The Chetboard

Gretsch G6122T-59GE Golden Era Edition 1959 Chet Atkins® Country Gentleman® with Bigsby®, TV Jones®, Walnut Stain, Lacquer 2401234892



Inspired by the original CGP (Certified Guitar Player), Chet Atkins, this Country Gentleman is more than able to keep up with the most fleetfingered guitarist. Packed with the sound, style and features that made the original a legend, the ’59 Gent provides highly responsive, amazingly articulate sound.

A pair of TV Jones® pickups—a Super’Tron Classic Plus bridge pickup and Super’Tron neck pickup—responds to every stroke with defined, eloquent tone. Traditional Gretsch controls, volume for each pickup, and master volume allow you to blend the pickups to create countless tonal variations. Add the new Gretsch “Squeezebox” paper-in-oil capacitors and you get incredibly silky vintage high end. The standard “U”-shaped maple neck with 1.75” nut bears a 12”-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 vintage-style small frets and is a picker’s dream. A pinned “rocking” bar bridge works with the Bigsby B6GWVT vibrato tailpiece for stable tuning while the vintage-style genuine bone nut lets the strings slide freely without binding in the slots.

All of the ’59 Gent’s classic features are here— laminated 5-ply figured maple top with painted F Holes, “wire” vibrato arm, gold “G Arrow” control knobs, aged white binding with black purfling, gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish, aged pearloid thumbnail inlays, gold vintage thick plexi pickguard with Gretsch logo and gold Grover® Imperial™ tuning machines with ‘butterbean’ buttons. A truly classic instrument with refined style and sound, the Golden Era Edition 1959 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman with Bigsby is a fine addition to any guitarist’s collection.




Features
Series: Gretsch® Professional Collection
Body Material: Laminated Flamed Maple
Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Upper Bout: 12” (305mm)
Lower Bout: 17” (432mm)
Waist: 10.25” (260mm)
Neck: Maple, Standard “U”
Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Fingerboard: Ebony, 12” (305 mm)
Pickups: TV Jones Super’Tron Classic Plus (Bridge and Neck)
Position Inlays: Aged Pearloid Thumbnails
Nut (Material/Width): Bone, 1.75” (44.45 mm)
Tuning Machines: Grover® Imperial™ with Butter-Bean Buttons
Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
Bridge: Rocking Bar, Pinned
Tailpiece: Bigsby® B6GWVT
Pickguard: Gold Plexi with Black Gretsch Logo
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge
And Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. Neck Pickup, Volume
Gretsch G6122T-59GE Golden Era Edition 1959 Chet Atkins® Country Gentleman® with Bigsby®, TV Jones®, Walnut Stain, Lacquer 2401234892

Inspired by the original CGP (Certified Guitar Player), Chet Atkins, this Country Gentleman is more than able to keep up with the most fleetfingered guitarist. Packed with the sound, style and features that made the original a legend, the ’59 Gent provides highly responsive, amazingly articulate sound.

A pair of TV Jones® pickups—a Super’Tron Classic Plus bridge pickup and Super’Tron neck pickup—responds to every stroke with defined, eloquent tone. Traditional Gretsch controls, volume for each pickup, and master volume allow you to blend the pickups to create countless tonal variations. Add the new Gretsch “Squeezebox” paper-in-oil capacitors and you get incredibly silky vintage high end. The standard “U”-shaped maple neck with 1.75” nut bears a 12”-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 vintage-style small frets and is a picker’s dream. A pinned “rocking” bar bridge works with the Bigsby B6GWVT vibrato tailpiece for stable tuning while the vintage-style genuine bone nut lets the strings slide freely without binding in the slots.

All of the ’59 Gent’s classic features are here— laminated 5-ply figured maple top with painted F Holes, “wire” vibrato arm, gold “G Arrow” control knobs, aged white binding with black purfling, gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish, aged pearloid thumbnail inlays, gold vintage thick plexi pickguard with Gretsch logo and gold Grover® Imperial™ tuning machines with ‘butterbean’ buttons. A truly classic instrument with refined style and sound, the Golden Era Edition 1959 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman with Bigsby is a fine addition to any guitarist’s collection.




Features
Series: Gretsch® Professional Collection
Body Material: Laminated Flamed Maple
Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Upper Bout: 12” (305mm)
Lower Bout: 17” (432mm)
Waist: 10.25” (260mm)
Neck: Maple, Standard “U”
Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Fingerboard: Ebony, 12” (305 mm)
Pickups: TV Jones Super’Tron Classic Plus (Bridge and Neck)
Position Inlays: Aged Pearloid Thumbnails
Nut (Material/Width): Bone, 1.75” (44.45 mm)
Tuning Machines: Grover® Imperial™ with Butter-Bean Buttons
Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
Bridge: Rocking Bar, Pinned
Tailpiece: Bigsby® B6GWVT
Pickguard: Gold Plexi with Black Gretsch Logo
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge
And Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. Neck Pickup, Volume 2. Bridge Pickup, Master Volume
Control Knobs: “G” Arrow
Hardware: Gold
Strings: Nickel Plated Steel .011-.049
Case/Gig Bag: Includes G6242L Deluxe Hardshell Case

Gretsch is also putting out some models with the solid block thru center, that's what Chet always wanted them to do. They also have a new 6120 model called the 6120 T-FM. It is 2 1/4 thick. The T is for Thin. I think the FM is for figured Maple. It also has oil Flux Capacitors, and String thru Bigsby, Locking tuners, Bone nut, maybe something else, I don't remember everything. Sounds pretty cool to me! Al

"22 vintage-style small frets":

I wonder if the smaller frets give a more noticeable "snap" on the trebles, like what you hear on Chet's earlier recordings.

LMark

P.S. I wish they would make one just like that (or just like the 59CG with its slim profile neck), except in a 24-3/4 scale. The 6122-1958 is 24-3/4 but does not have a zero fret, dontcha know?

Chet Atkins had bigger and taller frets installed on his 59 for stronger pull-offs. Al

albertgen wrote:Chet Atkins had bigger and taller frets installed on his 59 for stronger pull-offs. Al

That's interesting, Al. Is that in Me and My Guitars?

No, It is in a Guitar Player interview he did in about 1979. He talks about how he changed his 59 to suit him. Al

The article is in October 1979 Guitar Player magazine. He talks about having his 59 Single Cutaway 59 refretted with high frets 105 thousands of an inch high. He also talks about he and Paul Yandell installing a phase shifter in it. It is a great interview! Al

"...Bigsby® B6GWVT..."

Wondering if this is one of the "straight through" pinless new versions of the Bigsby. Can't find a description of this specific version on the net

Also wondering if the wider neck is optional

Probably not

albertgen wrote:He talks about having his 59 Single Cutaway 59 refretted with high frets 105 thousands of an inch high.

Does he say when the refret was done? I am guessing that everything prior to 59 (on Gretsch) and perhaps for some time after that did have the finer wire frets. I hear a really distinctive bite or snap on the trebles on those old recordings, especially in the higher registers.

LMark

He said in the article " I recently had new frets installed" so I assume it was in 1979. I know what you mean about the pull-offs. I just came to the conclusion it was in his hands. I never heard anybody do pull-offs like Chet Atkins except Lenny Breau. I wish I could do that. What an amazing man! Nobody could play thirds like he could either. He is a mystery like Django was. Al