Zero Fret

Gretsch Tennessean 6119 Walnut, 1967

On April 22, 2022 /

Currently named the ‘Tennessee Rose’, the Gretsch Tennessean 6119 first appeared in 1958, and for 1961 gained the closed, thin ElectroTone body. Chet Atkins had been urging Gretsch to take steps to reduce feedback on their hollowbody designs, especially after Gibson introduced the center-block ES335 in 1958.

Vintage

Price: $3,250.00 CAD

❌SOLD❌ Gretsch Tennessee Rose G6119FT Thin Body Archtop Walnut, 2006

On March 23, 2021 /

Based on the 1962 Chet Atkins Tennessean, the Gretsch Tennessee Rose G6119 was introduced in 1995, but wasn’t a ‘Chet Atkins’ model until 2007 when Gretsch re-acquired rights to the Atkins name. Consequently, the pickguard on this example has only the words ‘Tennessee Rose’ and the Gretsch logo. The 6119 Tennessean appeared in 1958 as a full size, single pickup archtop. In 1962, it was drastically revised with a new, thin body using the sealed ‘ElectroTone’ concept for feedback resistance. This design has faux F-holes, either painted or decals. It bore a pair of either Filter ‘Tron or HiLo ‘Tron pickups and the model was discontinued in 1980. Gretsch, then owned by Baldwin, folded in 1983 with Baldwin’s bankruptcy.

Used

Price: $2,200.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌ Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville 6120 Orange, 1967

On February 1, 2021 /

The Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville appeared in 1964, identical to the previous year’s 6120 model in almost every respect aside from the name. Introduced in 1954 as a full-bodied, single cutaway archtop equipped with DeArmond Dynasonic single coil pickups until the new humbucking Filter ‘Tron pickups appeared in 1958, in the early 1960s the Gretsch 6120 underwent a major change.

Vintage

Price: $3,999.99 CAD

This instrument has sold

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

On January 25, 2021 /

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.

Vintage

Price: $4,000.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black 1964

On July 8, 2020 /

Here is a rarity, an Airline Pocket Bass by Valco, Black dating to 1964, a short scale bass regarded by some as one of the best recording basses ever made. The Airline Pocket Bass was built from 1962 to 1968 at the Valco shops in Chicago, Illinois, along with other Valco brands including National and Supro. Valco also branded their instruments for other companies, many of which were distributors or catalog retailers like Montgomery-Ward and Sears Roebuck. Valco amplifier production followed the same pattern but their customers included established builders like Harmony, Gretsch and Kay.

Vintage

Price: $1,500.00 CAD

This instrument has sold

❌SOLD❌ Gretsch 6131 Jet Firebird, 1962

On May 23, 2020 /

Here’s a rarity – a Gretsch 6131 Jet Firebird in great condition and dating to 1962, its second year as a double cutaway. This model is perhaps most visually associated with the late Malcolm Young of AC/DC. The Gretsch G6131 Jet appeared in 1955, following the 1953 release of the Duo-Jet, perhaps as the Gretsch response to the Gibson Les Paul. At that point it featured a single cutaway body with an arched top – but instead of being solid, the body was chambered to reduce weight and produce a more ‘acoustic’ tone, towards Gretsch’s other arched-top models. The pattern of an archtop-style floating bridge rather than a fixed bridge like the Les Paul was still used.

Vintage

Price: $5,999.99 CAD

This instrument has sold