Gretsch Town and Country -- decisions

[Mark Wybierala]

I have been just given a Gretsch Town and Country guitar -- for nuthin'. It needs a lot of work but the primary problems are really no more than the falling off binding and part of the headstock (1/4) is missing. I'll post some photos when I have a chance. Structurally the guitar seems okay and I feel fairly perky about being able to address the primary needs of the guitar properly. I haven't touched anything yet. Another problem is that at some point in the past, electronics had been installed. There are two pickup mounting holes drilled on either side of the triagular sound hole and there are obvious volume and tone pot holes drilled in the body. The modifications were done without poor taste and probably done in the 60s. At the moment, the holes are plugged but clearly obvious. My thoughts are to reinstall a period correct pickup. No one would do this sort of modification to this guitar today but my thoughts are that this was done by a performer long ago and these types of modification were common before these guitars began to gain collector value. I'd be just restoring it to being period correct from a historical standpoint.

What would be a period correct pickup that might have been installed in the 50s or 60s? What have you seen, or what would have been common? Pictures please if you have them.

[Mark Swanson]

One of those DeArmond soundhole pickups would be period correct. But I wouldn't do it myself! This is a call that is simply made by whoever the owner is, and you do have your points but I'd rather fix it myself and just patch the holes. A patched hole would be better than one of those lame pickups being put back in place...two sins don't make a right.