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1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins: The Perfect Refinement of a Hollowbody Legend
A 1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins is a single-cutaway hollowbody with Filter'Tron pickups, thumbnail inlays and a 2 1/2 inch deep body. September 2026 listings for 1959 to 1961 single-cutaways ran from about $5,950 (sold, modified) to $14,000 and up (asking). Edgewater Guitars in Valley City, Ohio buys them nationwide: call or text (440) 219-3607 or request a free estimate.
What a 1960 Gretsch 6120 has, and what it does not
By 1960 the 6120 had lost nearly all of its cowboy trim. Gretsch launched the model for 1955 with a G branded into the top, block inlays engraved with cows and cactus, a steer head on the headstock and DeArmond single-coil pickups. The engraved inlays and the steer head went in 1956. The G brand went in 1957. A factory 1960 has none of them. The horseshoe on the headstock and the signpost on the pickguard are what is left of the western theme.
The 1958 model year set the pattern a 1960 follows: Filter'Tron humbuckers in place of the DeArmonds, an ebony fingerboard in place of rosewood, Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays in place of the hump-block inlays used in 1957, and a tone switch in place of the tone knob. Trestle bracing arrived the same year and the zero fret followed in 1959. For 1960 Gretsch thinned the body to 2 1/2 inches. Earlier guitars measure 2 3/4 to 2 7/8 inches, depending on the reference.
So if your orange Gretsch has a G brand, engraved inlays or DeArmond pickups, it is not a 1960. It is most likely a 1955 to 1957 guitar, which collectors usually value higher. Our Gretsch 6120 value guide covers every era of the model, and our Country Gentleman value guide covers Gretsch's other Chet Atkins hollowbody.
Gretsch 6120 changes by year, 1955 to 1962
Years are model years as the references give them. Where good sources disagree, the table says so.
Year | What changed | What it means for a 1960 |
|---|---|---|
1955 | Launch spec: DeArmond pickups, G brand, engraved block inlays, steer head on the headstock, rosewood fingerboard | None of it belongs on a 1960 |
1956 | Plain block inlays; a horseshoe replaces the steer head | The horseshoe is still there in 1960 |
1957 | G brand dropped; hump-block inlays; G-arrow knobs; bar bridge (1958 per guitarhq) | The bar bridge and G-arrow knobs carry through |
1958 | Filter'Trons (the first were built in late 1957); ebony fingerboard; thumbnail inlays; a tone switch replaces the tone knob; trestle bracing | The core of the 1960 spec |
1959 | Zero fret | On every 1960 |
1960 | Body depth cut to 2 1/2 inches; V-cutout Gretsch Bigsby (guitarhq and MusicRadar date it to 1959, Premier Guitar to 1960); patent-number Filter'Tron covers start to replace PAT. APPLIED FOR covers | The year's own markers |
1961 | Body depth cut again to 2 1/4 inches; standby switch on late examples; last single-cutaway year | A 2 1/4 inch body or a third switch points past 1960 |
1962 (built from late 1961) | Thinner double-cutaway body, simulated f-holes, string mute, padded back, standby switch | A different guitar that sells for much less |
1960 Gretsch 6120 identification checklist
This is what we check, in order, before we talk about money.
Body. Single rounded cutaway, open bound f-holes, laminated maple, about 16 inches across the lower bout (dealers measure 15 1/2 to 16) and a scale of about 24 1/2 inches. Measure the rim: 2 1/2 inches is the 1960 spec, 2 3/4 or more means 1959 or earlier, and 2 1/4 is the 1961 spec.
Finish. Transparent orange. Gretsch's name for it was Amber Red; dealers call it Western Orange. It is the same finish.
Pickups. Two Filter'Trons with gold covers, stamped PAT. APPLIED FOR or U.S. PAT 2892371.
Fingerboard. Bound ebony with Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays and a zero fret ahead of the nut. Block or hump-block inlays on a rosewood board mean 1957 or earlier.
Headstock. Bound, with the Gretsch logo and a horseshoe inlay. No metal nameplate: that came in the mid-1960s, when the model became the Nashville.
Bridge and vibrato. A straight bar bridge and a Gretsch-logo Bigsby B6 with a V-shaped cutout. Other bridges are replacements, like the Gibson ABR-1 on a 1960 that Black Book Guitars sold.
Controls. Three G-arrow knobs: a volume for each pickup on the lower bout and a master volume on the cutaway. Two switches on the upper bout: pickup selector and tone. A third switch on the lower treble bout is a standby switch and points to late 1961 or later.
Pickguard. Gold plastic with the Gretsch logo and Chet Atkins's signature on a signpost.
Hardware and tuners. Gold plated throughout, and thin, worn gold is normal. Tuners are open-gear. Cream City Music identified the originals on its 1960 as Grover Sta-Tites, which is one dealer's listing, not a catalog spec. Look for extra screw holes or the outline of a different tuner on the back of the headstock.
Bracing. Trestle bracing: two U-shaped spruce braces that tie the top to the back under the bridge. Gretsch says Chet Atkins asked for it to get more sustain and less feedback. It debuted in 1958 and disappeared with the double-cutaway body. Premier Guitar's 1959, Garrett Park's 1960 and archtop.com's 1961 all have it.
