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For photographic examples of Gretsch Guitars - Click Here
1948 to 1975 Model Numbers
6000 Classic Hauser, inlaid headstock
6001 Classic Hauser, plain headstock
6002 Folk, sunburst
6003 Model 6003 1951-1955
Grand Concert 1955-1959
Jimmie Rodgers 1959-1963
Folk Singer 1963-1965
Folk, natural top 1965-1975
6004 Burl Ives 1952-1955
Folk, mahogany top 1970-1975
6005 Ozark Soft String
6006 Electro Classic
6007 Synchormatic Sierra
6008 Wayfarer Jumbo
6009 Jumbo Flat top
6010 Sun Valley
6014 Synchromatic 100, sunburst 1948-1949
Synchromatic 6014, sunburst 1949-1955
Corsair, sunburst 1955-1959
6015 Synchromatic 100, natural 1948-1949
Synchromatic 6015, natural 1949-1955
Corsair, natural 1955-1959
6016 Corsair, Bordequx burgundy
6020 12-string flat top
6021 Jumbo Synchromatic model 125F 1948-1955
6022 Rancher
6023 Bikini guitar
6024 Bikini bass
6025 Bikini double neck
6028 Synchromatic 160, sunburst
6029 Synchromatic 160, natural
6030 Synchromatic 6030, sunburst 1951-1955
Constellation, sunburst 1955-1959
Sho-Bro Spanish 1969-1971
6031 Synchromatic 6031, natural 1951-1955
Constellation, natural 1955-1959
Sho-Bro Hawaiian 1969-1971
6036 Synchromatic 300, sunburst 1948-1951
Synchromatic 6036, sunburst 1951-1955
6037 Synchromatic 300 1948-1951
Synchromatic 6037, natural 1951-1955
6038 Synchromatic 6038, sunburst 1951-1955
Fleetwood, sunburst 1955-1959
17" Eldorado, sunburst 1959-1968
6039 Synchromatic 6039, natural 1951-1955
Fleetwood, natural 1955-1959
17" Eldorado, natural 1959-1968
6040 Synchromatic 400, sunburst 1948-1951
Synchromatic 6040, sunburst 1951-1955
18" Eldorado, surburst 1959-1968
6041 Synchromatic 400, natural 1948-1951
Synchromatic 6040, natural 1951-1955
18" Eldorado, natural 1959-1968
6042 Synchromatic 400f flat top
6050 New Yorker
6070 Hollowbody bass, long scale, 1 pu
6071 Hollowbody bass, short scale, 1 pu
6072 Hollowbody bass, long scale, 2 pu
6073 Hollowbody bass, short scale, 2 pu
6075 12-string electric, sunburst
6076 12-string electric, natural
6079 Van Eps 7-string, sunburst
6080 Van Eps 7-string, walnut
6081 Van Eps 6-string, sunburst
6082 Van Eps 6-string, walnut
6100 Black Hawk, sunburst
6101 Country Club, stereo, sunburst 1959-1963
Black Hawk, black 1968-1972
6102 Country Club, stereo, natural 1959-1963
Streamliner double cutaway, sunburst 1969-1975
6103 Country Club, stereo, Cadillac Green 1959-1963
Streamliner double cutaway, cherry 1969-1975
6104 Rally, green
6105 Rally, bamboo yellow/cooper mist
6106 Princess
6111 Double Anniversary, stereo, sunburst
6112 Double Anniversary, stereo, 2-tone smoke green
6115 Rambler
6117 Double Anniversary, sunburst
Custom cat's eye soundhole model 1965-1968
6118 Double Anniversary, 2-tone smoke green
6119 Chet Atkins Tennessean
6120 Chet Atkins Hollowbody 1954-1966
Nashville 1967-1971
6121 Chet Atkins Solidbody
6122 Chet Atkins Country Gentlemen
6124 Anniversary, sunburst
6125 Anniversary, 2-tone smoke green
6126 Astro-Jet
6127 DuoJet Tenor, 1959
RocJet, Porsche Pumkin 1969-1971
6128 DuoJet
6129 SilverJet
6130 Roundup 1955-1959
RocJet, Mercedes Black 1969-1973
6131 Jet FireBird
6132 Corvette Solidbody, 1 pu, no vibrato
6133 Corvette Solidbody, 2 pu, no vibrato
6134 White Penguin 1955-1963
