Gretsch Model 6119 Tennessean Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1960), made in Brooklyn, NY, serial # 33989, cherry lacquer finish, laminated maple body and neck, ebony fingerboard, hard shell case.
A very nice 1960 example of the "Gretsch Esquire", the stripped-down hotrod of the company's late 1950's line. The original Model 6119 Tennessean was the lowest priced model in the Chet Atkins series, and is basically the same instrument as the more famous Model 6120 but with plainer trim and a single pickup. With a bright orange-red finish, single PAF Filter'tron at the bridge and Bigsby on a 16" trestle-braced archtop body this guitar is a flashy statement in stripped-down elegance. This 6119 from early 1960 features a slightly slimmer 2 1/2" body with a more orange-hued finish than earlier examples. The controls consist of a single volume knob on the cutaway and a tone switch on the upper bout. This guitar has same feeling and much of the sound of the iconic Model 6120, just without the neck pickup. We find them to be a great sounding Gretsch-far more useful with the single pickup at the bridge than the more common fingerboard placement- as well as something of a rarity, at least compared to later 1960's Tennesseans. This is a fairly rare Gretsch from the company's peak period, and a great playing guitar.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). This guitar is quite clean overall, no major wear. It has been refretted with slightly larger than original wire and had a very good neck reset, with some fairly discreet overspray around the heel and fingerboard edges. The pickguard bears a hand-applied "Chet Atkins CGP (Certified Guitar Picker)" signature in what appears to be white lacquer pen on the pickguard-we are not autograph authenticators but it looks real to us, and someone who knew Chet well concurs! (No extra charge!) This is a very nice example and a fine playing Gretsch from the company's best era, complete with the grey OHSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
