Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

admin wrote:Jos: Please forgive me. I confused your comments with those of Forrest and should have been congratulating him. I too let a Gretsch go, a Duojet that I wish I had back. Perhaps we will both get lucky one day.

Peter, no problema at all.

Collin,
what's a "Lennon Spec" Nashville model ?

yes, I agree the vinyl pad's purpose is to hide the white plastic cover on the back, a cover for the cover.

collin wrote:

fabandgear wrote:Cool post! I sold one of my prized Gretsches years ago to a friend and regretted it almost immediately. Fortunately, I found another Gretsch and swapped him even for my old one.
Your post also spurred me on to break out my '65 6120 (it's actually a "Pre-Nashville" Nashville, more properly a 6120 Chet Atkins Hollowbody Electric) and play on it! Here's a pic of my wife with my 6120 from a couple of years ago.

Looks like mine, Forrest!

Mine is a '64 (like Ron's)....all original and super clean. Lennon-spec, but i've wanted one since seeing Clapton briefly holding one:

Clapton.jpg

There is indeed something cool about the old orange double-cutaway models. It's the only Gretsch I ever wanted, and I love it.

Clapton bears a passing resemblance to you in this photo, Collin! At first I thought it was a photo of you holding your Gretsch.

Zurdo wrote:Collin,
what's a "Lennon Spec" Nashville model ?

Lennon-spec refers to a pre-"Nashville" model (ie....it wasn't called the Nashville, just the 6120 Chet Atkins until 1965). It features the horseshoe inlay at the headstock, and generally better fit/finish, IMO.

I'm not enough of a Beatle-nerd to know any specs further than that.

egosheep wrote:[Clapton bears a passing resemblance to you in this photo, Collin! At first I thought it was a photo of you holding your Gretsch.

Gee, thanks! Wouldn't be the first time i've heard that before, actually....

A true Lennon Spec "Nashville" is what Gretsch listed in their catalog as a 6120 Chet Atkins Hollowbody Electric. Mine is almost a "Lennon", except that his had the round button Grover tuning machines and mine has the later triangular shaped Van Ghents. The 6120 was dubbed "Nashville" around '66. Here's the difference between a CA Nashville and a CA Hollowbody. The Nashville has a model nameplate on the headstock and the word NASHVILLE under Chet's signature on the pickguard. All Nashvilles I've seen (until the '72-on 7660 Nashville) had Van Ghent machineheads. The Hollowbody features the horseshoe on the headstock and Chet's autograph on the pickguard, with the "Gretsch" T-roof logo indented, but not painted. Early HBE's had openback Grover tuners, later ones had Van Ghents. I've even seen one with factory installed Grover enclosed "Slimline" tuners.

fabandgear wrote: I've even seen one with factory installed Grover enclosed "Slimline" tuners.

Are these tuners any good? They didn't seem to be around very long. I think these were the ones JH referred to as having pot metal.

thanks Forrest for the details about the Specs.

mine (Larry's) must be a 1967 or 1968, it has the gold plated (basic) Tuners and a square gold plated plaque with the model number, the plaque is actually nailed to the headstock.

I never had any problem with the tuning keys, the guitar was trouble free, except for the binding which started to come unglued.

egosheep wrote:

fabandgear wrote: I've even seen one with factory installed Grover enclosed "Slimline" tuners.

Are these tuners any good? They didn't seem to be around very long. I think these were the ones JH referred to as having pot metal.

Yeah, they are molded metal cases. I replaced the non-original keys on my Gretsch Monkees with a set of Slimlines. They work fine and I've never had a problem with them. They are the same type of machine as came factory equipped on my '82 4001 bass.

Zurdo wrote: I never had any problem with the tuning keys, the guitar was trouble free, except for the binding which started to come unglued.

Ah, yes, the dreaded "Binding Rot". Gretsch used nitrocellulose banding material which has proven unstable. It's unpredictable stuff, some remaining intact and some deteriorating. I've seen '50s guitars with perfect binding and later guitars with crumbling binding. It's a heartbreaking thing, but unfortunately something you take a chance with if you love Gretsch guitars.

Another John Lennon pose!

Zurdo wrote:yes that's the picture! I wonder what song(s) John used it for ?

"Paperback Writer" during the April, 1966 Abbey Road recording session.

fabandgear wrote:

Zurdo wrote:yes that's the picture! I wonder what song(s) John used it for ?

"Paperback Writer" during the April, 1966 Abbey Road recording session.

ohh yesss, that sound, I always thought it was the Epiphones, now I know it was a Gretsch. a very midrangy-sound.

Thank you.

I wonder what happened to THAT guitar? there isn't much info. on John playing it, other than those pictures, and considering George played a number of well-documented Country Gentlemans.

I've never put a Nashville and a Country Gentleman side-by-side to compare, but it seems to me they are the same identical guitar, unless the Country Gentleman is a larger body.

I'm sure there are TONS of Beatles guitars that were used once then disappeared.
As for the differences between a Gent and a Nashville, the Gent is 17" at the lower bout compared to the Nasville's 16". They DO sound a little different, though. Usually the Gent's lead pickup is not as close to the bridge as the Nashville's, resulting in a mellower lead sound. Other than that, the bracing's the same. The only other difference between the two is the '65 model CG's bass Super'Tron pickup. Earlier and later Gents have two Filter'Trons like the Nashville.

you sure know these Gretsches well Forrest!!

thanks and Happy Holidays to you and wife.