... and how would you characterise their sound, tone, feel, playability etc?
Anything I should look out for when looking at a second-hand one... and are there good and bad years?
How long did they make these for? Were there any pre Fender... or were they only made since Fender got involved.
Thanks
Dang you could have had my original 1963 6072 for $1100...
I think the new ones were all Fender era... only made for a year or so? They aren't exactly like the originals. I think a lot of the new Gretches are pretty consistent in quality -- the bass might have gotten better as they got further along in production.
Get one... I say Gretsch basses rule, despite what anyone else says.
Bob B
Thanks for the feedback Bob.
Any comments on how they sound... are they typically old school in tone? I'm guessing very bassy with less sustain than modern era designs. Or am I totally wrong?
Actually, mine has a 2006 serial number. They just weren't made in droves, but they didn't cancel them until early 2007.
At that time, they also created the White Falcon bass, which is essentially the same bass with a fancy paint job, TV Jones pickups, and Sperzels tuners.
I'ts a cross between a Hofner and a Fender Precision. Long scale playability with hollow body charm.
Birdman, wasn't yours short scale? There was some reason I didn't buy it - maybe I had just gotten my upright.
No I never had a short scale 6071 single cut "Tennesean" bass... I had a '63 first year 6070 with the treetrunk neck, mute, etc. The sound wasn't totally vintage... it had a blade supertron style pickup as did the 6071... sort of electronic sounding, forceful, with pretty good output. But when U put the mute up it went totally thumpy upright sound.
According to Gruhn, the 2 p/u versions didnt' happen until 1968, suggestion that was a Baldwin idea.
Man it was killer but I needed the bread for the astro jet project... now that it is done, it goes on the block to pay for the Vette project, which is also done. those projects turned out great but cost a bundle.
Hi All,
I have a 6072 and find the tone to be pretty good with the bridge pickup and the tone rolled off, with the tone all the way up it doesn't work for me. There is also not a lot of sustain available as you start to go up the neck I think that is a floating bridge design and the fact that the body is hollow and not a lot of "resonation" going up and down the body like a solid body. That said, I really like the tone for Stuff like Air, Violent Femmes, The Cure (early days), doesn't really work for Joy division, New Order type of sounds, where you need more sustain than it offers. But a mix between a Fender and Hofner sounds about right though.
Hi - I just got hold of 1963 6070 (single pick-up) in a kind of Brown Sunburst. It's been mucked about with over the years. Someone's stuck a strap button in the back of the neck about 3 inches up from the join with the body which does improve the balance, otherwise it's very neck-heavy. Only the upper knob seems to do anything (volume) and the toggle switch only seems to rest in the central position (on). 'Down' is off and it won't stay put in the 'up' position at all. I love it though and working round its shortcomings is a real challenge. I like to go up the 'dusty end' but with this baby that yields very inconsistent results! Can anybody tell me what the knobs were supposed to do originally?
