Gretsch 8120BS

Guitar made in Japan by Ibanez in 1998, contracted by Fred Gretsch Enterprises. Has 22 frets of which only 17 are really accessible because of the single cut away and hollow body style. The finger board on neck has semi jumbo frets with stained rosewood board. The top is laminated maple painted in the only color this guitar comes, sunburst blue. It,of course, has the same features as other 6120's but this particular model comes in blue transparent paint so that you can see the wood underneath. Equipped with a Bibsby tail piece with an unusual feature that is often associated with Gretsch, a floating bridge, meaning the bridge is not attached to the guitar but actually is held down by the pressure of the stings on the saddles of the roller type bridge. I since have changed the roller bridge to a Gibson tune-o-matic on top. The neck is not nearly as fast as a Strat or telecaster neck but the hollow body of the guitar can make sounds you could not make with a strat or tele. Guitar comes with 24 karat gold plated hardware, includomg the two filtertron pickups, and Bigsby tailpiece. It is a peculiar but very beautiful guitar. The case is not included in the price most of the time, as is with many other very good guitars that do not cost any more, or even less. This is really inane as the guitars are shipped from the factory warehouse in the cases for protection. The case reatails for about $229 but sells for about $130

This 6120BS suits the way I play very well as do a alot of strumming and some lead on such as country gospel, country, and blues. I only use a blues driver with this and usually through a 71 Twin Reverb, a 98 Fender Ultimate Cho=rus, or a Crate GFX65. It has all the sound that you are able to make with your fingers and your heart. It is a hollow body guitar so you will get feed back with the filtertron pickups and the hollow body. The filtertrons are so microphonic you could almost sing through them, but that does not take away from the guitar.

I picked the guitar up right from the factory just out of the box. It was set up very well. Strings set low but not so low to make buzzing. the guitar had no flaws in it. Not a scratch or anything loose. As far as the strings go I had them set up just a little higher. Being close to the frets is not always good as far as I am concerned, but each to his/her own likes.

I would play this guitar on live television. As far as the gold on the hardware. I have seen the finish last for many years if taken care of properly. It will stay on my life time. One can always have them replated if needed. I was very pleased with the strap buttons until I got a query from another Gretsch player about his strap buttons coming loose. I do think that Gretsch could do better than just drilling an undersized hole in the guitar and basically screwing a wood screw into the guitar with a gold knob on it. Of course, the gold knob and the double threaded bolt are two different pieces. If the knob is screwed down too tightly that means when it is backed off the screw will probably come out with it. It really is a shame for such a nice guitar to have so many little things wrong with it such as (I have read on the gretschpages.com) loose switches, pots rusty, strap bolts, buzzing, etc. It really is a shame to pay from $1400 to over $2000 for a guitar then have to get the wood glue to repair something as simple as a wood screw when a strap button could have been secured with metal with very little cost. This is a guitar made of very good material and craftsmanship, there is just a lack of overseeing the small problems. Every thing that most people talk about could be fixed very easily without little or no more rise in price if the company had a quality control looking over the guitars more closely before letting them be sold. Seems that Fred Gretsch and his wife are so busy making money that they don't have time to listen to the customer, and in the long run will cost them just like fender got themselves into trouble with the G&L etc. I may be complaining about the small things but I would play this guitar anytime without a backup only a few extra strings.

I have not dealt with the company as had no reason.

I have been playing a guitar too long to be no better than I do. I have been playing for about thirty six years. I do wish that I has found out more about the new Gretsches before I bought this guitar. The only Gretsch I played before was a Country Gent and it is very old; but is a beautiful well made guitar. It has a beautiful sound. I did compare this guitar to other guitars. I played new epiphones all arch tops. I did play the line of Ibanez Artstar and did like the Af120 Artstar very much as far as playability and sound. I do wish that this guitar had been offered with the dynasonic or Alnico filtertron pickups with the magnets. I would tell anyone who is looking for a guitar to make sure you look at all there is to offer to suit your needs. Unless you have money don't buy a guitar that costs over $1000 on an impulse, you will be dissatisfied and will lose money trading the guitar for another. If you have never trqded a guitar you will find out that as soon as you leave that Music store that guitar has devalued about half in some cases as to what you paid. I will keep this 6120BS and play it. It will be passed on to my children unless Gibson comes back out with a great guitar like they used to make.