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Can a replica still be considered a work of art? In the case of Gretsch's lovingly crafted G6128TDS-R Duo Jet Relic Limited Release, the answer is a most definitive yes. But as much as you'll want to hang it on the wall, this guitar is meant to be played.

The first thing we did was marvel at the tweed case, which has not four, not five, but six gold locks. As in: "Special contents inside. Nothing's dropping out of here." It's become a rare experience when a case alone gives us pause for thought, but this is a very handsome and sturdy piece of luggage, indeed.

Pop the locks and there it is...Whoa! Stand back a moment here and gaze. Roy Orbison, Duane Eddy, Chet Atkins, George Harrison, Brian Setzer, Chris Cornell - they've all played the Duo Jet. And right there it is, the perfect marriage of black and silver. Let's take this big guy out and go for a ride.

Design and construction

When first released in 1954, the Duo Jet was one of the first mahogany-bodied electric guitars to be extensively routed inside (making it, in effect, a semi-solid). The Limited Release's chambered body features a 3-ply arched maple top. Tap on the top and the guitar makes that wondrous echo-y kind of sound - there's music to be made with this thing. All in all, the body, which measures 13-1/4 inches wide and 1-3/4 inches in depth (slightly more towards the bottom), feels remarkably light yet substantial, the kind of guitar that won't kill your shoulder by the end of a set. There are two knurled strap retainer knobs.

Okay, time to consider the finish, an astonishing veneer. The nitrocellulose lacquer, graciously applied to the top and the walnut-stained sides and back, has been "relic'd" - aged - and it's quite astonishing in that the little nicks and dents and patches of cracked paint are entirely intentional. Flip the guitar over and what do you know? There's even belt marks on this thing! Now, how did they do that? A brand-new guitar that looks convincingly like an antique - extraordinary.

The binding that runs along the top edge is sufficiently "relic'd" as well, so it has a bit of a brownish hue. Very nice. There is a classic-shaped Gretsch silver Plexiglas pickguard (with the Gretsch logo) that, on its straight side, extends from the last fret to the bridge. The body's single-cutaway allows smooth and easy access to to the last fret and beyond.

The C-shaped neck, bound at the back where it meets the body (at the 16th fret), is a one-piece mahogany construction with the same nitrocellulose lacquer as what is on the rest of the guitar. The binding along the sides has also been aged - the same brownish hue is visible by the first and second frets. With a scale length of 24.60 inches and 21 frets, the neck feels fast and easy in the hand.

The rosewood fingerboard features eight aged hump block inlay position markers. With a 12-inch fretboard radius, the neck has the nice, rounded feel of a classic - the kind of guitar you can bend strings on without worrying about fretting out, but you can still wrap your hand around barre chords. Fretting is more like tap-dancing. In fact, we found ourselves at first shooting past intended frets, but after a minute or two we acclimated ourselves to this slick-playing baby.