Gretsch 6120: The History of a Legendary Guitar

I just received my copy yesterday. I'm a collector that's been searching for the "right" 6120 for a few years now. I finally made the plunge and bought a '55 that I thought was "the" guitar. But when it arrived, it looked to have some issues. This book allowed me to research it further and have greater confidence in the significant investment I made in my vintage Gretsch. Plus it just has tons of great information and history about Gretsch that goes beyond the 6120. Overall a beautiful book filled with great info

I'd totally recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about this spectacular guitar. The book goes through an extensive background of guitars and Gretsch, and then really hammers into the many features and changes of the 6120 guitar year-by-year during the 1950s and 1960s. It also has chapters on various tribute models such as the Eddie Cochran, Brian Setzer and Duane Eddy models. Great pictures. It's an awesome reference book that you'll find yourself going back to time and time again.

As a proud owner of a 1957 Gretsch 6120, I was very anxious to read this book. I had read a review in Vintage Guitar magazine that piqued my interest.I can say this is an excellent book. It is hard-cover, many color photos, printed on high-quality glossy stock.It includes a comprehensive overview, year-by-year, of the genesis of this wonderful guitar. The opening chapters offer an introduction to the history of the guitar in general, and, the history of the Gretsch company. Further chapters offer a run-up to the development of the 6120 by reviewing the Gretsch models that preceded it. The book covers the crucial artist input from Chet Atkins necessary to make the model popular with the public.The technical information is quite comprehensive, and, no detail is left out. Additionally, the author includes a web site that updates post-publication information, errata, etc. The book concludes with chapters on the present-day Gretsch company, and the models offerred.I strongly recommend this book to anyone intereted in this guitar model, and electric guitars in general.

Those of us who love guitars are living in a golden age for the instruments themselves and for books about them. Ed Ball's book on the iconic Gretsch 6120, still the quintessential Gretsch, is another in the seemingly endless publication of specialist books on particular instruments. I'm glad to say that this is as good as any of them. Ball presents a plethora of information while not burying his text in detail. He tells the story of the rise and fall, then the resurrection, of Gretsch guitars and the 6120 in particular, in a fascinating way. Like the best of modern guitar books, Ball has included fantastic photographs of the guitars, dug up some interesting rarities and included plenty of anecdotes that help to bring the 6120's saga to life.

If you are considering purchasing a NEW Gretsch "G6120T-55GE Vintage Select 1955" or "G6120T-59 Vintage Select 1959" and want to know why these two particular years were chosen to represent this Flagship Model's vintage re-creation (plus a thing or two about their origins and evolution), read this book.It's fascinating to see how this beautiful instrument slowly "comes into focus" throughout the late '40's and early 50's... Even more fascinating is Gretsch's constant tweeking of it in response to market demands and aesthetic appeal.Mr. Ball has done first-rate detective work.

Aside from the fact that Ed Ball is a friend of mine, this book is the one you must have in your collection if you are a fan of the best guitar in the world, the GreTscH 6120. Ed did tons of research with industry pros, Gretsch employees and Fred Gretsch III himself to make sure that the reader of this book got the true facts about the 6120. This is the Bible of Gretsch books.The photos too are just magnificent. You won't find a better more accurate and more entertaining book about the Gretsch 6120 than this one.Well, what are you waiting for? ORDER ONE!

This is a good research reference book and just something to bask in if you have or want one of these oldie guitars. I have one with a '55 serial # but '56 inlays, perhaps made in response to Chet Atkins being personally against the more gussied up '55 look, as it did not represent his roots or his music. Just the sound of these is so pure and clean I can hear it in my head while reading the book.

The book is extremely well-researched and nicely presented. The main focus is on the development of the 6120, but the author provides a lot of interesting information on Gretsch history and production methods and covers many other models too, especially pre-Atkins models.Mr. Ball has done what I have long hoped would be done for an iconic guitar other than a 'Burst or Strat -- an in-depth, scholarly treatment that is not simply a painstaking collation of detailed information but that tells a story and sheds light on why these guitars have an important place in our cultural history. This book provides an excellent model in how to present vintage guitar research.

...if (?)... you are the lucky owner of an 'original' late 50's /60's early 5120 then this fine book will make you very proud... If you 've always wanted one then it's a good read..... If however you've brought a later Japanese version you'll always be in envy of those people who still have and hopefully still play those original classics... These old Gretsches and Gibsons are not really worth their thousands but as long as there's a market then prices will hold....All you younger players out there - don't spend your money - jusr practice on your existing instrument....when you can play like Chet or Wes you'll probably / eventually earn enough to buy an origina Gretsch 5120 or a Gibson L5c....

This book is a gold mine of information not only on Gretsch guitars in gerneral but about the Gretsch 6120 guitar, one of the guitar icons of popular culture and music.The book provides much historic information on the inception, design and evolutionary changes to the guitar over the years and shows many wonderful full colour photographs of the guitars talked about.The book is a valuable reference tool for those who are interested in vintage year models and again covers the design and specification changes year by year. This alone might save the unsuspecting buyer from being caught out by a non stock instrument being offerred for sale.The book has been well researched and is well written, going into specific detail, I have read and own other geenral books on Gretsch guitars but the 6120 book is more specific to the Gretsch guitar I tend to like most the 6120.It does not go into much detail about the Terada factory in Japan who make some beautiful Gretsch 6120's nor does it give over much detail on the 6120DC Double Cutaway guitars, but there was enough on the 6120DC guitars to inform me of things I didn't know and to see some great examples in the photographs.Overall a fantastic book and will be something I go back to again and again just to marvel over these lovely guitars!Having myself written about guitars for specialist magazines and E-books, I must say that the book is written for the collector, knowledgable enthusiast and the 'new to the interest' reader, in a welcoming style and does not talk down or use unnecessary jargon toward the reader.Very pleased with the book!

I can only reiterate the reviews of others. This is a superb and stunningly illustrated reference book for those with more than a passing interest in guitars generally and Gretsch guitars in particular. It is not just a treatise on the different variations of the Gretsch 6120, but a complete history of the evolution of this iconic guitar through various iterations of other Gretsch models up to 1954 when the first prototype 6120 was built for Chet Atkins. As a dedictaed fan of Chet Atkins and his guitars for over 50 years, this book is an excellent addition to my array of Chet Atkins reference material.

Rather like the guitar, the book is classy, we'll put together, and worth every penny, I've had many Gretsches over the years including 6120s (I have one now) and like many Gretsch fans I've had many years of pleasure owning and playing them, although I must say, they have never been my favourite gigging guitar .... in my opinion, a Telecaster is the "go to" guitar, but it seems once a Gretsch fan always a Gretsch fan, so I suspect many Gretsch fans will have other books, and probably know pretty much everything there is in this book, but it is still worth buying because it is very informative, and has some glorious photos to drool over.

I’m lucky enough to own a genuine G6120 & this book provides a comprehensive overview of the guitar’s history. It is very well written & is full of lovely pictures, in glorious colour.A real must for any guitarist or Gretsch hound like me!