To fall in love with a vintage Gretsch, one often needs a strong heart. Say you chance upon a closet find: a '60s Country Gentleman that has been carefully stored for decades. You open the case and what do you see? Often, rotten binding crumbling off the body, and the rot's corrosive fumes have wreaked havoc on the hardware.
This month's featured 6129 Silver Jet does not pose such an issue. The guitar has only had one very active owner. According to Reverb seller Guitars West, based in Southern California, it was that owner's only guitar. He bought it new in 1956, likely for around $255. Then, from rockabilly club nights to bar mitzvahs, it traveled with him to every gig. With scuffs and buckle rash, the guitar has the play wear to prove it, while the binding—having never been enclosed for long—is intact.
From rockabilly gigs to bar mitzvahs, this 1956 Gretsch Sparkle Jet has led a long and active life, which has kept its binding and hardware intact.
One can imagine these DeArmond pickups roaring through a Dual Twin amp and rising above the din of a honky-tonk—that sparkle top gleaming like a misplaced disco ball, its silver sparkle aging to a golden patina. At some point, the guitar lost its pickguard. At another, its neck joint was reset. (Wood glue deterioration is another ailment common to old Gretsches.)
By 1958, those beautiful block inlays would become the more common thumbprint style and the single-coils were swapped for Filter'Trons
But it's easy to see what made that first owner fall so hard, as, pickguard aside, this Jet still has its original parts. Notice the knobs' straight-arrow position indicators, only found on Gretsches from '55 to '57. Its Melita bridge was one of the first to offer individual string-length adjustments. This guitar has the classic Gretsch control set: pickup selector on the upper bout, master volume by the cutaway, master tone in the lowest spot, and neck and bridge pickup volume dials. By 1958, those beautiful block inlays would become the more common thumbprint style and the single-coils were swapped for Filter'Trons. In the early '60s, Gretsch grounded this design by making all Jets double-cutaways.
Among this instrument's signs of age are belt rash and a neck-joint reset, which is common for '50s Gretsches.
A revived Gretsch brand reintroduced the single-cut 6129 in 1989. The late Chris Cornell played a gold sparkle reissue in Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" video, sparking a Sparkle Jet renaissance. For 30 years, they've been continuously available in one form or another, including 2021's G6129T-89 Vintage Select Sparkle Jet—an exacting recreation of the now-vintage '89 reissue.
Under those pickups covers are a set of single-coils. Filter'Trons became standard in 1958. The Melita bridge was among the first to offer individual string-length adjustment.
Original '50s Silver Jets in pristine condition are rare—for the reasons mentioned above—but recent examples have sold north of $10,000. This particular Jet, having quite a few miles on it but still plenty of fuel, is currently listed for $6,895.
Sources for this article include Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars by George Gruhn, American Guitars: An Illustrated History by Tom Wheeler, and the Reverb article "What's So Special About the Gretsch Sparkle Jet?" by Ron Denny.
“The Player II Series represents our continued evolution in design and functionality,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product, FMIC. “We listened to the feedback from musicians around the world and incorporated their insights to refine and innovate our instruments. The re-introduction of rosewood fingerboards is a restoration of the ‘original Fender recipe’ and will no doubt be a fan favorite - but we didn’t want to stop there. We’ve also incorporated our rolled fingerboard edges for a broken-in feel, upgraded hardware, and have some new body options as well- which underscores our commitment to providing players and creators with the tools they need to express their unique sound and style. The Player II Series is not just an upgrade, it's a detailed re-imagining of our core silhouettes, highlighting our dedication to quality and the continuous refinement of our instruments.”
Additionally, Player II offers new options for chambered ash and chambered mahogany bodies for the Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster models, which will be available in October. Designed for musicians ready to elevate their craft, the Player II Series sets a new standard for quality and performance in the mid-price range.
Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar - Coral Red
Fender Player II Jaguar Electric Guitar - Aquatone Blue
Linkin Park share a new single (HERE) and video (premiering HERE at 4pm PT/7pm ET), for “The Emptiness Machine,” plus a global livestream performance (happening now HERE and available only for 24 hours), and the launch of 6 upcoming arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota as part of the From Zero World Tour. LP Underground fan club exclusive pre-sales start September 6 and general on-sales September 7. Go to LinkinPark.com for more info.
These surprises herald the arrival of LINKIN PARK’s first album since 2017, FROM ZERO, on November 15.
