Gretsch Penguin
The Gretsch Penguin is an electric guitar model, which in 1956 by the American US Musikinstrumentenbau -Unternehmen Gretsch was presented. The White Penguin ( "white penguin "), as the model was named when it was launched, was built only in small numbers and is one of the rarest guitars of the manufacturer. The guitar was introduced as a variant of the larger and higher-edition hollowbody electric guitar model White Falcon ; the technical equipment of both models is identical.
Construction and equipment
The Gretsch Penguin has a hollow body . The body consists of massive wooden components that are hollowed out by milling before they are assembled . Therefore, the Penguin belongs to the semi-solid type of electric guitar . Since the model has no sound holes in the top of the body , the Penguin is only suitable for electrically amplified playing via a guitar amplifier, despite the presence of a resonance body . The body is similar in outline and proportions to the Gibson Les Paul electric guitar introduced by the rival company Gibson in 1952 . Both models have (a body incision English : Cutaway ) at right Oberbug to playing at high altitudes of the body of the fingerboard easier.
The electrical equipment of the first Penguin guitars consists of two electromagnetic pickups in a single coil design from the manufacturer deArmond . From 1958 the Gretsch model was equipped with two double- coil pickups ( humbuckers ) of the company's own FilterTron type . The control unit of the first Penguin model generation consists of three rotary controls for volume and tone, a master volume control and a toggle switch for pickup selection. Later editions have a different controller configuration. The guitar strings are most Korpusfuß in a trapezoid tailpiece (ger .: Trapeze tailpiece mounted). The metal bridge has an ebony foot . All metal parts of the model, including the tuning machines , are gold-plated. The pickguard of the White Penguin bears the stylized graphic representation of a penguin (see photo).
Versions
There are two versions of the penguin. One is the White Penguin (G6134 and G6134T-LTV) and the Gretsch G6134B Black Penguin . In addition, a custom shop version in pink is common in the USA . Since all versions of the Gretsch Penguin are in the upper price range, the guitar is referred to by some as “ One of the holy grails in guitar world ” (“One of the holy grails in the guitar world”).
Gretsch Penguin player
Famous penguin players include Josh Klinghoffer from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jack White from the White Stripes .
literature
- Tony Bacon, Dave Hunter: Totally Guitar - the Definitive Guide (Guitar Encyclopedia, English). Backbeat Books, London 2004. ISBN 1-871547-81-4