Guitar Reviews 4U Quickguards Brian Setzer Gretsch 6120 Hot Rod Flames Truss Rod Plates

 

Guitar Reviews 4U adding Quickguards Flames Truss Rod Plates 

to the Gretsch 6120 Brian Setzer Hot Rod guitars 

Quickguards Truss Rod Cover Plates in Silver Sparkle

The new Brian Setzer Gretsch 6120 Hot Rod guitars look pretty amazing and I've upgraded mine with Pickguards as this make them easier to play I have found - recently I found a site called Quickguards in the USA offering a great variety of pickguards and truss rod plate covers. 

I could see the truss rod plates listed on the website would look great upgrades over the stock black and white sandwich type fitted as stock to the Hot Rod guitars. So I purchased some silver sparkle ones for my Hot Rod 6120s. The beauty of these guitars is that they can be easily upgraded to your own taste.

Back in 2015 the Brian Setzer Hot Rod models changed specification and lost the square Brian Setzer Hot Rod model label, replacing it with the engraved truss rood cover. 

I liked the 2015 truss rod cover idea, but I felt they should have also kept the square plate on the headstock too, the Hot Rod pickguard was also dropped around that time. I prefer a pickguard as I find you can use to brace the fingers for precise playing.

See my other article on adding a Gretsch Hot Rod guard to a modern era Hot Rod here:

The 2015 Hot Rod models dispensed with the metal Brian Setzer model plate -

The replacement was an engraved Truss Rod cover - they should have put both on!

The Quickguards Truss Rod covers in Silver Sparkle, appealed to me as I had already on my 2022 guardless guitars, added genuine Hot Rod Pickguards - see below.

Paint removed Gretsch Hot Rod pickguard on the Green Sparkle

Gretsch Hot Rod flames pickguard added to the Blueburst

I test painted Tamiya clear X-23 Blue and clear X-25 Green acrylic

 paint as test finishes onto a clear plastic carton lid -

The overlay of the lid gave me a test view of the final finish 

without having to put paint onto the Silver Sparkle guard at this stage

I ordered two of the silver sparkle plastic Truss Rod covers from Quickguards. They are busy people there and the guards took a while to be made and to arrive, but they are very good. When fitting, they advise to just tighten down the guard onto the surface of the guitar lightly and not to overdo the screw pressure.

The Hot Rod selection 2022, 2005 and 2022

The guards have round ferrules where the screws sit and if you tighten down too much on the plastic sheet material it can split. Just for guidance here.

The clear Green acrylic - I tinted some clear Acrylic with small amounts of Green.

This just toned down the silver slightly, without darkening the guard too much

On the guitars I used for this project - a 2022 Blueburst Hot Rod and a 2022 Extreme Coolant Green Sparkle Hot Rod, I laid the new unpainted guards over the originals to see how they looked against the paint finish on the guitars.

The finished guard has some contrast to the paint finish -

and looks better than the stock plain finish black and white guard -

the Hot Rod name and flames are not lost under a 'too dark' coated finish

To get the right shade on the guard, I first test painted onto a clear plastic lid some Tamiya Acrylic Clear X-25 Green and X-23 Clear Blue sample swatches and tried the guards under the samples to see how they looked.

The blue looked a bit too dark, so I left that for the moment, for the Green I tinted the green colour in small doses into clear Tamiya Acrylic to get the right amount of colour hue, without losing the transparency or having the Green colour too dark and overpowering the sparkle on the guard when painted on.

                                       The plain silver sparkle works nicely here -

The guard contrast is good against the blue, but guard could be blue tinted blue -

however, as this guitar has a silver pickguard fitted, this is now a matching 'set'.

On the Blueburst Hot Rod, I found that the clear blue used neat would be quite close to the guitar colour, so I left the guard on that guitar just silver for now, as below.

This really works nicely and matches the silver pickguard on the guitar

On the Extreme Coolant Green guard against the guitar finish, the silver looked very bright, so to tone it down I tinted some clear Tamiya Acrylic with some clear Green. 

As the Green is quite a strong colour, the idea was to have the clear Acrylic with a hint of added green to show off the silver but to tone down the harshness and darkness of neat Green clear tint.

The silver / Blue theme on the Blueburst 6120 guitar -

a difficult colour to photograph but to the eye is amazing!

Nice if it was blue sparkle!

The Green Sparkle finish on that guitar is quite vibrant so the toned down guard looked good.

As I have a clear guard on the Green Sparkle guitar, the toned down Truss Rod plate fits in nicely.

For the final touch, on the Green guard I clear coated the paint with X-22 Clear coat, giving the guard two coats to finish off, all the colours and clear coats were applied with a soft paint brush by hand.

Guitar Reviews 4U - Gretsch 6120SHLTV Brian Setzer 6120 Hot Rod in Lime Gold with TV Jones Filtertron Pickups from 2005

Gretsch 6120 Brian Setzer Hot Rod Lime Gold with TV Jones Filtertrons 

Brian Setzer in a Hot Rod - with a Lime Gold 6120 Hot Rod guitar! 

The Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120 Hot Rod model guitars have been around since the late 1990's  and are built on Brian Setzer's ethos of modification - which he has long had from his interest in Hot Rod cars, which by their very nature are anything but unmodified!

This situation was taken on further down the road by Brian Setzer with Gretsch and from this venture the 'Hot Rod' guitar based on the Chet Atkins 6120 model came into being. 

 The review guitar Gretsch 6120 Brian Setzer Hot Rod 2005 - in Lime Gold 

Brian's original Gretsch 6120 was variously modified over the years and the joint project has built on that idea since, from the 'Bare Bones' wiring circuit featuring no tone controls and only a volume knob and a pickup selector switch digging into that turf. 

Stripped down bare bones controls and stunning Lime Gold finish 

The 'minimalist' ethos was taken further with unbound F-Holes, the Pickguard did gain a 'flames motif' image and the 'Hot Rod' name moulded in to it. This Pickguard was dropped around 2020 from the guitar completely and this was likely on a cost basis. Personally I prefer them fitted and I will be fitting one to a 2021 6120 Hot Rod in another review soon.

The Serial number on the label shows TV Jones option factory fitted Pickups -

New for 2004 year was 1959 Trestle Bracing, introduced on the Brian Setzer signature guitars. The update was also incorporated into the Hot Rod model line at this time.

The Hot Rod series guitars were available with either stock Filtertrons or TV Jones factory fitted Filtertrons until recently, this particular example above has TV Jones Pickups fitted as stock from the factory as shown on the label. The 2020 onwards have TV Jone Brian Setzer pickups as standard.

The silver paint backed (on the reverse side) Hot Rod Pickguard - 

This item is now discontinued as fitment on the 2020 and later Hot Rod guitars - 

my personal view is it should be included for the owners to fit if desired

The options of TV Jones or Standard Pickups was no doubt a headache for production and guitar retailers as essentially the same basic guitars were offered with those two Pickup options, duplicating guitars to make or stock, rather than offer the TVJ option as a special order, which from both perspectives would have been more sensible. The 2021 onwards guitars now feature only the new treblier sounding Brian Setzer signature TV Jones pickups.

The Serial number decals have now been replaced by a Brian Setzer Signature decal 

The JT stands for Japan and Terada - Terada is the factory that makes these guitars.

Sperzl Locking Tuners became standard fitment -

originally they were non-locking Grover types on the early guitars. 

The Hot Rod Label was dropped in 2015 and the plain Truss Rod cover 

was replaced with a 'Hot Rod' themed engraved one. This has now reverted.

The Maple neck is a slim slightly V shape and is a delight to play, it has the smaller 1958/59 era headstock shape which suits it. It is a 22 fret 24.5" scale neck and is topped with a bound Ebony fretboard, early models had a Rosewood board and the later 2021 guitars onwards have Rosewood too. The Ebony board is smooth and feels great. The radius is 12". 

A c.2008 advert for the Brian Setzer Hot Rod guitars - 

Brian Setzer is holding a Lime Gold model - one he used. 

Hardware is chrome finish on the guitar and on this model it has the old screw on Barrel Strap holders rather than the Schaller Strap Locks which I had on a 2008 one, which were probably standard fitment by then.

The 'candy' metallic Lime Gold paint is a 'trick paint' - see the different colour

hues depending on how the light falls on it. The paint has small reflective particles 

which can be seen if you look very closely at the paint. Hot Rod cars have trick paint jobs where the paint in one light seems to change from the base colour.

The current 2024 6120 Lime Gold Hot Rod -

now less Pickguard and with Rosewood Fretboard and

the new Brian Setzer TV Jones Filtertron pickups

So, how does this guitar sound. Pretty good. This example was purchased used at £1850 and had been reduced in price. The strings were a motley selection of gauges obviously to the taste of the previous owner and overall the guitar hardly shows any real signs of use. 

The guitar had not been set up or restrung by the shop prior to sale and the certificate and paperwork was missing. The lack of set up from a 'professional guitar dealer' is sadly not uncommon, I have had this on 3 previous guitars purchased recently.

The current 2024 6120 uses Gotoh Locking Tuners 

and the serial number decal is gone in favour of a signature decal

A Vanson Roller Tunamatic Bridge was fitted before restringing and doing the intonation and then the setup was done, with adjustment at the nut to make it really play well. Having owned a 90's example Hot Rod and a 2008 Hot Rod I was not surprised by the feel of the guitar, it was really nice.

The sound really is mostly dictated by the amplifier setting as tone controls and circuit doesn't figure here, but on a clean amplifier sound with a slight hint of chorus and reverb the guitar sounds quite jazzy on the front pickup, middle has its own combination sound of the two and the bridge is clean and cutting. Against the new TV Jones Brian Setzer pickups they sound a bit less bright, the new TV Jones are made to sound more like a single coil.

Rhythm playing when the guitar is set up properly is good and easy and on the clean sounds which I use mostly it sounds great, I would use it with a jazz or swing band like this. The lead sound is good and the playing is slick, the new 2020 and later version with 9.5 - 12" compound radius is slightly easier to play but most will not really worry about this difference.

