My book "Inside the Gretsch Guitar Factory" 1957-1

[danduffy]

My name is Dan Duffy. I’m a Guitar Player. I worked as “ Quality Controller” for the Fred Gretsch Guitar company from 1957 to 1970. I played and inspected all the Guitars, and then signed and hung the Green Quality Control Card on the Guitar before it was sent out. I wrote a book about my time there called “ Inside the Gretsch Guitar factory” From 1957 to 1970. You don’t have to be a Gretsch Guitar player to enjoy this book , just a guitar player interested in what went on in the Guitar Factories during the GUITAR BOOM of the sixties. You can check out excerpts from the book at Trafford.com/05-1734. I’ll be glad to answer any questions. Thank You

[VintAxe]

Hi Dan and welcome to the Forum. I don't have a copy of your book at the moment, but it sure sounds like a story most vintage guitar fans would find interesting. I'll be picking up my copy soon.

I hope you'll be an active contributor to the forum. We get Gretsch questions from time to time that I'm sure you could clarify easily. The good thing about this Forum is that you get high quality responses and it isn't a full time job to track the posts.

I hope you are willing to share your experience with visitors.

[danduffy]

Thank you for the welcome - I'll be happy to answer any questions - My book has all kinds of stories some informative and some on the funny side but they actually happened. here's one from the book I call "I played a court GIG" FRED GRETSCH CALLED ME TO HIS OFFICE AND SAID HE HAD A PROBLEM AND WOULD I HELP HIM WITH IT.I SAID OF COURSE. HE SAID THE FOREIGN GUITAR MAKERS WERE SENDING THEIR ALREADY INEXPENISIVE INSTRUMENTS INTO THE UNITED STATES“ DUTY FREE .’’THEIR CLAIM IS “ ITS NOT A COMPLETE INSTRUMENT WITHOUT THE AMPLIFIER.’’ HE ASKED ME IF I COULD PLAY THE GUITAR WITHOUT THE AMP AND I SAID YOU CAN’T PLAY A “ GIG ’’ BECAUSE THEY CAN’T HEAR YOU BUT YOU CAN PRACTICE AT HOME WITHOUT THE AMP. HE ASKED ME “WHATS A GIG.’’FRED WAS NOT VERY HIP SO I EXPLAINED THAT A MUSICIAN CALLS A JOB A “ GIG’’ I WENT ON TO SAY, I EVEN CALLED WORKING FOR HIM MY “ GRETSCH GIG .’’ HE SMILED AND SAID “ PEOPLE HAVE CALLED WORKING FOR HIM MANY THINGS BUT NEVER A GIG.’’ HE SAID “ I LIKE THAT.’’

HE REALLY LOOKED AMAZED WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT I SPENT ABOUT SEVEN YEARS IN THE BATHROOM PRACTICING WITH MY SOLID BODY GUITAR. IT WAS A VERY LARGE ROOM . I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM FOR MY CHAIR , BOOKS , MUSIC STAND AND GUITAR. IT WAS VERY QUIET AND PRIVATE MOST OF THE TIME. THE ACOUSTICS WERE GREAT.


FRED LOOKED AT ME WITH GREAT INTEREST. YOU COULD SEE HE WAS THINKING VERY DEEPLY ALMOST CUNNING . HE THEN ASKED ME IF A SOLID BODY GUITAR COULD BE HEARD IN A COURT ROOM WITH OUT THE AMP. I HESITATED A MOMENT THINKING HOW QUIET A COURT ROOM MUST BE AND SAID YES. HE THEN ASKED WOULD I GO TO WASHINGTON D.C. AND DEMONSTRATE THE GUITAR WITHOUT THE AMP. IN A COURT HEARING THE FOLLOWING WEEK. STILL BEING
‘’ GUNG HO ’’ I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE.

THE FLIGHT LEFT AT 9AM FROM LA GUARDIA AIRPORT. IT WAS ONLY AN HOUR FLIGHT. WHEN I GOT ON THE PLANE THE STEWARDESS SAID GOOD MORNING , CHECKED MY TICKET, DIRECTED ME TO MY SEAT AND SAID “ YOU CAN PUT THAT THING IN THE OVER HEAD COMPARTMENT” I HATED WHEN PEOPLE CALLED MY GUITAR “ A THING.’’ “ HEY DUFF GO HOME AND GET YOUR THING AND LETS HAVE SOME FUN ’’ THAT’S WHAT I HEARD WHEN I WAS A KID. GOD, I HATED THAT .
“ HERE’S MY THING’’ I GESTURED. THEN I’D GET MY GUITAR.

