FRIEDRICH GRETSCH, A German immigrant who specialized in making banjos, tambourines, and drums, founded Gretsch in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York. The company grew rapidly, moving into importing and manufacturing before guitars became its core business. Today, Fred W. Gretsch is keeping the family brand alive, and as a subsidiary of Fender since 2002, Gretsch continues to build and develop new instruments.
The involvement of Chet Atkins with Gretsch in the 1950s brought the company’s profile to a new high, and along with Chet’s Tennessean 6120 and Country Gentleman guitars came corresponding bass models. Duane Eddy’s low-string twang on a Gretsch 6120 inspired a whole new generation of guitar fans, but it was also a huge inspiration to a young John Entwistle, who emulated Duane’s growly tone at various times throughout his career. The two-pickup Gretsch 6173 bass was derived from the Tennessean guitar and is the short-scale little brother of the 6170 double-cutaway bass I wrote about back in May ’05. The distinctive “trapeze” bridge, painted ƒ-holes, and cola-colored mahogany finish of this 6173—which belongs to Nashville session player Don Kerce— still looks great after all these years.
As an “almost teenager” in the late ’60s, I got a kick out of the weekly TV antics of the Monkees, who brought a somewhat sanitized version of the Beatles’ Hard Day’s Night-era wackiness to Middle America. Thanks in part to guitarist Mike Nesmith’s love of Gretsch guitars, the company got on the Monkee bandwagon in a big way and were well represented on the show. Peter Tork always looked cool miming the bass parts from the records, which were played BASSNOTES mostly by Joe Osborn. Peter played a 6173 just like the one here on the show and on tour, and though it wasn’t a signature bass per se, it became unofficially known as the “Monkee Bass.”
The large headstock and thick body somehow make the 6173 look bigger than it really is. The short-scale neck is chunky, but easy to get around on. The bass is hollow, but without any soundholes except on the back—beneath a vinyl cover— it’s less prone to feedback than most hollowbodies. This Gretsch has three volume controls: a master and one for each pickup. The pickup selector and the 3-way tone switch provide some interesting options (flat, kind of dark, and really dark), and the dual Supertron blade-style pickups sound gnarly in the best possible way, somewhere between the punchy brightness of a Fender and the cleaner warmth of a Gibson. This bass has a big, warm tone for roots and reggae, like a more aggressive Beatle Bass, and you get a mellow version of the midrange bark if you use the back pickup with the dark switch on. Intonation is a little tricky due to the bridge’s lack of individual adjustment, but there’s really not much else to nitpick on this beauty, other than the 3-way “kill switch” which seems to serve no purpose other than to help you accidentally turn yourself off!
This axe is somehow exotic yet classic all at once. Despite its cool look and sound, in the annals of bass guitar lore, it’s still not very well known. The 6173 is yet another hidden gem waiting to be rediscovered by a new generation.
TOUR PIC
Okay, so maybe you missed the boat for South by Southwest, Coachella, and Jazz Fest. Fret not, for we’re just starting a summer packed with great music festivals! For more on upcoming festivals, go to bassplayer.com. —BRIAN FOX
What SASQUATCH MUSIC FESTIVAL
When May 24–26
Where Quincy, WA
Who Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Mike Watt & the Missingmen, Kings of Leon, The Decemberists & more
What WAKARUSA
When June 5–8
Where Lawrence, Kansas
Who Flaming Lips, Ozomatli, Cake, Galactic, Blackalicious & more
What BONNAROO
When June 12–15
Where Manchester, TN
Who Phish, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Al Green, Wilco, The Mars Volta, Shadows Fall, Raphael Saadiq & more
What SUMMERFEST
When June 25–July 5
Where Milwaukee, WI
Who Rancid, Judas Priest, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Roots, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, No Doubt, Bon Jovi & more