Gretsch 6120 Nashville Orange Stain 1990

 

Gretsch introduced the original 6120 model in the mid-1950s under the endorsement of country star Chet Atkins. It quickly became an iconic full-hollow body guitar, central to the development of rockabilly and early rock and roll. After a period of inactivity in the early 1980s, the brand was reacquired by the Gretsch family in 1989, and production of key models like the 6120 resumed in high-quality Japanese factories. This guitar, from that respected era, features the classic Orange Stain finish, gold-plated Filter-Tron humbuckers, and a Bigsby B6G vibrato tailpiece. The name “Nashville" is a model designation that first appeared in the mid-1960s, replacing the original "Chet Atkins Hollow Body" name. It was primarily a practical decision driven by the end of Chet Atkins' original endorsement agreement with Gretsch around that time. The city of Nashville, Tennessee, is the historic heart of country music, a genre where the 6120 model had become iconic, so the name was used to maintain the guitar's strong association with country and rockabilly music, without using Atkins' name directly on the headstock or pickguard graphic. The "Nashville" name has remained in use for standard 6120 models ever since, alongside various artist signature editions (like those for Brian Setzer) that may use different naming conventions.