AN ARCH-TOP GUITAR, SYNCHROMATIC 300

Details

THE FRED GRETSCH COMPANY, BROOKLYN, CIRCA 1945
AN ARCH-TOP GUITAR, SYNCHROMATIC 300
The logo Gretsch / Synchromotic inlayed at the headstock and engraved on the tailpiece GRETSCH, faintly inscribed with pencil internally 325, spruce top, maple back and sides, ebony fingerboard, faux pearl inlay, with original "tweed" hard-shell case
Length of back 20 15⁄16 in. (53 cm.)
Width of the lower bout 17 1⁄8 in. (43.4 cm.)

Special notice

Please note this lot will be moved to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn) at 5pm on the last day of the sale. Lots may not be collected during the day of their move to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services. Please consult the Lot Collection Notice for collection information. This sheet is available from the Bidder Registration staff, Purchaser Payments or the Packing Desk and will be sent with your invoice. Lots made of or including (regardless of the percentage) endangered and other protected species of wildlife are marked with the symbol ~ in the catalogue. This material includes, among other things, ivory, tortoiseshell, crocodile skin, rhinoceros horn, whalebone certain species of coral, and Brazilian rosewood. You should check the relevant customs laws and regulations before bidding on any lot containing wildlife material if you plan to import the lot into another country. Several countries refuse to allow you to import property containing these materials, and some other countries require a licence from the relevant regulatory agencies in the countries of exportation as well as importation. In some cases, the lot can only be shipped with an independent scientific confirmation of species and/or age, and you will need to obtain these at your own cost.

Brought to you by

Nathalie Ferneau Head of Sale, Junior Specialist

nferneau@christies.com +1 (212) 636 2236

Lot Essay

The Gretsch company was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1883 by 27-year-old German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch. Originally launched as musical instrument shop for the manufacture of percussion instruments, the company was making ukuleles and banjos by 1910 and in 1933 debuted a line of arch-top guitars. By the 1950’s Gretsch had shifted their concentration to electric guitars and it is within this realm where Gretsch instruments made a lasting impression in the market.

Within a crowded field of manufacturers producing electric guitars Gretsch set itself apart by first concentrating on hollow-body and semi-hollow-body electric guitars. They embraced new color schemes and eye catching ornamentation not found on Gibsons, Fenders or Rickenbackers. The endorsement by guitarist Chet Atkins and subsequent Chet Atkins models drew a loyal following as did artists who performed on Gretsch hollow-bodies like Stephen Stills, and Neil Young. The model 6120 and similar Gretsch hollow-bodies became a mainstay for guitarists of the early British Invasion: George Harrison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Jerry Marsden, Brian Jones and Pete Townshend have all been seen performing on Gretsch electrics.

More from The Nile Rodgers Collection To Benefit the We Are Family Foundation

View All