Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This one was inspired by my friend Tim ("Proteus" on the gretschpages.com forum), who has a '55 Cadillac Coupe deVille in the same color scheme.

I approached Aitch with the idea of building him one, and he OKd it, so I went to work acquiring parts and modding the donor, a new Pro Jet "chambered" body.

The project brief here was to lighten the too-heavy mahogany Gretsch body, thin it out about 1/2", and render it in effect a hollow body with a solid section 3" wide down the center. Result is a hollow body sound, no feedback troubles, lighter weight, and the same sustain as the original chambered guitar.

Following hollowing (nice rhyme there...must revisit...) a new back was grafted on and the back of the guitar was re-bound to match the front W/B/W. Then the "Electromatic" was removed from the headstock, and "Gretsch" was inlayed in genuine MOP.

The cheezy Dumbuckers (Gretsch chrome lower-end pickups) were removed, their holes filled along with the holes for the stock stop tailpiece, and new pickup holes were milled to fit the new Filtertron/Super HT combination. The finished guitar weighed in at around 6 pounds and change before the hardware was put on, as opposed to 7 1/2 of the stocker. It's surprisingly light.

Here are some shots of the hollowing out process:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/peeled.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/holey2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/chamb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/chamb2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/chamb4.jpg

Milling the routs for the new professional-series TVJones pickups. You can see the airspace in the body through the routs:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00968.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00970.jpg

Here it is with new BB back fitted and new binding in place:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00980.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00979.jpg

Note that the back is one piece, with no screw-on access panels, which are usually used to install and access the electronics. This gives a much cleaner appearance.

Here it is next to my 6120JR2, showing thickness difference:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00973.jpg

Here with all the gold hardware laid out:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00971.jpg

Finished shots before clearcoating. I use the same conversion varnish on these that I use in my Rick restorations:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC01011copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC01012.jpg

All finished. I'm only going to post a few here, because I'm sure Aitch will want to add his own:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00022aw.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00023aw.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00029aw.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/jingle_jangle/GRETSCH%20deVille%20Project/DSC00024aw.jpg

THe finished guitar was wired twice. Original plan called for 20-gauge wire and a wiring scheme where each volume pot acts individually on both pickups. This was deemed unacceptable once done, and since Aitch went back to OZ following RIC75, I pulled the guitar apart again and rewired with 24-gauge high-spec wiring, heatshrinked splices, and a new wiring scheme that puts each pickup under control of its own pot. This is much nicer.

The guitar is almost as minimal as my Setzer Hot Rod...it has a pickup selector switch, a standby switch, and a volume control for each pickup, and that's it.

The TVJones Super HT in the bridge position is the hottest, juiciest-sounding lead pickup that Gretsch makes, and is only available on the 6122/59 "Chet", designed by Paul Yandell, Chet's rhythm player, to the specs of Chet's legendary '59 recording guitar. I've got one of these honeys, and Aitch's smaller deVille has a sound that is very close to the huge (17") '59.

You can see the rocking bar bridge and the gold-plated hardware. Originally, I was intending to put locking Sperzels on the deVille, but when they arrived, the plating was too pale and brassy, so we settled on 18:1 Grover open backed "Sta-Tite" tuning machines.

This guitar is a tone beast, belying its diminutive dimensions.

I'm sure Aitch will have lots more to say when his fingers stop bleeding.

Amazing work, sir.

Wow, great work Paul. Aitch is getting a truly one-of-a-kind creation.

Holy moley!

When you can take something nice... and not only make it nicer, but one-of-a-kind... that's the best kind of "special" there is! Kudos on the "masterpiece"!

Oh... and congrats Aitch!

Beautiful!

Awesome

Beautiful work Paul! What flavour of green is that on the back?

Great work Paul, I salute you! That is a nice green on the back and I'm usually not thrilled with green on guitars.

WOW

Thanks for the post, Paul. I was going to ask you to chime in with the full story after I posted some pics. I'm looking forward to showing it off - including the headstock!

Nudge, nudge, wink, wink........

I had to save some secrets for you to reveal, Aitch!

The colors are Cape Ivory and Arlington Green Poly (Metallic), both 1955 Cadillac DuPont colors.

Nice!

I love the look of this guitar and I can't wait to play it. I hate to admit it but I have never played a Gretsch of any type, simply because I have never had the opportunity. That's gonna change later this year though.

I assume that you have posted this beautiful masterpiece on one of the Gretsch Forums. If so, how was your handiwork received over there Paul?

It was posted nearly a year ago, Brian. It was well-received.

But it seems like Gretsch people don't do much building/modding. Something like a simple refinish is a major event over there.

That's a bit of a stodgy attitude they have over there (where ever "there" is). Refins and mods are a fact of life. Good to hear that they liked the end result though.