❌SOLD❌ Gretsch Brian Setzer Signature 6120SSU Nashville, Orange Flame, 1997

The Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120SSU, built from 1993 to 2014, was one of the earlier of the Setzer Signature models based on the 1960 6120s used in the Stray Cats, Brian Setzer Orchestra and various solo projects.

Introduced in 1954 as a Chet Atkins model, the Gretsch 6120 featured a fully hollow, 16 inch wide and 2 7/8 inch deep Maple Laminate body with bound F holes, tone bar / sound post bracing and a Maple neck with Rosewood or Ebony fingerboard and bridge base. The body, neck, headstock and F-holes are all bound. Most versions used a Bigsby B6 tailpiece.   As was the practice at the time, the Bigsby is not gold plated, though the pickups and bridge are.  Naturally, its pickguard bears the Brian Setzer signature and the Gretsch Nashville logo. At the time this guitar was built, Gretsch did not have the rights to the Chet Atkins name; that was lost in 1980 and renewed in 2007, so the term ‘Nashville’ was used instead.

Until the 1958 introduction of the new Ray Butts-designed Filter ‘Tron humbucking pickup, the 6120 used a pair of DeArmond Dynasonic single-coil pickups. The controls include a Master Volume, individual pickup volume controls, and two three-position switches. The forward switch is the pickup selector, and the rear is at tone switch with the center position being ‘off’. Models with the DeArmond pickups typically had only the pickup selector, and a third rotary tone control.

Here we’re looking at a Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120SSU built in Japan by Terada during February of 1997. As a Brian Setzer model, it is based his 1960 6120 models used in countless performances and recordings. It has a number of features specific to this model, in particular the use of Sperzel locking tuners, intonation-adjustable bridge,  and ‘Dice’ knobs for the pickup volumes. The body is of highly flamed Maple laminate. Later models add a ‘pinned’ bridge base, which Gretsch does in a particular way. Under the bridge base, a pair of headless allen screws are inserted into the top above the braces. The bridge base is routed to fit onto these screws or pins. This allows the bridge base to move forward or back for significant intonation adjustments, while preventing the player from accidentally pushing the bridge to the side. The floating bridge is a standard feature of most archtop guitars, and many players use double-sided tape to secure the bridge. Gretsch’s approach allows for easy removal of the bridge, making service and cleaning easier.

This spectacular guitar is in overall good condition with only light wear, most of which is to the gold plating on the bass side of the adjustable bridge. It has a very comfortable, slim V profile neck and is really easy to play. And of course, it has a pair of TV-Jones provided Alnico Filter ‘Tron pickups, some of the best sounding pickups available.

This Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120SSU is sold with its original Gretsch-branded hard shell case.