I did countless gigs with Mike and this guitar in the Seventies. He still owns and plays it. It embodies the phrase, "That Great Gretsch Sound". Paired with a vintage Echoplex, Mike used it to create his signature fingerstyle sound.
Me. too, Noel, even though Mike joining the Groovies meant the end of Loose Gravel. I had no hard feelings and I really liked them. "San Francisco's Original British Rock Band", indeed! They were super cool! Chris and Cyril love their Gretsches, too and still use them at their shows. Mike still plays "Shake Some Action" occasionally.
I remember a funny scene in a movie I saw years ago where Bill Graham cursed out Mike and chased him down a stairway. Mike was ****** because Bill wouldn't book his band.
drumbob wrote:I remember a funny scene in a movie I saw years ago where Bill Graham cursed out Mike and chased him down a stairway. Mike was ****** because Bill wouldn't book his band.
Yes, indeed, the movie was called "The Last Days of the Fillmore", and Bill liked that scene enough to leave it in the movie. That scene made Michael famous. He was trying to get Loose Gravel on the bill for the final series of shows, and seeing how Mike and the Charlatans were among the very first psychedelic bands and helped Graham launch his promoting career, Mike felt justified in his resentment. His parting shot to Bill became legend (can't repeat it here), but they mended fences later and Mike was again allowed (with the Groovies) to grace a bill Graham stage. It did hurt his career for some years, however; BIll did hold a grudge despite his making light of the incident.
I love my 1956 Country Club, but the neck is honking and tough to play fast-action bar chords on. Definitely more a jazz or country guitar (Love the DeArmond pickups, though). My friend has an early 60s thinline model and the neck on that one is a lot slimmer and easier to deal with.
Love Clubs (glad to be a member!), and I think they're a decent-value Gretsch model with not-too-inflated prices (maybe because George H. didn't play one?). Just a classic archtop design, and nice bursts.
I too love Gretsch guitars and especially my Club.
When I researched serial #s, I found that it was a 55 or 56 which I knew was not correct. Finally I found in Gruhn's Guide the fact that '54 was the first year for knurled metal barrel knobs and the only year that they had smooth tops, no G or Arrow. Bingo, my guitar is a '54. It came with a tortise shell pickguard with white painted edges, since lost, unfortunately. It had a G tailpiece and Melita bridge. I still have the G tailpiece though the guitar has a Bigsby.
Model # on mine indicates its a sunburst but it has factory blonde finish. The pickup spacing indicates stereo but it was mono when I got it. My feeling is that it was a special order guitar and that the label had been glued in before the guitar was finished to the customer's spec.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out and defiantly shouting, "WOW, what a ride !" - Sprung
Welcome Mike and thanks for the detailed comments with regard to your Gretsch Country Club. We look forward to your comments about your music and guitars.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out and defiantly shouting, "WOW, what a ride !" - Sprung
Here's an update on what I've learned about my Gretsch. I have to thank those wonderful folks on the Gretsch-Talk forum and the GretschPages forum for their help and information. First is my registration page on GretschPages... http://gretschpages.com/guitars/models/examples/1796/
And a thread on GretschPages with a bit of history of the guitar and my amps as well...
Admin edit. As links to other forums are not permitted here a couple of nice photos of the guitar are included.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out and defiantly shouting, "WOW, what a ride !" - Sprung
Mike: This has to be one sweet sounding instrument. I see you have modified your Fender Twin Reverb with the JBLs so that the hearing of the audience is spared. For those of us who remember these speakers they were louder than loud.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
"San Francisco's Original British Rock Band", indeed! They were super cool! 
Mike still plays "Shake Some Action" occasionally.
