The Hillsong Church guitarist and musical director's new signature model sports an intriguing combination of vintage looks, a streamlined control layout and powerful electronics
Now, Gretsch has launched the good-lookin' model, which features an intriguing combination of vintage looks, a simplified control layout and powerful electronics. You can hear Hendroff take it for a spin below.
"I've loved playing the traditional-spec Penguin," he says in the video, "and this is – if you like – a 'player's' edition, more of a modern take [on] it."
For starters, like your typical Penguin, the G6134TFM-NH – to give the guitar its full name – features a chambered mahogany body with a maple top, and a mahogany neck. Said neck features an ebony fretboard sporting a 24.6” scale length with 22 medium jumbo frets and mother of pearl Big Block inlays.
Sounds on the instrument come by way of a pair of Broad'Tron BT-65 pickups, controlled only by individual master volume and tone knobs and a three-way pickup switch.
Hardware, meanwhile, is finished in nickel, with the Grover Imperial Locking tuners, Bigsby, banjo armrest, and tortoiseshell pickguard – featuring, of course, the gold Gretsch and Penguin logos – providing some vintage elegance.
In keeping with the guitar's general less-is-more theme, the only touch pointing to Hendroff is his signature on the back of the guitar's headstock.
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The Gretsch G6134TFM-NH Nigel Hendroff Signature Penguin guitar is available now – in Amber Flame and Dark Cherry Metallic Flame finishes – for $3,499.
It's an up-market instrument for sure, but given that a recent study (by Gretsch owners Fender, no less) showed that nearly a third of new guitar gear sold annually is bought by church players, we're curious to see how the Hendroff signature ends up doing. A sign of many signature models to come for major six-stringers in the Christian music world, perhaps? We shall see..
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.