Wood & Wire

Curt Wilson has a knack for restoring Gretsch guitars, and he'll take you through the process step-by-step.

  • Crowbones 12 string Astro Jet

    John picked up one of those blanks and built a really nice neck for it. I'm just going to squirt some black on it.

  • Gent Refinish

    I think we've all seen this one before. The new owner wants it to be refinished.

  • 1963 Tennessean

    '63 had a resent neck reset which could have been better. The neck's sitting too high out of the pocket, the bridge is bottomed out, the extension is sloped up and the angle is wrong.

  • 6120 FTW

    This is Jet Weston's modern build 6120 that needs a reset. So the question, sure he can pop those old necks off but what about a new one?

  • Pre War Synchromatic

    This is a very cool old guitar and other than the neck issue and de lamination it's in great shape!

  • Partial Binding Replacement

    It's interesting that the rot is isolated in a few areas. The challenge is sourcing or laminating the binding to match perfectly.

  • December 14 1955 6182

    I bought this from a GDPer, cool guitar that needed a new truss rod, neck reset and some parts.

  • Adding Real F Holes.

    This is Don Butlers Gent that he wanted Real F holes added and a nitro finish.

  • Billy Zoom Signature Silver Jet

    Brian_66 won this guitar at a Nashville Roundup and the guitar had a bit of a fall. Brian sent me the guitar and this is how the limb was reattached.

  • 62 Country Club

    I'm adding this project to the blog with a couple others because the threads have broken links. This was an Ebay special that needed a little help.

  • Ol' 55 6120 Reset.

    Here's one that after 57 years needed a little tune up! The typical steam the neck out trick, no surprises.

  • String Change

  • 1967 6104 Rally Neck Reset and New Binding

    This is a GDP member who owns a cool Cadillac Green Rally. The neck was solid and the guitar played really well but the wasn't any break from the bridge to the Bigsby. Because the neck joint was solid it was more fun than usual removing it.

  • Setzer to Stills.

    Well not really but it it an SSLVO that decided it needed a change to a vintage white. Since it's lacquer it wasn't necessary to strip it to bare wood so I fixed the imperfections then sprayed sealer, color and a couple coats of clear. Now it's been drying for ...

  • Gretsch Clipper Reset

    The second reset of the day very similar to the Tenny except it needs binding too.

  • 1964 6119 Tennessean Neck Reset

    You never know how these are going to go when you do a reset so I do my best to be humble... After you remove the magic fret on these pocket joint models you need to measure 3/16" from the fretboard edge on either side and drill a hole for ...

  • Don Butler's Astro Jet Sand and Buff 2

  • Sand and buff.

    While in Nashville a couple of people asked about the sand and buff process of lacquer and inquired about a video. Here's part 1

  • 1962 6192 Sunburst.

    Just picked this one up from Shelton and the plan is to throw a pair of T'Armonds in her.

  • Don Butler's Astro Jet

    Don sent his Astro to me for paint.

  • Link to the reset

    Here's the link, easier than posting everything here. [LINK 56 6120](http://gretschpages.com/forum/vintage-gretsch-guitars/redrockers-56-6120/42566/page1/)

  • Redrocker's '56 6120 reset.

    Paul and I talked about doing a video of the work that's going to be done to his guitar including a reset, a little paint and frets.

  • Chet 57's HOFNER

    Really cool guitar that some work on the internal amp / speaker.

  • Kay Reset

    Great looking guitar that needs a reset, hopefully it will be issue free.

  • National Repair

    This one's on a budget so only some of the binding on the body was burned. He only wanted part of the headstock binding replaced but it's easier to do it all.

  • 63 Gent partial refinish.

    The owner is hoping that I can blend this so the entire top doesn't have to be refinished, we'll see.

  • Binding removal

    Tackling binding removal on the 12-string and the Bacon. With video.

  • Bacon Belmont

    Very cool guitar that the owner wanted the binding repaired in the bad areas, could be done but this guitar is way to cool for that.

  • White Falcon Color Shift

    I threatened to do this before, today's the day!

  • Al's Astro Jet

    Yep one of those bodies that I swore I'd never touch...

  • The exception to the rule, SS Stewart.

    I though this might be on topic as far as repairing a dished or in this case a gouged fretboard. Cool train wreck which should end up being a nice player.

  • Billy-Bo Color Change

    This Billy-Bo needs a color change but hasn't decided on the color yet.

  • 1954 Jag Tan Electromatic Neck Repair and Reset

    I know this project has a thread of its own but Baxter thought it might be more cogent, more better, to post these projects as blogs. This 54 is in great shape other than it needing a neck reset and addressing the cupping headstock which the owner of the guitar ...

  • 12-string project begins

    Here's another one that's on the bench.