Interesting Gretsch

[Hörnisse]

A 5 string bass from 1968!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221286367949?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[Highlander]

Interesting story re the factory alteration...

[Dave W]

I'm skeptical. In the closeup of the headstock face, you can see the two circular outlines where the tuners on a 4-string would have been located. He points this out and says Gretsch must have filled them. But he has no evidence that this was done at the factory. He says it's proved because the marks are under the paint. Huh? An aftermarket mod would have been painted, and a top notch mod wouldn't have even left those marks.

It's possible, of course, but when someone screams paragraphs in all caps and has nothing to back it up except the opinion of the owner of a local music shop, I don't believe it. Show me some evidence that it was ever ordered and shipped from Gretsch and I'll change my mind.

[Rob]

Assuming that it was strung for a high C like Fender 5. . . .
What is the pink thing between the bottom pickup and the bridge?

[ilan]

What is the pink thing between the bottom pickup and the bridge?

The hole where the mechanical mute went through before it was removed. It was a clever device, operated with what looks like a normal switch, and a lever inside the bass.

[ilan]

I'm skeptical

Yes, but I can't explain the tailpiece otherwise. It looks stock and it's a 5-string unit.

Also, all the tuners look identically distressed (whatever was left of the gold plating) and look the same as my '64 single-pickup version 6070.

Those necks were so wide and thick, they could easily take the pull of 5 and even 8 strings at full tension. The headstock is enormous and can take a 5th tuner, but the resulting neck-dive - a major problem with the 4-strings - would then make the bass impossible to play standing up, unless you add weights to the bottom strap button.

Looks like previous owners have done the same mods that I did to mine - relocated strap button to handle the neck dive, and painted-on side dots.

Mine has a spike to be played like a cello, that goes through the tailpiece hinge, this one doesn't.

Also, where would you find extra-long 5-string bass strings in 1968? These basses need longer strings than a Fender's, because of the afterlength. When standard long-scale strings are used, the silk goes over the nut almost to the 1st fret.

My gut feeling - and this is not supported by undisputed facts - is that this could be a factory mod, but the result was unplayable, and so the experiment never evolved into a production model.

[Dave W]

The tuners and the tailpiece are the reasons I said it's possible. But that's not convincing. A tuner added 20 years later could easily be that aged by now, and no more so than the others. The tailpiece could have been redrilled. The bridge could have had an extra saddle added. All easy enough work for a skilled repairman who knows Gretsch. And as you say, it needs super long scale strings. There were no long scale low B or high C strings available at all in 1968, and as you pointed out, this needs super longs. Aside from Gretsch's own brand 4-string sets made for these basses, I don't recall there being other 4-string super longs available.

[ilan]

The "Space Control" type bridge is the easiest part to mod - all you need is another saddle. It's a good design, I wonder why it wasn't copied/adopted by other makers. Control over string spacing is more important than individual saddle height.

[patman]

All the Ampegs used super long strings, didn't they? Somebody had to make them.