Investing in guitars? Buy Gretsch guitars, here's a guide.

Brian Jones with the Rolling Stones

and his Gretsch G6118 Anniversary guitar c. 1964

You may have heard the name Gretsch, but have you considered buying one?

Gibson may be the more well known purveyor of hollow and semi-thinline body guitars on the market with the Les Paul and the 335 and similar guitars, but the smart money could be on another player on the market. Gretsch.

So where do you start? What is the best era? How much to buy? When?

The 6120 designed by Chet Atkins which came out in 1954

The early guitars made by Gretsch are hard to come by, so the focus on affordable guitars might start with the 50's models. The flagship 6120 was the Swiss Army knife guitar answer to the Fender Stratocaster of 1954.

The 6120 base has served as a springboard for many 6120 variant models and serves pretty much as the basic template for what a Gretsch looks like to most people.

The 2420T Streamliner of 2015 developed from the original Electromatic

The 6120 was developed from the Streamliner guitar. Essentially a work a day, inexpensive and reliable guitar for the working musician. Original Streamliners and Electromatics are not big money and still affordable for those seeking the affordable 50's vintage guitar.

The design formed the basic 'chassis' for the 6120. Chet Atkins came along at the right time, the 6120 was needed as a counterpoint to the Fender Stratocaster.

Original 6120's from the 54-61 era are expensive, but as a real investment piece are worth having. The early 6120 guitars often require neck re-sets, a factor not needed on the modern Japan made equivalents.

The next stage of guitar might be the Electrotone thin line guitars, which took over from the 6120 design. These adopted the 'twin horn' design of the Gibson 335 and Stratocaster bodies and the reduced depth of body made playing comfortable. The 6120DC was the first. DC stood for double cutaway. 

The 6120DC Electrotone body, a 1968 example

In the mid-60's, demand was very high for Gretsch guitars and as a result, many were made quickly and the quality suffered, look inside a mid 60's on guitar and the interior will likely not be that well finished.

Binding material also degrades on these era guitars, so that should be checked out, a re-binding job on a mid 60's Gretsch may be inevitable, it may also have been done, but once it has been redone that should be ok for the rest of the guitar's lifespan, but may affect the originality.

One thing on these era guitars is the likelihood of changed parts due to age and use. A mint and original guitar may command higher prices than a 'player's guitar which has loads of vibe, but is not as original.

1974 Gretsch Viking

In 1968 the Baldwin Piano company bought both the Gretsch and Burns guitar companies. This was at the end of the high demand, brought about by the use of the guitars by the 'British Invasion' groups like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals and others.

By the early 70's the guitar fashion had changed to the Gibson Les Paul guitar and both Fender and Gretsch felt the draught. Fender, bought out by CBS dwindled due to a management style and no musical instrument manufacturing experience situation.

Gretsch, similarly out of fashion limped on with a few hollow bodies and some wacky looking solid body guitars under the Baldwin yoke. But the loss of Chet Atkins as an endorsee, to Gibson, really put the tin hat on the company.

By 1980, the Gretsch family had bought the name back and started producing guitars again.

The Brian Setzer Gretsch 6120 Hot Rod from the mid 90's
in Candy Tangerine metallic paint. Nice...

The salvation of Gretsch, much like the Fender company at this time, came from Japan. When CBS ditched Fender, it was bought by an employee consortium and the first guitars were made in Japan, ironically a country that built an industry on copies of Fender guitars!

This superb 6120 TM Tiger Maple in Orange transparent lacquer,

was made for Gretsch in Japan, by the Terada company

Gretsch were not slow to put the feelers out in Japan. They approached 3 companies, Dyna Gakki, Fuji Gen and Terada as makers. They used all three companies, eventually staying with Terada. Terada made many of the guitars for J E Dallas and son for their 'Jedson' brand name in the 60's and 70's which were sold in the UK.

The 6120 AM Amber Maple guitar by Fuji Gen

The quality of these new Japanese made guitars made from the mid 90's onwards is staggeringly good. In fact, having owned 60's and 70's Gretsches, I would say that the modern Japanese guitars are better.

