Early Gent husk on Reverb for someone who fancies a project.

[ForTheLoveOfIvy]

This could be a cool project for someone. Did the earliest ones actually come out in ‘57?

https://reverb.com/item/52301265-gr...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=52301265

 

[stiv]

Nice project but... with that money (considering also the amount of money you'd spend to find age-correct parts), couldn't you buy a proper vintage Gent?
The last time I looked (a while ago, to be honest), my guitar man had a very nice '65 on sale in his shop for 4.800 Euros...

 

[ForTheLoveOfIvy]

Nice project but... with that money (considering also the amount of money you'd spend to find age-correct parts), couldn't you buy a proper vintage Gent?
The last time I looked (a while ago, to be honest), my guitar man had a very nice '65 on sale in his shop for 4.800 Euros...

Maybe! But the early single cut Gents sell for a lot more than a mid 60s one.

 

[afire]

Did the earliest ones actually come out in ‘57?

They sure did. Likely summer of 1957.
In another time, I might have been interested. But even when I had more ambition for taking on projects, that nasty jack tear-out would have been enough to keep me away. If I was taking it on, I'm not sure I'd even try to source original parts. Probably just tuners, since modern Grover Imperials are a pathetic looking shadow of what they once were. And I'd fabricate a long Bigsby hinge plate so I didn't have to drill extra holes.

 

[thunder58]

Needs a jack plate ............. just sayin

 

[capnhiho]

Needs a jack plate ............. just sayin

And it’s a perfect opportunity to install one….

 

[stiv]

I don't know. Mulling the options, if someone would embark on a project like that for money (like, restore it to his original beautiful '57 form to sell it like a proper vintage guitar) the cost of the parts he would need, apart from buy the guitar, (not mentioning the fact they'll be very hard to find) it would probably exceed the money you'll make in the end.
If someone just want to restore it for playing/owning purpose, I'm not sure it makes any sense to spend all that money. Sure it's a '57, but without all the original parts I'd rather have something I could play on the get go.

 

[Jams]

They provide information on the original electronics. I guess those are being sold separately for a similar ridiculous price.

 

[capnhiho]

Count me out on this project….
It’s already too spendy.

 

[afire]

On closer inspection, that thing is really rough. I agree. Way overpriced for what it is. If it was a nice clean husk that just needed hardware, that would be one thing. But this thing would be a real challenge to properly restore.

 

[j.s.c]

Mmmh.... I may have to think about that

 

[wildeman]

No more than 1k for something like that, sorry, all vintage mark up does not apply to a basket case like that. For less money i would buy a newer reissue with no worries, and I'm vintage guitar junky, just saying, ive been down the resto road and its insanely expensive and time consuming. I have worse projects in line right now but they were like 300 bux.
I don't think thats a '57 either, Filtertrons and thumbnails? Not real hip on early Gents.

 

[afire]

I don't think thats a '57 either, Filtertrons and thumbnails? Not real hip on early Gents.

Definitely a '57. The first batch of Gents (264XX) was made in 1957, most likely summer. Gents were the first models to get FilterTrons and thumbnails. I think Streamliners got FilterTrons around the same time, but retained the humpblock inlays. 6120s went in the other direction, and got thumbnails before FilterTrons. I would assume that using up what was on hand dictated which models got what features in the second half of 1957, while they were using up stock and making transitions. Being an entirely new model, it would make sense that the Gent was the first to incorporate all of the 1958 features.

 

[Wayne Gretschzky]

yep... made in '57, intended for the 1958 model year.

 

[telemnemonics]

I had a bunch of parts in my eBay watch list where a seller who does that had several Gretsch husks along with all the parts in a zillion auctions.
No opening bids at $1200 until the end or so.
I think one Chet and I forget, early ‘60s so not this, but it just kind of scalds me to see and I don’t want anything to do with that idea of milking a few more bucks out of a vintage guitar by literally destroying it.
As they say though it’s a free country, gents.

To be fair Ive parted out low value semi vintage guitars, or modded them so now they are more likely to be chop shopped.
But long ago when nobody cared.
This is just gross.
Not that I wouldn’t buy it “to rescue it”…

 

[wildeman]

Definitely a '57. The first batch of Gents (264XX) was made in 1957, most likely summer. Gents were the first models to get FilterTrons and thumbnails. I think Streamliners got FilterTrons around the same time, but retained the humpblock inlays. 6120s went in the other direction, and got thumbnails before FilterTrons. I would assume that using up what was on hand dictated which models got what features in the second half of 1957, while they were using up stock and making transitions. Being an entirely new model, it would make sense that the Gent was the first to incorporate all of the 1958 features.

So plain surrounds and no numbers on the pickups? I had a '58 Streamliner with those features, still had humps though.

 

[afire]

So plain surrounds and no numbers on the pickups? I had a '58 Streamliner with those features, still had humps though.

Yep, probably about the same time. The hump blocks stuck around a little longer with the Streamliners, IIRC. But they were one of the earlier models to get (plain cover and plain bezel) Filters.

 

[Wayne Gretschzky]

Here are the Filters from a very early ('57) Gent.

 

[afire]

And good luck finding a pair of those for this project.

 

[drmilktruck]

They provide information on the original electronics. I guess those are being sold separately for a similar ridiculous price.

Damn parts weasels!