1960 Gretsch 6120, Western Orange, ex-Brian Setzer
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- Unit price
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At a Glance:
Model: 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body
Year: 1960
Finish: Western Orange
Serial Number: 36785
Provenance: Previously owned by Brian Setzer, with written provenance from Willie’s American Guitars, 2016.
Body: 16" maple hollow body, 2 1/2" deep
Bracing: Light trestle bracing
Neck: Maple/ebony
Fingerboard: Ebony - Neo-Classic thumbprint inlays with red side dots
Tuners: Correct gold-plated open-back Grover Sta-Tites
Pickups: Original PAF Filter’Trons with gold covers and etched surrounds
Pickup Readings: Neck 4.08k | Bridge 4.17k
Controls: Individual volumes and 3-position pickup selector. Tone switch currently has two of three positions functioning
Hardware: Gold Lucite signpost pickguard, Gretsch bar bridge on ebony base, Gretsch Bigsby B6 and gold “G” arrow knobs
Condition: Excellent overall, with strong unfaded Western Orange finish and neck wear
Frets: Original frets retaining good height
Nut width: 43.4mm
Neck Depth: 1st Fret - 19mm | 10th fret - 24mm
Case: Slightly later salt-and-pepper case with burgundy lining
Notes: Highly desirable 367XX batch example with excellent originality and Brian Setzer provenance
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1960 Gretsch 6120, Western Orange, ex-Brian Setzer
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
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1960 Gretsch 6120, Western Orange, ex-Brian Setzer
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Description
A superb and highly collectible 1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body, finished in its wonderfully vibrant Western Orange and previously owned by the one and only Brian Setzer.
This guitar was sold via Willie’s American Guitars in Minnesota in 2016 and comes with written provenance from them confirming the Setzer connection. Add to that its place within the coveted 367XX serial number batch, widely regarded as one of the most desirable periods of 6120 production, and you have a very special example indeed.
The Gretsch 6120 is one of the most instantly recognisable electric guitars ever made. Introduced in the mid 1950s as the first of Gretsch’s Chet Atkins signature models, the 6120 quickly moved beyond its country roots and found favour with players including Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy, Neil Young and, of course, Brian Setzer, whose association with the model helped cement its rock ’n’ roll status for a whole new generation.
By 1960, the 6120 had evolved into what many consider the definitive spec. The earlier full Western appointments had been pared back, and the 16" Maple bodies were now lightly trestle-braced measuring 2 1/2” deep with open bound f-holes, bound top and back. The three-piece maple/ebony/maple neck is joined using Gretsch’s dowelled heel method, with an ebony fingerboard, white binding, red side dots and Neo-Classic thumbprint inlays. The headstock carries the Gretsch T-top logo and horseshoe inlay, with the correct gold-plated open-back Grover Sta-Tite tuners. Serial number 36785 is shown on the correct Gretsch “The Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co.” label used during this period.
It retains its superb sounding early PAF Filter’Tron pickups along with their original gold-plated covers and etched plastic surrounds. These read 4.08k in the neck and 4.17k in the bridge, sitting right in the sweet spot. The individual volume controls and pickup selector work correctly, while the tone switch currently only has two of its three positions functioning.
Hardware includes the gold Lucite Gretsch/Chet Atkins signpost pickguard, correct Gretsch bar bridge on ebony base, Gretsch Bigsby B6 vibrato and the correct gold “G” arrow knobs used during this period. As expected, there is some light dulling and wear to the thin gold plating, but overall the hardware presents very well.
Condition is excellent throughout. The Western Orange finish remains strong and vibrant, with very little wear or fading to the body. The neck shows some honest playing wear, most notably along the thumb side between the 1st and 7th frets, giving the guitar a properly played-in feel without detracting from its overall appearance. The binding has resisted degradation seen so often on vintage Gretsch guitars.
The original frets retain good height and the guitar plays very well. The neck is a very comfortable slim/medium C profile measuring 19mm depth at the 1st fret and 24mm at the 10th. The nut measures 43.4mm.
This is a hugely desirable 1960 6120 from one of the most collectible batches, with excellent originality, superb condition and the added provenance of Brian Setzer ownership. A standout Gretsch by any standard, it would be a centrepiece in any serious collection.
Comes with a slightly later hard case with burgundy lining.
Adding product to your cart
At a Glance:
Model: 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body
Year: 1960
Finish: Western Orange
Serial Number: 36785
Provenance: Previously owned by Brian Setzer, with written provenance from Willie’s American Guitars, 2016.
Body: 16" maple hollow body, 2 1/2" deep
Bracing: Light trestle bracing
Neck: Maple/ebony
Fingerboard: Ebony - Neo-Classic thumbprint inlays with red side dots
Tuners: Correct gold-plated open-back Grover Sta-Tites
Pickups: Original PAF Filter’Trons with gold covers and etched surrounds
Pickup Readings: Neck 4.08k | Bridge 4.17k
Controls: Individual volumes and 3-position pickup selector. Tone switch currently has two of three positions functioning
Hardware: Gold Lucite signpost pickguard, Gretsch bar bridge on ebony base, Gretsch Bigsby B6 and gold “G” arrow knobs
Condition: Excellent overall, with strong unfaded Western Orange finish and neck wear
Frets: Original frets retaining good height
Nut width: 43.4mm
Neck Depth: 1st Fret - 19mm | 10th fret - 24mm
Case: Slightly later salt-and-pepper case with burgundy lining
Notes: Highly desirable 367XX batch example with excellent originality and Brian Setzer provenance
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.