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Vintage Gretsch Clipper Value Guide: 6186, 6187 and 7555
A vintage Gretsch Clipper from the 1960s has mostly sold for about $750 to $1,350 on Reverb, and the earliest DeArmond-pickup Clippers from the late 1950s range a little wider, from about $650 to $1,800. Edgewater Guitars, based near Cleveland, Ohio, buys vintage Gretsch guitars nationwide. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or text us photos.
What is a vintage Gretsch Clipper worth?
Clipper era | Reverb sold prices (Good to Mint) |
|---|---|
Late 1950s, DeArmond pickup (Reverb groups these as 1958 to 1960) | Estimated range $641 to $1,776, based on 58 orders |
1960 to 1971, Hi-Lo'Tron pickup (6186 and 6187) | Estimated range $746 to $1,335, based on 57 orders; seven sales from July 2025 to July 2026 at $800 to $1,355, the most recent $1,099.99 (July 2026) |
1970s, 7555 and two-pickup Clippers | No sold prices on Reverb, too few sales to quote |
Where those numbers come from: Reverb's sold-price pages for the Clipper 1958 to 1960 and 1960 to 1971, viewed October 2026, used guitars in Good to Mint condition. Reverb does not separate the sunburst 6186 from the short-lived natural 6187, so a clean, original natural Clipper from about 1959 to the early 1960s is not priced on its own. Treat these as reference points, not a price list.
Edgewater's cash offer on a Clipper would typically land around 20% under those sold figures, and lower for refinished, modified or binding-damaged examples. Clipper prices sit close together, so condition and originality decide the number, and the accurate answer for yours is a free appraisal. Not sure what you have yet? Our What's My Guitar Worth tool is a quick place to start.
How to identify a Gretsch Clipper
The Clipper was Gretsch's entry-level hollow body electric. It was the least expensive hollow body in Gretsch's 1965 catalog, at $195, and the 1968 catalog still listed it at $185. Reference sources date its start to the mid to late 1950s (they disagree on 1956, 1957 or 1958), and it stayed in the line through the 1960s and into the Baldwin years of the early 1970s. What to look for:
Body: 16 inches wide and about 1 3/4 inches deep, arched maple, single cutaway. This thin cutaway form dates from about 1957 to 1958.
One pickup: the Clipper had a single pickup all through the 1960s. A two-pickup version did not arrive until 1972.
Plain appointments: dot fingerboard inlays, and no zero fret, no thumbprint (Neo-Classic) inlays and no tone or standby switches. Those features belong to Gretsch's more expensive models.
Hardware: a trapeze tailpiece and an adjustable bridge on late 1950s and early 1960s guitars. A palm vibrato was offered from 1963 and is rarely seen.
Clipper model numbers: 6186, 6187, 6185 and 7555
6186: sunburst, single pickup. The 1965 catalog offers it in Shaded Golden Sunburst only.
6187: the alternate finish, natural (blond) from 1959. The natural option was short-lived and was gone by the early 1960s.
6185: the two-pickup Clipper of 1972.
7555: the Baldwin-era model number, adopted around 1971 to 1972.
If the label in your guitar says 6030 or 6031, it is not a Clipper: those numbers belong to a different Gretsch archtop line. Send us a photo of the label and we will tell you what you have.
Clipper years and what changed
Mid to late 1950s: the Clipper appears with a single DeArmond pickup (sources disagree on the exact first year).
About 1957 to 1958: the thin single-cutaway body becomes the standard Clipper.
1959: a natural finish is offered as the 6187.
Around 1959 to 1960: a short-lived single-coil pickup that collectors call the Clipper Transitional appears between the DeArmond and the Hi-Lo'Tron.
About 1960: the Hi-Lo'Tron single-coil becomes the Clipper's pickup.
1963: the palm vibrato option arrives.
1967: Baldwin buys Gretsch. The Clipper stays in the line and appears in the 1968 catalog.
Around 1971 to 1972: the Clipper is renumbered 7555, and in 1972 a two-pickup Clipper replaces the single-pickup 6186.
Mid-1970s: reference guides put the end of vintage Clipper production around 1975.
