Gretsch Chet Atkins Solidbody Model 6121 Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956)
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Item # 11234
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Gretsch Chet Atkins Solidbody Model 6121 Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956), made in Brooklyn, NY, Western Orange lacquer finish, chambered mahogany body, maple top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, Original white tolex cowboy hard shell case.
The Model 6120 Chet Hollow Solid Body is one of the iconic American vintage guitars; this instrument is its more obscure and oft-forgotten sister, the Model 6121 Chet Atkins Solid Body. Although specifically described by Gretsch as a *solidbody* like the Duo-Jet and Jet Fire Bird this guitar is actually semi-hollow, or chambered in the modern parlance. The body is built like little archtop guitars, with a plywood top mounted over a piece of sculpted mahogany that was chambered from above. This resulted in a guitar much lighter than the Les Paul that inspired it, but with a different sound as well.
The 6120 and 6121 were launched simultaneously in 1955 but the hollowbody was produced in far greater quantities. Atkins himself had little use for his "solid" signature model, although he can be occasionally seen playing one early on. The hollow and solid Atkins models were serialized together in batches of 100; it's estimated that only 20-25% of each batch were 6121's, and some batches had none included. Total estimated 6121 production is less than 500.
The 6121 has much kinship with another rare Gretsch Model, the Model 6130 Round-Up, also a Jet-sized "solid" guitar festooned with Western imagery. Essentially Gretsch added the Atkins-requested Bigsby tailpiece and metal nut to the 6130, and replaced the pine top with maple; most other features were the same. The 6121 has an "oranger" finish with its maple top and adds the Atkins signature gold-backed Lucite pickguard.
Gretsch guitars of the 1950s often evolved quickly; this "Chet Atkins Hollow Body" is a very transitional guitar made at the end of 1956 with an interesting and rare mix of features. Unfortunately the label inside the control cavity is torn, so the serial number is missing. Based on features this guitar is either part of the 208XX batch or subsequent 216Xx batch at the turn of 1956-7.
The body still has the "G-Brand" in the top and western tooled leather trim around the sides characteristic of 1955-6 examples, but the neck has the newer "humped block" fingerboard inlay and horse-shoe headstock motif in place of the previous steer's head. The Bigsby is the 1957 style with the cast "Duane Eddy" arm seen only that year, while the knobs are the older 1955-6 style. The aluminum Bigsby bridge saddle on a wooden base is specific to the 6120 and 6121.
This guitar mounts two DeArmond Dynasonic pickups, used by Gretsch on all electrics up into 1958. Atkins himself was not enamored of these units, requesting they be replaced with the Filter 'Tron humbuckers Ray Butts designed for him. The DeArmonds are powerful pickups with a lot of attack and clarity to the tone. The control layout is four knobs (2 volumes, master volume and tone) and a single selector switch.
This 6121 is a superb twang machine, with a cutting but muscular tone blending the characteristics of a 1950s hollow body Gretsch with some of the extra bite of a solidbody. This example has been played but remains one of the nicer Gretsch guitars we have had, a real stunner too look at with the classic "Great Gretsch Sound" as good as they come!
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a very nice example overall, one of probably a handful extant with this specific mix of features. It was definitely gigged "back in the day" but well cared for, with some general wear but in nearly all original condition. The top is fairly clean with a nice bright color to the orange lacquer and some minor dings and dents. There is a lot of belt buckle wear to the back (what do you bet the original owner wore a Cowboy belt buckle?) with a few spots through to the wood. The back of the neck is fairly well worn down as well, but smooth feeling with only a few minor dings and dents. Fortunately there is no binding distress at all.
The gold plating is mostly worn to a muted sheen with some corrosion particularly on the rear pickup flange. The guitar has an old bone nut; it looks original but as Atkins models were issued with metal nuts we must assume it is a period replacement done long ago. The pickup mounting rings are replicas; as these are made of tortoise celluloid they should be switched out as soon as any gassing is evident or the pickup coil may be damaged. One of the tuner gear screws is an old replacement.
There is some fairly heavy divoting to the fingerboard in the lower positions; somebody played this guitar a lot long ago! The frets appear original; the lower frets are crowned down quite a bit but still have enough meat on them to be easily playable while the upper frets appear undisturbed. The neck looks to have been neatly reset long ago and the angle is excellent. Aside from its killer looks this is simply a super fun guitar to play, with the twang-and-Bigsby combination that really sings for '50s stylings into modern with the twist of an amp knob. It is complete in the original Gretsch "cowboy" case with western trim, a timelessly cool package of class and kitsch that's never been beaten! Overall Excellent - Condition.
