Gretsch 6122-62 Reissue

I don't know the exact year it was made, but I THINK it is a '94, from looking at the serial number. It was made in Japan, just like all Gretsch guitars are these days. Typical classic Gretsch: Hollowbody (although with fake "F-holes"), Bigsby, two Filtertrons. The only thing the previous owner did was to replace the original bar bridge with a Gibson-style tune-o-matic. I have no problems with the bridge, so I'll probably leave it alone. Everything you need is here....almost.

Ok, I think everyone by now knows the stock vs. TV Jones thing that the Gretsch nuts talk about. Well, I'll tell you the stock pickups don't really sound that bad. Do they sound like your typical classic Gretsch pickup? Uh, no. It just depends on your taste, that's all. If you like them, keep them, but in my opinion, they just sound dry and harsh. So yes, I bought a set of TV Jones classic pickups and had them installed. These are a LOT better. Now I have the look AND sound of a classic Gretsch. Having said that, it's hard to give this guitar just one rating for sound. So, rating with stock pickups? 7. Rating with TV Jones? 10!

Everything seems pretty solid, but you do have to be a little more careful with a hollowbody. The only bad things about this guitar are the standby switch and the tone switch. They crackle when you move them. This is a pretty common problem with the pre-Fender Gretsches, though, and shouldn't scare you away. It wouldn't be too hard to fix. The pickups selector works fine, which is all I use, anyway.

Other than the tone and standby switches, I think this guitar will be very dependable. The finish, binding and hardware plating all seem top notch and will probably last forever. The stock strap buttons kind of suck, but the previous owner replaced them, so no problems now. I don't think you would need a backup, but you might want to bring along a solid-body, just in case you want to play harder on a few songs.

Heard horror stories about the old Gretsch company's customer service, and haven't really heard great things about Fender's, either, so who knows. I've never dealt with either.

This is the guitar I have always wanted, no doubt about it. It makes playing guitar fun again. I had a new re-issue Gretsch Tennessean with the Hilotrons and, like an idiot, sold it. But, this guitar is a little more versatile, anyway. Nothing wimpy, noisy or harsh about it. Take into consideration though, that my overall rating is AFTER changing the pickups. Get one for yourself, you won't regret it!

This is one beautiful guitar.Its brand new with the brown finish.I sold one of these ( a 72) to Randy B. a few years ago and regretted it.I wish it had a tone control over this stupid treble cut toggle switch.It sounds too muddy with it on.I hate the standby too but I guess its a vintage thing.Bridge needs to be replaced with the new adjustable one.The straight across one is awful.Gold looks great though.Frets needed to be steel wooled.The bigsby does not stay in tune at all .It goes sharp every time I use it.I will need to oil it and the nut.

The pickups sound wonderful but here is a tip.I took them out and ground the edges down so I could raise them up higher.They will not clear the plastic rings.There is a brass back plate on them that sticks out over each side of the pickup.It somly will not clear the rings to go higher.They should make these flush.I ground the excess off and now they go all the way up to the strings like a gibson.Wow what an improvement in the dirty sound and volume.

Goes out of tune all the time cause the bridge is awful.Just buy the new tunamatic replacement one in gold.Not enough angle from where the strings go over the bridge.The bridge may move whenever you bend.If it does just use double sided carpet tape.

These are great guitars to play after you fight with them for a week or two.They will finally play right but you have to break them in.

Probably none..

Get one!I have two now .The other is a Tennessee Rose

As other reviewers have detailed all of the usual features associated with this model, I'll pass on most of this section. Mine is a 2001 build, that was supplied with a first-rate hard-case and truss-rod wrench, but little else.

What can I say? I'm an old Beatles nut, and it sits proudly next to my Jet-Glo Rickenbacker 325V63 in the corner of my living-room. I have to confess though, that it sounds diabolical through a very modern Cornford Harlequin amplifier that I recently purchased, an aspect shared by the Rickenbacker! Maybe these "Vintage" style guitars are more suited to matching-era amps,because it sounds vastly better through a Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb re-issue. No comparison!

