Although Gretsch’s standard 1990s line of Japanese-made guitars already capitalized on the vintage appeal of the company’s classic 1950s models, when Gretsch came under Fender’s management control in 2003, Fender created a higher echelon of historic reissues, made in the Gretsch (Fender) Custom Shop in Corona, CA.

The White Falcon G6136CST (CST for Custom Shop) featured all the trimmings of the original Falcon, including the “Cadillac” tailpiece, red rhinestones in the control knobs, pickups recreated by renouned vintage pickup maker Seymour Duncan, engraved pearl inlays, Melita bridge, gold sparkle binding, vintage-style body and neck construction, and even a nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

The original White Falcon of 1955 was the highest-priced model in the Gretsch line and, in the 21st century, the Custom Shop version maintained that position. It’s list price of $11,000 was more than twice that of Gretsch’s most expensive regular-production model, and it paved the way for a Custom Shop Chet Atkins Hollow Body and other limited-run models to follow.