Gretch 6050 Archtop

[cavalier1985]

Is anyone out there familiar with The Gretch 6050 archtop? I was wondering what the nut width was on these guitars and how they sound. I am wanting to get an entry level archtop and the model 6050 seems to be a big bang for the buck used. I was wondering also how they compare to the newer, sort of reissue, Gretch G9555?

[Steve DeRosa]

It'll vary according to the year of production, with the later Brooklyn models having slimmer/narrower profiles; by comparison, the made-in-China 9550/9555 models (the former being all-acoustic - and discontinued - the latter equipped with a DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1000 "blacktop" suspended pickup) has a highly-anachronistic 1-3/4" deep-V profile, somewhat reminiscent of a Loar-era Gibson L-5 and never used on any post-war Gretsch archtop. One advantage that the current New Yorkers have - at least on paper - is a solid top (I'm not certain whether the 9555 is carved or pressed - I believe the 9550 was carved); thing is, until you get into the mid-priced bracket a laminated top doesn't seem to have as deleterious an effect on tone as with a flat-top guitar - a fact savvy players of vintage Epiphone and Kay upright basses (and their modern Englehardt counterparts) have known for decades - so as long as the price and condition are right (early Gretsches can have neck-set/geometry issues - far more serious with an archtop than with a flat-top - so have a knowledgeable tech check it out if you're going vintage) it's a matter of vibe and personal preference...