A decadent signature model for the Australian-born guitarist.
Initially previewed midway through 2020, Gretsch have now officially detailed the signature model for Australian guitarist Michael Guy Chislett.
As the lead guitarist, producer and founding member of world-conquering happy clappers Hillsong United – and a session fiend for the likes of Good Charlotte, Pete Yorn and Butch Walker – Chislett can be frequently seen onstage and in the studio donning an older ’90s White Falcon, pairing the hollowbody guitar with a Vox AC30 and bevy of effects for a distinctive textural tone.
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Combining the features and feel of a ’90s White Falcon with the appointments of more recent Gretsch builds, the eye-catching Michael Guy Chislett White Falcon features a solid Sitka spruce top and laminated maple back and sides with 1959-style trestle bracing, while the semi-gloss finished neck boasts a U-shape profile with a 12″ radius fretboard with pearloid block inlays and 22 frets.
The guitar also makes use of a pair of TV Jones TV Classic pickups for that killer Gretsch clean, with a three-way toggle and individual tone knobs allowing for some serious tone-sculpting. There’s also a master tone and master volume control for when you need to make simple roll-offs, with a treble bleed circuit wired with ‘Squeezebox’ paper-in-oil capacitors also included.
Chislett’s White Falcon Signature is also fitted with a string-thru Bigsby B6GP tremolo with an ebony base, with the hardware being rounded out by Grover Imperial locking tuners and a sturdy bone nut.
Bound F-holes and gold sparkle binding add a touch of prestige to the signature instrument, while all-gold hardware helps to put the cherry on top of what looks to a decadent instrument for such a quietly impactful player.
Hear Michael discuss the making of his White Falcon Signature below. Perhaps we’ll get to see him don the guitar some time soon at Festival Hall?
For further specs and details, check out the Gretsch webpage today.