ALL THE WRINKLED “ SUITS ”HAD STARED AT ME WHEN I WALKED PAST THEM ON MY WAY TO MY SEAT. THESE GUYS ALL LOOKED LIKE LAWYERS.THEY LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS A “ BEATNIK’’ WITH A SUIT ON . THEY KNEW I WASN’T ONE OF THEM BECAUSE MY SUIT WAS PRESSED. I COULD HEAR THEM THINKING WHO IS THIS GUY . THIS COULD BE THE GUY WHO’S GONNA PLAY THE GUITAR IN THE COURT ROOM. HIS SUIT IS PRESSED, WE’RE GONNA LOSE, LETS THROW HIM OFF THE PLANE. I DID THIS FOR THREE DAY’S . I WORE A
DIFFERENT CLEAN PRESSED SUIT EVERY DAY .

THE WRINKLED SUITS WERE LOOKIING WORSE EVERY DAY. THEY KEPT CHECKING ME OUT. THEY WERE GETTING SCARED. I WAS GETTING MORE CONFIDENT.

WHEN I FINALLY WENT INTO THE COURT ROOM THE COURT CLERK ESCORTED ME TO MY SEAT. I WAS IN FRONT OF A PANEL OF SIX MEN. I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THEM FROM THE PLANE. I KNOW THEY WERE PART OF THE CLAN BECAUSE THEIR SUITS WERE WRINKLED. THEY SAT THERE LOOKING AT ME AND MY GUITAR. THEIR GLASSES HUNG ON THE END OF THEIR NOSE AND EACH HAD A PENCIL IN HIS HAND. THEY STARTED TO LOOK LIKE MY NUNS IN CATHOLIC GRAMMER SCHOOL WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I STARTED TO SWEAT.THEY ASKED ME IF IT WAS TRUE THAT I PLAYED MY SOLID BODY GUITAR IN THE BATHROOM FOR SEVEN YEARS. I ANSWERED YES. THEN THEY ASKED ME TO PLAY. IMMEDIATELY I STARTED TO THINK “ WHAT IF THE NECK COMES OFF WHILE I WAS PLAYING. ’’ I STARTED TO PLAY ANYWAY. I KNEW THEY COULD HEAR ME BECAUSE ONE OF THE SUITS STARTED TO TAP HIS PENCIL TO THE RHYTHM I WAS PLAYING AND HE WAS SMILING. HE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME. I FORGAVE HIM FOR HIS SUIT. WHEN I FINISHED PLAYING THEY SAID “ THANK YOU MISTER DUFFY ’’ I SAID “ MY PLEASURE ’’ AND LEFT. A FEW MONTHS LATER FRED TOLD ME HE WON THE CASE BUT NOW THEY WERE SENDING IN THE GUITARS WITHOUT STRINGS TO BEAT THE DUTY TAX . I SAID “ SORRY I CAN’T HELP YOU WITH THIS ONE.’’
Thanks for reading, Dan

[mrblanche]

I just acquired a Gretsch from a pawn shop. A 5235, which is a cheap one from China. But I DO have a friend whose license on his rusty hot rod is "GRETSCH" specialty plate.

[Say No To Vorderman]

welcome to the forum
might have to treat myself to your book. do you sell direct to the public? (rather give you the profit than the bookshop)

[danduffy]

When I was mgr. of Vinci guitar strings I had a distributerr in New castle upon tyne. You have to buy the book from trafford publishing. It is also printed in the UK. Either way The royality i get is embarresing , Thanks for the thought. i wrote the book because i was always approached by authors who write books on gretsch guitars For infomation about the factory during my years there. Some never even thanked me. My wife ,sons and friends who worked with me at the factory(they both have past away) Told me to write this book. I invested The time and money and here I am. I'm 76 years old now and I am Having Fun doing it. The book has enlightened many about the gretsch Guitars from those years. Thats my reward. Thanks Dan

[VintAxe]

Here is the link to the publishers web page for those interested in checking out Dan's book.

[danduffy]

My book has a complete chord theory in 26 pages that will enable you to cut any chord chart at sight when completed.

[danduffy]

[danduffy]

[danduffy]

[danduffy]

You now have THREE ways to play a Major - Major 7th - 7th - 6th