Guitar Reviews 4U - the Gretsch 6120TG Nashville in Azure Metallic
This special Players edition 6120 Nashville in Azure Metallic Blue -
a great colour against the Gold plated hardware on this Terada Japan Gretsch
A few years back Grestch introduced the Player series of guitars, at the same time as it had the Professional series guitars in the line. The Player series level of Gretsch guitars appears now to be new standard Japan level, with the Professional series now in the Custom Shop level.
Or so it appears.... Here's how this seems to be balancing out. Before we dive into the review, I'll give you a brief outline of how the Japan guitars and the model names and appointments have recently evolved.
guitar with the legendary easy playing neck does not disappoint
The Player series now seems to encompass the classic models mad ein Japan but with new twists. In short, if we take the above 6120 guitar, we have a 1 selector switch and 2 Volume, 1 Tone and 1 Master Volume controls on what is a basic 6120 1959 style guitar. Previously in this level, a Tone Switch configuration with 2 Toggle Switches would have been used.
This 6120 offers you 'Player' functionality and playability without the hard work of 'original' pattern neck profiles, or the more complex (if you don't know how it works) switching for example.
Also, the Tuners on this 6120 are locking type which means you get nice ratio geared greased and sealed from the dust Tuner units, not open back units with a rather agricultural industrial gear ratio as on the old 50's guitars, so what Gretsch is doing now in this level of guitar is giving you functionality, looks and playability but without total 'as they were made' appointments.
This azure blue is hard to photograph - it has 'trick' properties -
Like a custom car paint, the metallic in it as you can see
plays the light reflection from light to dark
This 6120TG (Tremolo, Gold Plated Hardware) Nashville is a modern take on the now 70 year old Chet Atkins 6120 guitar from 1955. There have been Blue paint Gretsch 6120's over the years, the Brian Setzer Hot Rods and 6120's in Blue from Japan, but they have been often limited in number, with most people opting for Orange guitars. Or Hot Rod 6120's if you want more adventurous colours!
This Azure blue pops in the light - depending on the light source -
Daylight can appear dark, sunlight can show off the tint and candy metal effect,
Artificial light can really make the paint look almost Kingfisher Blue
In 2021 these 6120 Nashvilles with Gold Hardware started appearing, those of you following Gretsch will note that the 6118 -60 Anniversary guitars of this time had also gone over to using locking machine heads, as does this one. The 6118 was long famous for its adherence to the Grover open back 'cog' style gearing had now gone modern with sealed greased machines.
(In context I cannot figure out why Gretsch keeps on putting those budget open back Tuners on the 5420T, rather than sealed units as on the cheaper 2420 Streamliner?)
The recent Player series guitars also gained a variation of the 59 Trestle bracing but with only the 'feet' at the rear end by the Bridge.
This provides Trestle support from top to back boards on both sides under the Bridge, this gives you stability, feedback reduction but a degree of 'feedback control' as you can if you get near to the amplifier utilise the 'edgy' feedback this gives that makes the guitar feel alive.
You are almost getting old Ford Mustang Blue vibes here!
Seeing this with your own eyes you'll appreciate how good this colour is!
Body depth at 2.5" is the same as the Hot Rod and the 6120 AM & TM guitars, with a 16" width body, the fretboard is Ebony and has that great feel, as does the fairly slim neck, the Terada guitars as the main producer of Japan guitars for some years have settled on a neck profile that is very easy to play even if you are a Stratocaster player used to smaller neck guitars.
The new FT-67 Pickups are really clear sounding, finished in Gold
as is the String thru B6GP Gold plated Bigsby unit
Whether you are country or jazz player, you'll find the new FT-67 pickups which are also on the Double Platinum 6118 and Falcon guitars sound really clear and precise.
The Bridge base is Ebony and a Tunamatic with blade saddles is used here, I swap the blade type unit straight out for a Roller Saddle Tunamatic version and this allows the Bigsby to work easily and to keep the strings in tune better.
The paint is Azure Metallic blue, the newer version of this guitar from 2024 now has Midnight Sapphire Metallic blue which is really darker. The Azure really works nicely with the Gold hardware.
The rest of the guitar is really as you expect on a modern 6120, white binding on neck, headstock and body with white black white sandwich binding on the body edges. Oversize F Holes are bound too, the white against the blue really looks good here.
Electronics are a single selector switch as on a 1958 6120 (or modern 5420T Electromatic), a nice Metal Jack Socket Plate is now fitted which helps to protect the paint from jack plugs and damage.
At the tail is the reliable Bisgby in Gold Plate and now has no pins on, the string ball ends sitting in recesses inside the round bar to allow for easier string changes.
Schaller Strap locks are the final touch and this is good to have as stock, the Gretsch turn barrel strap buttons can be easily dropped! Strap lock buttons snap into place easily and give a secure strap situation.
A Gretsch branded TKL Hardshell case is included too.
Having owned a number of 6120's over the years, these new Nashville 6120's are some of the best I have played for sound and ease of playability. The finish and build is really great, compared to soild body guitars costing two plus times as much, these offer great value for money.
I was actually looking at a used 6120 Hot Rod but this appealed to me greatly, so I purchased it unplayed, but I was not disappointed, great guitar, eassy to play with a great sound and colour!
