Gretsch Solid-Bodies
You are entering a dimension in which things are not always what they appear to be.
The solid body Telecaster was a surprise for every other manufacturer and it took a while before the traditional guitar companies took it seriously. When Gibson developed the Les Paul it became obvious to all observers that the solid body was worthy of serious consideration.
Gretsch built a guitar that looked much like a Les Paul but was routed to make it lighter. The result was a guitar with a bright sound but still more substantial than a Telecaster. Duo Jets were popular for Rockabilly and made great Country guitars.
In some ways their appearance may have worked against their success. On first glance you expect this to be as hefty as a Les Paul but looks are deceptive in this case, the Duo Jet is much lighter than the Gibson guitar it most resembles.
In 1961 Gretsch came out with a solid-body called the Corvette. This guitar is completely different looking than the Duo Jet, sort of along the lines of a Gibson SG. The instrument was not a big seller but the sound was raw and powerful. In many ways it reminds one of a Les Paul Special. These guitars have been reissued and are among the least expensive instruments in Gretsch's lineup yet they sound very good.
Baldwin Era Solids
There have been other Gretsch solid-bodies over the years, the TK 300 comes readily to mind. It was a bolt-on neck guitar with the '70s requisite of two humbuckers. It didn't look like any other Gretsch and its popularity was limited at best.
The BST 5000, AKA The Beast was another attempt at a new direction and in my opinion it was a worthy of respect. During the late '70s Les Pauls with hot humbucking pickups were all the rage. A solidly built solid body with hot pickups made a lot of sense at the time and The Beast was just that. Beyond that, it was a neck-through body design which contributed to sustain.
Looking at pictures of these instruments I am reminded of the high-dollar custom guitars and basses made by Alembic. In many ways this guitar was one of the most viable products that Gretsch had in the era but by that time the momentum was not in their favor and The Beast died at the same time as the rest of the Gretsch lineup.
