The Synchromatic 300
Being the middle child can often cause you to be overlooked, but that’s not the case with the Gretsch Synchromatic 300. While it’s smaller than the Synchromatic 400, that doesn’t mean it’s any less of a guitar. Both the 300 and 400 models first appeared in 1939. The Synchromatic 300 measured 17 inches and had a hollow body. It was available in natural and sunburst colors, and it featured an ebony fretboard, Grover Imperial tuners, a synchrosonic bridge, and a chromatic tailpiece. The 300 was made out of spruce and maple, and it used thirteen different layers of white, black, and gold sparkles to give the body its signature look.
This vintage Gretsch guitar belongs to what many call the first period of the vintage Synchromatics (1939 through the end of World War II). While the later Synchromatics that were built during the early 50s weren’t quite as extravagant, the Synchromatic 300 includes all the features that these guitars came to be known for, such as the cat-eye soundholes. In some ways, the Synchromatic 300 was a more extravagant version of the 200, which also debuted in 1939, but it wasn’t quite as large or as fancy as the 400 model. Unfortunately, even though it was a very solid instrument, few Synchromatic 300 models were built, and the guitar was fairly quickly replaced by new models. However, many Gretsch aficionados and those who love acoustic archtop guitars continue to seek out the Synchromatic 300.
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