Early 6120 in "Pickin' & Singin' News" Aug. 31 1954

[Hepkat67]

Very interesting article from "Pickin' & Singin' News" dated Aug. 31 1954.
First 6120 has been already delivered to Chet Atkins "several weeks ago" and should feature a "tremolo tailpiece designed by Atkins and Tom Collins"

So it would mean that Chet has his first prototype delivered round mid 1954, meaning also that developments for the 6120 were probably ongoing since roughly early 1954.
Also, by time of writing (if we can give credit to this article), Bigsby vibrato was not yet chosen as standard

 

[Wayne Gretschzky]

Since we've recently discovered a pre-production White Falcon, and that it possesses a label (#137xx) within a few serial numbers of the three known Chet Atkins 6120 pre-production examples (April '54 pot codes), the theory is that these guitars were made in advance of (and in preparation for?) the July 1954 NAMM show. Dated neck stamps from guitars from batch #131xx confirm their January 1954 manufacture. The #134xx batch contains the Mary Osborne White Falcon (first known). So the article above seems to support that contention that the 6120 pre-production examples were delivered in mid-'54 (for the NAMM show?).

 

[audept]

So I'm 7 years older than the first White Falcon? That explains my binding rot and outgassing problems!

 

[afire]

Since we've recently discovered a pre-production White Falcon, and that it possesses a label (#137xx) within a few serial numbers of the three known Chet Atkins 6120 pre-production examples (April '54 pot codes), the theory is that these guitars were made in advance of (and in preparation for?) the July 1954 NAMM show. Dated neck stamps from guitars from batch #131xx confirm their January 1954 manufacture. The #134xx batch contains the Mary Osborne White Falcon (first known). So the article above seems to support that contention that the 6120 pre-production examples were delivered in mid-'54 (for the NAMM show?).

This is all very interesting. And being Gretsch, invariably also confusing. I wonder about the vibrato. Chet installed a Kaufmann on the original Streamliner Special. I think the other prototypes all had Bigsbys. I guess maybe there was a brief time between the Streamliner Special and the others during which Chet was contemplating or perhaps advocating for this supposed Atkins-Collins vibrato. But with this article being dated to late August of '54, then that raises the question of when those guitars were built and how close together in time they were built. And also whether the 6120 actually did make it to NAMM in '54. I think it's probably a relatively safe assumption that the fact that the White Falcon and three pre-production 6120s (you're including the Streamliner Special as one of those three, right?) were all part of the same batch does not necessarily mean that they were all completed at roughly the same time, let's say the same week (Gretsch's annual production totals in this era suggest a 50 unit batch took about a week on average). I know the belief is that generally serial numbers were assigned as the last step after passing QC and being logged and tied to a customer, but with stuff like prototypes and trade show guitars, I'm not so sure that the same rules would apply. I mean, you would think that there had to have been more time between the pre-production 6120s being built than the proximity of their serial numbers would suggest. After all, wasn't the whole point to get Chet's input and approval? And while it's often said that Chet didn't have a lot of say, he obviously did have at least some input. The pickguard got changed. Binding was added to the headstock. Those may or may not have been at Chet's request, but I think it's safe to say that the addition of a vibrato certainly would have been. There had to have been at least some time for those changes to have been made. Especially the evolution from belt buckle tailpiece to Kaufmann, to mystery Atkins-Collins vibrato and finally to Bigsby (and IIRC, even that was two steps, going from a B3 to a B6). If a 6120 made it to NAMM in 'July of 54 alongside the fully realized Falcon prototype, then this August '54 article has me wondering if, or maybe suspecting that it would have been the Streamliner Special in its original form. Then Chet takes delivery after the show, shares his thoughts (apparently with both Gretsch and Pickin' and Singin' News), the second prototype is completed, then some final tweaking and the third prototype is completed.

And who is Tom Collins of Winston-Salem? I don't know, but it's making me thirsty...

