Gretsch Custom Shop Masterbuilt Stephen Stern G6136CS Quicksilver Falcon Electric Guitar With Case

The Gretsch Custom Shop is where the time-honored legacy reaches its creative apex. No instruments epitomize the extraordinary expertise and attention to detail of Gretsch’s most trusted hands like Custom Shop instruments. From modern versions of legendary Gretsch instruments to artist tribute models and specially requested one-off guitars, the Gretsch Custom Shop takes “That Great Gretsch Sound” to an entirely new plane, but also preserves and perfects it. 

Truetone Music is proud to have a long and close relationship with Gretsch, especially with the Custom Shop.  Every year, we make a pilgrimage there to sit down with Masterbuilder Stephen Stern and his team to cook up a batch of Custom Shop guitars.  Sometimes we go for vintage-styled recreations, sometimes we go for modernized tweaks.  Sometimes it's a classic color, sometimes it's a totally new color or even reclaimed wood.  No matter what we throw at them, they always knock it out of the park!

This G6136CS Quicksilver Falcon is one of the most exciting results of this partnership.  It was designed with Masterbuilder Stephen Stern, with the intention of creating a guitar that's never been done before.  We actually asked "what have you never done on a Falcon?".   The decision was to make one in Quicksilver, with Black Pearl binding, and black chrome hardware.  This makes it a true one of a kind guitar that you won't find elsewhere. 

We chose a 1959 style Falcon as the base model, and kept it NOS (New Old Stock) to retain the look of a guitar fresh out of the factory, with no relic work.  The first tweak to make it unique was the color.  Quicksilver is something you rarely see, certainly not on a Falcon - typically they are White, or Black at time.  To add a degree of class, Stern recommended doing Black Pearl binding.  We knew that was a good call, but were still surprised and impressed with how nicely it accents the color of the guitar.

Another special feature of this guitar is the black chrome hardware.  That's something rarely seen on a Gretsch.  It's not just the tuners, knobs and switches - the entire Bigsby has been done in black chrome.  Gretsch actually had to send out all of the parts for a special plating process to get it look just right.  It's another part of the uniqueness of this guitar.

The Quicksilver Falcon comes equipped with TV Jones Classic pickups (Stern's suggestion) to give it the classic Gretsch sound.   The neck is a very comfortable C shape, made of quartersawn maple.  It's adorned with the same Black Pearl binding as the body, to match perfectly.  The fretboard is ebony, and is inlaid with mother of pearl inlays (half moon thumbnail style).  It's topped offer with Grover Imperial machine heads, with Stairstep buttons.

Don't forget to check out the beautiful custom case.  It also comes with an El Dorado strap, hand-made here in California, and the certificate of authenticity.

This bird is a rare find. Come to Truetone Music to experience it in person, or make it yours right here.

BASE MODEL: Falcon - 1959 Style

BODY STYLE: Single Cutaway, Hollow Archtop, Two F-Holes

COLOR: Quicksilver

AGING TYPE: NOS

PICKUPS: TV Jones Classic

NECK SHAPE: Standard C

NUT:  Bone

BODY & NECK BINDING: Black Pearl

FRETS: Vintage

FRETBOARD WOOD: Ebony

FRETBOARD INLAY MATERIAL:  Mother of Pearl

FRETBOARD INLAY STYLE:  Half Moon Thumbnail

NECK WOOD: Quartersawn Maple

KNOBS: Jeweled G Arrow

BRIDGE: Space Contril

TAILPIECE: Gretsch Bigsby

TOP: Arched Laminated Maple

BACK: Laminated Maple

SIDES: Laminated Maple

HARDWARE: Black Chrome

HEADSTOCK LOGO: Square Horizontal Logo

PICKGUARD: White Falcon Engraving on Black

WIRING: Master Volume, Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Pickup Selector Switch and Tone Switch

ACCESSORIES: Custom Case, El Dorado Strap, Certificate of Authenticity