Weight and case. Six dealer-weighed examples from 1959 to 1961 ran from 7.2 pounds to 8 pounds 1 ounce. Listings show cowboy cases with tooled leather trim, and plain grey or white Gretsch cases, with guitars of these years, so either can be original.
Filter'Tron pickups on a 1960 6120
Ray Butts designed the Filter'Tron for Chet Atkins, who disliked the DeArmonds and wanted a pickup without single-coil hum. Butts filed his patent in January 1957 and received it, U.S. 2,892,371, on June 30, 1959. Gretsch kept using up covers stamped PAT. APPLIED FOR into 1960, then switched to covers stamped U.S. PAT 2892371. Either is correct on a 1960: Cream City Music's 1960 had Pat. Applied For pickups, and guitar number 39483 at archtop.com has patent-number pickups.
Filter'Trons are low-output pickups. Readings between 4k and 5k ohms are typical. Carter Vintage measured 4.2k and 4.3k on the 1961 it has for sale, and 5.7k and 5.9k on a 1959 it sold. A low number on the meter is normal, not a fault.
Serial numbers, the label and the model-year problem
The serial number is written on a paper label glued inside the body, usually read through the f-hole. From number 25001 in 1957 until 1965 the label is an orange oval on a grey and white background reading Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co., with lines for model and serial number and the words Musical Instrument Makers Since 1883 at the bottom. Gretsch says impressed headstock numbers were rarely used between the early 1950s and 1962, so expect a label, not a stamped number.
Gretsch's own chart assigns the 35,000s through the 39,000s to 1960. The guitarhq.com chart runs 1960 from the 34000s to the 39000s and starts 1961 in the 39000s. Neither is exact, and the reason is how Gretsch worked. It built 6120s in numbered batches, and historian Edward Ball's book on the model tracks them batch by batch. As Guitar World summarizes his research, a Gretsch model year is a set of features, not a calendar year: the first Filter'Tron 6120s, 1958 models, were built in late 1957.
You can see it in dealer listings. Garrett Park Guitars sold number 39857 as a 1960, and archtop.com lists number 39483 as a 1961. Both measure 2 1/4 inches deep, the 1961 spec. Date the guitar by its features first and use the number to confirm. Dealers also single out one 1960 batch, the 367xx guitars, for unusually figured maple: Black Book Guitars and The Guitar Showroom both say so in their listings. Our Gretsch serial number guide has the full chart.
What a 1960 Gretsch 6120 is worth in 2026
These are dealer listings we read on September 20, 2026, not estimates. Two sold listings at Cream City Music show what a compromised guitar brings. A 1960 with its original Pat. Applied For Filter'Trons, a filled hole near the switches and marks from an earlier tuner swap was priced at $5,999 when it sold. A 1961 single-cutaway with an oversprayed finish, a Super'Tron in the neck position, replaced tuners and no pickguard was priced at $5,949.15. Neither page gives a sale date.
Asking prices for better guitars sit well above that. Carter Vintage in Nashville is asking $14,000 for a 1961 single-cutaway with original tuners and its original case, plus a binding repair, a fret level and a repaired strip on the headstock. Galerie Casanova in Paris lists a 1959 on GBase at $17,650, marked down from $19,000. The highest ask we found is £24,999 at The Guitar Showroom in the UK, for a 1960 from the 367xx batch with a heavily flamed top, original apart from a replacement pickguard and pickup surrounds, with the original parts included. An asking price is where a dealer starts, not what the guitar sold for.
The cutaway matters as much as the year. Retrofret in Brooklyn is asking $5,500 for an original 1965 double-cutaway 6120 in very good plus condition, less than Cream City's prices for two modified single-cutaways. Demand for the 1958 to 1961 version comes from players as much as collectors: Guitar World calls it the ultimate 6120 for most fans of the model, and Pete Townshend recorded Who's Next and Quadrophenia with a 1959 that Joe Walsh gave him.
What Edgewater offers. Our cash offer on a 1960 6120 would typically land around 20% under documented dealer selling figures for a comparable guitar, and lower for refinished or modified examples. Asking prices are not selling figures. Edgewater typically pays 30 to 40 percent more than local guitar shops. Condition, originality and finish move the number, so the accurate answer for yours is a free appraisal. Our sell your Gretsch page explains the process, and where to sell a vintage Gretsch compares a dealer sale with Reverb, eBay and a pawn shop.
What takes money off a 6120
The listings above show the pattern. None of these kills a sale, but each one moves the number.
Changed pickups. Cream City's 1961 had a Super'Tron in the neck position. If the original parts are in the case, say so: Black Book Guitars sold a 1960 with its original pickups included.
Finish work. Overspray or a refinish, even an old one.
Replaced pickguard, tuners or bridge. Four of the 1959 to 1961 listings we read mention a replaced or missing pickguard, so check yours against the signpost description above.
Binding. Gretsch binding breaks down with age. The guitarhq reference warns about it, Retrofret says a large share of mid-1960s Gretsches have binding problems, and two of the listings above note binding repairs.
