1955 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins
Second-year 6120 retaining the full western motif package — steer skulls, cactus, and DynaSonic pickups. Still firmly in the Brooklyn factory's earliest production run.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Recent Sales
Showing 1 verified sale for 1955 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins. Reissues, replicas, and parts listings are filtered out.
Specifications
| Body Wood | Maple (hollow body) |
| Neck Wood | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Scale Length | 25.500" |
| Frets | 21 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | Bar bridge, Bigsby B6 |
| Tuners | Grover Imperial |
| Finish Options | Western Orange |
| Est. Production | 300 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two DeArmond DynaSonic single-coil pickups. Bright, clean tone with excellent note definition.
What Changed in 1955
Second year of the 6120. Steer skull inlays and cactus motifs still present on most examples. DynaSonic pickups. The western theme was fully intact — Chet Atkins was at the peak of his endorsement involvement.
Collector's Notes
1955 examples should still have western motifs. DynaSonic pickups are the correct specification. Bigsby B6 tailpiece should be original. These are among the rarest 6120 year-runs.
How to Authenticate a 1955 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins
Serial number location: Stamped on the headstock top or on an interior label visible through the f-hole. 1955 serials typically fall in the mid-to-high 1xxxx to low 2xxxx range. Gretsch used sequential numbering in this era without a date-code system. Pickup verification: Must have two DeArmond DynaSonic single-coil pickups with visible pole pieces and the distinctive rectangular housing. DynaSonics have an adjustable hex screw on the pickup face. Filter'Trons would be incorrect for this year — they were not introduced until 1958. Hardware: Bigsby B6 vibrato tailpiece with the horseshoe magnet and Bigsby patent markings. The bridge is a simple floating bar design. Grover Imperial tuners with keystone buttons are correct. All hardware should be nickel-plated with age-appropriate wear. Body construction: Full-depth single-cutaway hollow maple body with trestle bracing. The steer skull fingerboard inlays should still be present on most 1955 examples — these western motifs were being used through 1955 before being phased out in 1956. The cactus decoration on the upper bout and the G cattle brand on the top should be visible. Finish: Western Orange nitrocellulose lacquer. Expect age-appropriate checking, crazing, and slight yellowing. The orange color should have depth and transparency — flat or opaque orange suggests a refinish. Under UV light, original nitro will fluoresce distinctly from modern finishes. Label details: Interior label visible through the f-hole should read Gretsch with the Brooklyn, NY address. Serial number should be handwritten or stamped on the label. Red flags: Missing western motifs on a claimed 1955 (they should still be present), Filter'Tron pickups instead of DynaSonics, replaced Bigsby, polyurethane refinish, or mismatched serial number ranges. What distinguishes 1955 from 1954: Production numbers were slightly higher (approximately 300 vs 200), and some late-1955 examples may show the very earliest hints of the transition away from steer skull inlays, though most retain them fully.