GRETSCH CHET ATKINS HOLLOW BODY/NASHVILLE MODEL 6120/7660 Description
- single round cutaway maple body, arched laminated spruce top with stylized G logo on lower bass bout, double bound top and back, two double-bound f-holes, maple neck, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl Western motif engraved block inlay, bound blackface headstock with steerhead/logo inlay, three-per-side tuners, adj. bridge, Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, raised gold pickguard with Chet Atkins' sign post signature and logo, two exposed DeArmond pickups, three knobs on lower treble bout, one knob on upper treble bout, one switch on upper bass bout, gold hardware, available in Red, Red Amber, or Western Orange finish, 16 in. body width, 2.875 in. body depth, 24.75 in. scale, mfg. 1954-1980.
Some models were available with body matching pegheads. In 1955, the top was changed to maple and the first fret became engraved. In 1956, the engraved fingerboard inlays were disc., a horseshoe peghead inlay replaced the steer's head, and the vibrato unit was nickel plated. In 1957, humptop fingerboard inlays were introduced and and the G logo on the top was disc. In 1958, an ebony fingerboard with thumbnail inlays, an adj. bar bridge, and Filter'Tron pickups were introduced, and a three-way tone switch was added to the upper bass bout. In 1959, a Gretsch/Bigsby vibrato and zero fret were introduced. In 1961, the body was changed to a double round cutaway semi-hollow style with painted f-holes, the pickguard had no signpost around Chet Atkins' signature, a string mute, mute/standby switches (a few models were produced with a mute control) and back pad were introduced. In 1964, this model was renamed the Nashville, with Chet Atkins Nashville on pickguard and peghead mounted nameplate. In 1971, this model was renumbered 7660. In 1972, a tune-o-matic bridge and elongated headstock were added, and the string mute, mute switch, and nameplate were removed. In 1973, open f-holes were introduced. In 1975, a tubular vibrato arm was introduced, hardware became chrome plated, and the standby switch was removed. In 1979, flat vibrato arm replaced tubular arm.