Description
What makes this guitar special: This is a discontinued model in superb condition & comes with a pro set up from Cream City Music. The original prototype Gretsch STEREO guitar was created for Chet Atkins in 1956 with the help of musician and electronics repairman Ray Butts. Ray's ingenious split-dual-coil pickup was assembled on a prototype G6120 guitar with closed simulated "F-Hole" inlays on the body. Only ONE was ever produced. Chet used this special, one-of-a-kind instrument on his ground breaking 1957 album, "Finger-Style Guitar". Wired with two output jacks, the signal from the bass strings would run through the echo input on his amplifier while the treble strings were fed dry through the normal channel. Though at the time the concept of a "stereo" guitar was a brilliant idea, it was deemed impractical as the cost to produce it put it out of reach of the general buying public. The project was shelved. With the help of legendary sideman & bandleader to Atkins, Paul Yandell, and renowned pickup designer/luthier, Tom "TV" Jones, Gretsch is proud to introduce the G6120-CGP Chet Atkins STEREO guitar. With a flip of a switch the instrument operates in Mono or Stereo. In STEREO mode, the signal of the low E, A & D strings are isolated to a designated output jack while the high E, B & G strings are routed to their own output jack. Whether you use two amplifiers spread apart or record a performance with a wide left/right pan, the results are mind blowing! In MONO mode, the signal to all six strings route to one output.
Cosmetic Condition: Excellent condition - very clean & like new with only some mild surface scratches.
Neck: Nicely rounded maple neck with cream binding & red side-dots. Dark rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl block inlays. Frets are in great shape with no wear. Bound headstock with pearloid horseshoe & Gretsch inlays. CGP logo on the back of the headstock. Grover Sta-Tite tuners are in perfect working condition. 1 11/16" polished aluminum nut; 24 3/4" scale length. Neck is straight & truss rod is in perfect working condition.
Body: Hollow maple body with simulated F-holes & 'G' brand. Bigsby tremolo tailpiece with 'wire' arm. The arm is currently set up to swing, but a stationary mount is also included with the guitar. Rocking Bar bridge with rosewood base; gold hardware. Gold plexi pickguard with Chet Atkins 'sign post' logo. Guitar weighs 7 lbs 9.7 oz.
Pickups: TV Jones dual-coil humbuckers. Pickup selector, Stereo/Mono selector, Volume 1 (neck pickup), Volume 2 (bridge pickup), master volume. Mono & Stereo outputs. All electronics are in perfect working condition.
Case: Original hardshell case included along with COA & original Gretsch paperwork.