Corvette Solidbody, 1 pu, vibrato 1963-1968
6135 Corvette Solidbody, 2 pu, vibrato
6136 White Falcon
6137 White Falcon, stereo
6145 Jet Airliner lapsteel
6147 Jet Mainliner lapsteel
6148 Jet Twin Console lapsteel, no legs
6148L Jet Twin COnsole lapsteel, 4 legs
6152 Electromatic Student lapsteel
6156 Electromatic Standard lapsteel
6158 Electromatic COnsole lapsteel
6182 Corvette hollowbody, sunburst
6183 Corvette hollowbody, natural
6184 Corvette holowbody, Jaguar Tan
6185 Electromatic Spanish, sunburst 1949-1955
Clipper, 2 pu, sunburst 1972-1974
6185N Electromatic Spanish, natural
6186 Clipper
6187 Electro II, non-cut, sunburst 1951-1955
Corvette, ivory top, grey mist body 1957
Corvette-style, cutaway, ivory top, grey mist body 1958
Clipper, natural 1959-1960
Viking, sunburst 1967-1975
6188 Electro II, non-cut, natural 1951-1955
Viking, natural 1967-1975
6189 16" elctric cutaway, 2 pu 1950-1955
Streamliner single cut, bamboo yellow/copper mist 1955-1957
Viking, Cadillac Green 1967-1972
6190 16" electric cutaway, 1 pu, sunburst 1950-1955
Streamliner single cut, sunburst 1955-1957
6191 16" electric cutaway, 1 pu, natural 1950-1955
Streamliner single cut, natural 1955-1957
6192 Electro II, cutaway, sunburst 1951-1954
Country Club, sunburst 1955-1971
6193 Electro II, cutaway, natural 1951-1954
Country Club, natural, 1955-1971
6196 Country Club, Cadillac Green
6199 Convertible 1955-1958
San Salvador 1958-1968
1971 to 1981 Model Numbers
7176 Southern Belle
7505 Folk, sunburst
7506 Folk, natural
7514 Sun Valley, sunburst
7515 Sun Valley, natural
7525 Rancher
7535 Deluxe
7545 Supreme
7555 Clipper
7560 Double Anniversary, sunburst
7565 Streamliner, sunburst
7566 Streamliner, cherry
7575 Country Club, sunburst
7576 Country Club, natural
7577 Country Club, walnut
7580 Van Eps, 7-string, sunburst
7585 Viking, sunburst
7586 Viking, natural
7593 White Falcon, single cutaway
7594 White Falcon
7595 White Falcon, stereo
7600 Broadkaster solidbody, natural
7601 Broadkaster solidbody, sunburst
7603 Broadkaster hollowbody, bigsby, natural
7604 Broadkaster hollowbody, bigsby, sunburst
7605 Broadkaster bass, natural
7606 Broadkaster bass, sunburst
7607 Broadkaster hollowbody, no bigsby, natural
7608 Broadkaster hollowbody, no bigsby, sunburst
7609 Broadkaster hollowbody, red
7610 RocJet, black 1971-1975
7611 RocJet, Porsche Pumpkin 1971-1975
RocJet, black 1975-1980
7612 RocJet, cherry
7613 RocJet, walnut
7615 Solidbody bass
7617 BST 1000, 2 pu, walnut
7620 Country Roc 1974-1979
BST 2000, walnut 1979-1980
7621 Roc II
7623 Corvette solidbody, 2 pu
7624 TK300, red
7625 TK300, natural
7626 TK300 bass, red
7627 TK300 bass, natural
7628 Committee
7629 Committee bass
7632 Deluxe Corvette
7635 Roc I
7655 Tennessean
7660 Nashville
7667 Streamliner II
7670 Country Gentlemen
7680 Deluxe Chet, red 1973-1975
Atkins Super Axe, red 1976-1980
7681 Deluxe Chet, walnut 1973-1975
Atkins Super Axe, ebony 1976-1980
7685 Atkins Axe, ebony
7686 Atkins Axe, red
7590 Super Chet, red
7691 Super Chet, walnut
7705 Sho-Bro Hawaiian, 6-string
7710 Sho-Bro Hawaiian, 7-string
7715 Sho-Bro Spanish
8210 BST1000, 1 pu, walnut
8211 BST1000, 2 pu, red
8215 BST1000, 2 pu, walnut
8216 BST1000, 1 pu, red
8217 BST1000, 2 pu, walnut
8220 BST2000, walnut
8221 BST2000, red
8260 BST5000
