Sound Pure's Take
Condition - Used, Excellent
Hoo boy! Fit for the Country Gentleman himself, this Cadillac Green 6120 just will not let you down when it comes to a tool fit for the nimble, refined syncopations all Chet players seek. Fresh fret dress and setup--what are you waiting for?!
From Other (Miscellanous Used/Vintage/Consign)
The Gretsch 6120 was an instant classic from the day it was introduced. To many players, it is the definitive Gretsch guitar.
At its 1955 introduction, the 6120 cost $385 and sported a wagonload of western decorations: cow’s heads and cactus etchings in the block markers, a big G brand on the top and more. It was the first in the “Chet Atkins” line of signature Gretsch guitars.
In ‘58, the half-moon or “neoclassic” markers common to most Gretsches were introduced. The DeArmond pickups were discontinued in favor of Gretsch’s own “FilterTron” humbuckers. Chet Atkins is reported to have said the magnets on the DeArmond’s were too strong, “sucked the tone right out of the guitar”, and Duane Eddy was the only person he knew who got a good tone out of them.
The fake f-hole, thinline, double cutaway Electrotone body guitar of ‘62 was a completely different beast than previous 6120s. The price was up to $495, which bought you the all-new body, complete with a padded back, which conveniently hid the big access hole in the back. The signpost disappeared after ‘62, but a standby switch and muffler appeared, so if a guitarist got bored without anything to look at, he could always twiddle his knobs.
Some confusion exists over the difference between a Nashville and Chet Atkins 6120. In a nutshell, there isn’t much. The Nashville name was arbitrarily stuck on the 6120, beginning in 1966. There’s no difference between the guitars. It’s just a name, but it came in handy when Atkins pulled his endorsement.
Like most Gretsches, 6120s began changing dramatically after the Baldwin Piano and Organ company took over Gretsch in ‘67. By ‘70 the 6120 was wearing the squared-off pickguard common to the Baldwin era. In 1972, the model designation was changed to 7660.
In the modern era the 6120 was one of the first guitars to be revived, and the 6120 line quickly expanded to include a wide range of new models and variations. The Brian Setzer signature collection, in particular, was a very popular revamp of the classic 6120 formula, and it significantly raised Gretsch’s profile during the rebuilding years of the 90s.
In 2008, Gretsch regained the rights to use the Chet Atkins name, so the Nashville name was dropped and most 6120s were once again known as the Chet Atkins Hollowbody.
- Model
- G6120-CG-LTD
- Serial
- JT14093561
- Year
- 2015
- Weight
- 7.7 lbs
- Series
- Professional Collection
Family
- Color
- Cadillac Green
- Build
- Hollow Body
- Cutaway
- Single Cutaway
- Body Finish
- Polyurethane
- Body Shape
- Single Cutaway
- Body Material
- Laminated Maple
F-Holes
- Bracing
- N/A
- Body Binding
- White
- Body Back
- Laminated Maple
- Body Top
- Laminated Maple
- Body Depth
- 2.75"
- Neck Material
- Maple
- Neck Finish
- Gloss Urethane
- Neck Shape
- Soft V
- Neck Binding
- White
- Scale Length
- 24.6"
- Fingerboard Radius
- 12"
- Fingerboard Material
- Ebony
- Number of Frets
- 22
- Fret Size
- Medium Jumbo
- Nut Width
- 1 11/16"
- Position Inlays
- Neo-Classic "Thumbnail"
- Headstock
- Late 50's Gretsch
- Neck Plate
- NA
- Bridge Pickup
- High Sesitive Filter'Tron
- Neck Pickup
- High Sesitive Filter'Tron
- Controls
- Master Volume, Neck Volume, Bridge Volume
- Pickup Switching
- 3-Position Toggle
- Bridge
- Rosewood-Based Adjusto-Matic
- Hardware Finish
- Gold-Plated
- Tailpiece
- Gretsch Bigsby B6G Virato Tailpiece
- Tuning Machines
- Gold-Plated Grover 102-18G Rotomatic TM Die-cast
- Pickguard
- Gold Plexi with "Chet Atkins" Signature Signpost
- Control Knobs
- G-Arrow
- Case
- Hardshell
Warranty
This item is sold without the Sound Pure 3-year warranty (used / B-stock / dealer-exempt). Coverage terms for items in this category live in Terms & Conditions, Section 27.
Returns
Not eligible for Try Before You Buy or the 48-hour approval period. Standard return policy applies — see Terms & Conditions, Section 18 for details.
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