❌SOLD❌ Gretsch Chet Atkins 6122 Country Gentleman Walnut, 1967

The Gretsch Chet Atkins 6122 Country Gentleman appeared in 1957 with the 6119 Tennessean, bracketing the popular 6120 model. These were the first of Gretsch’s thin body designs, and unlike Gibson’s new 3xx models, were fully hollow – no center block. Gretsch’s approach to feedback suppression was different, with the sealed ElectroTone body offering some resistance.

Chet Atkins himself promptly switched from a 6120 to the Country Gentleman as his primary studio guitar. One of the reasons was the new humbucking Filter ‘Tron pickups, which to Chet’s ear sounded better than the single coil DeArmond DynaSonics. Despite his own innumerable recordings, his view was apparently that only Duane Eddy got a good sound from the DynaSonics!

In 1964, many things changed for Gretsch and to a large degree, because of one guitar in one player’s hands, particularly after that player used his new Country Gentleman on The Ed Sullivan show during 1964. Of course, this was George Harrison of The Beatles. Unfortunately that particular guitar was destroyed – literally falling onto the M1 motorway in the first leg of their 1965 UK tour.

Those appearances on Ed Sullivan’s show caused Gretsch orders to skyrocket, and production went into high gear. By late 1967, Gretsch had sold its ownership to Baldwin, who offered higher production abilities.    Now, players who want that Beatles tone but can’t find or afford one from the same year will use these extended-production, pre-Baldwin models. 

The Gretsch Chet Atkins 6122 Country Gentleman is still in production, and current G6122 models can be seen here on the Gretsch website.  

Here we have an all original Gretsch Chet Atkins 6122 Country Gentleman. Its serial number is 12768, and that’s a date coded serial – the first two or three digits are Month and Year, though there’s no digit for ‘decade’. This serial could indicate a 1954 model, but at that point, the 6122 did not exist. The number appears again for December, 1967, which corresponds with the construction, components and features of this example. The single mute with black felt show the beginnings of the Baldwin influences.

This guitar is all original and in overall good condition. It is quite playable with a good neck angle, and the original Rocking Bar bridge.   The finish is original and in good shape with light scuffing and some honest play wear to the neck finish. It is well preserved for a 54-year old instrument.

For the most part, the binding is in good condition though there is a small amount of deterioration over a space of perhaps 1.5 inches on the upper part of the treble cutaway.

Fret wear is moderate, and it plays well. The Gent has a shorter scale than one might think – on this example, it measures as 24.41 inches or 620mm (or 310mm from the zero to octave fret), and this makes it a bit easier to play.

The original two-tone Gretsch hard shell case is included.