Gretsch Penguin Master Built by Stephen Stern G6134CS - year 2014

Stephen Stern master built. Stunning condition 6135 White Penguin model from the USA Gretsch Custom Shop.  Like the original designers at Gretsch, Stephen Stern and company at the Gretsch USA custom shop have also spared no expense to produce this unique guitar, only this time to recreate it.

Every detail, however small from the original Penguin has been painstakingly recreated with this remarkable reissue. The custom made “G” Cadillac tailpiece with its more period correct roundish features is exclusive to the Gretsch Custom shop. The custom made knobs with no arrow and smaller more rounded arm rest are accurate to the original penguin design. The body carve and neck profile are spot on yielding a well balanced and lightweight guitar that’s very faithful to a 1955 version. At 2 inches, the body is slightly thicker then the ‘57’s and later models. One feature that is a common topic of conversation is the bright white headstock. On the original penguin models Gretsch utilized a synthetic piece inlaid with the Gretsch logo for the headstock overlay. This material did not age like the lacquer used for the rest of the guitar so as the finish aged to a cream color, the headstock remained bright white.

This guitar is master built USA Custom Gretsch quality through and through with an astounding level of precision and an attention to detail. The guitar plays extremely well with a slightly chunky “C” shaped neck with a rounded shoulder. The action is low and even all the way across the ebony fretboard. The Seymour Duncan DynaSonic pickups are spot on recreations of the original DeArmond pickups. They’ve got a wonderful chiming clean tone with big tubby bass and shimmering top end. With some gain they’ve got a snarl like no other with a mid-range that has plenty of bite without sounding harsh. They’re phenomenal pickups that truly capture the vibe of the vintage DeArmonds.


Specs:

Color:  Vintage White
Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Tuners: Grover Imperial
Pickups: Seymour Duncan DynaSonic
Neck Shape: Fat "C" Shape
Nut: Bone
Wiring: Pre 1958 “Tone Pot” Circuit, Master Volume, Master Tone, Individual Pickup Volume (In Parallel), 3-Way Pickup Selector
Binding: Gold Sparkle
Frets: Vintage
Zero: No Zero Fret
Fretboard Material:  Ebony     
Fretboard Inlay Material:  Pearloid Nitro
Fretboard Inlay Style: Penguin Style Inlaid “Hump Block”  
Neck Wood: Mahogany
Pickguard: Gold with Engraved Penguin & Gretsch Logo
Knobs: Gold with faux Ruby and pearl inlay (no arrow)
Bridge: Synchro Sonic
Tailpiece: Gretsch “G” Cadillac
Top: 3 Ply Maple     
Body: Chambered Mahogany
Hardware: Gold
Headstock Logo: Gretsch Vertical Logo
Case: Deluxe Gretsch 1950’s reissue style “Grey Speckle” Hard Case by TKL