Neck angle. Neck resets are a known Gretsch repair, and Garrett Park's 1960 had one. A good neck angle with bridge height to spare is worth pointing out.
A refret is normal on a played guitar: three of the listings mention one. Leave the guitar as found before an appraisal, and keep every loose part that came with it.
More Gretsch reading: our Duo Jet value guide and our White Falcon identification guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 1960 Gretsch 6120 have a G brand?
No. Gretsch stopped branding a G into the top of the 6120 for the 1957 model year, and the engraved cow and cactus inlays had already ended in 1956. A factory 1960 has neither. A G brand on an orange Gretsch points to the model's first years, 1955 and 1956, not to 1960.
How do I tell a 1960 Gretsch 6120 from a 1962?
Count the cutaways and look at the f-holes. A 1960 has one rounded cutaway, open bound f-holes and a body 2 1/2 inches deep. From late 1961 the 6120 became a thinner double-cutaway guitar with a closed top, simulated f-holes, a string mute, a padded back and a standby switch.
What serial number should a 1960 Gretsch 6120 have?
Gretsch's own dating chart assigns the 35,000s through the 39,000s to 1960. The guitarhq.com chart starts 1960 in the 34000s and starts 1961 in the 39000s, so a number at either end can belong to the neighboring year. The number is written on a paper label inside the body.
Are Pat. Applied For Filter'Trons correct on a 1960 Gretsch 6120?
Yes. Ray Butts received the Filter'Tron patent on June 30, 1959, but Gretsch kept using covers stamped PAT. APPLIED FOR into 1960 before switching to covers stamped U.S. PAT 2892371. Either cover can be original on a 1960. Readings around 4k to 5k ohms are normal for these pickups.
By Stephen Pedone, co-owner of Edgewater Guitars. Last updated: September 2026.
Sources
Gretsch model timeline, Chet Atkins Hollow Body 6120, guitarhq.com: guitarhq.com/gretsch2.html
Gretsch serial numbers, labels, pickups, knobs and bridges by year, guitarhq.com: guitarhq.com/gretsch.html
Product Dating, 1939 to 1965 serial chart and label history, Gretsch: gretschguitars.com
GretschTech: Trestle Bracing, Gretsch: blog.gretschguitars.com
Vintage Vault: 1960 Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollowbody Model 6120, Premier Guitar (specifications only): premierguitar.com
1961 Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollowbody Model 6120, serial 40749, Premier Guitar: premierguitar.com
Guitar of the Month: 1959 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120, Premier Guitar: premierguitar.com
Classic gear: Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body/Nashville, MusicRadar: musicradar.com
How the Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins became a rock and roll icon, Chris Gill, Guitar World: guitarworld.com
The story of Jimmy Page's 1957 Gretsch 6120 (Edward Ball's batch and model-year research), Huw Price, Guitar World: guitarworld.com
Gretsch 6120, Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org
Filter'Tron, Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org
U.S. Patent 2,892,371, Pickup, Joseph Raymond Butts, Google Patents: patents.google.com
Gretsch serial numbers, Guitar Insite: guitarinsite.nl
Feature: 1962 Gretsch 6120 Double Cutaway, Crave Guitars: craveguitars.co.uk
1960 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 ($5,999, sold), Cream City Music: creamcitymusic.com
1961 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins, modified ($5,949.15, sold), Cream City Music: creamcitymusic.com
1961 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins, Western Orange ($14,000 asking), Carter Vintage Guitars: cartervintage.com
1959 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins, sold, specifications only, Carter Vintage Guitars: cartervintage.com
1959 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins ($17,650 asking), Galerie Casanova on GBase: gbase.com
1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins, serial 36734 (£24,999 asking), The Guitar Showroom: theguitarshowroom.co.uk
1965 Gretsch 6120 double cutaway ($5,500 asking), Retrofret Vintage Guitars: retrofret.com
1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins, serial 39857, Garrett Park Guitars: gpguitars.com
1961 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollowbody, serial 39483, archtop.com: archtop.com
1960 Gretsch 6120, 367xx batch, Black Book Guitars: blackbookguitars.com
1959 Gretsch 6120, serial 33036, Folkway Music: folkwaymusic.com
1959 Gretsch 6120, serial 31243, Elite Guitars: eliteguitars.net
1961 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins, EG3457, Gruhn Guitars: guitars.com
1961 Gretsch 6120, serial 40737, TR Crandall Guitars: trcrandall.com
Sell your 1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins
Edgewater Guitars buys vintage Gretsch 6120s and other vintage Gretsches nationwide. We give free, honest appraisals and fair same-day cash offers, with local pickup or insured nationwide shipping. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or request a free estimate.
How much is a 1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins worth?
As a real reference point, Edgewater recently paid $7,000 for a clean, all-original 1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins. Condition, originality, and finish move that figure up or down, so the most accurate number for your specific guitar is a free appraisal. Send a few photos and the serial number and we will give you an honest assessment.
Where can I sell a 1960 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins?
Edgewater Guitars buys them directly, nationwide, with same-day cash offers and no obligation. You can also date yours with our guitar serial number lookup.
