A client wanted to sell me a 1961 Gretsch Chet Atkins today, has no idea what it is worth.

[Crimsontider]

I was working on a guys computer today and he came out with an old Gretsch from 1961, it had the Chet Atkins signature, was orange, and had the old tremolo bar. A Square metal engraved bar on the headstock and a model number was 6128 or something. He bought it in Chattanooga for $500 around 1964. That set of alarm bells right there, that was a lot back then. He thought it was the "Nashville" Model, but all I am seeing is Tennessean. It also had a circular canvas covering on the back, it was in excellent condition and I could tell the strings are old, and that it was the real deal.

He said he would sell it to me for half what it's worth, I said that would still probably be $2000 and laughed and said he wished. I could walk to his house tomorrow and take it for $1000 I bet. He knows all my family and is in his late 70's. He just has no need for it.

Is this the one that goes for several thousand?

Just curious. It has been sitting in a closet for the past 25+ years. It has a slim neck and the action was really good. The body wood looked expensive, I though it was mahogany but he thought it was chestnut or something. It was one piece, and again had the Atkins sig and the square metal plate and serial number.

What would you do?

It looked like this but had the round black canvas thing on the back of the body. Can't remember what he said it was for.

http://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Gretsch-Chet-Atkins-Country-Gentlemen-1959-Walnut-34076

[kizanski]

What would you do?

I'd buy it and flip it, especially if it had a zero fret. Hate those fucking things.

It looked like this but had the round black canvas thing on the back of the body. Can't remember what he said it was for.

It's to cover the huge backplate and put some padding against your belly.

[Feynman]

Even in a tight economy, a '61 6120 or 6128 or 6122 should still be worth several thousand (I'd say 4K+).

But, I don't think the leather pad appeared as early as '61...I could be wrong though. As to the pad, I quote: "That's the guitar's ball sack. It contains pure mojo."

If it's a real early sixties Gretsch of most any model, you'd be silly to pass on it for $1000 unless something was terribly wrong with it. Many of those older ones had some fairly serious neck issues, but at $1000 even those could be worth fixing. As you get later into the 60s, the price drops off.

Like so?

or:

Single or double cutaway? Real or painted f-holes? etc. Something else entirely?

Heck, even if it's a newer Japanese reissue, $1000 is too low.

Edited again since I saw your link....so ignore most of what I said, but it's going to be a valuable guitar in any case.

[Feynman]

What would you do?

I'd buy it and flip it to Feynman.

Agreed.

[cynic]

The back pads did exist in '61 but were made of fabric. They were subsequently changed to leather in '62. There are also three body thickness changes that occurred over the three years 60-62.

Pre 61 = 2.75"

'61 = 2.25"

post '61 = 1.875

[Crimsontider]

It looked like this one

The guitar was no doubt vintage. The strings were 10 years old, but it was still in tune!

He and his wife live in my neighborhood, they are your typical church going early 80's couple. He has one guitar period, and he just brought it out because I mentioned that I played in a band with their plumber!

The guitar was solid body I think. The hollow-body designs were painted. He said it was a 1961 Chet Atkins "Nashville". that he personally bought in 64 for $500. The metal pickups, square branded bar on the headstock and tremolo were obviously vintage. It was in great condition, very well taken care off, but the metal had lost some of it's shine. The tremolo pivoted perfectly, the action was perfect up and down and the wood had no nicks, just dust. He said the serial was 6000 something, but I did not see it. While he was taking it back to the closet he just mentioned, well you can have for half of what it's worth, which I don't know. Is it $3000? or more?

I will post pictures tomorrow, and if you guys can give me an estimate of worth, like over $3000, I will go down and give him a grand. This is just an old piece of furniture to him, and like I said, he and his wife knows my entire family, although I did not know that until I started talking with them.

I'll get some good pics.

Do they still make these models today? And are the older one's like this worth more? I am insightful, and there is no doubt this is a 1961 model. Just happened upon it.

[jim777]

I was just recently doing some Gretsch research due to a very odd new one (http://www.musicradar.com/us/reviews/guitars/gretsch-g5034tft-rancher-601816) and in my travels found something that said in '63 Gretsch was selling about 100 guitars a month. After the Beatles went on Ed Sullivan, that went up to 500-600 a day! So, anything made before the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan would be quite a bit rarer (and more valuable) than the ones that followed.

