The Gretsch 6120 is a hollow body electric guitar with f-holes, manufactured by Gretsch and first appearing in the mid-1950s with the endorsement of Chet Atkins. It was quickly adopted by rockabilly artists Eddie Cochran and Duane Eddy, and later by Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Randy Bachman, Brian Setzer, Reverend Horton Heat, and many others.
Pete Townshend received one as a gift from Joe Walsh in 1970, which he would use while recording Who's Next and Quadrophenia. Poison Ivy Rorschach of The Cramps notably played a 1958 Gretsch 6120, which she bought in 1985. She said it was her favourite guitar to play. The 6120 has been Manu Chao's preferred electric guitar to play live since 2002.
Production history
The 6120 was the first in the line of "Chet Atkins" signature Gretsch Guitars. The prototype for the 6120 was first presented to Atkins in 1954 and was labeled as a Streamliner Special, with the serial number 13753. A second prototype was made, adding a vibrato tailpiece and a metal nut. Both prototypes had an unbound headstock, which did not carry over to the production models when the 6120 debuted in 1955.
Originally priced at $385, the 6120 was quite expensive compared to models from other companies, such as Gibson's Les Paul Goldtop, which retailed at $225, or Fender's Telecaster at $189.50.
In 1958, the thumbnail "neoclassic" fret markers were introduced. The DeArmond pickups were discontinued, with Gretsch using their own Filter'Tron humbuckers.