1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Vintage Hollowbody Guitar Western Orange w/ DynaSonics, Case

Up for sale, a 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 in exceptional condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. An early example of one of Gretsch's most iconic models, this 6120 has both a certain tonal breadth and a sensitivity to pick attack, given its fully hollow maple construction, outfitted with its original pair of DeArmond DynaSonic single coil pickups. The guitar features the 6120s traditional 16" lower bout width and 2 3/4" body depth, with parallel tonebar bracing. From chewy twang and bouncy midrange-centric cut in the bridge position to broad, bell-like tonalities at the neck, this 6120 covers a ton of tonal ground. The guitar is featherweight at 6lbs 4oz, professionally setup with roundwound 11-49 strings, low action, and accurate intonationThe maple neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve at the nut with more shoulder and roundness as you travel up the fingerboard, measuring .795" deep at the 1st fret and .935" at the 9th. The dark Brazilian rosewood fretboard features pearloid hump block inlay, cleanly refretted with 6105 fretwire which has the same width as vintage wire yet offers appreciably more height and crown for long fret life and effortless bending. The frets show just a touch of wear beneath the plain strings on the crowns of frets 1-3, and the guitar plays easily up the 24.6" scale with a straight neck and responsive, optimally adjusted truss rod. An upgraded hand-carved bone nut measures 1 5/8" in width. The headstock face features both the Gretsch name and horseshoe inlay, and the back of the headstock retains the original gold Waverly tuning machines which turn smoothly and hold pitch well.All of the original electronics are intact, with the DynaSonic pickups wired to the stock harness. Even the thin transparent tortoise bridge pickup riser is still intact. Hardware includes the original Bigsby B6 vibrato which works in concert with a modern replica aluminum Bigsby bridge on a floating (not pinned) rosewood base. The Bigsby retains its original spring and distinctly shaped '50s arm, actuating easily for subtle warbles and broader gestures. An original complement of G pointer knobs round out the hardware, and the hardware on the whole shows surface patina through the gold plating. The original elevated gold pickguard with Chet Atkins signpost graphic is intact and extremely clean, and the original serial/model badge is visible through the F hole, with the serial placing production early in the '57 model year.The Western Orange gloss nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touchup or overspray, remarkably well kept with a deep ruddy shade of this iconic Gretsch finish framed by original two-ply top and back binding. There is a bit of finish bleed of the Western Orange nitro lacquer onto both the neck binding and top binding on the bass side lower bout, and cosmetic wear on the body is limited to some light finish scratches clustered central to the lower bout on the back, but shy of “buckle rash," with very faint vertical lacquer checking and just a few minor marks on the instrument as a whole. The neck profile gloss is clean and smooth, with some palm wear through the gloss on the profile primarily behind frets 1-5 on the bass side of the carve.The original hardshell case is intact with its gray speckled exterior and Gretsch banner on the inside of the lid. The original latches are functional and the original handle is intact.