The Synchromatic 200 represented the mid-line value of the Synchro line. If offered much of the looks and sound of the 400 at half the price. Of course, 200 buyers made do without the 13 layers of binding and other frills.
Like the rest of the Synchromatic line, the 200 debuted in 1939 as Gretsch geared up to take on the archtop juggernaut that was Gibson.
Roughly speaking, vintage Synchros can be broken into three periods: 1939 - early World War II, late wartime - 1951 and 1951 - 1953. The later period started losing some of the more opulent features, including the cat-eye soundholes.
While it's life was short and few were built, the Synchromatic quickly became (and remains) a legend among acoustic archtops.
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