Gretsch 6120W 1957

I have been playing for 22 years, nearly all of that doing rockabilly. I have had a Gretsch 6120 for 10 years (a 1990 G-Brand re-issue), and a genuine mint 1963 Chet Atkins. I have played Hofner arch-top single coil/bigsby guitars professionally since 1983. I was reading in the Cochran biog the other night that Eddie's guitar was a '55 (not a '57) and that the reason the scrathplate is clear is cos Eddie scraped all the colour off the back because he thought it was naff having a signature on your guitar. Basically this Gretsch looks like Eddie's and plays like a Gretsch 6120, but it is not authentic.
But the main thing is that no-one has said whether in SOUNDS like Eddie, so I have not bought one. It has been an objective of mine to play guitar like Eddie for longer than he was actually alive.

Strangely enough, I have started playing a 1979 Antoria Strat again and it is lovely!

Won't rehash the specifics; check out the Gretsch web page for details. The guitar was intended to be Gretsch's Eddie Cochran model, but his faimly wouldn't authorize the use of his name hence the family specificed -1957 model designation. I've seen some purist wine about the details, my advice to them would be to call Eddie's family with complaints. (although I did like the earlier hall of fame idea...) Gretsch got pretty close IMHO. Besides, there aren't too many well made hollow-body, single coil P/U guitars these days.

I play a rootsy/alt style and generally run through a all-tube Musicman 2/12 with an old school square knob Tubescreamer. I've been a solid body man for some time, but have always wanted a 6120 and I was stoked when I brought this one home. The guitar has a nice sound unplugged and screams when plugged in. The single coils work well with the full size body; the Fralin P90 has a full, almost jazzy sound and the dyna does sound very tele-ish as mentioned in other reviews. I've found myslef sitting in the middle position for rythm and isolating one P/U for solos. The bridge P/U is great for getting false harmonics and really cuts though on sinlge note runs. The P90 carries more sustain and sounds so great I am thinking of dropping one in my Tele.

Set up was good, action super low for a Gretsch. I'll swing it by my guitar tech later this week. Not sure if I like the fixed aluminum bridge, but the into. is dead on. P/Us seem well balanced and the finish is superb. If you want that old Gretsch orange, this is it! The aged binding and cowboy/Nashville details are great. One minor ding in the binding, but looks like it happened in the store. Loose nuts & screws, a common complaint with these Japanese Gretsches. Pots & jack seem very solid.

So far, so good. Seems well built. Kudos to the Japanese factory for overall quality.

No warranty card with the case, but I suspect that's GC's fault not Fender/Gretsch

I've been playing over twenty years & own a few Teles, a Strat and a Gretsch sparkle jet RI. Would replace it if stolen, but might go for a different 6120 model. Love the look & sound of it. Look is classic Gretsch, sound is a tele and LP junior rolled into one. Was surprised by the versitality of the tone & great neck action. Would reccomend to buddies & peers.

I'm really posting this because previous reviewer gmahon - who has obviously done his trainspotting - called for comments on his review.
The guitar's features are all availbale on the Gretsch pages or at the Gretsch guitar (thank you FMI) homepage so I won't bore you with the list.

I'm not going to take issue with the points raised by gmahon - I'm sure they are valid insofaras the details are concerned.

Me, I'll often go by the intent and spirit of the deed as opposed to the letter and it's this point I'd like to "review" when it comes to talking about the G6120 -1957W.

I agree with another previous reviewer's sensible remarks about the quality of Japanese product. I'm sure the Terada factory in particular will go down in guitar-making folklore as a sort of Japanese equivalent to Fullerton or Kalamazoo.

Frankly, I've waited more years than I care to remember to get my hands on an instrument such as this. There's an ambience and quality to it that defies a mere listing of specifications, thereby making, IMHO, gmahon's point about absolute attention to historically correct detail a somewhat pointless exercise.

Question: Does this guitar observe the spirit and tone and intention of the whole Cochran/Eddy/Haley/Setzer rockabilly ethos?
Answer (IMO): Yes, without equivocation.

It would be disingenuous of me, for example, to argue the merits of a gold anodised as opposed to a brushed aluminium Bigsby unit. Similarly, an opaque as opposed to a clear pickguard is not a significant issue in this reviewer's opinion.

