Vintage Martin Guitar

1940 Gretsch Syncromatic 75 vintage archtop acoustic guitar        

• Hi, For sale is a really nice old Gretsch archtop from 1940 stamped serial# on top edge of headstock reads #1983. All of the bindings have been replaced on the guitar. Body- front and back, heel cap and the neck (fingerboard) binding. There is no binding on the headstock. The rest of the guitar is original including the finish. The ONLY lacquer touch up is one half inch in down the sides of the fretboard where it has to be perfectly flattened to make the sides of the neck smooth (where the sides of the fretboard meet the neck) a small bit of black-brown lacquer was used with clear overcoats on touched up erea only. NO laminates on this body. This is a solid flamed Maple back and sides and carved solid spruce top. The Gretsch book calls them SPECIAL VIOLIN grade woods. All models below the 75 were made of standard grade woods. This is the year Gretsch really tried to give this guitar a real Gibson look and feel. It does not have the Ellipticle (Miracle Neck)shaped neck that Gretsch used on alot of there archtops. It is a standard C shaped very Gibsonish profile. The head shape is also very Gibson shaped. The finish is excelent for its age and is all original except the neck erea i mentioned. SEE PIC. 

  Repairs done by me:

  The bindings were gone when i recieved the guitar as were the frets. I chose to use all wood bindings.

  Cleaned and prepared the binding channels. The binding came off very clean no real damage was done. I am pleasantly surprised at that.

  Replaced the plastic bindings with solid 1 piece Honduran Rosewood bindings including B/w/b wood purfling around the entire front.

  Finished the binding only no finish was added to the guitars body. All bindings and purflings are Vintage toned (yellowed)to match guitars colors. Several coats of hand rubbed clear gloss were applied to the bindings. Please understand....ALL this tedious work must happen without disturbing the original finish so you don't have the pleasure of sanding or scraping things flush. The job turned out well but it is not as perfect as a new guitar. SEE PIC'S.

  Resurfaced fretboard. Original radius maintained. The original knot that came in the fretboard is still there at the 3rd fret. 

  Replaced ALL block position markers. The originals markers are laminates. So i actually only replaced the top layer with new REAL WHITE MOP. 

  Complete new fret job with medium standard frets.

  Repared SHABBY original case and put a leather amp handle on it. The case has 3 out of 5 latches working I'd say it's for home and storage use only but it is solid,  original and it looks way cool in a real relic kinda way.

  The binding on the edge of the pickguard has been stabilized with super glue being added to the binding face only to help protect it from pick damage. The white layer on the top of the pickguard binding is gone SEE PIC.

    

  This guitar SOUNDS GREAT! Nice low action and plays fine all the way up the scale. This is the original neck set, the angle is perfect and the neck set is dead tight and very clean. SEE PIC. Original Grover tuners that all work fine.$$$  No extra holes in headstock or anywhere else. No cracks or breaks.  It definately has the traditional archtop tone i am lookin for very crisp good paunch.........Excellent volume. My wife is making me sell this..........Santa calls! A serious classy jazz guitar for ONE TENTH what a 1940 L5 would cost. All international bidders MUST e me for frieght costs BEFORE bidding. Please see my other auctions.  Thanks for lookin  Steve SKR Guitars

INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE BIDDING.

PAYMENT IS DUE 3 DAYS AFTER AUCTION ENDS

An item can be returned as long as you contact me within 3 days of receipt.

I do not refund shipping and handling fees.

 _gsrx_vers_454 (GS 6.3 (454))