I think if it were me, I would buy it, keep it, and play it. It would make the original owner happy to have it played, and it will only appreciate in your hands as well. Smells like Win/Win from here

[django49]

Gretsch has never been "my thing" but that is a no brainer.

[Sugartune]

I'd buy it and play it/keep it.

[Crimsontider]

Yeah, it's going to be mine. It's safe in his closet and I do want to post a picture and get all the numbers. His inspiration for getting it was Chet Atkins and Les Paul. I am not dishonest by nature, but I am going to say that I saw one on the net for $2500 and offer him a thousand and go from there. I don't have a huge savings but have resources if I need them. But I do want to post the exact specs tomorrow, and then negotiate. I think he wants me to have it, wants it to go to a good home.

He is not the type that would make up 'I paid $500 for this 1961Grestch while I was living in Chattanooga and going to law school' and then go on with a story about the first time Les Paul saw Chet Adkins play.

Thanks for the advice. I was not aware that they still made these in Japan, after seeing some pics online, and noticing that his chrome had dulled a bit. But damn did that thing play nice. Even the high d bar notes were in tune on the high octave.

[Crimsontider]

On second though. I am just going to go buy it. No need to go down there and act like I discovered the Holy Grail. It plays, the tremolo works, the neck is good and it's vintage. Just going to pull out a thousand and march on down the hall.

The back pads did exist in '61 but were made of fabric. They were subsequently changed to leather in '62. There are also three body thickness changes that occurred over the three years 60-62.

Pre 61 = 2.75"

'61 = 2.25"

post '61 = 1.875

I was a little tired when I looked, but it seemed like a thick mesh or leather, black. I also think he was telling me the model number 6120 or similar and not the serial number.

It was an old guitar, but I don't believe played really hard through the years. The tremelo rotated well and I "showed off" some chords using the tremolo as vibrato, and it was smooth.

I have a really good feeling that this is a $3000+ guitar from an 80 year old that bought it practically new, was his practice guitar and it just aged with him. The worst that can happen is that it is a 1964.

[crunchee]

If you get tired of it, I'll give you Tree Fitty for it.

http://www.gretschguitars.com/blog/product-plugs/john-lennons-gretsch-g6120dc-featured-in-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/?EDID=RN50MSE-IYXE7-NZTVS-VB1O6-R8M3-v1

[cmatthes]

It definitely isn't a Tennessean with the back pad.

The only Orange hollowbody made was the 6120. Not sure what you mean by "the hollow body designs were painted"?? I'll assume you mean that the F-holes were painted on, not cut through the top. In that case, It could be as early as '62, but I'm thinking more likely late '63 or '64. Definitely not '61, despite your friend's memory. If you are trying to say that it had a square plaque/plate on the headstock, it'd then be more likely that it's even later, like '65-'69, especially if it read "Nashville".

I really cannot understand your description at all, it's incredibly tough to follow. Pics would really help.

[Crimsontider]

It definitely isn't a Tennessean with the back pad.

The only Orange hollowbody made was the 6120. Not sure what you mean by "the hollow body designs were painted"?? I'll assume you mean that the F-holes were painted on, not cut through the top. In that case, It could be as early as '62, but I'm thinking more likely late '63 or '64. Definitely not '61, despite your friend's memory. If you are trying to say that it had a square plaque/plate on the headstock, it'd then be more likely that it's even later, like '65-'69, especially if it read "Nashville".

I really cannot understand your description at all, it's incredibly tough to follow. Pics would really help.

It's not a 61. I was worn out and should have looked closer.

From research the past 2 hours I am pretty sure it is a 64-67 Chet Nashville 6120, it has the metal plate instead of the horse shoe on the neck, which I only saw 64- unless it did not have the hole in the back, and that was a late 50's. He did say it was a Nashville and mentioned 1964, and I know it's a Chet. This is what I am expecting to see tomorrow.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1967-Gretsch-Chet-Atkins-Nashville-Electric-Guitar-/330716485207

http://books.google.com/books

Except most are not this expensive, more in the $3000 range?

1. Looks like a Nashville, he said it was.

2. Most likely Leather on the back with plate, so no 61-63.

3. The The F holes were covered and pretty sure black.

The guitar needed polishing but the frets were not worn. You could tell the metal pup's and tremolo were vintage aged.

