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Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Chet Atkins. Every item links to its public source.
7 items · Last checked

What guitar does Chet Atkins play?

Chet Atkins said he used his Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman on his records continually and the 6120 once in a while. He was also seen with the 6121 solidbody and Tennessean, pushed Ray Butts to develop the Filter'Tron humbucker, and moved to Gibson at the end of the 1970s.

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What guitars Chet Atkins uses: a sourced gear guide

Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.

Gretsch years

6 items

Gibson years

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Questions

About Chet Atkins's gear.

What guitar did Chet Atkins play?

Gretsch signature models from 1954: the orange 6120 hollowbody, the 6121 solidbody, the 6122 Country Gentleman he used on his records, and the Tennessean. He switched his endorsement to Gibson at the end of the 1970s.

Why did Chet Atkins help design the Country Gentleman?

He wanted less feedback and noise than his 6120 gave him with DeArmond pickups. Gretsch used a sealed thinline body with fake f-holes and the Filter'Tron humbuckers Chet urged Ray Butts to develop.

What pickups were in Chet Atkins' Gretsch guitars?

DeArmond single-coils on his early 6120 and 6121, then Gretsch Filter'Tron humbuckers starting with the Country Gentleman.

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Chet Atkins
About this guide · Last checked

Chet Atkins (1924 to 2001) was the Nashville fingerstyle guitarist and producer known as Mister Guitar and the Country Gentleman. This legacy guide covers the Gretsch signature guitars he helped design in the 1950s, from the 6120 to the Country Gentleman, and his later move to Gibson, from MusicRadar and Vintage Guitar histories.

truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Chet Atkins didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.

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