Question: If I buy this guitar can I only play rockabilly and will I immediately grow a quiff the size of Brian Setzer's?

Answer: No to the first part, and in your dreams to the second.

The guitar is extremely versatile and in my experience, the sound it delivers depends very much upon the amp you choose to put it though. I have several amps, mostly valve but some solid-state. The only one the G6120 doesn't "like" is a modelling amp the name of which I shall not mention for fear of putting a certain vaunted company's nose out of joint. Point being that not only does the 6120 not like that amp, neither do the White Falcon, the '72 Nashville, the '76 Super Chet, the 6121 solid body and the Gibson ES-295 guitars I have also put through it. Moral of story: Don't buy crap modelling amps.

I'm a big fan of Gretsch's Filteron pickups and the difference between these in, say, the 6121 and the 6120's Dynasonic is marked - but that's the beauty of it, rather than the problem.
The 6120 offers slightly more than a single-coil sound (I think the Dynasonic is in P-90 territory, which is why it sits so well with the Lindy Fralin neck pickup) in a hollow body. In guitar terms, that's a rare combination and only Gibson's ES-330 series springs to mind as a viable comparison. A '60s Casino or a 330T is in this ballpark.
The 6120 also mimics the Telecaster or the Esquire in that it's tough to play it well but when you do spank it correctly, it sounds like guitar heaven, there's really no sound to compare...older Teles have that unique quality, some old Rics do as well, and a good pre-1969 Strat behaves similarly. A good Martin has that "signature" sound too and the joy is that it actually helps rather than hinders a player in achieving his or her own sound.
How? By providing an exciting sonic point of departure. If you don't get excited about taking that guitar out of its case, you won't get excited when you play. Get excited when you play and the creative juices start to flow...
In this department, I say the G6120-1957W scores an all-round 10.
It delivers at every other level too, and I am intrigued to know just what difference, apart from a gold anodised Bigsby unit, the US-made version of this guitar has that justifies it's almost-double price tag over the Japanese product.
Comments? Over to you - with thanks - gmahon and anyone else who can shed any light.
Oh, and I nearly forgot - love the "oversize' f-holes and way the whole guitar vibrates on the edge of feedback. It's called living dangerously in sonic terms, but it's a great pit-of-your-stomach experience.

This guitar is awesome. I'm a real musician playing real gigs and I needed a player. I have vintage guitars, and the vintage hollow bodies cause battles on the road. This guitar has given me a good medium. I've had a few gripes, loose screws when I got it etc., but overall this is an awesome guitar for a player. I bang it every night like I never could a vintage. I don't have the budget to beat the hell out of a real 57'. These reissues are fantastic guitars, Japanese or not. Try the tone--hollow body forever !!!!

As good as any guitar I've owned. My Paul Reed sounds like a Paul Reed. This sounds like a Gretsch.... a real one. Plus it stays in tune one hell of a lot better than my 60'. This guitars tone is versital, and powerful.

With a little bridge tweeking everything is perfect. I was only unhappy with a few loose screws on the pick guard and jack input. Otherwise great

I've been playing it hard for over 6 months with no problems. Awesome.

haven't needed it.

This is a 2001 Gretsch, made in Japan, supposedly a reissue of the Eddie Cochran guitar with a P-90 in the neck postion and a Dynasonic in the bridge position. The guitar has the Western inlays of the old 6120 (Chet Atkins design). It also has the cow inlay on the headstock, and a Gretsch brand "G" on the lower bout. The brand is not branded but is under the finish. The Bigsby is the swing arm brushed aluminum type, about which some complain. The tuners are gold Kluson reissues. The body is typical Gretsch, laminated maple construction, colored burnt orange like the older Gretsch models. The top is 1/8" thick, like the '59 Setzer that Brian plays. I measured everything! The finish is poly. The frets are small vintage size.

I have read reviews of this model, which complain that it is not exactly like Eddie's guitar. I say to them, go to Cleveland and try to work a deal with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if you want Eddie's guitar. As much as any modern reissue is a reissue this guitar is a very good representation of the Eddie type instrument. I was skeptical at first of a Japanese guitar, thinking of the junk I had seen over the years. But with the coming of CNC machines, let alone the technology and expertise that produces Lexus, Infiniti, Sony, etc. the Asian state is producing a flawless imitation of the older Gretsch's. I am very impressed with the workmanship, fit and finish of this guitar. I own 9 other guitars, all US models. The Japanese Gretsch is better than most and equal to the others, some of of which are far more expensive.