Model Numbers, 1989 to Present
400 Synchromatic, similar to Synchromatic 400
6010 Sun Valley, triangle soundhole
6020 Crimson Flyer, electric acoustic, cutaway, triangle soundhole
6022 Rancher acoustic
6030 Nightbird, electric acoustic, cutaway, triangle soundhole
6119 Tennessee Rose, similar to Tennessean
6120 The Nashville
6120w The Nashville, western
6121 Round Up
6122s Country Classic I, single cut, similar to 1958 Country Gentlemen
6122 Country Classic II, double cut, similar to 1961 Country Gentlemen
6128 DuoJet
6129 SilverJet
6131 Jet FireBird
6136 White Falcon I, single cutaway, no vibrato
6175 Electric acoustic fretted bass
6176 Electric acoustic fretless bass
7593 White Falcon I, single cutaway, bigsby
7594 White Falcon II, double cutaway, bigsby
Gretsch Serial Numbers
Before 1965 it is possible to determine the approximate date of the instrument by it’s serial number but a more accurate method is to consider both the serial number and the appropriate specifications together. The system of numbering at the Brooklyn Gretsch factory was approximate at best and many inconsistencies exist in both serial numbers and product line specifications. To complicate matters, Gretsch built many one-of-a-kind prototypes and there were employee variations on the cataloged lines.
Since there are examples of consecutively numbered instruments with different specifications, it appears that the serial numbers were not applied simply to batches of instruments.
1949 to 1965 Serial Numbers
Numbers can be found stamped in ink on the inside of the instrument back wood or on the Gretsch label itself. Most F-hole models have the label on the inside back and can be seen through the f-holes. Solidbody models with control plates have the label somewhere inside the control cavity. Some serial numbers have been found scratched on the inside control plate of solidbody guitars and sometimes the serial number is impressed on the top edge of the headstock.
Number Year
2000 - 3000's = 1949-1950
4000 - 5000's = 1951
5000 - 6000's = 1952
6000 - 8000's = 1953
9000 - 12000's = 1954
12000 - 16000's = 1955
17000 - 21000's = 1956
22000 - 26000's = 1957
27000 - 30000's = 1958
30000 - 34000's = 1959
34000 - 39000's = 1960
39000 - 45000's = 1961
46000 - 52000's = 1962
53000 - 63000's = 1963
63000 - 77000's = 1964
77000 - 84000's = 1964-early 1965 (partial-new number scheme started early 1965).
1965 to 1972 Serial Numbers
The number can be found on the back of headstock or on the top edge of the headstock and (prior to 1967) with no hypen in the number. Also: "Made in USA" is stamped on the back of the headstock next to the serial number starting in June 1967 through approximately 1973.
First digit or first 2 digits = month (1-12)
Next digit = last digit of the year (1965 to 1972: 5,6,7,8,9,0,1,2)
Remaining digits = rank of individual instrument
Example:
118243 = November 1968, 243rd instrument
31041 = March 1971, 41st instrument
993 = September 1969, 3rd instrument
1973 to 1981 Serial numbers
Hyphenated number impressed into back of peghead.
1 or 2 digits before hyphen = month (1-12)
First digit after hyphen = last digit of year
Last 3 digits = rank of instrument
Example:
10-5155 = October 1975, 155th instrument
4-622 = April 1976, 22nd instrument
