I've Found MY Guitar

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Some of you know I'm a Gretsch dealer. I've been excited by the beauty of the new Gretsches, but I'm traditional and set in my ways, so I've been slow to accept the idea that I could be happy with one of them... yet, I've been attracted.

We have 4 of the high-end guitars in stock- a 6120DSW, a yellow Anniversary, a Tennessee Rose and a '62 reissue 6122 (Country Classic/Gentleman). While I've lusted after a White Falcon, they ARE a bit "over the top" and I've successfully "just said no"... therefore my options were the 6120DSW (also over the top, but in a different way) and the Country Gent (which is pretty much the same guitar that George played on Ed Sullivan in '64).

We have a Brian Setzer DVD at the shop, and he and the Orchestra do a great version of "Sleep Walk". He plays the fool out of it, and that guitar with those Filtertrons and Bigsby sounds phenomenal... well, Brian has given me a bad case of Gretsch fever... again.

Actually, I've had it since 1967, when I picked up my first Gretsch. My family had eaten Sunday lunch over at a country preacher's house (my Dad's also a pastor, and I think he had preached a homecoming service for this church). I had just started playing guitar, and I realized this man had a REAL Gretsch and a Fender amp... my best memory is that it was a Tennesseean and a Deluxe Reverb. Anyway, he was nice enough to let me- a 12-year-old kid- play it, and I was never satisfied again after that. I couldn't bear to go back home to my cheap Kay! I used to "bum" a Gretsch catalog from the local music store every year... and I'd thumb through the pages and ache for one of those Gents, Vikings, or Nashvilles. It was a financial impossibility, but I've been looking for "something" ever since.

I have owned 2 vintage Gretsches over the years, a '58 6120 and a '65 Nashville. I hated like crazy to sell them, but I think we needed money for diapers or baby formula... something like that. You do what you have to.

Back to to the present time... I brought a book on vintage Gretsches home from the shop yesterday, and I couldn't put it down last night! After "lights out", I laid there with visions of Filtertrons, Bigsbys and Grover Imperial tuners going through my head. I knew I had to do something.

Well, I brought the walnut-colored, double-cutaway 6122 "Gent" (Country Classic) home this evening and plugged it into my current steel amp- a Dual Showman head, running through a tweed Peavey Classic 115E w/ a BW 1501-4. Oh, MAN... I'm in love with a guitar- all over again! This guitar has the looks- no question about it... the cosmetic quality is better than ever before. And TONE... oh my goodness! No reverb, and it sounds HUGE. Granted, it's partly the amp... but my Les Paul and Strat don't sound quite like that!! Wow... nothing sounds like a Gretsch, and these new ones capture that vintage tone in a big way. It has the hollow-body tone, yet it doesn't feed back... and those pickups have enough thickness and bite to play rock stuff too. It's one of the dressiest guitars ever built, so it'll fit right in at the jazz gigs.

I've been through a raft of jazz guitars lately... but haven't been able to get the tone I'm looking for... perhaps symptomatic of listening to Chet on Gretsches for all those years. I've been looking for a versatile guitar... one that would suffice for jazz, country and rock styles... and I believe I've found it. Isn't it strange that I'm back where I started in '67?

Yes, I'm excited. I'll try to keep you guys posted... hopefully, I'm ready to settle down

Rick

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 02 July 2004 at 07:48 PM.]

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Pictures! We want pictures! Hurry!

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

This may be an uninteresting add. But who paid attention to the model number and specs in those days.

I bought a used Gretch from a friend because I always wanted a hollow body jazz guitar. Of course we were doing R'n R' at the time and the guitar fed back like crazy so I didn't keep it long.

It was a single pickup, single cutaway. One night a fellow stood in front of the stage for half a set watching me play the guitar. At break he asked what kind of guitar it was so I took him over and showed it to him.

He said he had been a Gretch salesman for 20 years and had never seen a Gretch like the one I had. Like a dummy I offed the guitar for something more fitting to the music we were playing.

I have always been, and forever will be:
Too soon old and
Too late smart.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Rick, I play my 6118 green double ANNI through a Fender Princeton for backbeat rythm with our band. I always get comments from the sound men about the great tone of the Gretsch with Filtertron pickups. Awesome sounding guitars.

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Sounds very cool, yes pics please.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

And the brainwaves are excited once again..

Back in'66 I guess..
I was given a new Gretsch Tennessean from my father for my 16th BDAY..I guess now they are called Tennessee Rose..
Awesome Guitar..my feeling is these ( Gretschs) are in a league of there own for appearance..oh..and they play and sound pretty good too..Some guy named Chet played 'em and he didn't sound all the bad now did he !

The current pricing has me shaking my head though..I would jump at another Steel at these prices before a new Gretsch..

anyway I play on a slab body...I would have to change my entire character to play one of these fine Instruments..and it's too late for me..I'm just a slab body sorta guy now..

Great Guitars..post some photo's and have fun and enjoy..
t

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Tony, that's cool... what a great Dad!

Actually, the new Tennessee Rose has Filtertrons, instead of the Hi-Lo Tron single coils... which makes it a lot like a 6120 except for the color. Killer guitar, though!

George Harrison played a Tennessean later, and some say he liked it better than the 6122's...

Yes, they're pricey... but they're also the cat's meow! And much more affordable than a comparable vintage Gretsch now. I started out (at 11 years old) on a Stella, moved "up" to a plywood Kay archtop, to a Fender Musicmaster, to a "GOYA" archtop electric that was a feedback machine, to a "Crown" SG copy... all before finishing high school. I was 30 before I ever had a decent electric guitar, and that was the '58 6120, which I sold to pay family expenses. I've economized on guitars my whole life while, at the same time, I've worked hard to become a competent player! It's about time to "treat" myself, I think!