 

[Wayne Gretschzky]

I agree Afire. Dan Duffy confirmed that the labels came pre-printed in rolls of 50/100. The fact that we have only documented 6 guitars (mixed models and all special builds) from this 50 unit batch might suggest that the roll was identified for special guitars (either for NAMM or otherwise). So yes... these 6 special guitars could have easily been made at different times but thy all got their labels from the "custom shop" roll (I just made that term up... it wasn't a thing in the 50s). We may never know... but I will remain diligent to locate additional #13750-13799 guitars!

 

[Synchro]

Tom Collins of Winston-Salem was a brilliant inventor, but he found out that the real bucks were in running a bar. Just a joke. I know nothing about the Atkins/Collins vibrato.

 

[Pemberton]

I agree Afire. Dan Duffy confirmed that the labels came pre-printed in rolls of 50/100. The fact that we have only documented 6 guitars (mixed models and all special builds) from this 50 unit batch might suggest that the roll was identified for special guitars (either for NAMM or otherwise). So yes... these 6 special guitars could have easily been made at different times but thy all got their labels from the "custom shop" roll (I just made that term up... it wasn't a thing in the 50s). We may never know... but I will remain diligent to locate additional #13750-13799 guitars!

It would seem odd if labels were randomly removed from the roll non-sequentially. If they were used up in order (even weeks or months apart) it would seem that there were at least as many guitars made from that batch as is the highest known serial number.

It’s possible they didn’t make a full 50. But the ones they did make are out there somewhere, although guitars do get destroyed for various reasons (such as falling off the back of a car on the way to a gig—been known to happen).

But I suspect many specially made guitars were kept and then handed down through family and friends and rarely end up on the open market.

 

[Synchro]

I agree Afire. Dan Duffy confirmed that the labels came pre-printed in rolls of 50/100. The fact that we have only documented 6 guitars (mixed models and all special builds) from this 50 unit batch might suggest that the roll was identified for special guitars (either for NAMM or otherwise). So yes... these 6 special guitars could have easily been made at different times but thy all got their labels from the "custom shop" roll (I just made that term up... it wasn't a thing in the 50s). We may never know... but I will remain diligent to locate additional #13750-13799 guitars!

If there is one absolute constant about Gretsch, back in those days, it would be the fact that there were no constants. That isn’t meant as a derogatory statement, and it was true of other manufacturers of the era, as well. Fender amps of the ‘50s, and quite possibly into the ‘60s, varied from the schematic, sometimes for no reason other than supply issues.

The community has done an amazing job of pinning down a lot of information about vintage guitar production, but there remain gaps, mysteries, and oddball one-offs, that can never be fully documented. Even in our day, there are some unexplained guitars produced, and when it comes to NAMM, all bets are off.

What has changed the most, IMHO, is the cachet attached to the term “Custom Shop”. In the past, there were special orders, so you could buy a guitar with an off-spec’ finish, maybe add a Bigsby to a model that didn’t usually have one, or something of that nature. You might have to wait until it could be squeezed into a production run, but it wasn’t usually a big deal.

For example, a friend has a Gibson Johnny Smith with a natural top and a sunburst back and sides, which matched Johnny Smith’s D’Angelico. He ordered it that way, and it was no big deal, but he gig have to wait for it to be produced.

With regard to the guitar in the article, it’s hard to say what all happened. I’m sure curious about that tailpiece, and it’s entirely possible that it originally had the Atkins/Collins tailpiece, then ended up with a Bigsby.

 

[afire]

"Custom shop" roll (I just made that term up... it wasn't a thing in the 50s).

But it's not a bad descriptor. The existence of batches like this make it clear that at times there was some sort of parallel production operation working on stuff like prototypes, custom builds, etc. Which makes perfect sense. It's not as though it would be practical to have the Streamliner Special or even more so a Falcon prototype lumped in with regular production. The Gibson Custom Shop has its Murphy Lab. Maybe we should just call this a Gretsch Custom Shop Webster Lab batch.

 

[gasmoney]

“The Webster lab”. I like it.

 

[Synchro]

“The Webster lab”. I like it.

Sounds like something out of a bad horror movie, to me.

 

[ToneM1]

I have to say that Ferlin Husky looks like a used car salesman.. Why Chet, if you move this knob here, all the girls will drop there Panties..This one over here will kick-in the bra remover and....