Gretsch debuted it's "Electromatic Solid Body" guitars in 1954 with the introduction of the quasi-solid Model 6128 Duo Jet and Model 6129 Silver Jet.  Gibson had just shocked the guitar world with it's splashy metallic gold finished Les Paul and Gretsch was determined not to be left behind!  The earliest "Jet" series guitars had natural finished mahogany back, sides and neck with the script peghead logo, small bullet shaped truss rod cover, two black-bobbin DeArmond Dynasonic pickups and first fret block fingerboard marker.  Two individual volume controls and a master tone control were arrayed in a triangular configuration.  A "Melita" bridge and short G-cutout tailpiece completed the look of these first Jets. 

         The late 50's saw many changes and refinements introduced in the Electromatic line.  In 1955 the clear Lucite silver painted pickguard with engraved black "Gretsch" logo was added and 1956 saw the truss rod covers substantially enlarged.  The year 1957 is distinguished as the only year the Jets appeared with "hump back" fingerboard inlays (ie. George Harrison's), as in 1958 these markers were changed to the new ebony neo-classic fingerboards with "thumb print" inlays!  The 1958 Jets are further distinguished by the introduction of the "Space Control" bridge, three position tone selector switch, heel dowel neck joint, white pickguard w/black logo and "Pat.Applied For" Filtertron humbucking pickups.  The 1959 varieties of Jet guitars differ slightly from their predecessors as the actionflo-nut zero fret was introduced. 

        The 1960's saw the Gretsch company once again following their chief competitor's lead.  Gibson introduced their new double cutaway Les Paul design (SG shape) which prompted a redesigned two cutaway Jet series in 1961.  These early double cutaways were remarkably similar in appointments to their single cutaway cousins in the beginning but in 1962 major changes occurred.

        The 1964 Model 6129 epitomizes this extremely rare version of the Silver Jet.  As you can see,  the early 60's saw the introduction of a gold pickguard engraved with a black "Gretsch" block letter logo, a standby switch, gold plated hardware and a gold plated Burns vibrato tailpiece!  All double cutaway Silver Jets are rare and extremely few of any colour other than silver were ever produced.  The original custom "Champagne Sparkle" top on the instrument pictured above makes it one of the rarest of rare Gretsch guitars ever to come through our store!
 
 

Back to the "Vintage/Used" page