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The Serial number decals have now been replaced by a Brian Setzer Signature decal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