Gretsch Brian Setzer 2004 Orange and Green flame Maple guitars
The sumptuous flame maple under transparent Green lacquer
One of the wildest headstock veneers I have ever seen!
Dice knobs are essential to show on this model!
Soon to be Dice knobbed Brian Setzer 6120
There is no doubt that since Chet Atkins left Gretsch for a Gibson endorsement that there was a lack of a top line-player who could endorse the Gretsch brand, particularly as the fortunes of Gretsch under the Baldwin label were fading fast.
That was until the 1980's and Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats burst on the scene as the rockabilly revival came to public attention.
When Gretsch was bought back from Baldwin, there was an obvious need to get products made and on sale, so the company went to Japan and engaged the help of Dyna Gakki, Fuji-Gen and Terada, three guitar makers with experience of making hollow body guitars.
From the original style 6120 guitar remade in the mid 90's in Japan, it was decided to launch a signature model guitar. Chet Atkins, originator of the 6120 with Gretsch in 1954 was now a Gibson endorsee and Brian Setzer was indeed a natural choice to fill that requirement.
Essentially, the new signature model 6120 borrowed some of the modifications that Brian had made to his 1959 guitar over the years he had owned it. So Gretsch could only follow this on the new signature guitar with a range of modifications to mirror that.
Firstly, the pickups were TV Jones made Filtertrons with Pat Applied for stamped into the case tops, a 5 ply maple top in flame maple, Sperzl locking machine heads, 'back to front' position pickup and mud switches (which really annoys me as everything else I own is the 'right way' round), Dice Knobs, an engraved Brian Setzer model Truss Rod Cover plate, Brian Setzer signature pick guard and Tunamatic bridge atop a Rosewood base.
These guitars were on sale until 2003 without major changes, indeed you are probably saying 'what about the 59 trestle bracing?' and you would be correct. It seems that a batch of 1-200 or so guitars were made and sold just prior to the 2004 trestle bracing addition in orange finish and badged as ordinary 6120s but I think they had the locking tuners.
The big change for 2004 was the addition of the fabled 59 trestle bracing, a slightly thinner depth top to 3 ply to take account of the extra strength of the bracing and a slightly deeper depth of body against a standard 6120. Funnily enough the 59, 60 and 61 all got thinner depth bodies as the years went on. Something that Gretsch has done on the new 'Modern Player' series, effectively a Brian Setzer guitar with thinner body, a trestle bracing type of structure and locking tuners.
Digressing from the script, the introduction of the trestle bracing changed the tone of the guitar, the more rigid nature gave it a tougher treble sound. A bit like a standard camshaft and a mild tune road camshaft, the mild tune one has more power. Certainly playing a 6120 Hot rod mk1 against an 08 one with trestle bracing, the difference is there although both guitars are great.
Originally the flame top guitars were finished in clear poly lacquer which is a very tough and attractive finish, both the guitars above are in this finish. The green one has a 2003 decal but a 2004 inside label, the serial number otherwise is the same, it is likely from the changeover to trestle bracing as the green one has it. Perhaps there was a delay in production.
There were over the years following the 2004 update a choice of plain veneer orange guitar in nitro lacquer and a flame orange guitar in nitro, with the two flame top guitars in standard poly lacquer in the green and orange finishes.
Whether the poly lacquer is a drawback is open to much debate but every one of the professional series guitars I have owned has it and they all play and sound far better than my old American ones I sold.
Due to the trestle bracing, the Brian 6120 is slightly heavier in weight over a standard 6120 but not much more so. Certainly not as heavy as a centre block guitar.
The guitars are exceptionally well finished and easy players, the Pat Applied for pickup covers were not on the guitar that long after the 2004 upgrade so they are a rareish touch, perhaps being replaced with the standard Filtertron top by 2006.
The guitar uses the old B6 Bigsby vibrato which is adequate and the US Made ones are very good having adequate 4 screw fixing points on the back plate rather than the cheaper ones with 2 screw holes which is not really up to the job, Gretsch take note! Indeed, historically, Brian's 6120 should have had the V Bigsby vibrato as they had changed over to that as standard fitment by then.
Both of these guitars were purchased second hand but in good order, the orange guitar had flat wound strings on which did nothing for it and have been changed it was bought fpr a bargain £1299! New are around £3250, most used ones of this type are around £2-2000.
The green guitar version was not produced in such large numbers as the orange and it has a very nice dark green finish which shows the flame veneer grain pattern off nicely. This guitar was £1500 and had been stored in a case for a long time, the chrome plating was severely dull and had to be rescued with careful use of Peak brand metal paste polish.
These guitars do sound good, beyond the inevitable rockabilly use they will get put to, they are great for jazz and country playing sounds too.
These are a step up from the standard 6120 guitar and the Electromatic and the price reflects that, they will make a good addition to your fleet and attract attention when it is on the bandstand. A Gretsch guitar always does that.
If you are looking for a Gretsch these are well worth buying, the Japanese made guitars are such high quality I have never owned a bad one. The Japan guitars are a step up from an Electromatic but that is obvious from the price differential! I do own an Electromatic 5420T and that is a nice guitar, indeed I owned a streamliner 2420T too but had to chop that into get a Hot Rod 6120 sadly.
So do not discount an earlier non-trestle braced guitar just because it lacks the extra maple, I can't think of a hollow body by Gretsch I would not want to own. The standard of manufacture and finish means that even if you buy a new streamliner, you always have the option of hardware upgrades. With a Brian, you'll be unlikely to have to change a thing. Try one and try not to buy one if you can. You will buy!
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