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Electric guitar
Date: 1963
Place Made:Brooklyn, New York, United States, North America
Model: 6120; Chet Atkins Hollow Body Guitar
Serial No: 57431
SignedAt the top of the headstock in italicized block letters with the “T” extending over the top of the letters “R,E,S & C.: GRETSCH
MarkingsOn the pickguard: Chet Atkins (in signature script) / N A S H V I L L E / “GRETSCH” (curved in block lettering with “T” extending over the letters “R,E,S & C.”
On the tailpiece: “GRETSCH” (slanting upward toward treble side in block lettering with the “T” extending over the letters “R,E,S & C” / BY / Bigsby (in script)
Mickey Gilley autograph on the bass side of the lower bout; Jimmy Swaggart autograph on the pickguard.
On the tailpiece: “GRETSCH” (slanting upward toward treble side in block lettering with the “T” extending over the letters “R,E,S & C” / BY / Bigsby (in script)
Mickey Gilley autograph on the bass side of the lower bout; Jimmy Swaggart autograph on the pickguard.
DescriptionHead: sides slightly concave, top design is symmetrical with a hump in the middle; black truss rod cover with three screw
Neck: three piece, maple/thin contrasting center strip/maple; fingerboard support under the fingerboard extending over the body; cream colored plastic binding, orange side dots on frets 1,3,5,7,9,15 and 17; two side dots on fret 12
Fingerboard: rosewood with Gretsch signature “thumbprint” position markers on frets 1,3,5,7,9,12,15 and 17; zero fret
Nut: Gruhn’s Guitar Guide says the original configuration of this guitar included a bone nut however the nut appears to be a translucent white plastic, it is also slightly shorter than the neck width so it may have been replaced.
Bridge: ebony base, adjustable bridge with a cylindrical saddle notched for strings and bent to match fingerboard curvature
Pegs: open gear, cast buttons with hexagonal bushings; the plating is reported as gold in Gruhn’s guide and Jay Scott’s book Gretsch, the plating is wearing off and the corrosion is greenish in color.
Strap button: nickel plated brass knurled knob which screws onto an inset screw mounted on the body
Pickup configuration: dual “Filter ‘Tron” humbucking pickups.
Controls: two switches on upper bass horn, pickup selector and tone selector with; master volume control on upper treble horn; four controls on lower treble bout, neck pickup volume, bridge pickup volume, standby switch and mute control lever; large black pad on the back of the guitar covers the access plate for the mute mechanism; the plating on the control knobs and covers is reported as gold in Gruhn’s guide and Jay Scott’s book Gretsch, the plating is wearing off and the corrosion is greenish in color
Pick guard: clear plastic with gold colored backing with Chet Atkins signature / N A S H V I L L E / GRETSCH on the lower end.
Finish: Orange lacquer,
Neck: three piece, maple/thin contrasting center strip/maple; fingerboard support under the fingerboard extending over the body; cream colored plastic binding, orange side dots on frets 1,3,5,7,9,15 and 17; two side dots on fret 12
Fingerboard: rosewood with Gretsch signature “thumbprint” position markers on frets 1,3,5,7,9,12,15 and 17; zero fret
Nut: Gruhn’s Guitar Guide says the original configuration of this guitar included a bone nut however the nut appears to be a translucent white plastic, it is also slightly shorter than the neck width so it may have been replaced.
Bridge: ebony base, adjustable bridge with a cylindrical saddle notched for strings and bent to match fingerboard curvature
Pegs: open gear, cast buttons with hexagonal bushings; the plating is reported as gold in Gruhn’s guide and Jay Scott’s book Gretsch, the plating is wearing off and the corrosion is greenish in color.
Strap button: nickel plated brass knurled knob which screws onto an inset screw mounted on the body
Pickup configuration: dual “Filter ‘Tron” humbucking pickups.
Controls: two switches on upper bass horn, pickup selector and tone selector with; master volume control on upper treble horn; four controls on lower treble bout, neck pickup volume, bridge pickup volume, standby switch and mute control lever; large black pad on the back of the guitar covers the access plate for the mute mechanism; the plating on the control knobs and covers is reported as gold in Gruhn’s guide and Jay Scott’s book Gretsch, the plating is wearing off and the corrosion is greenish in color
Pick guard: clear plastic with gold colored backing with Chet Atkins signature / N A S H V I L L E / GRETSCH on the lower end.
Finish: Orange lacquer,
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1047 mm (41-1/2”)
Back length: 516 mm (20-1/4”)
Upper bout width: 300 mm (11-3/4”)
Waist width: 248 mm (9-11/16”)
Lower bout width: 395 mm (15-1/2”)
Body thickness: 50 mm (2”)
Head length: 188 mm (7-3/8”)
Head width, top: 86 mm (3-3/8”)
Head width, bottom: 81 mm (3-3/16”)
Neck length (nut to end of neck fingerboard): 464 mm (18-1/4”)
Neck width, nut: 43 mm (1-11/16”)
Neck width, at 14th fret: 53 mm (3-3/32”)
Vibrating string length (nut to saddle edge): high E: 623 mm (24-7/16”)
Nut to 12th fret: 311 mm (12-7/32”)
Back length: 516 mm (20-1/4”)
Upper bout width: 300 mm (11-3/4”)
Waist width: 248 mm (9-11/16”)
Lower bout width: 395 mm (15-1/2”)
Body thickness: 50 mm (2”)
Head length: 188 mm (7-3/8”)
Head width, top: 86 mm (3-3/8”)
Head width, bottom: 81 mm (3-3/16”)
Neck length (nut to end of neck fingerboard): 464 mm (18-1/4”)
Neck width, nut: 43 mm (1-11/16”)
Neck width, at 14th fret: 53 mm (3-3/32”)
Vibrating string length (nut to saddle edge): high E: 623 mm (24-7/16”)
Nut to 12th fret: 311 mm (12-7/32”)
ProvenanceOriginally owned and played by Chet Atkins, Nashville, Tennessee. Atkins gave this guitar to country pianist Floyd Cramer, who in turn passed it along to Fred Gilley’s family in 1963. It has been played by Gilley’s cousins: Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, Jimmy Swaggart, and J. W. Brown.
Anonymous gift, 2013
Anonymous gift, 2013
Terms
Credit Line: Anonymous gift, 2013
Not on view
Object number: 14716