Gretsch celebrated it’s 75th anniversary in 1958 with an Anniversary model, available with one or two pickups.

The 16-inch single-cutaway model was basically a renamed and renumbered Streamliner (which had been introduced in 1951) or, from another perspective, it was simply a Chet Atkins Hollow Body (6120) with a different finish. Colorful finishes were Gretsch’s calling card in the second half of the 1950s, and the Anniversary introduced a new color scheme – a two-tone Smoke Green that was lighter on the top and darker on the back (traditional sunburst was also available).

With an onboard fingerboard and peghead it was less expensive than the fancier models, but it’s pickup was the same Filter’Tron humbucker (until 1960, at least) that Gretsch put on the more expensive models.

The Anniversary of 1958 was successful enough that Gretsch continued the “celebration party” indefinitely, making the Anniversary a permanent member of the Gretsch electric archtop line. The single-pickup version reamined in production through 1971, and the double-pickup model lasted even longer.