The Gretsch Pages: Gretsch Guitars: 6120 Nashville

Gretsch guitars: 6120 Nashville

The Gretsch 6120 debuted in 1954 as an instant classic. To many players, it is the definitive Gretsch. When introduced, 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 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. In 1961, the body was narrowed from almost three inches thick to about two. This was to be the last year of the classic single-cutaway 6120. 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 ain't any. The Nashville name was arbitrarily stuck on the guitar, sometime around 1964. There's no difference between the guitars. It's just a name, but it came in handy (and continues to) when Atkins pulled his endorsement. The "Nashville" moniker was pretty much standard (or at least as standard as anything ever was at Gretsch) by 1964, and it could be found on the new shiny metal headstock plate. Some 6120s also got plain plastic HiLoTron covers in 1964. There may have been a shortage of FilterTron covers. Like most Gretsches, 6120s began changing dramatically after the Baldwin Piano and Organ company took over Gretsch in '67, and the '67 model was just about the last to have the traditional Gretsch features. By '70 the 6120 was wearing the squared-off pickguard common to the Baldwin era. In 1972, the model designation was changed to 7660.

Comments

cyclopssam wrote:

truely unheralded.the double cut6120 "64" will go down as one of the greatest gretsches of them all

— Oct 3, 2006 10:06 a.m.
granvillealmond wrote:

I own a 6120, (1962) with fake "F" holes etc., but mine has a "cello like" spike for playing upright. Don.t know if this is a mod, or was made like that

— Nov 18, 2006 1:43 a.m.
Sorensen wrote:

Amazingly, I've never actually been able to see one of these in person but . . . the double-cut 6120 still intrigues me for some reason. I guess the fact that it looks like a Gent but with an orange finish. It is, of course, a smaller guitar than the 17" Gent but is has all of the features, the bells and whistles that so fascinated me in my youth. (Has anyone ever actually used the mute?) As Sam McAfee stated above, this is an unheralded guitar, a Gretsch that is barely known inside the community of Gretsch afficianados and completely obscure outside of that world.

— Jan 5, 2007 7:56 p.m.
jaydar wrote:

I own a '62 6120. SN 46957 It does not have a sign post pick guard only the Chet autograph. The fretboard is ebony contrary to the 1962 rosewood specs posted. I presume it was made while specs were in transition. It also has only a single cream colored binding. As far as I know, I am only the second owner and my parents paid about $400 in 1965.

— May 3, 2007 4:40 p.m.
jaydar wrote:

I own a '62 6120. SN 46597 It does not have a sign post pick guard only the Chet autograph. The fretboard is ebony contrary to the 1962 rosewood specs posted. I presume it was made while specs were in transition. It also has only a single cream colored binding. As far as I know, I am only the second owner and my parents paid about $400 in 1965.

— May 3, 2007 4:42 p.m.
guitarguynz wrote:

I own two double cut 6120/7660's. One is a rare beast that looks like some throw back to the sixties, even though it was made in 1971. It has large headstock with the little Chet Atkins badge, rounded pickguard, thinner body and fake holes. Padded back protector but no access hole. Knobs are Baldwin, but that's about it looking at it. I wonder whether it was one of the last ever produced from the old NY line? Any ideas would be great. I'll post a thread on it sometime.

— May 15, 2007 10:08 p.m.
southpaw6120 wrote:

i had a left handed 64 (it started out life as a right hander) from the ages of 15-21 and then had to sell it to pay for college. the cheque from the collectors shop bounced and when i went back there the next week the shop had closed down. i am still pissed off 14 years later

— Jun 13, 2007 3:28 a.m.
johnnieboy2 wrote:

I have a '66 and I love it! Plays great and the sound is just pure classic...this one will do it all.

— Apr 15, 2008 7:46 p.m.

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Gretsch guitars: 6120 Nashville

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