NBD : ´63 Gretsch 6070

amptech · October 02, 2015, 05:51:01 AM

Thanks, heard about the JAE connection, but didn´t know it was on film..

Even with bridge in lowest possible position the action is too high. I´ll need to get some advice from my luthier.
If he recommends sanding the bridge or something, I can always wind a new pickup.

Thanks for the Gretsch link too, it says supertron was introduced in 1964, and the endpin was dropped that year.

The serial nr. dates mine to 1963, and it has both a supertron and the upright endpin button.
I also saw some other gretsch ads, claiming it was especially designed for bass. It seems more likely that it´s just a filtertron with blades, that can be used wit ether 4 or 6 stringed instruments, but who knows.

Anyway, a nice and different bass, guess I have to start some left hand exercise.

Stjofön Big · October 02, 2015, 06:22:07 AM

Now, guys! Hear, hear! That Gretsch bass might have a neck built for the Log Lady of Twin Peaks, but there sure is no mucho machoness in it!!! In 1965, British bass player Megan Davies in The Applejacks, from Birmingham, could be seen with this piece (scroll down some, and you'll find the pic): http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/photos-of-girls-and-guitars-the-second-string.324754/page-17
Though fact is, she had this to say about the adventure: "I did try out a Gretch Bass for a week or two which is featured on a major Applejacks/Dezo Hoffman photo session. I managed three numbers on stage with it before my left arm nearly fell off with the strain of the weight. Such imbalance in a guitar was crazy." (For full story, check http://www.brumbeat.net/sixmegan.htm )

ilan · October 02, 2015, 10:22:25 AM

I relocated the strap button to the heel and it improved the balance, and with a wide leather strap there's almost no neck-dive.

Dave W · October 02, 2015, 12:04:01 PM

The neck and balance didn't seem to bother Peter Tork. He could be seen playing his 6073 on the Monkees TV show. How often he actually played it is questionable though.

dadagoboi · October 02, 2015, 02:33:59 PM

Quote from: Dave W on October 02, 2015, 12:04:01 PM
The neck and balance didn't seem to bother Peter Tork. He could be seen playing his 6073 on the Monkees TV show. How often he actually played it is questionable though.

How long he actually played bass is questionable...on recordings at least.

ilan · October 02, 2015, 02:53:16 PM

Peter Tork played a short-scale. The 6070 is long-scale.

I guess installing Hipshot Ultralites would be a big help with the neck-dive. For me, relocating the strap button did the trick.

Dave W · October 02, 2015, 03:40:43 PM

Quote from: dadagoboi on October 02, 2015, 02:33:59 PM
How long he actually played bass is questionable...on recordings at least.

Did he play bass on any recordings? I thought Carol Kaye did.

Quote from: ilan on October 02, 2015, 02:53:16 PM
Peter Tork played a short-scale. The 6070 is long-scale.

I doubt there's much difference in balance. Only about 3 in. of the 4.5 in. difference in scale length is in the neck, and the 6073 has a longer headstock.

nofi · October 02, 2015, 04:58:21 PM

this is what peter plyed
https://www.google.com/search?q=peter+tork+bass&biw=1600&bih=775&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCKOOguTwpMgCFQhtPgodRy4A9whttps://www.google.com/search?q=peter+tork+bass&biw=1600&bih=775&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCKOOguTwpMgCFQhtPgodRy4A9w

Dave W · October 02, 2015, 06:30:11 PM

Quote from: nofi on October 02, 2015, 04:58:21 PM
this is what peter plyed
https://www.google.com/search?q=peter+tork+bass&biw=1600&bih=775&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCKOOguTwpMgCFQhtPgodRy4A9whttps://www.google.com/search?q=peter+tork+bass&biw=1600&bih=775&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCKOOguTwpMgCFQhtPgodRy4A9w

He played the Gretsch 6073 in the intro to the TV show and on a lot of the songs on the show, as well as during their earlier live gigs during the TV show's run. That's why you sometimes see it referred to as the Peter Tork model. Yes, he played others, but the Gretsch is the one almost always associated with him. He later played a Guild Jetstar live.

eb2 · October 05, 2015, 01:04:22 PM

I had the single pickup Peter Tork. It was a short or med scale, but with the tailpiece you could put long scale strings on it. The bass supertron was different than the guitar one. The guitar had several "blades" stuck together for polepieces, where the bass was a solid piece that had a ridged top. The thing recorded wonderfully. Sounded beautiful. I sold it about 25 years ago, and the guy traded it back to me about two weeks ago. I have to ship it though, so I haven't got it, but I will sometime in the next month, provided I don't drop dead. I got it from the original owner and had the warranty and tags, but I seemed to have lost them. I passed on several Country Gent/Nick Lowe basses way back. I couldn't bring myself to pay more than $200 for one when I could get an EB-2 or a Guild for $150-200.

Pilgrim · October 05, 2015, 04:13:34 PM

Please post some pictures when you get it. I'd love to see it.

ilan · October 06, 2015, 10:07:39 AM

Quote from: eb2 on October 05, 2015, 01:04:22 PM
I had the single pickup Peter Tork. It was a short or med scale

How was the balance with a strap? Neck-diver or not?

7615 · January 04, 2016, 06:47:12 PM

I have a 1967 6070. All of the high action and touching of the pickups problems went away when I made it fretless.

What a revelation when it had the frets removed. It is a fast, low action bass. It went from novelty to a major bass in the rotation once the frets came off. A growly fretless sound on that beautiful ebony board. I even installed a 2nd pick-up at the neck (a homemade 6072) - I used a 1978Gretsch Committee pick-up for the 2nd pick-up.

Without frets it clears both pick ups and no intonation problems . When my luthier said she was having problems setting it up, so I said make it fretless to which she immediately responded - all problems solved.

If your willing to go fretless all the common problems of the 6070 go away and IMOP it becomes a better instrument.

ilan · January 05, 2016, 01:04:31 AM

Mine ('68) is still fretted and the action is low. It's a set neck, so a good luthier (better go to a violin maker) can set the neck angle.

amptech · January 05, 2016, 01:30:30 AM

Quote from: 7615 on January 04, 2016, 06:47:12 PM

If your willing to go fretless all the common problems of the 6070 go away and IMOP it becomes a better instrument.

I decided to have the neck reset now. I don't think pulling the frets could have helped, as the bridge is at the lowest possible point and the action is still to high. Pulling the frets would mean filing the nut slots and then I'd possibly need to lower the bridge even more, wich can't be done since the strings almost touch the pickup.

And last week i installed frets on my '74 P bass. Pulled the frets on this in 1993 - had some serious Jaco brain damage

Took almost a day to prep the neck before fretting (as expected when sideways installed frets are pulled straight up and slots filled with epoxy

) But then, what was a 70's fender worth back then..