1956 Gretsch 6199 Convertable Archtop Guitar "Sal Salvadore"

Excellent and rare 1956 Gretsch 6199 Convertible from the second year of production. Made in Brooklyn. USA. Original gold hardware includes DeArmond Dynasonic pickup, G logo tailpiece, Grover Imperial tuners; Gretsch logo Lucite pickguard with knurled mini volume and tone knobs, adjustable compensated rosewood bridge.A full depth 17" Venetian cutaway archtop, the Gretsch Convertible has a long scale fingerboard, parallel braced top, and pickguard mounted controls, all patterned closely after the iconic Gibson L-5C, but at half the cost. The mounting of the pickup is unique, and designed to minimize damping of the soundboard resonance. Surface mounted, the pickup is suspended over two pieces of felt, below which a small cavity accommodates the polepieces of the DeArmond Dynasonic pickup. The result is an electric archtop with a surprisingly lively voice when unplugged.And indeed, it would be hard to imagine a full size archtop with more dramatic styling. From its Lotus Ivory top and Copper Mist body, to its metallic Lucite pickguard and humped block inlays, the Convertible was the first Gretsch model with a two-tone finish, and has to be the most footlight-friendly jazz guitar ever created. This outstanding example from the second year of production has been maintained in gleaming condition, free of cracks, pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear, and with all original finish, hardware, and electronics. The body has beautiful weather checking, a few chips and dings, and the usual repair at the pickguard screw but, looks much as it did when it left the factory during the Eisenhower Administration. I've tried to accurately show the wear over 69 years.DeArmond produced the very first floating pickups, and for many players they remain the benchmark to this day. The classic single coil Dynasonic pickups retain the clarity and detail for which the brand is famed, with their enhanced frequency response and acoustic fidelity. And the art deco Grover Imperial tuners echo the styling of D'Angelico's iconic archtops, crafted right across the Brooklyn Bridge.With a gentle C profile neck, this remarkable instrument offers smooth, low action over fine original frets, with a fresh high-precision setup. It comes with a Guild hard shell case. With a run of just four years, the Gretsch Convertible remains one of the rarest American production archtops. Championed by jazz legend Sal Salvador, the model as finally named after him in 1959, but available only in a sedate sunburst finish, not this stunning color combination from 1956.100% original no repairs, modifications or changed parts. No binding rot issues. Neck angle is perfect with no signs of a reset. Rosewood fingerboard and mahogany body and neck. Serial number on label is intact and legible.Make me an offer! No trades, please. Check out my other ads.