1958 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins
The first Filter'Tron 6120 — the Gretsch sound most people know. Warm, full humbucking tone with the Gretsch twang character. Pivotal year in the model's history.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Specifications
| Body Wood | Maple (hollow body) |
| Neck Wood | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Scale Length | 25.500" |
| Frets | 21 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | Bar bridge (Melita Synchromatic on some examples), Bigsby B6 |
| Tuners | Grover Imperial |
| Finish Options | Western Orange (transitioning to Tangerine Orange) |
| Est. Production | 620 |
Pickups & Electronics
Filter'Tron humbucking pickups introduced — a pivotal change from DynaSonics. Ray Butts designed the Filter'Tron for Gretsch independently of Seth Lover's PAF work at Gibson.
What Changed in 1958
Introduction of the Filter'Tron humbucking pickup — the definitive Gretsch sound. Filter'Trons replaced DynaSonics and transformed the 6120's character. Less bright and twangy than DynaSonics, more full and warm. This is the sound most people associate with Gretsch.
Collector's Notes
Verify Filter'Tron vs DynaSonic — this is the key 1958 change. Some early 1958 models may still have DynaSonics. Filter'Tron pickups have a distinctive internal structure — distinctive from standard humbuckers.