It is surprising how even a small amount of work will turn this guitar from barely playable to very playable.

The current and the by now vintage versions of the 6120 Hot Rod - 

Both are really nice guitars - the 2005 one is quite original and 

has the collector's appeal - both are excellent guitars in any case! 

Guitar Reviews 4U - The Gretsch 6120 Brian Setzer Hot Rod Extreme Coolant Green Sparkle guitar

 

Reviewing the Gretsch 6120 Brian Setzer 

Hot Rod Green Sparkle guitar

Well, you'll either like the colour or loathe it! Here we have a review of a used 2021 Gretsch 6120 Brian Setzer Hot Rod guitar in Extreme Coolant Green sparkle shade.

The Gretsch Hot Rod 6120 in Green Sparkle

I have owned about 6 Hot Rods from the 6120 series over the years and they are nice guitars, from an early Gretsch 'Fred Gretsch 3rd' era Candy Tangerine guitar, a 2008 Candy Apple Red (I should have kept!) and a 2013 Flat black one.

 Sharleen Spitteri of Texas rocking her Gretsch 6120 Green Sparkle  

at Glastonbury in 2023 - a guitar she really likes by all accounts

I was tempted to buy the new Gretsch 6120 Blueburst Hot rod, but this Green Sparkle one came up as a used but like new one for £1999 and much below the £3k as new price they are often on sale for. The new Blueburst was on offer at the same price.

Depending on the light, the sparkle really shows

and like Hot Rod 'Trick' colours it does interestingly vary in shade

Liking outrageous colours, it seemed a good deal to buy the Green one. I wouldn't mind a Regal Blue 6120 Hot Rod as I have a 5420T in Fairlane Blue but they rarely come up, the 6120 Blueburst I didn't totally take to the graduated finish on the example seen, so the Green one it was.

The Headstock of the 'Brian Setzer Hot Rod Model' -

The model description plate now reinstated on this edition.

So, back to the 6120 Hot Rod, Gretsch have worked with Brian Setzer over the years on this model and colours and specifications have changed on these guitars as they have evolved. 

The 2015 lost the model plate but gained 'Hot Rod' 

model engraving to the Truss Rod plate.

The Green Sparkle colour has made a comeback in recent years, previously a set of transparent shades over flame Maple finish has been on offer for a few years. The range seems to have largely gone back to solid colours.

Internally, the 59 Trestle Bracing is still present which makes for a more solid construction and the guitar unplugged is vibrant and bright sounding. The body is standard 6120 depth, I say that, in context with the 6120 TM and 6120 AM guitar body depths.

The Brian Setzer 6120 Signature Pickup

This edition features TV Jone Brian Setzer Filtertrons, which differ from the previous Filtertrons on the Hot Rod guitars. The current signature pickups give a nice full tone on the neck pickup and an all almost single coil sharpness on the bridge pickup.

The stripped down ethic loses the Hot Rod Pickguard - 

I would prefer it being supplied with the guitar as a fit later option.

I may purchase a pick guard for mine.

The neck has been reshaped with a 9.5" radius at the nut levelling out to a 12" radius further up the neck for easier solo playing and reducing the choking of notes higher up the neck. It is a nice neck to play, the Terada company that makes these guitars do a great job at construction of these instruments.  

The previous Serial number decal on the headstock rear has gone -

replaced by Brian's signature on the rear headstock face.

The serial number now is on the label inside the body.

The Sperzl Locking Tuners are now replaced by Gotoh equivalents

So what is the playing experience like? In the hands, the guitar feels just right, the body depth is just there, not too thin or too deep, the neck is easy to play and has a great feel - Terada hand carve theirs.

As you can see from study lighting, the paint shade varies in the light -

part of the 'Hot Rod' ethic of 'trick' paints designed to do exactly that!

As mentioned, the acoustic sound is bright, plugged in the guitar sounds good, the neck pickup is great for swing and jazz playing, the combined pickups gives more treble to the rhythm and the bridge pickup only selected, has a sharp tone, like a single coil.

Of course there is no tone control circuitry on this stripped down variant of the 6120 and this does give you a more direct sound from the pickups.

Having owned the variations of the Hot Rods, this does not disappoint. Previously one could choose a Hot rod with Standard or TV Jones Filtertrons, however, Gretsch now only offer the Hot Rod with the Brian Setzer Signature pickups. 

Perhaps their market research figures and customer feedback has shown people upgrade the standard units to the TV Jones units and from a manufacturing perspective, it simplifies matters just to fit those upgrades in the first place to unify the specification.

Improved with a Hot Rod Pickguard which I removed the paint from

The Hot Rod series shows no signs of deletion, with changes abounding on each variance of the continuing basic model. As we have noted across the years, this long lived model line has changed colour shades, hardware and specifications across time. The true nature of Hot Rodding in essence, moving away from the original stock offering.

You can hardly see the guard from here -

the addition of the guard has made the guitar easier to play

Buy if you want that earlier Brian Setzer Hot Rod sound - however, I have seen an earlier previous specification Hot from the 2000's I may also go for as I miss the old Candy Red one! 

The Pickguard was quite an easy fit and well worth doing.