There is no more evocative guitar than a White Falcon. Here’s one form 2003 for you to gawp at...

A showpiece guitar, the White Falcon turned so many heads at the 1954 summer NAMM that it was rushed into production the following year with an eye watering price tag of $600 (equivalent to $6500 today). 

This lovely example was made in Japan in 2003, and owned by The Cult's Billy Duffy. This very guitar inspired Duffy's signature Gretsch White Falcon, which was launched in 2013. Here's a  snippet from Billy's website, about the story of this guitar: 

“Back in 2007 we were finishing recording ‘Born Into This’ with Youth in London. We were on a very limited time schedule as we’d slotted in the session just before we did some dates in Europe. The ridiculousness of touring sometimes is that because of international shipping constraints all the gear has to go together in one big container. To have pulled individual guitars out two weeks before the tour to go to the recording in London was a big problem so I ended up borrowing stuff.

It turned out that a good friend of mine owned a White Falcon that he was selling through the New Kings Road Vintage Guitar Emporium, which also happened to be in the next street to the studio where we were recording. So I borrowed the guitar for the session and it was great so I ended up buying it.

The irony of the story is that my friend who sold it to me had originally bought this White Falcon because he loved my original ‘Sanctuary’ one!”

Billy Duffy – January 2013

Overall this guitar is in good condition. The body has the expected scuffs and scratches of a life on the road, but generally is pretty clean. There is a chunk out of binding by the output jack, but otherwise its in decent shape.

The neck has retained its gloss finish, and the fretboard is also in superb shape as are the frets. This guitar shows signs of great care as the headstock shows only very slight signs of wear.

The hardware is quite tarnished though not corroded, with most of the gold plating still in tact. There is some minor cracks to the pickup surrounds, but this is nothing unusual on Gretsch guitars.

The electronics are in good shape and have remained untouched. 

The guitar comes with its correct hardshell case which is in good shape, and is covered in a load of Billy Duffy's stickers.

Sonically this guitar delivers. The unamplified sound has a clear tone that really translates plugged in. Both pickups sound so wonderful, very classic Gretsch and the array of switches add to the tonal palette. The springiness of the Bigsby is also so pleasing.

If you're on the lookout for a great looking White Falcon, with some serious rock and roll pedigree, then stop immediately and get yourself over here, this may be the one for you!