Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet Black, 1959

Here’s a fantastic piece from early 1959, a Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet in Black Top finish. Just after this guitar was built, Gretsch altered the design to add a zero fret to the fingerboard.

This is a great looking, playing and sounding guitar. It is one of the lightest electrics available at just over seven pounds (3.2kg), it plays well, and these Filter ‘Tron pickups are very good sounding.

Introduced in 1954 just after the solid body, Pine capped 6130 Roundup, the chambered Duo Jet was aimed directly at Gibson’s Les Paul model, with a similar shape but very different yet hidden construction differences. Concurrently, two other versions were introduced, differentiated largely by finish: the metallic silver 6129 Silver Jet and the red-topped 6131 Jet Firebird. A few 6128 models were built with a Cadillac Green top finish instead of black. Also in 1954, the 6121 Chet Atkins Solidbody appeared, a Maple capped and Bigsby equipped version of the 6130. At launch, all of these models were fitted with a pair of deArmond Dyna Sonic pickups.

While the Les Paul uses a solid Mahogany back and carved Maple top, the Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet, 6129 Silver Jet and 6131 have a heavily chambered Mahogany back with an arched, laminate Maple top. This makes the bodies very light and resonant. Additionally, the bridge is a traditional acoustic archtop style floating design rather than the post-mounted adjustable bridges on Gibson solid bodies. The neck is Mahogany, with a bound Ebony fingerboard and Mother of Pearl ‘Neo-Classic’ position markers. The pickguard is Plexiglas with a Gretsch logo and pale white colour on its back.

For hardware, the Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet has a set of chrome plated Waverly open gear tuners are at the head, paired with the G-cut tailpiece. A Space Control bridge on an Ebony base – this started replacing the Melita bridge in 1957 – rounds out the string supports. The electronics feature a pair of Gretsch’s new Filter ‘Tron hum cancelling pickups, a Pickup selector, Tone switch, Master and individual Volume controls and side-mounted output jack.

The original two tone Gretsch hard shell case is included.