Letter from Fred

GGJaguar · Jul 28, 2019

I was digging through my archives for some Guild stuff over the weekend and found this. I totally forgot that I had it! I miss writing for TCG Magazine.

walrus · Jul 28, 2019

That's cool!

walrus

geoguy · Jul 29, 2019

Neat . . . from everything I've heard, Fred sounds like a very pleasant guy.

Cougar · Jul 29, 2019

What, that's not in a frame up on your wall? I guess that was a pretty good article! :tiger:

GAD · Jul 29, 2019

Cool! Got a link to the original article?

GGJaguar · Jul 29, 2019

GAD said:
Cool! Got a link to the original article?

Unfortunately, no. It was a 2-part article and I'll have to dig through the archives for it.

Bill Ashton · Jul 29, 2019

Greg, used to absolutely love your articles in 20th Century Guitar, so sad they very abruptly folded...and your work on the Fender serial numbers was top notch!

GGJaguar · Jul 29, 2019

Bill Ashton said:
Greg, used to absolutely love your articles in 20th Century Guitar, so sad they very abruptly folded...and your work on the Fender serial numbers was top notch!

Thanks Bill, much appreciated!

chazmo · Jul 29, 2019

Greg, I think that's great! Has Gretsch really been around since 1883, or is that revisionist history like we see often with Guild and 1952/1953?

GGJaguar · Jul 30, 2019

chazmo said:
Has Gretsch really been around since 1883, or is that revisionist history like we see often with Guild and 1952/1953?

I don't think it's revisionist, but they were mostly a drum and banjo company up until the 1930s when archtop guitars replaced banjos in bands. That's when they kicked guitar-making into gear.

SFIV1967 · Jul 30, 2019

chazmo said:
Has Gretsch really been around since 1883...?

Yes, see: https://www.gretsch.com/about/

And from Wikipedia: "Gretsch was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a young German immigrant who opened his own musical instrument shop on 128 Middleton Street in Brooklyn, New York in 1883. His shop was designed for the manufacture of tambourines, and drums."

Ralf

chazmo · Jul 30, 2019

Amazing. I had no idea! Thanks, gents.

Quantum Strummer · Jul 30, 2019

Bill Ashton said:
Greg, used to absolutely love your articles in 20th Century Guitar, so sad they very abruptly folded...and your work on the Fender serial numbers was top notch!

Yup, same sentiments here. Greg's serial number sleuthing let me date my Champ (smudged date stamp) and Deluxe (rehoused at some point in a 1960 Princeton cabinet).

-Dave-

Letter from Fred

GGJaguar

Reverential Member

walrus

Reverential Member

geoguy

Senior Member

Cougar

Enlightened Member

GAD

Reverential Morlock

GGJaguar

Reverential Member

Bill Ashton

Senior Member

GGJaguar

Reverential Member

chazmo

Super Moderator

GGJaguar

Reverential Member

SFIV1967

Venerated Member

chazmo

Super Moderator

Quantum Strummer

Senior Member