FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Country Gentleman was the top-of-the-line model in the Chet Atkins series. Introduced in 1958, the original style 6122 was a 17-inch, single cutaway model that was both larger and a bit fancier than the Model 6120. As with the other Chet Atkins models, the 6122 has a metal nut and zero fret to enhance sustain, and the thin, double cutaway Electrotone body was introduced in late 1961 in an effort to reduce feedback. In order to install the electronics without the aid of f-holes for access, Gretsch equipped the double cutaway 6120 and 6122 with a small access panel on back of the guitar.  The unsightly panel was covered by an equally unsightly snap-on padded cover which was cleverly marketed as a "comfort feature." In 1965, Gretsch changed the neck position Filtertron pickup to a Supertron. In late 1967, the Filtertron returned. The Country Gentleman was popularized by George Harrison's use of it from mid-1963 until he began using the 6119 Tennessean. George's Country Gent differs from the one shown here in that it has double mutes instead of a single mute and stairstep tuner buttons instead of "kidney bean" tuner buttons.

 Body:  Hollow; laminated 1-piece maple top and back, laminated  maple sides; double bound top and back

 Finish:  Walnut, nitrocellulose lacquer

 Neck:  3-piece maple/mahogany, set-in; single bound headstock with pearloid logo and metal nameplate

 Fingerboard:  Ebony, single bound; pearloid "Neo-classic" markers

 Number of Frets:  22

 Pickguard:  Acrylic

 Bridge:  Gold Gretsch steel bar on ebony base with Gold Gretsch/Bigsby tailpiece

 Nut:  Plastic with zero fret

 Tuners:  Grover Imperial, sealed, gold

 Pickups:  Two, Gretsch Filtertron humbucking with adjustable pole pieces, gold

 Controls:  Master volume, volume control for each pickup, 3-way tone selector, standby switch, 3-way pickup selector, mute switch

 Scale Length:  24 1/2 inches

 Neck Width at Nut:  1 5/8 inches

 Body Width at Lower Bout:  17 1/8 inches

 Body Depth:  2  inches

 Weight:  n/a