The George Harrison Model - In Black!!!

1963 Gretsch 6122 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman (second version).

This super rare factory ordered black "top dog" of the Chet Atkins models weighs just 7.80 lbs. and and has a nut width of just over 1 5/8 inches, a really comfortable medium neck profile, and a scale length of 24 1/2 inches (like all of the Chet Atkins models). Laminated maple body, three-piece rock maple neck, and ebony fretboard with 22 original medium frets plus zero fret and neo-classic inlaid pearl thumbprint (half-moon) position markers. With four-ply binding on the top and the back of the guitar and single binding on the headstock and the fretboard. Headstock with inlaid pearl Gretsch "T-roof" logo and "The Chet Atkins Country Gentleman 53445" nameplate. Individual Grover Imperial tuners with 'stairstep' metal buttons. Two Filter'Tron 'patent-number' pickups with outputs of 4.21k and 4.19k. Gold Lucite pickguard with "Gretsch" (T-roof) logo engraved in black from underneath. Painted f-holes. Two volume controls (one for each pickup) plus a stand-by switch on the lower treble bout, one master volume control on the upper treble bout, plus two tone selector switches on upper bass bout. The potentiometers are stamped "137 6409" (CTS, February 1964). Gretsch "Arrow-through-G" knobs with cross-hatch pattern on sides. Double string damper, complete with sponge dampers, and two string damper controls with red felt pads. Gold-plated bar bridge on the original ebony base and gold-plated V-cutout B-6 Bigsby ("Gretsch by Bigsby") vibrato tailpiece. Large oval black plastic control cover on back stamped in blind "Pat. No. D196609 / Gretsch" with eight screws. Original black vinyl cover with eight fasteners (additional foam rubber pad under cover). All hardware gold-plated. This guitar is in near mint (9.25) condition, with virtually no playing wear whatsoever. There are no issues with the binding on the body. There is some very light cracking to the fretboard binding - but it is quite stable. There are no surface issues on the back of the guitar behind the pad. There is some light finish checking on the body. A real collectors gem. Housed in the original Gretsch gray five-latch hardshell with maroon plush lining (9.25).

This super rare factory black Country Gentleman (we have never seen a factory black earlier than 1966) has all of the 'George Harrison' features which include: Two Gretsch 'Filter'Tron' pickups; Grover Imperial 'Stairstep' tuners; Two muffler switches with red pads; two black 'rubber' mutes; Pickguard just with "Gretsch" (no "Country Gentleman".

Together with a signed letter of authenticity from Andy Babiuk, dated 4/22/09 which states "The 1963 Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman G6122 Custom serial number #53445 is 100% all original including a rare custom ordered black finish which was painted by Gretsch at the Brooklyn, New York factory. The guitar includes the original Gretsch case." (Andy Babiuk is the author of the books 'Beatles Gear' and 'The Story of Paul Bigsby').