The Gretsch White Falcon
The Gretsch White Falcon is a visually unique guitar which was commercially introduced in 1955. While it has seen vast and substantial changes to its body shape and features through the years, and is currently offered in several styles, the White Falcon has always maintained a striking and unmistakable presence and has become a highly recognized piece of Rock history.
The White Falcon is best known for its large 17-inch size and distinctive appearance, with gleaming white paint, copious gold trim, and a falcon in mid-flight engraved on the gold pick guard.
In early 1954, Gretsch marketing strategist Jimmie Webster sought to design a guitar to top the top-of-the-heap Gibson Super 400. He wanted a ‘Dream Guitar’, and gained his inspiration by walking through the immense Gretsch factory and watching the construction of the staggering diversity of musical instruments the company produced. From the banjo production line, Webster recalled the engraved pearl inlays that adorned the fretboard and headstock. Many of Gretsch’s drums were covered with thick sparkly gold plastic that could also be used as binding on guitars. The combination of these eye-catching features with an immense 17 inch wide by 2-3/4 inch deep white body and highest quality gold-plated hardware rendered ‘The Cadillac of Guitars’, the White Falcon. It was unveiled at the NAMM show in July of 1954 and was displayed as ‘The guitar of the future’. Gretsch initially had no plans to actually manufacture the model. It was supposed to be a showpiece, much like GM’s Motorama ‘Dream Cars’ of the day.
The volume of questions sales reps received about the eye-catching instrument led to a reevaluation of this position, and the White Falcon hit stores in 1955. As the company’s new high-end guitar, Gretsch marketed it as ‘the finest guitar we know how to make – and what a beauty!’ A high caliber player could walk away with the White Falcon for $600 at that time ($4123 adjusted for inflation); this price tag was the second largest on the market, after the $690 Gibson desired for their Super 400CESN.
So popular was the White Falcon (and other Gretsch models of the time) that this era in Gretsch guitar history is frequently referred to as ‘The Golden Years’. Through the ’60s, Webster continually ‘improved’ the Falcon with more features, including a Stereo version. By the late ’60s, the Falcon was covered with controls and knobs. It has also switched to a twin-cutaway body beginning in 1962.
With over a decade of accomplishment, Fred Gretsch retired in 1967 and, upon such, sold his company to Baldwin Manufacturing. Baldwin would have trouble understanding guitars in general and the White Falcon in particular, which disastrously failed to evolve smoothly out of the rockabilly era. Most who were inspired by the new hot guitarists Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and other musical greats were turning to Fender, rather than Gretsch.
To make matters worse, the rapidly deteriorating Baldwin Manufacturing experienced two destructive fires at its new Arkansas plant in 1973. Gretsch limped through the 70s’ and finally closed production in the 80s’. Falcons soon became instruments only collectors owned and swiftly became forgotten altogether. In 1989, Fred Gretsch III resumed control of the family business and began making guitars again. These instruments are based on classic Gretsch designs, including the venerable White Falcon.
From its introduction in 1954 through today, the White Falcon has always been known for its white finish, ebony fingerboard, 17 inch wide hollow body, gold-plated hardware, engraved gold pick guard, and gold sparkle binding.
Notable White Falcon Players
You probably do not own a Gretsch White Falcon guitar, but what ever guitar you do own, you can get your online guitar lessons from The Guitar Classroom, so you can learn to play your guitar like a professional guitarist, and maybe get yourself a beautiful Gretsch White Falcon