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
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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.
How to Authenticate a 1958 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins
Serial number location: Stamped on headstock top or interior label visible through the f-hole. 1958 serials fall in the high 2xxxx to low 3xxxx range. Pickup verification: This is the pivotal Filter'Tron introduction year. Ray Butts' Filter'Tron humbuckers are wider than DynaSonics with a chrome cover that fully encloses the coils — no visible pole pieces from the top. Early 1958 examples may still have DynaSonics as the transition happened during the production year. A 1958 with DynaSonics is not fake — it is an early-production transitional example and can be especially valuable. Verify Filter'Trons are original by checking for proper routing — the Filter'Tron cavity is wider than the DynaSonic cavity. Hardware: The Bigsby B6 continues. Some 1958 models received the Melita Synchromatic bridge (an adjustable-saddle bridge) alongside the traditional bar bridge — both are correct. Grover Imperial tuners. Body construction: Full-depth single-cutaway hollow maple body with trestle bracing. Thumbprint inlays are standard. No western motifs should be present. Finish: The finish is transitioning from Western Orange to Tangerine Orange — a subtle but real color shift. Original nitrocellulose lacquer should show age-appropriate checking. Label details: Interior label with Brooklyn, NY address. Red flags: DynaSonic-to-Filter'Tron conversions that are not disclosed, non-original Bigsby units, refinished bodies, replaced bridges that do not match the era (modern ABR-1 style bridges are incorrect). What makes 1958 different: The Filter'Tron introduction is the most significant specification change in 6120 history. Unlike 1957 (DynaSonics), 1958 has Filter'Trons. Unlike 1959 (fully established Filter'Tron), 1958 is transitional with possible DynaSonic examples.