I am expecting to read Nashville on the plate and will get the serial number and go to this site. I hope he has the case too. He was probably a casual

player that bought a really nice guitar in the day and didn't play it that much. I think $1000 is a good deal for us both.

He may have mentioned 61 as a date he met Chet in Chatanooga. Working on computers and networking for a few hours and it was close to 7 P.M. And I didn't know a damn thing about Gretsch outside a snare drum I have and that they were one of the "it" guitars of their time.

http://www.acousticmusic.org/Gretsch-Model-and-Serial-Numbers-sp-44.html#Gretsch_Serial_Numbers

[atomicwash]

I recently played a similar Gretsch at Willie's in Mpls. Very nice. They wanted $4000.

[Steve Haynie]

Some people I know have been Gretsch heads from the 60's and maybe earlier, so their guitars passed around the music store years ago. The first time I saw the snap on pad it was odd. Now, it is normal. The only guitars I have seen with the pads have been dark brown, and all had painted f-holes.

[kizanski]

My '64 6120 was orange and had the pad.

And I sold it for about $1000... about 20 years ago.

[dragan]

I think some models had a square badge on the head as early as 1960 , my 6125 anny from 1960 does .

[cmatthes]

It's not an Anniversary or Double Anniversary. 6120s had the horseshoe inlay headstock through '65, after which the Beatles were selling more Gretsches than Chet was. It's an orange double cut with a back pad and a metal badge/plaque on the head. That would put it into the '65-'69 era, and Gretsch was pumping out more guitars then at the peak of their popularity. As such, it isn't rare, but if you find it to actually play well, grab it, as the quality and playability of those went downhill during that time period. If I were to toss a wild guess out there, I'm saying it's likely. '67, but only because 90% of the double cut 6120s I've seen over the last 30 years have all been from that year. $1,000 is a no brainier - you're not going to make a killing on it, but it seems like a fair deal if the seller knows, likes and trusts you and wouldn't otherwise pass it along to kids/grand kids.

[jim777]

A lot of us old timers have really bad memories too, so....

[hamerhead]

Off-topic but, Chris your sig pic RULES!

[Sugartune]

That's from the book, which also rules! Got me on here (blame Jol for that, for promoting its existence to us then non-HFCers).

[cmatthes]

Off-topic but, Chris your sig pic RULES!

Thanks! I actually played two of the guitars in that pic last night at a rehearsal...

[cynic]

That pattern would make one fine set of pj's!

[Crimsontider]

It's not an Anniversary or Double Anniversary. 6120s had the horseshoe inlay headstock through '65, after which the Beatles were selling more Gretsches than Chet was. It's an orange double cut with a back pad and a metal badge/plaque on the head. That would put it into the '65-'69 era, and Gretsch was pumping out more guitars then at the peak of their popularity. As such, it isn't rare, but if you find it to actually play well, grab it, as the quality and playability of those went downhill during that time period. If I were to toss a wild guess out there, I'm saying it's likely. '67, but only because 90% of the double cut 6120s I've seen over the last 30 years have all been from that year. $1,000 is a no brainier - you're not going to make a killing on it, but it seems like a fair deal if the seller knows, likes and trusts you and wouldn't otherwise pass it along to kids/grand kids.

I just talked to his wife and he's asleep and is going to call me back later today.

The book says so too. Below it says they were re-branded Nashville in 67 and had the plate. So if it's in good shape, which was my first impression, it's still worth $2500 or so? And I would not feel guilty about the deal because he said half of what it's worth......close enough. He is going to call me back and I am going to let him know that I will buy it, but I am going to ask for the serial number and what's on the plate, in my typical tactful manner. I will post that info when I get it and then pics when it's here sometime this week, or Monday latest.

This is a keeper. My best friend when we were 12 had a similar Gretsch, his pops. I still have the cassette tape of this, me on drums, my first jam sessions, improvised off common riffs of the day. With good overdrive the Gretsch had a growl to it, The leads had a nice thick heavy sound and the whole thing had a nice mid range harmonic undertone, especially with regular chords. His dad got it back and bought him one of those big natural wood Peavey's, which sounded really good, but lacked the personality of the Gretsch. This is an all purpose guitar that can do everything. He mentioned that you could do something to make it sound like a banjo, but that may be the age thing another poster mentioned

It's nice to have people wanting you to have something as opposed to some of these raunchy pawn shops.

http://books.google.com/book