When I was a teen and learning to play, I sold my moped for $50 so I could buy a new Sears-Roebuck black and white Silvertone electric guitar. My friend Bob Niesmith and I started a rock band called the Titans. We would play wherever we could, and eventually started getting paid for it.
My dream guitar was a Gretsch, like the one played by Chet Atkins. (At the time, I really didn't much care for the songs Chet played, 'cause they weren't cool. But I admired Chet's skill, and especially his Bigsby Tailpiece equipped Gretsch.) The Gretsch he owned would have bought a new Chevy Corvette in the early sixties, and I would have certainly bought the Corvette if I had that kind of cash...
Fast forward to 2011 and Chet has died and gone. I have a space on my wall. Gretsch now builds a line of guitars that are less than the "Chet Atkins Country Gentleman" that still fetches $4,000 and up. So I shopped around the internet until I found a lightly-used double-cutaway Gretsch Electromatic in a beautiful natural mahogany finish and I bought it.
I picked it up this week when we traveled north for a business trip. It's a fabulous guitar, and as much as I like the Ibanez quality/price balance, the Gretsch is heavenly.
My new favorite guitar, with a Bigsby Tailpiece. Stay tuned for some recordings later.. (pickin' & grinnin')
