frettedamericana | 1 decade ago
http://www.frettedamericana.com/gretsch_6117x_catseye_custom_electric_1966-d-1084-0.html
This super rare metallic blue 6117 Cat's-Eye Custom Electric weighs just 6.60 lbs., with a fat nut width of 1 11/16 inches and a scale length of 24 1/2 inches. Thinline (1 7/8 inches thick) maple body, single bound on top and bottom with two single-bound "cat's-eye" soundholes. Two-piece mahogany neck with a maple center-strip and a nice medium profile. Bound rosewood fretboard with 22 original thin frets, plus zero fret, and "neo-classic" inlaid pearl thumbprint (half-moon) position markers. Individual open-back Grover StaTite tuners with oval metal buttons. Black laminate headstock face with Inlaid pearl Gretsch "T-roof" headstock logo and two layer (black on white) plastic truss rod cover with three screws. Two Hi-Lo'Tron single-coil pickups with black faces with gold "Arrow-through-G's" and gray plastic surrounds and outputs of 2.38k and 2.34k. Gray Lucite pickguard with Gretsch "T-roof" logo in black engraved from underneath. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way pickup selector switch (on treble horn). Chrome "Arrow-through-G" knobs with cross-hatch pattern on sides. The potentiometers are stamped "137 6606" (CTS, February 1966). 'Space control' bridge with moveable knurled brass rings on adjustable ebony base (with "US PAT 2918837" stamped in white) and separate "G" cutout tailpiece. Inside the bass soundhole is a rectangular white, gray and orange Gretsch label which reads: "The Fred. / Gretsch / Mfg. Co. 60 Broadway / Brooklyn (11), N.Y. / Model No. 61 17X / Serial No. 10491 / That Great Gretsch Sound". This possibly unique guitar is in totally original and exceptionally fine condition with just a small amount of playing wear to the original frets. There is a tiny crack on the pickguard which extends less than half an inch each side of the screw by the Gretsch logo. The original metallic blue color can be seen when the pickups and tailpiece are removed. It is somewhat similar to Fender's Lake Placid Blue - but a little bit lighter. The finish has uniformly and beautifully aged (a much better word than faded in this case) to a wonderful light metallic blue - not dissimilar to Gibson's Pelham Blue. There is a small additional hole on the side of the body where the pickguard screw has at some time been repositioned by one half of an inch. There is a miniscule amount (no-one else would ever mention this) of belt scarring on the back and a few very small and insignificant surface chips - the most noticeable by far being on the lower bass edge and measuring less than one quarter of an inch. If you have been searching for an original 'blue' Gretsch - this is it - and it could not be any better! Complete with the original white Gretsch? guitar cord, an original set of Gretsch 'Thin Man' guitar strings and best of all an original poster for the October 1993 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine (The Big 7th Anniversary Issue!) showing this guitar in full glorious color on the front cover. Housed in its original Gretsch five-latch silver and gray hardshell case with purple padded lining (8.75).
