Just pointing the camera around.
• Joe Carducci, the hardest-workin' man in Gretsch business. (His morning started at 5:00 a.m. with phone calls.)
• Fred Gretsch, caught in a moment of reflection just before the show opened.
• Amps & the 125th Annie.
You know, that's funny, I had never seen a guitar in his hands before. I never doubted he could play or anything, but I seem to remember him saying he prefers to watch others play and enjoy the guitars.
Fred just stopped in to visit, and turned me on to some new Gretsch-and-history related websites.
http://www.gretsch125th.com/
http://www.myspace.com/gretsch125th
And a very interesting site exploring industrial development in the US, circa 1883 – the site is an idea of Fred's, and is growing to include other businesses founded in that year. http://www.est1883.com/about.php
Pappy, yes, Fred considers himself an avid listener – but has played for many years as well.
I must say it's an ongoing honor, thrill, and privilege for me to be associated with all the history here, with the Gretsch and Fender names – and with the hard-working, very committed people who keep it all going for us.
It's all quite a thing, and you "know" what all goes into it – but until you're somewhere in the middle of it, it's hard to really feel the enormous talent, creativity, energy, organization, pure good will, and love for the music that drive it all.
Wow, Fred looks like he's got a serious mullet going on in that picture 
Now that's rock-n-roll!
Wow, Proteus, great coverage so far. I'm excited for this coverage of NAMM, for a few reasons. The guitars, the stories, the stars. Not to mention those great giveaways. An Electro Amp a day? I just hope the trivias don't come up while I'm in class!
And that annie's so awesome looking! I haven't seen a two tone Gretsch I haven't liked though.
Seems like a MIGHTY fine time to get sick, Boyko.
Pappy, if I didn't have an end of semester presentation tomorrow, I would stay home for sure. I'll just have to take lots of bathroom breaks I guess!
But they are calling for snow tonight, maybe Proteus's sunny California days will contrast a nice, white and wintery snow day for me?
Pappy, you so bad!
Playboy amp! I love the look.
Synchromatics. We've all heard of them, and know vaguely they mean something in the world of Gretsch.
But we haven't all seen or heard them in person.
And they're VERY important to Gretsch, not only as models in their own right, but as links in the chain that led to the archtop electrics of the 50s.
The classic catseye-soundhole Synchromatic archtop first appeared in ... Trivia Alert no, hey, you tell ME what year, and get a new Gretsch beer mug for your trouble.
Fast forward to the 2000-aughts, when two guitars in the line pay homage to the original, and keep keep the spirit of beat-me-daddy-4-to-the-bar jazz-spankin' rhythm alive.
Both are spruce-topped maple-bodied 17" jazzers. The G400 carries a script-logoed conventional Gretsch headstock and has laminated back & sides. The upscale G400JV Jimmie Vaughn sig model features all solid-wood construction, lacquer, a pickup under the bridge, hidden controls, and an exquisite lightbulb headstock.
Now, neither of these examples is set up optimally. The strings are lighter than most jazzers would choose, with a plain 3rd, and I didn't pay much attention to bridge height or action.
I just picked them up during a quiet(er) moment, perched the recorder about 8" away, and chopped away.
First two pics of the 400, then several of the 400JV. Really pretty guitars!
The JV is my favorite out of all the synchros I've ever seen. The one I played was smooth and responsive and just amazing to play. I urge anyone to give it a shot if they have a chance.
1939
1939
You are talkin' my language now Prote'. I actually did play a G400 at the '93 Winter NAMM and was lovestruck. I just gotta get me one someday.
1940
1937
My favorite pic will be a nice girl sitting on the playboy amp with a new Annie..
Can it happen
Duke Kramer
Well i have to go away for the weekend for my step sister's wedding. So I'm looking forward to some bulk reading when I come back. Shame I'll miss the trivia though.
Proteus, don't forget to try and get some photos of the new Harmony guitars.
And someone win me that Annie ok?
1939
1939
Wenzel said: 1939Is that your answer or the number of mods you've done on your Club?
ZING!
That number is far too small to be the number of mods I've done! ha!
Trivia Alert
Name all of the mods I've done to my Country Club and receive a free Wenzels T-Shirt! Not a number, but list all of the mods individually! lol 
