I see Gretsch on the headstock and have absolutely no reaction since I've never played one, but thought I'd give it a try anyway. I lightly strum it and was impressed. A very very fundamental, clangy, honky, woody but metallic, appealing tone.

I pick out a few tunes and then do a double take. Why does this guitar appeal to me so much? It's got great action, straight enough neck, roomy fingerboard, and the tone is so cool. Like I'm listening to a recording of a really expensive vintage guitar. I looked around the room. One guy looked at me and said he thought it sounded really good too.

That's when I tucked it under my arm and made for the cash register.

Anyways, it's a simple old guitar that maybe no one else on this forum will care about , but I'm loving it and making music!

[29er]

What's not to love? I'd love to find a nice vintage arch top that won't break the bank. Enjoy it!

[Glennwillow]

What a cool old archtop! Congratulations! Have fun!

- Glenn

[Wade Hampton]

Congratulations on your cool new old guitar.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by rollypolly

………Anyways, it's a simple old guitar that maybe no one else on this forum will care about , but I'm loving it and making music!

I care. I like. I congratulate!
Terrific old axe.

frank d.

[JustGlyphs]

I care! Thanks for posting, I really dig this style of archtop and am happy you found such a cool instrument. What do you think of trapeze tailpieces? I've never owned one but like the look.

[rollypolly]

Thanks guys! I am really amazed at the resonance in this all laminate guitar. It does have pretty quick decay but also a sweet bit of sustain and overtones. Where do they come from?? Upon close inspection I notice the top is a three layer laminate and the spruce layer on top is fairly thick, so perhaps that lends to some decent sustain.

I don’t mind the tailpiece. Easy to change strings and it seems solid. I might experiment with a new bridge to get slightly wider spacing for fingerpicking, but it’s pretty good as is.

Flatwounds are on it now and I’m enjoying them, but I may try monel strings based on an AGFer’s recommendation.

[GoPappy]

I think it looks great and I'd be very happy to have that guitar in my stable. Congrats!

[beatcomber]

Originally Posted by rollypolly

Thanks guys! I am really amazed at the resonance in this all laminate guitar. It does have pretty quick decay but also a sweet bit of sustain and overtones. Where do they come from?? Upon close inspection I notice the top is a three layer laminate and the spruce layer on top is fairly thick, so perhaps that lends to some decent sustain.

I had a similar reaction to my '55 ES-125, even with flatwounds. It's a very alive instrument when played unplugged, despite being all-laminates.

I don’t mind the tailpiece. Easy to change strings and it seems solid. I might experiment with a new bridge to get slightly wider spacing for fingerpicking, but it’s pretty good as is.

Flatwounds are on it now and I’m enjoying them, but I may try monel strings based on an AGFer’s recommendation.

DON'T CHANGE A THING (except for the strings) - It's PERFECT!!

[jricc]

I care and I dig that old Gretsch you picked up, congrats! Man, it's got built in mojo!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by beatcomber

I had a similar reaction to my '55 ES-125, even with flatwounds. It's a very alive instrument when played unplugged, despite being all-laminates.

In those less-enlightened days of lower performance volumes, all-lam hollowbody electrics were indeed built lighter (a spec Gretsch maintained - to its ultimate detriment - through the end of its Brooklyn operation), such that the best single-pickup models - like the Gibson ES-125/135/150 and Epphone Zephyr Regent - could rival their carved acoustic counterparts (L-50/L-4/L-7, and Triumph/Broadway) for unplugged volume and tone, and often served double-duty as acoustic+electric instruments for teachers and local club-circuit sem-pros...