The Model 6120 Chet Hollow Solid Body is one of the iconic American vintage guitars; this instrument is its more obscure and oft-forgotten sister, the Model 6121 Chet Atkins Solid Body. Although specifically described by Gretsch as a *solidbody* like the Duo-Jet and Jet Fire Bird this guitar is actually semi-hollow, or chambered in the modern parlance. The body is built like little archtop guitars, with a plywood top mounted over a piece of sculpted mahogany that was chambered from above. This resulted in a guitar much lighter than the Les Paul that inspired it, but with a different sound as well.
The 6120 and 6121 were launched simultaneously in 1955 but the hollowbody was produced in far greater quantities. Atkins himself had little use for his "solid" signature model, although he can be occasionally seen playing one early on. The hollow and solid Atkins models were serialized together in batches of 100; it's estimated that only 20-25% of each batch were 6121's, and some batches had none included. Total estimated 6121 production is less than 500.
The 6121 has much kinship with another rare Gretsch Model, the Model 6130 Round-Up, also a Jet-sized "solid" guitar festooned with Western imagery. Essentially Gretsch added the Atkins-requested Bigsby tailpiece and metal nut to the 6130, and replaced the pine top with maple; most other features were the same. The 6121 has an "oranger" finish with its maple top and adds the Atkins signature gold-backed Lucite pickguard.
Gretsch guitars of the 1950s often evolved quickly; this "Chet Atkins Hollow Body" is a very transitional guitar made at the end of 1956 with an interesting and rare mix of features. Unfortunately the label inside the control cavity is torn, so the serial number is missing. Based on features this guitar is either part of the 208XX batch or subsequent 216Xx batch at the turn of 1956-7.
The body still has the "G-Brand" in the top and western tooled leather trim around the sides characteristic of 1955-6 examples, but the neck has the newer "humped block" fingerboard inlay and horse-shoe headstock motif in place of the previous steer's head. The Bigsby is the 1957 style with the cast "Duane Eddy" arm seen only that year, while the knobs are the older 1955-6 style. The aluminum Bigsby bridge saddle on a wooden base is specific to the 6120 and 6121.
This guitar mounts two DeArmond Dynasonic pickups, used by Gretsch on all electrics up into 1958. Atkins himself was not enamored of these units, requesting they be replaced with the Filter 'Tron humbuckers Ray Butts designed for him. The DeArmonds are powerful pickups with a lot of attack and clarity to the tone. The control layout is four knobs (2 volumes, master volume and tone) and a single selector switch.
This 6121 is a superb twang machine, with a cutting but muscular tone blending the characteristics of a 1950s hollow body Gretsch with some of the extra bite of a solidbody. This example has been played but remains one of the nicer Gretsch guitars we have had, a real stunner too look at with the classic "Great Gretsch Sound" as good as they come!
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a very nice example overall, one of probably a handful extant with this specific mix of features. It was definitely gigged "back in the day" but well cared for, with some general wear but in nearly all original condition. The top is fairly clean with a nice bright color to the orange lacquer and some minor dings and dents. There is a lot of belt buckle wear to the back (what do you bet the original owner wore a Cowboy belt buckle?) with a few spots through to the wood. The back of the neck is fairly well worn down as well, but smooth feeling with only a few minor dings and dents. Fortunately there is no binding distress at all.
The gold plating is mostly worn to a muted sheen with some corrosion particularly on the rear pickup flange. The guitar has an old bone nut; it looks original but as Atkins models were issued with metal nuts we must assume it is a period replacement done long ago. The pickup mounting rings are replicas; as these are made of tortoise celluloid they should be switched out as soon as any gassing is evident or the pickup coil may be damaged. One of the tuner gear screws is an old replacement.
There is some fairly heavy divoting to the fingerboard in the lower positions; somebody played this guitar a lot long ago! The frets appear original; the lower frets are crowned down quite a bit but still have enough meat on them to be easily playable while the upper frets appear undisturbed. The neck looks to have been neatly reset long ago and the angle is excellent. Aside from its killer looks this is simply a super fun guitar to play, with the twang-and-Bigsby combination that really sings for '50s stylings into modern with the twist of an amp knob. It is complete in the original Gretsch "cowboy" case with western trim, a timelessly cool package of class and kitsch that's never been beaten! Overall Excellent - Condition.