Modern Gretsch Guitars

Tennesse Rose; Tennessean



Finish is walnut stain for FT or burgundy for HT ?

Is this true for the TENNESSEAN too?



Tennessean = Vintage. Tennessee Rose = Modern.

The Electrotone/fake f-hole/Harrison model is burgundy.


The vintage Tennessean is designated as a lacquered dark cherry stain finish in the 60's catalogs


What’s Eletrotone? Tennessean has Hilo pups only ? Tennessee Rose has Hilo/ FT only? Thx


"Electrotone" is Gretsch's name for a thinner hollow body with no open f-holes (usually painted on or decals), developed to reduce feedback. Tenny's of both names have been made with both FilterTrons and HiLoTrons.

The name difference resulted from Gretsch's loss of the trademark name "Tennesseean" when Chet Atkins left the fold and took the rights to the name with him to Gibson. The model name was then changed to"Tennessee Rose." In recent years, the rights to Chet Atkins' name returned to Gretsch, but not the rights to the "Tennesseean" name, so Tennessee Roses they remain.


The vintage Tennesseans were all over the charts as far as the finish. Most of them have faded to a brownish shade at this point or a much lighter red. The burgundy of the electrotone HT is how I remember my 66-67 model. When I bought it, I selected it over a lighter red model.

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