Serial number of 5-6050 dates this Country Roc as the 50th Gretsch made in May 1976, so you could safely assume it's May 1st, 1976. Bang in the middle of the 7620 model's production, which lasted only from 1974 to 1978.

Super cool. Faded Gretsch orange, with tooled leather sides and engraved 'country theme' position markers on the beautiful ebony fretboard.

SuperTrons give an awesome sound! Changed tuners and bridge (see pics) but otherwise incredibly original. One of my gavourite gigging guitars. This guitar has serious mojo, and the sound and feel to back it!

Most Country Roc models have the separate 'belt-buckle' style solid "G" tailpiece, but I am quite certain that this one was optioned with a combination BadAss tailpiece/bridge assembly from the factory. In the '70s (around '74) Gretsch converted to the use of the "terminator" combination bridge/tailpiece (which was actually a bad-ass bridge - it is a later bad-ass that is currently fitted) on many of their models, such as the Broadkaster #7609, Super Axe #7680 and Atkins Axe #7685.

When we purchased the guitar it had a Hofner tailpiece fitted which gave the guitar a more 'vintage' look. However, the heavy-duty threaded body bridge mountings for the combination bridge (this BadAss bridge was fitted to the guitar when purchased by us) appear to be original, and even more convincing to us is the fact that the orange top has faded with age, with the original unfaded orange still showing underneath the bridge area and under the scratchplate, as one would expect. The under-bridge non-fading tends to hint that the original bridge was slightly larger. But there is NO hint of non-fading in the area where a solid 'belt-buckle' style solid "G" tailpiece (as fitted to earlier examples of this model and the original Roundup) would have covered the guitar's face, which to me indicates the combination style bridge/tailpiece was fitted originally by the factory. Moreover, I can't imagine anyone ever removing a genuine Gretsch tailpiece to replace it with a Hofner item!

Some documentary evidence that supports my theory on this guitar (it's only a theory, I cannot be sure) is;

1. Page 37 of the "Reference Workshops" book "Guitar Identification - How to Date Guitars Made by Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Martin" (printed 1983) says "A few years later (relative to an earlier comment regarding 1971 bridges) a combination bridge/tailpiece, called the Terminator, was introduced on the Broadkaster hollow body and solid body. Gretsch then used Leo Quan's Bad Ass bridge on several models, before changing to a Japanese copy of the Bad Ass made by Tokiwa".
2. Page 320 of "Gruhns Guide to Vintage Guitars - 2nd edition" lists the Standard Terminator bridge/tailpiece unit as having been used from 1976-80s.
3. Pages 245-247 of Jay Scott's book, "Gretsch - The Guitars of the Fred Gretsch Company" have original photographs of the same bridge unit fitted to other Gretsches in 1976 and 1978, but not (unfortunately) the Country Roc. Page 240 of the same book also mentions the fitting of the bridge to the Broadkaster model and has a promotional photograph of the 7609 Broadkaster with such a bridge.
4. No idea about the chrome hardware, as the tuners were changed long before I got the guitar, but if the guitar did come from the factory with the combination bridge/tailpiece, it only makes sense that chrome hardware would have been fitted, as gold would have clashed horribly with the chrome Bad Ass bridge.
   

Sold to David

who wrote in the Guestbook ...

"Hi Neil, Thanks for your honesty, and professional way that you conduct your business. The Gretsch is as described, expertly packed and delivered as promised. I buy a lot of guitars online, and I would rate this transaction as one of the best. I will be a regular of the Grouse site from this day on. Thanks again. David"

more pictures