The body construction seems first-rate, certainly a lot better than some old Gretsch guitars I'm come across. Pickup height is a personal preference, but these came pretty close to how I would have set them up myself. Frets are OK, but I needed to remove a few sharp edges before I was totally happy. Otherwise the neck is as straight as a die. Slightly noisy stand-by switch, but otherwise no real problems. Tuners feel a little vague, but I've become used to Sperzel lockers, so most other brands now feel that way to me! Like the Rickenbacker, it is definitely not suited to light guage strings. I'm currently using 12-52 Ernie Balls(wound 3rd), and anything lighter than 11's will slip off the bar-bridge when bending. The nut is also cut for Gretsch's own 12-52's (plain 3rd), so is not really suited to lighter guages. Anyway, it SOUNDS like a Gretsch with the 12's!

Purely a "hobby guitar", so it won't be traveling anywhere. Well-finished hardware, and a beautiful deep mahogany lustre on the body that looks very durable, so it should outlast me! The strap buttons are as most reviewers have stated, total rubbish! They freely unscrew from the body as a complete unit, but are a real bugger to seperate as designed. When I finally got them apart, the threads on the screws were covered in surface rust. Very poor indeed for such an expensive machine! Fortunately, I mainly play mine while seated, so a neckstrap is rarely used. Couldn't see them standing up to the rigors of a traveling musician, though.

We don't deal directly with Gretsch from here in Japan, but we get good service from the agents of most guitar brands in this country! In many ways, Japan is a guitar-player's paradise!

38 years of playing, so I've had most of 'em at sometime or the other!
My current batch include the above-mentioned Rickenbacker 325V63 Re-issue, PRS Custom 22 "Artist Package", Suhr Classic, Parker Fly Deluxe, 2x Steinbergers, plus Martin and Larrivee acoustics.
Nostalgia was my main reason for buying the Gretsch, but it's proved to be quite a versatile instrument, so I wouldn't hesitate to replace it if the need be. It looks beautiful, feels great, and I hear the sound of George Harrison every time I plug it in! What more could you ask for? Finally, for anyone contemplating buying one, don't be swayed by this apparent urge that many owners have to immediately swap the pickups for TV Jones. Give the originals a try first; you might be pleasantly surprised.

1999 Country Classic -6122-62 reissue
Dark Walnut Finish- Double cutaway style
Three piece laminated rock maple neck with binding
Neo-Classic inlays
Ebony fretboard
Bar bridge
Zero Fret
Laminated Maple Construction
Dual Filtertron pickups-Ceramic Magnets
Vinyl back pad/with buttons
Deluxe high ratio machine heads
Multiple Binding/ body
Binding on headstock
25 1/2 scale joined at 14 fret
17 inch body- 2 1/8 deep
Simulated F-Holes
24 karat Gold plated hardware
Solid Brass control knobs-24 karat gold plated
Gretsch Bigsby flat handle Vibrato tailpiece-gold plated

Nice sound. I play this out of a 1975 Fender Princeton Reverb tube amp.Currently I have a set of Daddario 12s rounds on this.Sounds full and has a good overall range of sounds. It can give you some nice Beatle sounds but its not exact. I guess amp and strings have alot to do with it.I would recommend changing the pick ups to TV Jones. More Beatley. I like the Daddario's..it gives you some better highs and overall treble that some flats lack.I would not recommend using anything lighter than 10s on these. This guitar does have a nice range of sounds.

Guitar was bought mint but used and came with Gretsch logo case. Very nice condition. Beautiful guitar! I can't keep my eyes off it. Very dark walnut which I was hoping for. If this doesn't give you the Harrison/Beatle vibe ...nothing will.Everything on this guitar was made and assembled very well. Electronics and switches aren't too bad on this one. No flaws. This is one well made guitar.I would like to see the Gretsch headstock logo corrected as the new logos are not like the originals but most people won't ever notice. Only fanatics like me would. Could use the Grover Imperials on it for the vibe but the stock tuners work well.No mutes like the originals. Maybe Gretsch would put fake ones on with red pads just for a nice cosmetic touch.. I don't think so.. but you could for about 2 bucks. The guitar intonates and tunes pretty good for having a bar bridge..heck HARRISON made his play pretty good. Well cut nut and nice frets. I really love playing this especially doing the solos from All My Loving and Till There Was You!! LOL Overall cool look and vibe. Good sound from the pick ups but TV Jones is the way to go here. Gets a better sound.

Good so far. Strap buttons ok on this one at this point.

None yet!

I have been playing for 23 years. Owned alot of guitars..Les Paul 74, Rickenbackers, Gretschs,Hofner basses, Fenders,Gibsons and other various cheapo models. This Gretsch is pretty nice and has the vibe.If it were stolen I 'd have to replace it!!