Ken, that Gretsch you owned could've been a single pickup Anniversary or an early Tennesseean (they had one Filtertron in the bridge position when first released).

Kevin, those Anniversarys are cool, aren't they? People still ooh and aah over these guitars, before you've ever played a single note!

You guys might be interested in this great site http://www.gretschpages.com/models/

Rick

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 03 July 2004 at 09:13 AM.]

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

OK Rick, You have been good, so you now have permission to treat yourself to a gretch of your choice! You only live once, so go for it!!
I had a double cutaway orange Nashville that I bought for $250 back in '73. I played my first live gig with it. My first stupid thing I ever did was sell it six months later!! I was 18 years old then. DUM DUM DUM!!!

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:11 PM.]

John Floyd · From: R.I.P.

Some of the Gretsch Guitars Chet Played had De Armond single Coil Pickups with the large alnico 5 individually adjustable magnets and he had a Black Guild Archtop guitar with single cutaway he played. No Doubt when he played in Public it was Gretsch all the way until he made the switch to Gibson. What you saw might not have been what you heard on his recordings.

[This message was edited by John Floyd on 04 July 2004 at 04:09 AM.]

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Some good points, Jim. My personal preference for a Gretsch guitar would be as follows:

1) An "original" '58 or '59 6120 (Like the one I used to own!) They're probably more than $10,000 now. Of course, if I had one of those, I'd never take it out of the house... so what good would it do me?

2) A NEW Country Classic, 6120 or White Falcon. A new Country Classic or 6120 can be bought just about anywhere for around $2100-2200. The Falcon is, of course, a little more.

I don't feel any love for the late-60's/70's Baldwin-era Gretsches. Baldwin/Gretsch was fraught with the same problems as CBS/Fender and Norlin/Gibson. Those are the guitars that caused Chet to pull his endorsement (along with some strong courting by Gibson).

So, to clarify, the new Gretsches are (in general) much more affordable than "Real" vintage Gretsches of the 50's and early 60's, especially the high-end models.

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:12 PM.]

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Bill Hatcher may have some inside info. on Chet's Country Gentleman...

Bill?

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:12 PM.]

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Jim Phelps- Thanks for the plug! Those '71-'73 photos are the more TAME ones!

By the way, Yo tengo un amigo bueno en La Ciudad de Mexico... a killer guitar player!

Jim Cohen- You asked.. and I DELIVER. Our daughter Catherine is the photographer... ain't it purty?

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:12 PM.]

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Jim P.- Yes, it's a NEW 6122-62 Country Classic. It is supposed to be identical to the one George Harrison used on the '64 Ed Sullivan appearances, except it doesn't have the mutes. I'm glad they left them off in the reissues... a lot of people just took them off anyway.

Why in the world did Baldwin do that weird thing with the pickguard?

My friend in Mexico City is Grady Pope. Grady was one of my mentors as a young teenager... he is a few years older than me and played in a Lumberton, NC psychedelic garage band known as "Cykle". Their album is now highly collectable among people who keep up with the 60's garage bands http://www.swiftsite.com/gearfab/Catalog_List/catalog_16.html

He's a Christian missionary down there, and leads the worship band at his church- still plays KILLER guitar. You should get in touch with him. Here's his website http://www.lecheymiel.com.mx/gradyp.htm

I do not know the name of his church but it's called Iglesia Amistad, or something like that. There can't be too many guys named Grady Pope in Mexico City. Here's his email: pope_grady@hotmail.com I think you guys would hit it off.

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 04 July 2004 at 07:18 PM.]

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:12 PM.]

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

For those interested in Chet's guitars and stories of them ( in his own words ), check out the book by Russ Cochran: Chet Atkins, Me And My Guitars. It's been published as a soft cover by Hal Leonard. Lot's of beutiful full page pictures of all the important instruments Chet played, live and on recordings. All those Gretsches are there, prototypes and his favorite Country Gent. Also his Echosonic and Standel amps are introduced. For Chet and guitar nuts like myself, this book is an absolute must!!

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I have 2 country Gents. A '67 that has been restored by Gretsch to brand new condition, and a '73 Baldwin like the one in Jim's picture.

After comparing them side buy side, I have to say I prefer the Baldwin. I think the changes they made were for the better. I've met 2 other players who feel the same way. I think it's really a mistake for Gretsch not to offer a reissue of this version of the guitar.

I'd like to sell the '67 as I really don't need both.

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:12 PM.]

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

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[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 08:13 PM.]

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

UPDATE! I have scored a new White Falcon.

This is the guitar I used to lie awake at night and think about... while the rest of you guys were thinking about girls

A customer special-ordered this one (a double-cutaway w/ Bigsby), then decided he preferred the single cutaway with "cadillac" tailpiece. I brought it home... and it ain't going back. I wouldn't have ordered this one for myself, but now it just seems that we were meant for each other

Rick

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Hey, Rick!

That 'guitar acquisition syndrome' (GAS) is an unfortunate affliction if you also happen to be a dealer, isn't it?

I have it, too, but I'm not exposed to everyday temptation like you.....

Roger R.

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Well, I don't keep 'em all, Roger. Can't!

The '62 Country Classic was a bit neck-heavy for me, so it wasn't a keeper... in spite of my original euphoria. It wouldn't have bothered someone who sits to play, but I usually stand. The Falcon seems to be balanced a bit better.

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