This was discussed in connection with another topic but I thought it should have its own thread based on the feedback I got about this tailpiece.
I recently bought a 1960 Gretsch 6119 that had been converted to a 12 string. Banjo tuners were added, a new bridge, pickguard, truss rod cover and a Guild Starfire tailpiece. The person I bought it from got it in a pawnshop late 70s/early 80s and the conversion had been partially undone in that the headstock was reverted.
For a Gretsch it was rather an ugly duckling--I'm grateful at least the logo was left on the headstock when it was repainted.
I only have a Guild acoustic, so I wanted to find out what I had in terms of the tailpiece since I'm not familiar with Guild Electrics beyond the Duane Eddy one and the one on the cover of the Kinks Kontroversy.
The tailpiece is chrome, with 12 slots. To my surprise I learned on this forum that only 6 slot tailpieces were used for the Starfire XII. So I posted it on a thread where I read that. In response, someone went as far to say that it was a really good conversion and talked about the soldering and so forth.
The slots in this tailpiece were done at the same time and there is no solder on it; it was spot welded. I've never seen metal sawn after production be this straight, still have chrome in the "new" slots and not burn the existing chrome where the modification took place. The spacing is very accurate to accommodate the bassier strings.
There would be rust where chrome is cut.
This is informative on cutting chrome:
http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260739
In addition, circumstantially, while anything is possible, I find it improbable that someone with such metalworking skills would stick an ill-fitting Gibson type bell truss rod cover in with only one screw to hold it in place and glue a bridge down that nonetheless slides around in its base--making that mod useless. That's how this guitar came to me.
I'm putting this out there because I've seen every type of aftermarket thing there is when it comes to Gretsches, and such work is usually something that can be determined in the few cases where it's not obvious at the outset.
This tailpiece strikes me very much as a factory piece.
I recently bought a 1960 Gretsch 6119 that had been converted to a 12 string. Banjo tuners were added, a new bridge, pickguard, truss rod cover and a Guild Starfire tailpiece. The person I bought it from got it in a pawnshop late 70s/early 80s and the conversion had been partially undone in that the headstock was reverted.
For a Gretsch it was rather an ugly duckling--I'm grateful at least the logo was left on the headstock when it was repainted.
I only have a Guild acoustic, so I wanted to find out what I had in terms of the tailpiece since I'm not familiar with Guild Electrics beyond the Duane Eddy one and the one on the cover of the Kinks Kontroversy.
The tailpiece is chrome, with 12 slots. To my surprise I learned on this forum that only 6 slot tailpieces were used for the Starfire XII. So I posted it on a thread where I read that. In response, someone went as far to say that it was a really good conversion and talked about the soldering and so forth.
The slots in this tailpiece were done at the same time and there is no solder on it; it was spot welded. I've never seen metal sawn after production be this straight, still have chrome in the "new" slots and not burn the existing chrome where the modification took place. The spacing is very accurate to accommodate the bassier strings.
There would be rust where chrome is cut.
This is informative on cutting chrome:
http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260739
In addition, circumstantially, while anything is possible, I find it improbable that someone with such metalworking skills would stick an ill-fitting Gibson type bell truss rod cover in with only one screw to hold it in place and glue a bridge down that nonetheless slides around in its base--making that mod useless. That's how this guitar came to me.
I'm putting this out there because I've seen every type of aftermarket thing there is when it comes to Gretsches, and such work is usually something that can be determined in the few cases where it's not obvious at the outset.
This tailpiece strikes me very much as a factory piece.
