and serial No., and it said “That Great Gretsch Sound” at the bottom. This third iteration of the label had “Fred Gretsch Mfg. In about 1969, Gretsch began to use another version of the Orange and Grey label on F-Hole instruments. The only way to be clear, is to have an understanding of the feature sets of the instruments from the era. The numbers for the months, October (10), November (11), and December (12), can also be interpreted as (10) January 1970, (11) January 1971 and (12) January 1972. Obviously, with the change of the decade, there is plenty of room for confusion in interpreting the numbers. The second or the third number, 7, 8 or 9, (depending on whether the month number is one or 2 digits), identifies the year of production as either 1967, 1968 or 1969 etc.Īs an example, serial number 68409 would break down as:Īs an example, serial number 109837 would break down as:.For example, 2 would stand for February, 11 would stand for November etc. The first, and or, first and second number identifies the numerical month of production.The numbers were once again located on the back of the headstock and would have been printed in Gold, Black or White (depending on the color of the guitar). These serial numbers were also either 5 or 6 digit numbers, depending on the month of production. “Made In USA” was added to the serial number stamp and the numbers were date coded in the same way that they had been between ’65 and ’67. Toward the end of 1967, Baldwin took over the Gretsch Company. The table identifies Gretsch serial numbers used from 1939 to 1965. Some Viking, Falcon and Country Gentlemen guitars made from 1958 to 1965, had the serial number impressed onto the nameplate on the headstocks.Electrotone and solid body instruments made from 1962 to 1965, once again used the impressed serial number method.From the early ‘50s to 1962 the impressed method was rarely used.and serial No., and it said “Musical Instrument Makers Since 1883” at the bottom. This second iteration of the label had “Fred Gretsch Mfg. In 1957 at number 25001, the label was changed to an Orange oval on a Grey and White background.From 1945 to the early ‘50s, both methods of serial numbering have been seen.This form of labeling continued till 1957. These labels replaced the method of penciling the serial number on the inside back of the guitar. Co” on the label and had lines for the “Model” and “Serial No.”. In 1949, Gretsch began gluing labels to the inside of guitars.In 1945, Gretsch began impressing serial numbers into the top edges of the headstocks, beginning with some of the lower end guitars.In 1939, serial numbers were first penciled in on the inside back of the bodies on the higher end Synchromatics.From 1939 to 1965, Gretsch serial numbers are sequential, but the manner and placement of the serial numbers on the guitars varies quite a bit.
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