Tomorrow, Friday September 6th, the band joins long-time friend and Apple Music host Zane Lowe for an in-depth candid conversation about the incredible legacy of Linkin Park, the 7-year long journey to new music and their excitement for the future.
Without expectations, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell, and Hahn quietly began meeting up again in recent years. Rather than “trying to restart the band,” their instinct was to simply spend more time together, and reconnect with the creativity and camaraderie that has been at the core of their friendship since college. During this time, they invited various friends and cohorts to join them in the studio; among the guests, they found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain. A natural chemistry drew these musicians back into its gravitational pull as they logged more and more hours in the studio. It was the sound of lifelong musicians rediscovering the uncontainable energy of a new beginning once again. Over this season, FROM ZERO was born.
FROM ZERO
FROM ZERO TRACKLIST
- From Zero (Intro)
- The Emptiness Machine
- Cut The Bridge
- Heavy Is The Crown
- Over Each Other
- Casualty
- Overflow
- Two Faced
- Stained
- IGYEIH
- Good Things Go
About the new era, Shinoda stated, “Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future—embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what LINKIN PARK has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”
Right out of the gate, “The Emptiness Machine” channels the DNA of LINKIN PARK, harnessing the band’s explosive energy and retaining the hallmarks of their instantly identifiable and inimitable sound. A chameleonic and catchy anthem, Shinoda’s hypnotic melodies hand off to Armstrong’s blistering chorus, over distorted riffs and head-nodding drums.
Shinoda elaborated, “The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created. We feel really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we’ve made together. We’re weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”
FROM ZERO WORLD TOUR 2024
September 11, 2024 | Kia Forum - Los Angeles, CA
September 16, 2024 | Barclays Center - New York, NY
September 22, 2024 | Barclays Arena - Hamburg, Germany
September 24, 2024 | The O2 - London, UK
September 28, 2024 | INSPIRE Arena - Seoul, South Korea
November 11, 2024 | Coliseo Medplus - Bogota, Colombia
Working closely alongside Yngwie, the MXR design team created a circuit that delivers clarity, expressive dynamics, and rich harmonics—all perfectly tailored for his light-speed arpeggios, expressive vibrato, and big, bold riffs. The control setup is simple, with just Level and Gain knobs.
"Want to sound like Yngwie? Crank both knobs to the max."
“This pedal is the culmination of 45+ years developing a sound that’s perfect in every possible way,” Yngwie says. “I present to you: the MXR Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive. Prepare to be amazed.”
MXR Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive highlights:
- Perfectly tailored for Yngwie Malmsteen's signature sound and style
- Simple control setup tuned for maximum impact
- Boost every nuance with superior clarity, expressive dynamics, and rich harmonics
- Dig into light-speed arpeggios, expressive vibrato, and big, bold riffs
The MXR Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive is available now at $129.99 street/$185.70 MSRP from your favorite retailer.
For more information, please visit jimdunlop.com.
The new coiled cables are available in four eye-grabbing retro colors – Surf Green, Electric Blue, Orange and Caramel – as well as three standard colors: Black, White and Red. There is also a CME exclusive “Chicago Cream” color on the way.
Guitarists can choose between three different connector configurations: straight/straight plugs, right angle/straight and right angle/right angle options.
The Voltage Vintage Coil offers superior sound quality and durability thanks to ISO-COAT treatment, a patent-pending hermetic seal applied to solder terminations. This first-of-its-kind airtight seal prevents corrosion and oxidization, a known factor in cable failure and degradation. ISO-COAT protected cables are for guitarists who value genuine lifetime durability and consistent tone throughout their career on stage and in the studio.
Voltage cables are hand made by qualified technical engineers using the finest components available and come with a lifetime warranty.
Voltage Vintage Coil features include:
- Lifetime guarantee, 1000+ gig durability
- ISO-COAT treatment - corrosion & oxidization resistant cable internals
- Strengthened structural integrity of solder terminations
Voltage Vintage Coils carry $89.00 USD pricing each and are available online at voltagecableco.com, as well as in select guitar stores in North America, Australia, Thailand, UK, Belgium and China.
About Voltage Cable: Established in 2021, Voltage Cable Co. is a family owned and operated guitar cable company based in Sydney, Australia. All their cables are designed to be played, and built for a lifetime. The company’s ISO-COAT is a patent pending hermetic seal applied to solder terminations.