FS: 1964 Gretsch Tennessean

[stuart]

1964 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean, with original hard shell case

For your consideration is a 1964 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean. This guitar is 100% original. In fact, the only unoriginal aspect of this guitar is the strings.

A quick rundown of the guitar's key features:

Year: Likely a late 1964
Serial #: 79xxx
Color: originally burgundy
Pickups: 2 HiloTrons
Finish: Nitrocellulose lacquer
Tuners: Van Ghent (originals)
Bridge: Floating bar bridge
Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood
Pickguard: Original, NO cracks.

I purchased this guitar online in April 2011 from a small store in Toledo, Ohio. This guitar originally appeared on the thread "Three 60’s Beauties All in a Row" in the Vintage Gretsch Forum at Gretsch-Talk. As the story was related to me, this guitar was an "under the bed" find that did not see much playing time over the past few decades.

Most vintage Tennesseans have faded from their original burgundy to a walnut color over time. This particular guitar has retained much of the original color. Having said that, the color of these guitars is extremely hard to photograph. Similar to how a fireglo Rickenbacker is difficult to capture accurately in photos. If you look at it ten minutes apart, even in person, the color can appear different. I have attempted to show the guitar in various lighting to give you an idea of how it looks. In addition, the grain on this guitar is quite nice.


Playability: Much has been said about the construction of vintage versus modern reissue Gretsch guitars. One of my favorite things about vintage Gretsch instruments is that it is instantly apparent that these are handmade guitars. There are little variations between these guitars even if they were the same model made in the same year. This guitar is no exception. The neck on this '64 is a little wider than what you would find on a typical reissue Japanese Gretsch (I own a 2004 reissue Country Gentleman for comparison). I personally like a little wider neck because it feels very comfortable and spacious when you're moving up and down the fretboard. The neck is very nice and the guitar has nice action.

This guitar is currently strung with 10-gauge Ernie Ball RnR (pure nickel) rounds. These strings sound great, but Tennesseans also do very well with flatwounds strings, such as Pyramids or Thomastik Infelds. Flatwounds may be best to achieve the tone you hear on Beatles for Sale and Help! LPs.

Since this guitar is completely stock, I decided not to polish it up in any way. If you wanted a luthier to give it a high polish using a buffing wheel, I'm sure the guitar would shine as if it was new. I opted against this for now, incase the buyer would prefer to leave it in its original state. This guitar is in great shape for its age, and is structurally sound with an excellent neck set.

I am looking to get $2300 OBO for this amazing instrument. This is a handmade, nitro finished Gretsch guitar made in Brooklyn, New York in 1964. At this time, I am not looking for trades. Cash is king. Buyer will pay actual shipping costs. I kept the box that the guitar was shipped in (via UPS Air), so I could pack it safely. I have successfully shipped guitars and even a Vox Continental across the country. Please feel free to email or PM me with questions.

Here are some pictures:

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/64tenny_sideways.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/side_outside.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/tenny_sun.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/tenny_sun3.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/tn_april28.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/tn_back_april28.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/64tenny_incase.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/64tenny_incase2.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/64tenny_incase3.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/bridgepickup.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/faceofguitar.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/frets.jpg



http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/headstock.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/sideview.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/newphotos/ ... f-neck.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/newphotos/ ... f-neck.jpg

http://cheerdown.com/64tenny/newphotos/ ... body-3.jpg

[stuart]

Apparently all of my photos are too big for RRF. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I will try to update them, but in the meantime, there are links available to the larger pictures.

[winston]

Wow! What a beauty. I wish I could make you an offer but it's not possible at the moment. Good luck with the sale.

[libratune]

Very nice!

Looks like yours was made just before the "Tennessean" metal plate on the headstock was added.

[stuart]

Thanks I am only selling because I found a 63 that I liked and I can't afford to keep both. I would have tried to sell one of my reissue guitars instead, but they all sound different, so the 64 Tenny is the only redundancy on my tonal palette at the moment.

I am open to all offers (via PM or email). No 4-digit offer will go unnoticed.

The guitar will soon be going on eBay, but I would prefer keeping it in the RRF, BGC, or Gretsch-Talk families.

[ken_j]

Great looking guitar Stuart. You may want to put a cross post or have Tony move this to the Gretch for sale section viewforum.php?f=85&start=0 Also please refrain from posting links to other forums read this (#7.): viewtopic.php?f=25&t=391087#p571303 Good luck with the sale.

[JakeK]

Dang Stuart, that is a fine machine you have there...for a great price.

This thread should be moved to the Gretsch forum

[shamustwin]

I shall send a pm as soon as I get home!

[stuart]

Great looking guitar Stuart. You may want to put a cross post or have Tony move this to the Gretch for sale section viewforum.php?f=85&start=0

I was going to post it there, but I thought I had read something in the Gretsch forum that mentioned all sale ads should be posted in this forum.

Also please refrain from posting links to other forums read this (#7.): viewtopic.php?f=25&t=391087#p571303 Good luck with the sale.

Not to stir anything up, but what possible reason could there be for such a blanket rule banning the links of other forums? This is the first time I've ever heard of a forum disliking a link to another forum and I've been a member here for over 7 years. Are we afraid of losing membership? I don't see the harm in linking to a forum that talks about Gretsch guitars. But whatever, I wont do it again if its against the wishes of the forum.

shamus, I will reply when I get home then

[winston]

Stuart the no link to other forums rule was put in place to avoid cross pollination of issues and various arguments that arise on other forums. Also some other forums allow profanity............we do not.

It's quite surprising to me how many of our members have never read our rules. They are quite simple and effective. They keep our forum just the way we like it. Friendly and courteous.

[stuart]

Stuart the no link to other forums rule was put in place to avoid cross pollination of issues and various arguments that arise on other forums.

I can read between the lines and know what the specific reason is, but think the brush was a little broad in constructing this particular rule. That's fine though, as I said, now that I know it's frowned upon, I wont do it.

It's quite surprising to me how many of our members have never read our rules. They are quite simple and effective.

I don't know if it's a case of not reading the rules, I think it's a case of not reading the rules multiples times. I may have read them in 2004 when I first joined and then never paid the document a second glance, you know? It's not like it's an RSS feed or a news ticker. I think many people realize that they need to conduct themselves professionally in a place like this, but who would ever think that linking to another guitar forum would be unacceptable on a place where vintage guitar discussion is encouraged? I think it's an innocent "mishap."

[stuart]

Ken, as the moderator for this section, do you have the ability to move this thread to the Gretsch "Classified" Forum? I see that the forum you mentioned is a "subforum" for "Going Gretsch Forum." I hadn't seen it before (or didn't remember it).

[ken_j]

Ken, as the moderator for this section, do you have the ability to move this thread to the Gretsch "Classified" Forum? I see that the forum you mentioned is a "subforum" for "Going Gretsch Forum." I hadn't seen it before (or didn't remember it).

No I do not, but Tony does and I have sent him a PM. It is not hurting anything but I believe that you will get better exposure in the Gretsch section.

[stuart]

Thank you .

[winston]

Stuart I moved the thread for you earlier today.

Btw honest mistakes are made and corrected all the time. Don't worry about it. That's why we have moderators............they are trusted, highly skilled and well paid individuals, they look after these sort of things so you can get on with enjoying all the RRF has to offer.

Just wait until Tony sees this and makes note of how well paid he is.