Gretsch / 6121 Chet Atkins Solid Body / 1957 / Western Orange / Guitar For Sale

18500 USD

Single cutaway solid body. This 13 1/4-inch-wide, semi-solid body version of the Chet Atkins 6120 features a quad-bound chambered mahogany body and weighs just 7.80 lbs. One-piece mahogany neck with a wonderful medium profile and a nut width of just under 1 11/16 inches. Single bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard with original aluminum nut, 22 original small frets, inlaid pearloid plastic hump-top block position markers and a scale length of 24 1/2 inches. Headstock with inlaid pearl Gretsch "T-roof" logo and pearloid horseshoe inlay. Individual Grover StaTite open-back tuners with oval metal buttons. Two single-coil DeArmond (Gretsch Dynasonic) pickups with outputs of 2.97k and 2.95k. Gold Lucite pickguard with pantograph-engraved Gretsch "T-roof" logo and "Chet Atkins" signature framed in a signpost (the signpost and signature highlighted in black). Four controls (two individual volume controls and master tone control in a triangular configuration on lower treble bout and master volume control on upper treble bout) plus three-way selector switch on upper bass bout. The potentiometers are all stamped "134 619" (Centralab May, 1956). "Arrow-through-G" knobs with cross-hatch pattern on sides. Space Control roller bridge on ebony base and non-plated aluminum Bigsby B-3 vibrato tailpiece with pivoting arm. Original Gretsch rectangular white label inside control cavity, with the model number "6121" stamped in black, and the serial number "23455" stamped in red. The serial number is also etched on to the triangular control cavity cover. All hardware (except Bigsby) gold-plated. Apart from some minimal belt-buckle wear, this is a totally original and near mint example. Housed in its original Gretsch two-tone gray shaped five-latch hardshell case with purple plush lining (8.75). This guitar, produced in June of 1957, is one of the very first to have a Space Control bridge. "Introduced in 1958, the space control bridge with laterally adjustable brass rollers ('transversing string wheels') replaced the Melita... Earliest models of the so-called spacer had large, domed knobs at the ends of the bridge saddle" (Jay Scott, The Guitars of the Fred Gretsch Company, p. 73).

"The solid companion to the Chet Atkins Hollow Body debuted in 1954. The only differences between it and the Round-Up are standard Chet Atkins model features: Bigsby vibrato, non adjustable bridge, signature pickguard, and...metal nut" (George Gruhn and Walter Carter, Electric Guitars and Basses: A Photographic History, p. 175). Despite the name, the Chet Atkins Solid Body had Gretsch's customary semi-solid construction.

Fretted Americana , USA  

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Contact name:
David Brass
Brands:
Fender, Gibson, Evil Robot, etc.
Languages:
English
Specialties:
Acquiring and offering for sale the finest examples of the finest rare guitars in the world
Opening hours:
Phone (International) 001.818-222-4113 / Email:info@frettedamericana.com / Between the hours of 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, and 24/7/365 via this web site and email.
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We specialize in acquiring and offering the finest specimens of American vintage electric guitars with particular attention to those in their complete, original state. We are the only dealer to embrace a written code of ethics (in Terms & Conditions). We encourage you to read it.

HOW WE WORK

We want to inspire and win your trust and confidence. You don't want to have any negative surprises upon receipt of an instrument that you've invested yourself as well as your money into. Nor do you want any untoward surprises should you decide to sell it in the future.

To that end, every guitar that we offer is catalogued to a degree and depth of detail that is fast becoming the standard in the trade. When we declare an instrument to be completely original, it is. If it is not, we tell you exactly in what manner it has been altered.

We photograph each guitar at many angles to provide you with the broadest, clearest sense of its appearance. We will, upon request, provide you with images of all electronic components, inside and out.

Each guitar we acquire is skillfully and painstakingly dissected by David Brass, who is a trained luthier as well as a dealer and collector. All parts, no matter how small, are meticulously examined. We have an enviable reference library of wide breadth and scope that we refer to when necessary for crucial facts. The instrument is put under a black-light: original finish or refin? Even the most skillfully masked ding is uncovered. David then fastidiously reassembles the instrument. It is then cleaned with the finest products available for wood and metal.

An inspection certificate of authenticity signed by David is provided with every guitar you purchase.

We keep our inventory relatively small and highly select. We choose our guitars with extreme care so we can offer you the finest examples of the finest rare guitars in the world.

We are client focused to an extraordinary degree. If you expect or would like to be surprised by courteous, professional client service, we will pleased to accommodate that desire.

It is our fervent wish to establish a long-term relationship with you.

CODE OF ETHICS

We wish to establish an ongoing relationship with you based upon your trust in our knowledge and judgment.

To that end:

We meticulously inspect in detail every guitar that we offer. We check the finish, all of the electrical components, serial numbers, etc. With over thirty years of experience collecting and handling vintage guitars and our enormous reference library, we bring to bear all that is known about guitar manufacturers, models, and annual production.

We provide full, detailed descriptions and specs to each guitar.

We openly disclose any and all flaws we discover in writing. If the instrument is not completely “straight,” we will tell you so and why.

We endeavor to conduct ourselves to the highest standard of professional behavior.

We will deal fairly and ethically; no surprises, flim-flam, dubious business practices or shenanigans.

We value your sense of privacy and uphold the highest standards of discretion and respect

We allow a full 48 hour honeymoon period when you buy a guitar from us. If you are not 100% satisfied with it we will refund the purchase price in full, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.

Please inspect your new guitar immediately upon receiving it. If any guitar we offer is found to be not as described, we will happily refund the full purchase price, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.

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