From the specs at Gretsch's site and member inspection of their own guitars, here's what I think we know:

All current Country Clubs are 17" x 2.75", 25.5" scale, with maple bodies and necks. There are two versions of the 6193 (with two different specs each, depending on date), plus the 6192 variant, and two versions of the 6196.

Both 6193s are blonde ("amber natural"); both 6196s are Cadillac green.

6193 (through fall '06, still some in the chain): lam maple top, 2 Dynasonics & tone-knob circuit, Adjustomatic bridge, rosewood fingerboard, G-trapeze tailpiece.

6193 (as of last quarter '06): solid spruce top, 2 Dynasonics & tone-knob circuit, Melita "Synchrosonic" bridge, rosewood fingerboard, G-trapeze tailpiece.

6193T: (through fall '06): lam maple top, 2 Filtertrons & tone-SWITCH circuit, Space Roller bridge, ebony fingerboard, Gretsch-V Bigsby, soundpost

6193T: (last quarter '06): solid spruce top, 2 Filtertrons & tone-SWITCH circuit, Space Roller bridge, ebony fingerboard, Gretsch-V Bigsby, soundpost

6192: seems to follow the spec of the 6193, but is sunburst. I.E.; through fall '06, maple top and Space Roller; as of last quarter '06, spruce top and Melita Synchrosonic.

6196: arched solid spruce top, 2 Dynasonics & tone-knob circuit, Adjustomatic bridge, rosewood fingerboard, G-trapeze tailpiece

6196T: arched solid spruce top, 2 Filtertrons & tone-switch circuit, Space Roller bridge, ebony fingerboard, Gretsch-V Bigsby; soundpost

Welcome DanO. The Space Control bridge should work just fine.

My 6136 came with the Space Control and the Cad "G" tail piece stock.

I'm not a finger picker, but I've heard that some guys like the Space Control because you can control/adjust the string "spacing" to your liking.

DanO,

As JD says, yes, the Space Control will mount up on the Club just fine. (Until very recently, some Club models shipped with Space Controls.)

Personally, I much prefer the Rocking Bar (or just Bar) bridge. I think it produces better tone, and is even smoother under the hand than the Space Roller. It's what I put on my Club, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Proteus

Over on the Modern Gretsch Guitar forum Hobie has posted about his blonde 6193.

He says that his guitar has a solid spruce top and has pictures to prove it.

Is this something that happens from time to time? As you state in your post only the 6196 has a solid spruce top (according to the Gretsch catalogue).

Mike

I've gotten "used to" the feel of my Space Control bridges, but I've always been tempted to try out a rocking bar.

I've also been intersted in trying out the tune-a-matic bridge too. I figured that individual intonation would be nice, but I do get along without it.

I have tried the older style Gretsch tune-a-matic with rollers on each string. Only thing I can say there is POS. Absolutely killed the tone, and just made weird noises at times.

I think my next step in bridges will be the tune-a-matic version, and then, if I like it better than the Space Control unit, pin it, and call it good

My new 6193 definitely has a spruce top. It also has the Synchrosonic bridge. It definitely is a different beast than a bar, but seeing as I have a bar on three other Gretsches, I'll keep the Synchro on this guitar.
My other guitars are also Bigsbyfied, so for now this one is staying "hardtail".
Getting ready to stick some T-I flats on it soon.

Mike, yes, that's right, I know at least the blonde Dyna Club is now coming with a spruce top - thanks for reminding me; I'll amend the top post in the thread.

I just bought a sruce-topped natural Club with Filters so you can add that to your list.

Correctomundo on the newly changed 6193...Spruce, Dynas, and Melita. I can't say about the Spruce, but the new 6192 also has Dynas and the Melita...no Bigsby on either of these. I don't know if the older version of the 93 is still being made...Trons and Bigsby.

But what about bracing in the 6193? Tone post or not?

Not that I can see

And the 6192 that I have just received has a spruce top; there is a batch of the 6192/3's that have spruce top and the melita (synchrosonic) is what I was told.

As for the posts, apparently the spruce cracks up over time, so that's why it's on the T's



Or that's what I made up to try and get Prote.

Proteus:
"But what about bracing in the 6193? Tone post or not? "

No tone post in my 6193.

We just put a new rocking bar bridge on DanO's new 6192 this evening and it's much better then the wrist cutting Synchromatic bridge. Neither of us had changed a bridge before but it went surprisingly well and we got it set up pretty quickly. Turned out to be less scary then we thought and completely worth it.

My 6193T was built in June. It has a solid spruce top and a space control bridge. There definitely IS a soundpost.

I think the pattern is that Filtertron/Bigsby models get tone posts; Dyna/noBigsby don't.

I'll let you know if the Bigsby on my postless spruce topper breaks the top.

I think you'll be just fine. That top still has two nice big parallel braces under it. I have no way to know for certain but I always had the impression that the soundpost was to increase sustain and reduce feedback. My guess (and it is just that, a guess) is that they figure that the Filter/Bigsby models are more likely to be used by rockers than the Dyna models.

I would be more concerned about your neck, not the guitar's neck Proteus but your neck. It looks a bit out of kilter in today's avatar. :nice:

Proteus said:
I'll let you know if the Bigsby on my postless spruce topper breaks the top.

Of course all bets are off if you try for the VanHalen, dive-bomb effects.

Oh, I have no fear about the top of the guitar, I was playing to Hobie's attempt to needle me.

The head position is an attempt to compensate for my habitual view of the world. I'm constantly reminded it's off by a few degrees.

I mean, I  know it's right on the money (not that money has anything to do with it), but I do recognize I don't strickly take the approved approach at all times.

11 - 50 flat wounds sound great on the Club no matter how your head is screwed on. :nice:

Y'all are getting me positively salivatory over the thought of a CC with Dynas & an addition of a Bigsby. Spruce would take it to an even more interesting place. And I really dig the 25.5" scale length.

I know I want a Dyna guitar. I don't know what I'll sell to get it, but I know it's going to happen.

Like this one? (With apologies to those who've seen these pics in the old forums...)





(Note - guitar now has bar bridge, not Adjusta.)

No apologies necessary (but where's the girls on the hood shot?).

Yes Proteus, no apologies. Post that thing more often! Beautiful.