With the success of the Gretsch guitars, a signature player was sought to replace Chet Atkins of old and Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats was chosen as the new man. His use of the 6120 through the revival days of the 70's onwards made him an obvious choice.

Brian Setzer with a Brian Setzer Gretsch 6120 Hot Rod in Red Sparkle finish

An agreement for Gretsch to make a range of Brian Setzer signature guitars came about, based on his late 1959 6120, which featured Trestle bracing, a feature adopted on the 2004 Mk2 6120 signature guitars.

The Brian Setzer Gretsch 6120 in Green Transparent lacquer

The range was expanded with a 'stripped down' Hot Rod series of guitars which were updated with Trestle Bracing and optional TV Jones pickups in 2004.

The G5120 Electromatic guitar, made in Korea

It did not escape Gretsch that a lower end of the market guitar was required to fill a requirement and so the 5120 series was created.

Building on the 50's Electromatic heritage, this was a Gretsch guitar, made under licence in Korea and to a lower price point.

Essentially, it looked the part and made it a platform for upgrades, I did mine up with a set of Filtertrons, Nashville pickguard etc. So it looked more 6120 than not.

The 5120 upgraded which improved the sound and playability

Japan made 6118 Anniversary Japan made guitar

an underestimated guitar!

The hot rodding of the Electromatics led Gretsch to upgrade their guitars, a Mk3 version mounted a pair of Baldwin era black face Filtertron style pickups and Hump Block inlays on the fretboard. 

The 2015 5420 with Silver Sparkle finish

And in 2016, Gretsch brought out an improved Mk4 variant. This was the best so far.

The 2016 5420T Electromatic in Fairlane blue

an outstanding guitar for the money

The new 5420T with a 90's Hot Rod

The new guitars are an improvement over the 5420T from 2015, the reduced headstock size, the return to thumbnail fret markers and the Fairlane Blue colour option are great. The downside is that the Bibsby trem is still the 2 screw one from the 5120, it needs more screws!

On mine I have installed a USA 'V' style Bigsby and infilled the name with colour matched paint to the body. Great improvement. Also fitted a roller saddle tunamatic bridge.

The improved 5420T with upgrade Bigsby 'V' B6CTrem and Tunamatic roller bridge

So back to my original questions, what to go for?

For pure investment, an old 50's guitar. But it will need to be respected. Plus the money required will be more to buy one from this era.

What about 60's? Some good out there, pre-65 is going to be good for finish, but check the binding.

The 70's guitars were often heavier, a centre block on my 74 Viking made it very heavy. Some of the Baldwin output was not that bad, so worth a look.

The 90's 'pre-Fender' era of Gretsch are nice guitars and are the last 'pure' Gretsch, may lack the trestle bracing of the 2004 Fender era guitars but they work for me.

The 2004 Fender era and onwards are very good guitars, my favourite era. Terada by now making the majority and the quality is just unbeatable. My choice of guitar.

Going to the cheaper end, Mk1 original 5120 type Electromatics are good buys, as so many have been upgraded, originals could be good for the future.

The modern Electromatics 5420 and 5422 are good value at present.

The new Streamliners are the lower end of the market but surprisingly good.

I prefer the sound of a Gretsch over an equivalent Gibson, the Filtertron pickups sound so much better to me than the PAF Humbuckers that Gibson use.

John Lennon with Gretsch 6120 1966 'Paperback writer' sessions

The DC series of guitars like the 6120, Country Gent etc are thinline and easy to play. the 6120DC is one of the most underrated Gretsch guitars you can buy, my 2003 one has TV Jones Filtertron pickups and is a great guitar, miles better than my 1968 one I owned. I use it as my main 'live' playing guitar as it is less prone to feedback.

So my overall recommendation is to go for a 2004 onwards Gretsch made in Japan, for a level of quality, finish and sound that is just so good.

Much as I like the cheaper Electromatics, the Japan professional series are just in a different league. Saying that, I do own a new 5420T! Its the best one I've had in that series.

Buy safely!