How to date a vintage Gretsch Clipper
Until the mid-1960s, Gretsch put the serial number on a paper label inside the body, visible through the f-hole. From 1957, starting at serial 25001, the label has an orange oval on a gray and white background, used until about 1965. Gretsch's own serial chart gives approximate year ranges:
Serial number | Year |
|---|---|
About 18000 to 21000 | 1956 |
About 21000 to 26000 | 1957 |
About 26000 to 30000 | 1958 |
About 30000 to 34000 | 1959 |
About 34000 to 39000 | 1960 |
About 39000 to 45000 | 1961 |
About 45100 to 53000 | 1962 |
About 53000 to 63000 | 1963 |
About 63000 to 77000 | 1964 |
About 77000 to 84000 | 1965 |
Around 1965 to 1966 the number moved to the back of the headstock, and from about August 1966 Gretsch used a date code: the first one or two digits are the month, the next digit is the last digit of the year, and the rest is the production number. So 27136 reads as February 1967, guitar 136 of that month. "Made in USA" appears next to the number from about June 1967. Our Gretsch serial number guide covers the later codes. The pickup is a quick cross-check: a DeArmond points to the 1950s, a Hi-Lo'Tron to about 1960 or later, and two pickups to 1972 or later.
What lowers the offer
Binding damage: the celluloid binding on vintage Gretsch guitars can crack, turn brown or crumble. It is a material problem, not owner neglect, and the fix is replacing the binding. It lowers the offer but rarely ends the conversation.
Neck reset: decades of string pull can move the neck joint on a vintage Gretsch hollow body, and a reset is skilled work. Tell us about high action up front.
Refinish: an original sunburst or natural finish is what buyers pay for. A refinished Clipper sells for less.
A pickup that does not belong: Clippers left the factory with a DeArmond, the Transitional pickup or a Hi-Lo'Tron, so a Filter'Tron or a modern pickup is a later swap. Keep the original if it came out; it helps the value when it goes with the guitar.
Missing label: without the label the serial number is often lost, so the pickup, hardware and finish do the dating.
For the Clipper's better-known Gretsch siblings, see our Single Anniversary value guide, the Tennessean value guide, the Country Club value guide, the Country Gentleman value guide and the 6120 Chet Atkins value guide. Weighing your options first? Read where to sell a vintage Gretsch or see how we buy Gretsch guitars.
What sellers say
"I gave Gavin a call about my Gretsch and he met me with cash the same afternoon. Highly recommended." Pierce Hoffmann, Google review
Frequently asked questions
How much is a vintage Gretsch Clipper worth?
On Reverb, 1960s Clippers have mostly sold for about $750 to $1,350, with recent sales from $800 to $1,355. The late 1950s DeArmond guitars range from about $650 to $1,800. Edgewater's offer usually lands about 20% under sold prices, lower for refinished or modified guitars.
What is the difference between a Gretsch 6186 and 6187?
The finish. The 6186 is sunburst. The 6187 was the natural (blond) finish from 1959, an option that was gone by the early 1960s.
Is a Gretsch 6030 or 6031 a Clipper?
No. Clipper model numbers are 6186, 6187, the two-pickup 6185 and the later 7555. A 6030 or 6031 label points to a different Gretsch archtop, so send us a photo of the label.
When did the Clipper get a Hi-Lo'Tron pickup?
About 1960. Earlier Clippers have a DeArmond single-coil, and some from around 1959 to 1960 carry a short-lived pickup collectors call the Clipper Transitional.
How do I date my Gretsch Clipper?
Before the mid-1960s, read the serial number on the label through the f-hole and compare it with Gretsch's year ranges. From about August 1966 the serial is date-coded on the back of the headstock: month first, then the last digit of the year.
Is binding damage a deal-breaker?
No. It is common on vintage Gretsch guitars and repairable by replacing the binding. It lowers the offer, but we still buy guitars that have it.
Where can I sell a vintage Gretsch Clipper?
Edgewater Guitars buys them directly, nationwide, with free appraisals from photos. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or request a free estimate online.
By Stephen Pedone, co-owner of Edgewater Guitars. Last updated: October 2026.
