Gretsch Custom Shop Masterbuilt G6136-CS Black Metallic Falcon NOS

The Gretsch Custom Shop is where the time-honored legacy reaches its creative apex. No instruments epitomize the extraordinary expertise and attention to detail of Gretsch’s most trusted hands like Custom Shop instruments. From modern versions of legendary instruments to artist tribute models and specially requested one-off guitars, the Gretsch Custom Shop takes “That Great Gretsch Sound” to an entirely new plane, but also preserves and perfects it. 

Truetone Music is proud to have a long and close relationship with Gretsch, especially with the Custom Shop.  Every year, we make a pilgrimage there to cook up a batch of Custom Shop guitars.  Sometimes we go for vintage-styled recreations, sometimes we go for modernized tweaks.  Sometimes it's a classic color, sometimes it's a totally new color or even reclaimed wood.  No matter what we throw at them, they always knock it out of the park!

This G6136-CS Black Metallic Falcon is one of the results of this partnership.  It was originally designed with legendary Masterbuilder Stephen Stern, with the intention of creating a guitar that's never been done before.  This one was built by Gonzalo Madrigal, the super talented Masterbuilder who has become quite high in demand.  His work is impecible, and this guitar shows it impressively. 

While Black Falcons have been done before, we made this one different by going with Black Metallic for the color, and then choosing Silver Sparkle for the binding and logo.  This matches the chrome hardware nicely and sets this guitar apart (typically, a Falcon with have gold binding and hardware).  The result is a true one of a kind guitar that you won't find elsewhere.  As great as the photos here are, it's even better in person.  The sparkle finish is incredible.

We chose a 1959 style Falcon as the base model, and kept it NOS (New Old Stock) to retain the look of a guitar fresh out of the factory, with no relic work.   The maple neck is a very comfortable C shape, topped with a dark ebony fretboard.  It's adorned with the same Silver Sparkle binding as the body, to match perfectly.  The fretboard is ebony, and is inlaid with mother of pearl inlays.  It's topped offer with Grover Imperial machine heads, with Stairstep buttons.  And it wouldn't be a real '59 Falcon without the Bigsby, adding to versality of the guitar.

The Black Metallic Falcon comes equipped with TV Jones Ray Butts Ful-Fidelity Filter'Tron pickups (Stern's suggestion) to give it the classic Gretsch sound - they are meant to be the most "vintage correct" pickups out there for a Gretsch.   These were designed according to Butts' original notes and Jones' extensive expertise and analysis of the original Filter'Tron pickups.  They have the vintage pole spacing, covers and zinc-coated backplate used back in the day.  Per Jones, the original pickups were not wax saturated, so these are not, to keep them historically correct.  The result is a more three-dimensional, open-air quality to the tone.  They have a tight bass response and slightly more top end EQ (compared to TV Jones Classics).  They have a very nice sparkle and dynamic range provided by the lower output and absence of wax.  These are the way to go to get the unmistakable Great Gretsch Sound.

Don't forget to check out the beautiful custom case.  It also comes with an El Dorado strap, hand-made here in California.  A certificate of authenticity is also included.

This bird is a rare find. Come to Truetone Music to experience it in person, or make it yours right here by ordering for it to be safely shipped to your home.

ABOUT THE BUILDER:

Gonzalo Madrigal started out at Fender in 1996 by binding and sanding guitar bodies on the production line. A superior craftsman, he gradually made his way to the Fender Custom Shop in 2004, where he worked on Benedetto guitar bodies, binding and neck fitting. He too worked on various high-profile "tribute" projects, including the Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton "Blackie" Stratocaster, Stevie Ray Vaughan "Number One" and "Lenny" Stratocasters and Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster, and the EVH "Frankenstein" replica guitar.

Madrigal’s exemplary work also brought him to the attention of Stern and projects at the Gretsch Custom Shop, where he contributed to the Brian Setzer and Eddie Cochran 6120 models, the Billy Zoom Silver Jet, the G6128T-GH George Harrison "Tribute" Duo Jet and the G6131MY-CS Custom Shop Malcolm Young “Salute” Jet™.

After 12 years under Stern's tutelage, Madrigal was promoted in early 2018 to a Master Builder.

In his spare time, Madrigal enjoys playing soccer and basketball, and going to the movies with his family.

SERIAL # UC25083930

PART # 9252003592

BASE MODEL: Falcon - 1959 Style

BODY STYLE: Single Cutaway, Hollow Archtop, Two F-Holes

COLOR: Black Metallic

AGING TYPE: NOS

PICKUPS: TV Jones Ray Butts Ful-Fidelity Filter'Trons

NECK SHAPE: Standard C

NUT:  Bone

BODY & NECK BINDING: Black Pearl

FRETS: Vintage Jescar

FRETBOARD WOOD: Ebony

FRETBOARD INLAY MATERIAL:  Mother of Pearl

FRETBOARD INLAY STYLE:  Engraved Humps

NECK WOOD:  Maple

KNOBS: Jeweled G Arrow with Jewel

BRIDGE: Tru-Arc Rocking Bar

TAILPIECE: Gretsch Bigsby

TOP: Arched Laminated Maple

BACK: Laminated Maple

SIDES: Laminated Maple

HARDWARE: Chrome

HEADSTOCK LOGO: Vertical, in Silver Sparkle

PICKGUARD: Vintage Silver with Black Logo and Falcon

WIRING: Master Volume, Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Pickup Selector Switch and Tone Pot with Treble Bleed 

ACCESSORIES: Custom Case, El Dorado Strap, Certificate of Authenticity