Trade #19: 2019 Gretsch Streamliner for 1989 Epiphone Sheraton II

I’m so glad to have found a good home for this guitar!

I have no idea why the Gretsch Streamliner took so long to trade. This was the guitar that I got in Milpitas in that bicycle-for-cash-for-guitar deal. It was almost brand new, Walker made an awesome video for it, and it was just downright gorgeous. I mean just look at it:

There would be interest every now and then but not a ton. And when I’d make offers, a lot of times people were saying that they love the guitar but that the Bigsby just isn’t for them. I get that; it’s an accessory that’s kind of divisive, but that makes it desirable for those who are really into them. In my mind that does bring the value of the guitar up, but it also narrows the interest pool. That’s a delicate balance to strike in a project like this.

Ethan (not his real name) contacted me a month or two ago offering me an acoustic-electric guitar. I took a look at it but passed. It wasn’t quite what I was looking for, and I wasn’t sure how easily I’d be able to trade it. He remained interested, though, and just this weekend reached out with a new offer: an Epiphone Sheraton II that he told me was from the 1990s. I looked around on Reverb and yep, that’s an interesting and valuable guitar!

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In doing some research and looking up the serial number, it turns out that this guitar was built in Korea in May 1989, considered almost a classic. And there were a couple nice customizations that added value and desirability to the axe: it’s got locking Sperzel tuners, and the original owner had added a Gibson Humbucker bridge pickup.

I was in. We arranged a time to meet. Ethan lives in Tracy, a solid hour-plus from where I am, so we split the difference and met in the parking lot of Tommy T’s Comedy Club in Pleasanton, CA. It was seriously classic suburban California.

We met up and talked. Ethan told me he had had the Epiphone for a few months, bought it from the original owner, but hadn’t done much with it. Cleaned up some of the pots and recently had it tuned, but otherwise he just wasn’t feeling it. He wanted to start playing more rockabilly, and so the Gretsch was something he’d had his eye on. And he was excited about the Bigsby! He said he’s kind of a gearhead and loves trying out different guitars, different pickup combinations, that sort of stuff. He didn’t have a guitar with a Bigsby yet, and was down to try it.

Before we parted we talked music a little more. Given my origins and his interest in rockabilly, I would have been remiss if I hadn’t recommended he look into a long-defunct Rhode Island punkabilly standby, the Amazing (Royal) Crowns. I hope he loves them.

We went our separate ways, and rode back excited. I’m glad to see this trade line to start to pick up. This started with my old movie projector that held so many lovely memories, and it feels good to see it contributing toward a healthy future for me.

I wonder what’s next! (Let’s be real, probably a guitar.)