A 1959 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 Hollowbody is featured in Premier Guitar’s April issue as the “Guitar of the Month.”
As PG notes, the 6120 has been the guitar of choice for several marquee guitarists including Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy and Brian Setzer, whose main axe is serial number 33024.
It was Setzer’s model that Fred Stucky, guitarist/singer for the Philadelphia-based rockabilly/garage-country band Gas Money, had in mind when he shopped around for his 6120.
“I was looking for my first ’59 6120, and I wanted it to be close in serial-number to Setzer’s,” Stucky told PG of the guitar with serial number 33002 that he purchased at the Dallas Guitar Show in 1990 for $2500. “I knew even back then, 20 years ago, that Gretsches within certain production batches were better than others. That 33000 batch is pretty special. It was the last batch of 2.75”-deep 6120s with an enamel-faced B6 Bigsby vibrato. They also have the light treselte bracing and, purportedly, a slightly thinner top.”
Pick up the issue and flip to 181 for more details on how Stucky modified his Gretsch to achieve Setzer’s early-80s dirty tone.