Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • "She knew what she'd created": Back to Black
  • Trower's '80s supergroup
  • Music theory tricks
  • Stage Tour game
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars

Wishlist: Gretsch Professional Collection Limited Editions

News
By Guitarist
Published 30 April 2015

Two gorgeous Gretsch hollow bodies

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

No guitar turns heads like a Gretsch hollowbody. And few can compete with the visual thrills on offer from these limited-edition 2015 additions to the company’s Professional Collection: the G6120-1959LTV Chet Atkins Hollow Body Limited Edition Quilted Maple and the G6136T Falcon Limited Crème de Marine.

"Professional Collection models are made in limited numbers in the small Terada factory in Kanie, Japan"

The Crème de Marine in the Falcon’s name is a reference to its unusual soft blue hue. It comes kitted out with the same hardware and top-class touches of the existing G6136T, including High Sensitive Filter’Tron pickups, Space Control bridge and Bigsby B6GB vibrato - and as you’d expect, it’s all gold-plated.

The latest in a long line of Chet Atkins models adds a quilt maple top for a top- of-the-line hybrid of old-school playability and visual flair. This hollowbody still features a nitro Vintage Orange lacquer, while it opts for a pair of TV Jones Classic Filter’Tron pickups, plus a rosewood-base Rocking Bar bridge and Bigsby B6C.

Professional Collection models are made in limited numbers in the small Terada factory in Kanie, Japan, where many processes are still done by hand. That explains the wallet-worrying price, but it’s this dedication to instrument craft that ensures the company’s reputation continues to be held in such high regard.

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of 8
Falcon pickups

Falcon pickups

A pair of Gretsch High Sensitive Filter’Trons grace the Falcon and have a slightly more brash voicing than the TV Jones units in the Chet Atkins 6120.

Page 2 of 8
Page 2 of 8
'Neo-Classic' inlays

'Neo-Classic' inlays

The Falcon features an ebony fretboard with ‘Neo-Classic’ thumbnail inlays.

Page 3 of 8
Page 3 of 8
Falcon headstock

Falcon headstock

This limited-edition bird is finished in a Crème de Marine polyurethane - a kind of baby blue take on the Falcon aesthetic.

Page 4 of 8
Page 4 of 8
Falcon styling

Falcon styling

The Falcon’s glam 50s styling is very much apparent, from the bejewelled gold-plated knobs to the gold sparkle binding, and falcon motif’d gold pickguard.

Page 5 of 8
Page 5 of 8
Three-ply maple

Three-ply maple

Aside from the snazzy quilted maple top, the rest of the 6120 is the classic Chet Atkins three-ply maple recipe.

Page 6 of 8
Page 6 of 8
Bigsby B6C vibrato

Bigsby B6C vibrato

The chrome-plated aluminium Bigsby B6C vibrato certainly looks the part, and paired with the Rocking Bar bridge, provides all the wobble and shimmer you could possibly wish for.

Page 7 of 8
Page 7 of 8
Chet Atkins headstock

Chet Atkins headstock

Despite the blingy top, things are typically understated at the headstock end of the Chet Atkins 6120.

Page 8 of 8
Page 8 of 8
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones
Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS
If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

Read more
Gretsch G6134T-58 Limited Edition Penguin Pale Blue Pearl
Guitars Gretsch unveils a high-end dream machine: a Penguin refreshed in limited run Pale Blue Pearl finish
 
 
Gretsch Streamliner CVT
Guitars Gretsch puts high-gain sounds on the menu as it adds the $249 CVT to entry-level Streamliner series
 
 
Gretsch Electromatic CVT Baritone in Bristol Fog brown sunburst finish shot on wood.
Electric Guitars "The baritone format might just be the CVT’s natural home": Gretsch Electromatic CVT Baritone review
 
 
The Gibson Custom Historic Reissue 1959 and 1962 ES-330
Guitars Gibson unveils exquisite Custom Shop Historic Reissues of the 1959 and ’62 ES-330s
 
 
Harley Benton SC-Special Hybrid
Guitars Harley Benton’s new $195 single-cuts have got a touch of the Nik Huber boutique vibe about them
 
 
Harley Benton Fusion-T II: these humbucker-loaded T-styles are packed with features and are offered with myriad hardware, pickups and finish options
Guitars Harley Benton throws a big ol' T party and you are all invited, as it debuts the Fusion-T II series
 
 
Latest in Guitars
Walrus Audio Lüm Texture Engine
Guitar Pedals “Forget Interstellar, if you want to know what being sucked into a black hole might sound like, this is the pedal for you”: Walrus Audio Lüm Texture Engine review
 
 
Harley Benton JB-62HA
Bass Guitars “Its build quality is miles ahead of any other new instrument at this price”: Harley Benton JB-62HA review
 
 
Ibanez Axe Design Lab Iceman ICMS721
Guitars Ibanez just weaponised the Iceman for metal and refreshed a bunch of its flagship signature models
 
 
Tone3000 plugin offers NAM A2 support on your desktop and can be used as a standalone app or in your DAW.
Guitars Tone3000 launches a free open-source plugin for accessing its mammoth library of NAM A2 captures
 
 
Miley Cyrus
Artists As she rocks out with a black Fender Strat, here’s what Miley has said about playing guitar
 
 
George Michael plays his Gretsch Synchromatic 160 onstage during his debut solo tour in 1988.
Artists George Michael’s ‘Faith’ guitar heads to auction and you won’t find a 1940s Gretsch with more ‘80s mojo
 
 
Latest in News
The Who featuring Zak Starkey
Drummers “We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer”: Could Starkey rejoin The Who?
 
 
Prince during Prince "Musicology" Tour Hits United States - "Schools In" at El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage)
Artists "Not everyone will agree": Prince estate clarifies that a newly-released song does feature overdubs
 
 
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon as Tom and Jerry pose for a portrait circa 1957
Singers & Songwriters “We were very young, learning to produce”: Art Garfunkel remembers how he and Paul Simon started their recording career
 
 
george harrison
Recording "He said, ‘Oh, no – I can’t do that. Nobody’s ever played on a Beatles’ record": The theory behind While My Guitar Gently Weeps
 
 
casio
Samples This free Casio SK-1 sample pack will remind you why everybody loves this miniature lo-fi legend
 
 
Stella Lefty performs at the Whiskey Jam Country CAA Takeover at Skydeck on Broadway on June 03, 2026
Singers & Songwriters Stella Lefty faces more accusations of plagiarism in a Long Way Home album track
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...