Gretsch Country Gentleman For Jazz?

[StevieB]

I realize any guitar can pretty much play jazz. However I am interested in hearing if anyone uses or is familiar with a 1959 G6122 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman guitar. Gretsch is now reissuing/remaking this model and it has piqued my interest. The guitar has a 1 & 3/4" nut width which is important to me for playing Fingerstyle chord melodies. Anyway, love to get some input.

[hot ford coupe]

I can't see why it wouldn't be good for jazz. Put the right gauge strings on, fiddle with the dials on the amp and you hould have a great tool for playing. Plus, Gretsch guitars have that certain cool vibe and look.

[bananafist]

One of the best built and playing 17" archtop guitars available. You should be able to get a good jazz sound. I consider mine is better than my Gibson CG.
Finish, etc., vastly better than old Gretsches.

[BenThayer]

Okay. Here comes a big Gretsch reply. Leave now while you can. Allright then. You've been warned.

While writing this I am listening to "Chet Atkins and Les Paul Masters of the Guitar: Together". I first had this album on vinyl in '76 when it was called simply "Chester and Lester". It is an album of standards w/ just Chet and Les, bass and drums. If you want to taste a wonderful, warm jazz tone emanating out of a Gretsch, served with a little Bigsby on the side, you can do no better for a jazz tone anywhere. I know it's not everybody's cuppa joe, but really, folks, most guys asking about tone around here are looking for this very mainstream entree, and less of the boutique recipes, like fusion. And Les simply shreds on his signature axe, and always spiced with his signature blend of cornball, yet cool, humor - both in his riffs and wisecracks.

What pickups does your Country Gent have? I have a Chet Atkins model 6120 (ORANGE, man!) with Filtertron humbuckers. With d'Addario wound nickel 10's it's easy to dial in a George Harrison-Brian Setzer buffet. But for that Chet Jazz tone, well, it leaves me hungry. And don’t even ask about unplugged. Ughhh. Most planks sound better, though quieter.

I play mainly through a '65 Vibrolux Reverb (as warm and clean as I could ask for. Whew!) set up by Joe Barden to blackface specs. The only difference is stranded vs. solid copper wiring. It ain't worth messin' wid dat. I tweaked all the dials and the best settings I could come up were actually the same as for my G&L plank: Vibrato channel, Bright switch "off", Volume 5, Treble 6, Bass 3, Reverb 3-4. Roll the tone back on the guitar. Note: I play rhythm. With a Pro Plec 351, 1.5mm pick. Comping and simple chord melody, with very little fingerpicking or lead picking. My left hand dexterity is only contortionist-able for bass, banjo and maybe changing spark plugs. But I digress (and you were warned.)

The Big "O" is still kinda harsh to my ears w/ this set-up. The Pro Plec helps, but not enough. Enter TI Swing 13's.

This morning I played the d'Add's one last time to remember the tone and installed these TI flatwounds. (Note: the next bits of superfluous prose are aimed at those, like I, who had never before used TI's.) Silk-wrapped at both ends, they really stick in the tuners making them easy to get started winding. You need all three hands, though, to hold the ferrule on the Bigsby while clearing the bridge and winding the string. This is the first time I ever had a wound third. And the 1st and 2nd strings are golden-colored. Very elegant.

So, I strummed a couple of tunes. "On Green Dolphin St.", "Satin Doll". Yep! We're really getting somewhere now. The amp settings are the same. The guitar is set to Bridge pickup and the "clean" (center) setting. I had to drop the treble side of the bridge a couple of turns and I might have to drop the bass side as well, though it's pretty good right now. I don't know if the relief will have to be changed or not. I'll keep an eye on it the next day or two. Nut and bridge slots are fine.

This is a very sweet tone and much closer to the sound in my head for a laminated-top jazz box. It works. Do this before you swap out pickups or pass on Gretsch altogether. We are all aware that standard music store setup is with extra light strings, perhaps even tuned down for ease of play. If the Gretsch speaks to you, get it. Like any marriage, y’all’ll have a wonderful honeymoon and perhaps a steady, L-T relationship.

One caution about Orange with gold trim, however: Methinks if you show up at a gig with such a rig it’s kinda like showing up at the tennis court with two rackets - You’re expected to be good! ‘til then, it’s just me and this baby at home. The Vibey, too. I’ll play out w/ the Peavey Classic 30, or acoustic direct to PA.

That’s it, Anybody still here?...... tat-tap-tap..... Hey! Is this thing on.....?

Cheers,

Ben

[cjm]

A simple answer is the best answer to this question IMHOP.

Go to youtube and watch/listen to Cal Collins with Benny Goodman. During the 1970s for a time, Cal Collins had Charlie Christian's old job, and the tool he used was a Gretsch 6120 which is very similar to the Country Gentleman in question.

If you like what you hear of Cal Collins playing in those videos, then the Gretsch is a great jazz guitar. If you don't, then it probably isn't.

[63Bigsby]

CG should work well for jazz, here's Claes Neeb from Norway playing Chet's arrangement of the Johnny Smith classic:

YouTube Video

[63Bigsby]

CG should work well for jazz, here's Claes Neeb from Norway playing Chet's arrangement of the Johnny Smith classic:

YouTube Video

And Jordu:

YouTube Video

[StevieB]

Thanks for all the good input. Hey BenThayer, the Gretsch I am inquiring about has TV Jones pups.

[BenThayer]

Originally Posted by StevieB

Thanks for all the good input. Hey BenThayer, the Gretsch I am inquiring about has TV Jones pups.

Can't help you there. I've heard that the TV Jones are a nice upgrade. Chances are any guitar one gets needs some tweaking. If you're jonesin' for a Gretsch (pun intended) and the deal feels good, heck, go for it. -BT

[bananafist]

Stevie B - re TV Jones pickups as fitted to 1959 CG - these are a v. close copy of those fitted to Chets 1959 original CG, a supertron (by Ray Butts) in the neck position and a hotter wound filtertron at the bridge. Chet felt the supertron had more fundamentals and presence than the standard filtertron, and his bridge pickup was rewound way back to give a hotter output to equal the neck pickup output. I found to get the cleanest sound from the neck pickup, I had to lower the neck pickup a little.
Its a matter of taste, but generally I prefer the clarity of Gretsch pickups over the 'woolier' Gibsons.

[pierre richard]

I "had" a 1960 6120 I used for years....unique sound for sure....

Of course the "new ones" are never as good as the "old ones"..

time on the instrument...pierre

[Synchro]

The Gent is a bit darker than a 6120 and, IMHO, very decent for Jazz. Another alternative is the Eddie Cochran model 6120 which lacks a soundpost, better acoustically, and has a P-90 in the neck. No promises about what would happen if you showed up at a Jazz gig with a Cochran model complete with western trim and a G brand.