Chicago Music Exchange (now with 30% more anal rape!) has THIS oddball for sale.
The guitar's a beauty but a BLACK padded back on a 1957 White Falcon? 
'57 Falcon at CME
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- Rated: 52 ↑
May 13, 2008 3:24 a.m. Zuma:
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May 13, 2008 3:58 a.m. fws6:
I am surprised it has a back pad at all ? I thoiught back pads came in somewhere around 62 to cover the back access panel needed for the string mute ?? Or am I totally mistaken here ??????
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May 13, 2008 9:35 a.m. spilkiss:
Pad on a 1957 Falcon is not genuine. This guitar hasn´t have the golden plate on the headstock. That means that in fact is a 1957-58 (I would say 1958) and not a later one (1959-61) single cutaway. Therefore I can say that for an unknow reason somebody add this black pad from a Country Gentleman or a Chet Atkins "Nashville" somewhere in the 60´ decade or even later. Falcons with a pad on the back started arround 1962 and where always in WHITE not black.
Regards.
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May 13, 2008 9:58 a.m. fws6:
IIRC in the Dan Duffy book , there is a story of people sending in 50s guitars to be retrofitted with a backpad ?
I know of similar guitars. For instance, Vince Gordon of The Jime also played a '55 6120 that was sent back to Gretsch in the 60s by the first owner to be retrofitted with a backpad
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May 13, 2008 1:45 p.m. Thomas:
Such a beauty.
I've never been a fan of those backpads but since it's on the back I wouldn't mind it too much. But considering this is a real '57 white falcon.. I guess removing it would result in several ugly spots... so sad.
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May 13, 2008 2:17 p.m. Zuma:
The real question is: Did the guy who added the pad carve open the back of the guitar to match? THAT would be most heinous.
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May 14, 2008 7:22 a.m. fws6:
>Did the guy who added the pad carve open the back of the guitar to match?
Ha ha ha ! That would be something.
My guess still is that someone just sent it back in 62 to have a pad added for more 'comfort'. If you have just bought the the most expensive Gretsch you also want all gadgets on it to prove. And of course originality at that time wasnt an issue at all.
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May 14, 2008 9:37 a.m. spilkiss:
It could be, yes. That´s a good deduction. Anyway you always may find a matching color, white one at ebay. They come and go!
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May 15, 2008 7:50 p.m. DCBirdMan:
"And of course originality at that time wasnt an issue at all."
Very true. People sent their Fenders back all the time for a new finish.
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May 24, 2008 4:22 p.m. Beatles6120:
Spoke to CME regarding this Falcon. The back was cut out and the owner at the time opted for the back pad (Black) They want $30K for it. Having the back cut out would devalue the guitar by much?
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May 25, 2008 3:10 a.m. fws6:
If I'd pay $30K for something I would want it to be free of any issues no matter what. And I guess that anyone who has saved up long enough to spend 30k on a single guitar probably will be wise enough to wait around for a while untill a nicer example is on the market. 30k will buy a lot of other nice guitars too so why go for a hacked up falcon. I guess it will be for sale at CME for a long long time.... Guitars with such issues only sell if the price gets low enough. They probably didnt pay more than 10k themselves because of that mod.