As far as sound, the combination of the P-90 and the Dynasonic gives the guitar a cross breed feel, somewhere between the early Chuck Berry and the twang of a vintage Tele. The single coil pickups transfer every brush stroke of the hand. I like single coils. Currently I play a Heritage archtop for Jazz style, which has Schaller humbuckers. Humbuckers are great for 'bucking the hum' but they lose the top end and presence in the process. I played the 6120W-57 against a 6120-60 before I bought the guitar. I noticed immediately the difference between the Filtertrons and the combo of P-90 and Dynasonic. This is definitely not a Filtertron guitar! It reproduces the pre-humbucker sound of early rockabilly, stuff you would hear from Cliff Gallup, Eddie Cochran, and Scotty Moore. The guitar sounds brighter and snappier than any Filtertron Gretsch. If that is what you want, this guitar is for you.

I played acoustic styles (Bluegrass, folk, and fingerstyle steel) for years before migrating across the tracks into the electric world. My style ranges from Chet Atkins fingerpicking to Doc Watson to Chuck Berry to Eddie Cochran to standard Jazz to roots rock and roll. This guitar is perfect for this. I had a Tele before getting this guitar. I could not get an acoustic sound of it. After all it is a solid body. The 6120W-57 gives me the Tele twang and the breathy acoustic sound I am looking for. As well one can dial in a jazz tone with the P-90.

I use a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue and a Dano-Echo pedal to get the tape delay sound. Mostly I just play the thing. The sound is in the fingers anyway. I think the guitar is great for someone coming from the acoustic world, who wants the older P-90 sound, but also wants a Tele twang to go along with it. If you dial in the P-90 you can get somewhat the ES-175 Gibson sound. If you dial in the Dynasonic you get Tele twang with the added bonus of an acoustic backing. In this sense the guitar is very versatile. I have checked the hum factor against my Heritage, finding that the 6120W-57 has no more ambient sound than it. The only difference I notice is its "breathiness." It picks up every stroke I make. In this case it is not good for a sloppy player. The guitar will magnify your mistakes as well as your successes.

As far as poly versus lacquer sound difference, I think this distinctin is in the mind. I have thin lacquer guitars ( 2 Collings flattops), a varnish Martin (2-17 from 1925), and a couple of high end Taylors (ultraviolet poly finish). My judgment is that the finish issue is between thick finish and thin finish, and also that the electric guitar is less of an issue than acoustic. That's MHO. If you want to pay more for lacquer, go ahead. If I played both, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, and I have been playing 40 years.

The amazing thing about this guitar is that it is flawless. I cannot find any defect. I thought when I bought it that I would need the shop to adjust the action. But after looking down the neck (about .005) and checking the action ( 4/64 and 3/64 at the 12fret)I couldn't think of anything to tell them to do except to oil the nut so the strings wouldn't bind. I even like the aluminum rocker bridge. Some have suggested a Tune-a-matic style bridge. But what for? I checked the intonation. It was dead on. I have bent the Bigsby back and forth with minimal tone problems. Every guitar I own goes out a bit on the B string (Satanic!)

My only complaint is the Bigsby. I am learning to use it. It feels a bit flimsy and the movable arm clicks when I move it around. I checked the Bigbsy website, and they don't seem to offer a fixed arm type. So until this happens, I will live with the current set-up.

Reliable? Seems great so far. The poly finish will probably do better than lacquer over the years. I have had lacquer finishes check with the change in season. The only issue I have is the Bigsby and its flimsy feel.

Don't know much about Gretsch. I usually think that a guitar is only as good as a guitar. I will return the instrument to Wash Music here in Maryland if I have a problem

I have been playing for 40 years. I would buy it again. I love it

at last gretsch release a eddie cochran model,but wait its all wrong,
they state his 6120 was a 1957 when in fact it was a 1955 chet atkins
hollowbody,the headstock is the wrong color,his was black they have made theres red the bigsby vibrato should be gold in color and of the fixed arm type,and not polished alumimum,last but not least,the pickguard should be frosted and not see through,please post comments