Gretsch 6120 Review

Jeff

Enlightened Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
5,990
Reaction score
4
Location
seattle
Played one of these babies today. Went in to the local shop to try out a compressor pedal & this looked like it'd be close to my Starfire.

Tag was marked "Shop Damage" $1599, list $3275. Shop damage being a jagged hole about the size of a ping pong ball along the edge of the lower bout, you could stick you finger into the body, & about 3 inches of binding gouged out. Other'n that, pretty good shape. Crafted in Japan the man says.

My skill level doesn't qualify me to post a definitive review, seems to me the Gretsch has subtle differences but in terms of tones & playability let's just say $900 for my SF III in pristine shape was a smokin deal... 8) :D Yessir, smokin.

Boss's compressor pedal isn't turning my crank. Starfire on the other hand??


477659jpg.jpg
CS3.jpg

093804.jpg
 

capnjuan

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
4
Location
FL
Hi Geoffrey: if this was a 'Poll' thread and the deal was the SF plus 7 barrels of oil for a nice-looking MIJ Gretsch w/ an 1 1/2" hole in it ... love that 'Burst! cj
 

Mark WW

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Messages
660
Reaction score
99
Location
Floriduh
You could get one on e-bay sans hole for that price or less in very nice shape. 6120's are great guitars. Just depends on whether you like a single coil (Dyna's) or humbucker (Filtertron).

Guild and Gretsch are great guitars.
 

capnjuan

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
4
Location
FL
Mark WW said:
You could get one on e-bay sans hole for that price or less in very nice shape. 6120's are great guitars. Just depends on whether you like a single coil (Dyna's) or humbucker (Filtertron). Guild and Gretsch are great guitars.
Hi Mark; not trying to get personal or anything but where in FL are you? We're making a 1/2-baked effort to rally the FL LTG BBers! cj
 

dklsplace

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2001
Messages
3,325
Reaction score
0
You can all thank Gretsch & the 6120 in particular for the existence of Lets Talk Guild. I've posted my story before....essentially, it was my desire for a 6120 that ultimately led me to Guild. 8)
 

Default

Super Moderator
Platinum Supporting
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
13,595
Reaction score
3,008
Location
Philly, or thereabouts
Guild Total
11
If I've gotten the story correct, after Fred Gretsch bought back the rights to make Gretsch guitars, he visited every American manufacturer, trying to get them to build guitars for him. Nobody would build a competing product, so he had to go to the Japanese. The Tarada (sp?) factory makes good guitars, and the build quality is consistently excellent.
I'm less of a Gretsch fan than I used to be, but that could just be a change in taste. The product is good, but I'm not as interested in rockabilly as I used to be.
 

northbayj

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
273
Reaction score
3
The build quality of American made Gretsches was pretty variable. I understand that the models from the 50s were very good, but things started to get suspect in the mid 60s. The 67 Tennessean I owned had all kinds of issues, and they were pretty common - bent neck, evaporating binding, etc. I've played a few of the Japanese Gretches at music stores and the build quality seems excellent. No way to know how they'll hold up over 40 years, but if I was on the market for a Gretsch to play - without regards to collecting value - I'd definitely go with one of the new ones.
 

Pappy

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
61
Reaction score
0
Location
Middle Georgia
As would I. Pretty much the only vintage guitars I'd ever really look at are Guilds, for the great feel of them (the vintage Gretsches I've played are OK, but the newer ones seem better to me) and the reasonable prices.
 

Frosty

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
1,459
Reaction score
21
Location
New England, USA
I have a Gretsch G6122-1959 Country Gentleman sitting at home. I got to play it a couple of days before I hurt my hand (another story in another thread). I don't play rockabilly or anything like that, but the guitar sure sounds good and works well for fingerpicking Atkins or Travis style. It's made in Japan, I think, and is quite a nice guitar in the fit-and-finish department.

I generally have no use for electric guitars, but I felt this model was different. Who knows where this will lead? :wink:
 
Top