Last October, Gretsch souped up its flagship Professional Collection with two limited-edition electric guitars – the Paisley Penguin and Bourbon Sidewinder.
Now, almost three months to the day exactly, the company has completed that very same range of special edition six-strings by lifting the curtain on two more limited Professional Collection guitars.
Whereas the first drop ushered in two distinct aesthetics – the blingy black design of the Penguin and classic burst vibe of the Sidewinder – this time Gretsch has opted for a consistent cosmetic approach, placing its newest offerings under the Quilt Classic umbrella.
As such, both models – the Quilt Classic Chet Atkins hollow body and Penguin – flaunt quilt maple tops in two different finishes: the classy Roundup Orange Stain for the Atkins and decadent Forge Glow for the Penguin.
(Image credit: Gretsch)
(Image credit: Gretsch)
Quilt tops aside, each mode flaunts its own individual set of specs. The Atkins model, for example, sports a black G-brand on the upper bout of the body, which in turn is composed from maple.
Maple is also used for the U-shape neck, while rosewood is utilized for the 12”-radius, 22-fret, pearloid wide-block-inlaid fingerboard.
Elsewhere, a Bigsby B6CBDE vibrato lines up alongside a compensated aluminum bridge with a pinned rosewood base, and sits adjacent to a pair of TV Jones T-Armond pickups. Finishing touches include a polished aluminum nut and Grover Sta-Tite tuners.
By comparison, the Quilt Classic Penguin – “a sophisticated rendition of the original masterpiece” – features mahogany back and sides to partner the maple top, as well as a standard U-shape maple neck. Again, a 12” radius fingerboard – this time sourced from ebony – makes the cut.
(Image credit: Gretsch)
(Image credit: Gretsch)
In the tone department, TV Jones Ray Butts Ful-Fidelity Filter-Tron pickups can be found, as can a Bigsby B3GB tailpiece, bone nut and Grover Imperial tuners. As per the Penguin precedent, there’s a gold metal arm rest on the upper bout of the body, which adds to the fiery aesthetic allure of the instrument.
Both of the above – as well as the two Professional Collection models that came before them – are viewed by Gretsch as being some of its finest instruments it has to offer.
“The Gretsch Professional Collection sets the bar with modern, professional-grade features designed to power classic Gretsch tones and bold, dynamic sound,” the brand says. “These are our flagship instruments, built for the player who won’t settle for anything except the absolute best in sound and performance.”
Price-wise, both will be available in April for $3,699.
Head over to Gretsch to find out more.
These aren’t the only limited-edition models Gretsch has unveiled this month. Joining the Professional Collection guitars are two equally desirable – but more affordable – Pristine LTD Electromatic six-strings.
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