1973 Gretsch Clipper Hollowbody Electric Guitar w/Bigsby

October 04, 2020

1973 Gretsch Clipper Hollowbody Electric Guitar w/Bigsby

I've had a few '60s Clippers through the shop for setups and minor work, but this is the first one I've had from the '70s and it's in really good shape. It's also quite a bit different from the earlier, one-pickup models. This one has two HiLoTron pickups and even sports a factory Bigsby vibrato. It's a big step up from a usual Clipper and basically makes it into a Tennessean with a different finish if judged by its features.

After light repairs it plays like a champ -- it's quick and easy with a modern, slim neck profile that wants you to dig-into all sorts of chords up and down it. The HiLoTrons have a tone somewhere between Fender and DeArmond territory and the bridge pickup has an excellent "country twang" sound -- especially when given a little clean boost at the amp.

It's also all-original throughout, the binding isn't rotten anywhere, and the finish looks grand. Gretsch finally got into "modern" bridge styles in the '70s, too, and this one features something a lot like an adjustable Tune-O-Matic Gibson bridge. It still has the quirky mud switch below the pickup selector, too.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress, restring, and setup.

Setup notes: it plays perfectly with 1/16" overall action at the 12th fret and room to adjust the saddle up/down. The neck is straight and the truss rod works and strings are gauges 46w-10.

Scale length: 24 3/8"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

String spacing at nut: 1 7/16"

String spacing at bridge: 2"

Body length: 19"

Lower bout width: 15 1/4"

Side depth at endpin: 3 3/4"

Top wood: ply maple

Back & sides wood: ply maple

Bracing type: tonebar

Fretboard: rosewood

Bridge: adjustable