THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN, 1957, A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, SILVER JET, 6129

THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN, 1957
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, SILVER JET, 6129
Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard, inscribed on the control cavity cover 21785, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GRETSCH 6129 SILVER JET and SERIAL NO. DG1072
Length of back 17 7/8 in. (45.3 cm.)

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Pre-Lot Text
GRETSCH
The Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1883, by 27-year-old German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch. Originally launched as a musical instrument shop for the manufacture of percussion instruments, by 1910 the company was making ukuleles and banjos, and in 1933 debuted a line of archtop guitars. By the 1950s Gretsch had shifted their concentration to electric guitars, where they would make a lasting impression in the market.
With a crowded field of manufacturers producing electric guitars, Gretsch set itself apart by first concentrating on hollowbody and semi-hollowbody electric guitars. They embraced color schemes and eye-catching ornamentation not found on Gibsons, Fenders or Rickenbackers. The endorsement of guitarist Chet Atkins and the subsequent release of Chet Atkins models drew a loyal following, as did artists who performed on Gretsch hollowbodies, such as Stephen Stills and Neil Young. The model 6120 and similar Gretsch hollowbodies became a mainstay for guitarists of the early British Invasion. George Harrison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Gerry Marsden, Brian Jones and Pete Townshend are all seen performing on Gretsch electrics.