Long-time Gretsch owner, forum newbie, with a couple of questions

Dana Rudd

Dana Rudd

Country Gent
Nov 26, 2019
2,346
Greybull, WY
Hello and welcome to GT, good to have you here.

That is a beautiful guitar. Sorry about the binding, hopefully you can find an excellent luthier to replace it. Enjoy that fine guitar.
 
garagegods

garagegods

Electromatic
Sep 30, 2021
93
Los Angeles
jbrannen said:
Like probably many others, it was seeing the Stray Cats on MTV that got me craving Gretsch guitars. In the early 80's I ended up with a '58 6120 (paid $600), a '62 6120, a couple of Country Gents, and an '80 White Falcon. All ended up being sold as part of a divorce (sadly) in 1990. Oh well...

I recently bought a very beautiful flame-topped 6120 that was said to be a 1960 model. Indeed, the serial number is 35980. But the pickups are Pat. Applied For and the body thickness is 2-1/2". Something I read made me think maybe this guitar was put together in 1959, but came out of the factory as a '60 model. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Here's my main question: the only thing appearing to be non-original is the tuning set...the tuners are clearly more modern. I'm wondering where I can get some tuners that are copies of the Grover Sta-tites (in gold) that originally came on these guitars. Surely someone makes copies that would fit. Any direction on this would be appreciated.

The only other "issue" this guitar has is that some of the binding along the fingerboard is pulling away, cracking. One 2" piece has actually come off (it's taped to the pickguard in the photo). I understand this is not that uncommon. I'm just curious what other 6120 owners have done about this.

I look forward to visiting the forum, and I would appreciate comments from anyone who cares to address any of the items I mentioned above.
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Welcome! wow that has amazing wood grain hang on to that one!
 
afire

afire

Friend of Fred
Feb 12, 2009
5,548
Where the action is!
jbrannen said:
As for the '59 vs. '60 specs, it didn't matter to me...I bought the guitar for its feel and it's beauty...the year was irrelevant to my purchase decision. I just thought it might have made some small difference in which tuners came stock with those particular years.
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Nope, both years used the usual Waverlys. The exceptions would be a brief period in late '57 and early '58 when Gretsch did use actual Grover Sta-Tites, and in the mid '60s, there was a time when Van Ghent tuners were used. Otherwise it was Waverlys throughout the Brooklyn era.
 
gretschcrush

gretschcrush

Electromatic
Mar 8, 2010
73
UK
jbrannen said:
Like probably many others, it was seeing the Stray Cats on MTV that got me craving Gretsch guitars. In the early 80's I ended up with a '58 6120 (paid $600), a '62 6120, a couple of Country Gents, and an '80 White Falcon. All ended up being sold as part of a divorce (sadly) in 1990. Oh well...

I recently bought a very beautiful flame-topped 6120 that was said to be a 1960 model. Indeed, the serial number is 35980. But the pickups are Pat. Applied For and the body thickness is 2-1/2". Something I read made me think maybe this guitar was put together in 1959, but came out of the factory as a '60 model. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Here's my main question: the only thing appearing to be non-original is the tuning set...the tuners are clearly more modern. I'm wondering where I can get some tuners that are copies of the Grover Sta-tites (in gold) that originally came on these guitars. Surely someone makes copies that would fit. Any direction on this would be appreciated.

The only other "issue" this guitar has is that some of the binding along the fingerboard is pulling away, cracking. One 2" piece has actually come off (it's taped to the pickguard in the photo). I understand this is not that uncommon. I'm just curious what other 6120 owners have done about this.

I look forward to visiting the forum, and I would appreciate comments from anyone who cares to address any of the items I mentioned above.
View attachment 170560
Click to expand...
What an absolute peach
 
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