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Gretsch 6070 bass 1968

Gretsch Country Gent style Bass - upright and electric

Description

For the record, the Gretsch 6070 is a behemoth.

This is the bass which lurks in the closet and terrifies lesser guitars when the lights go out. The Scottish will throw these around in Highland Games when they run out of logs. Contrary to popular belief, it was actually one of these which sank the RMS Titanic in 1912. Can God create a bass even He cannot lift? What happens when an unstoppable force meets…

… anyway, you get the picture. Gretsch in the 60s didn’t do things by halves, and this 6070 bass guitar is a classic example. Picking it up, you can instantly tell you’re holding a bass of quality and fine craftsmanship. It’s a hollow, Country Gentleman-style maple body with painted f-holes (no feedback). It measures 17” across the lower bout and is 2” thick. The neck is also maple and chunky – let’s say it’s chunky like a log. But yes, it’s entirely playable and was indeed played until very recently. Its previous owner lost the aluminium leg which allowed the player to stand it playing upright but you can see how that might be a reasonable option.

Given its hollowbody construction and long scale, it comes as no surprise that the sound is equally as huge - you can feel the entire body resonate, even just playing it lightly! And no matter how loud you take it it’ll always sustain its mellow and well-measured sounds across the entire scale. The highly responsive “special design bass pickup” works like a charm and perhaps explains the Gretsch catalogue subtitle - “The Boomers”

The back padding, as with everything else, is original and in good condition. There is some slight lacquer crazing to the body and a bit of wear on the headstock. The gold plating shows some wear and oxidization, but this bass is in remarkably good condition considering it has no case. Gretsch only ever offered a gig bag for it originally!