The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: Pilgrim on June 11, 2010, 08:33:42 PM
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Never seen one of these before. 1977 Gretsch TK300 .Anyone familiar with it?? Some internet surfing suggests it's a solid body that wasn't Gretsch's finest hour.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1977-Gretsch-TK300-BASS-Excellent-Condition-/160442927153?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item255b24c831
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I've played the bass and companion guitar (at two different stores) about 10 years ago. Odd styling nothing like the Gretsch tradition, not bad sounding but not a Gretsch sound. IIRC they were both priced in the $300-$400 range. Gretsch's dark period.
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You often see them called "Committee" basses. I think because they were designed by a committee of idiots!
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The Committee Bass was a different model. It had a conventional 2+2 headstock and it was neck-through. Same pickup as the TK300 though, at least it looked the same. IIRC it came along two or three years after the TK300. The Committee body was similar but more symmetrical and had a pickguard that could have been designed by Batman.
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I stand corrected. They looked bad to me!
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(http://i47.tinypic.com/2z3q9on.jpg)
I owned the guitar version of the Committee series. They came with Humbuckers but the basses came with the same pickups as the version on Ebay like Dave said. I liked the guitar but it did have an odd truss rod system. You accessed the rod from the back of the body. I liked the clear pickguard and the smoked plexi rear control cover.
(http://i47.tinypic.com/2h4x3d2.jpg)
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It does have more than a bit of wacky-cool visual factor. That headstock must have been a one-off (or nearly so) for Gretsch.
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The TK300 is a great short scale. Looks funky, well made. Plays great and sounds good.
Gretsch's "dark period" produced the TK300 (blond or red) , the Committee , solid body Broadkaster (blond or red) and the 7615 "solid body bass"
Thank goodness it is the "dark period" as they go inexpensively compared to Fenders and Gibsons- - I own all but the 7615 and they are all great instruments.
If you want a quality instrument for a good price - look for a Baldwin era bass or guitar.
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The TK300 is a great short scale. Looks funky, well made. Plays great and sounds good.
Gretsch's "dark period" produced the TK300 (blond or red) , the Committee , solid body Broadkaster (blond or red) and the 7615 "solid body bass"
Thank goodness it is the "dark period" as they go inexpensively compared to Fenders and Gibsons- - I own all but the 7615 and they are all great instruments.
If you want a quality instrument for a good price - look for a Baldwin era bass or guitar.
You may love them, but Baldwin era Gretsches aren't generally well regarded.
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Everyone I know who owns one loves them. The not well regarded bit I think has more to do with the post 6070-6073 basses not resembling the classic style of Gretches.
The last couple years 80-81 did see quality control issues but those I personally never experienced.
My fretless 6070 (Bakdwin era) kicks ass and makes any modern Gretsch hollow body redundant. Also I prefer Filertrons to TV Jones - my 7606 had a swapped in TV Jones - I put the Filtertron back in - much better. The solid body basses of the Baldwin era are all longs scale except for the TK300. They are all quite different - glued on neck, bolted or neck thru body construction giving each a variation of sound.
I used to have a 6071 and the TK300 is s better sounding instrument.
Now here's hoping a 7615 appears - I think these ones are rare as the Gretsch factory had 2 fires in that period. Never seen one other than the original catalogue picture. Nowhere on the Internet.
Now look at the instrument - it is a truly beautiful guitar- unique.
I just bought the 2232 - essentially a 2002 long scale jet - very nice instrument - but ain't no Baldwin.
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Enough. Your username is Gretsch model that you don't own and which may not have ever made it into production. You dredged up a 6-year-old thread to try to refute my comments about the TK300. It's nothing but my opinion and you're welcome to disagree, but don't insult our intelligence by arguing points that virtually every Gretsch aficionado would disagree with. It borders on trolling.
We're done here.