As the Beatles rose toward stardom in the early 60s, George Harrison purchased a 1962 Chet Atkins "Country Gentleman" Gretsch guitar. This was George's guitar of choice throughout the Beatles' assault of the UK in 1963, and onward to America in 1964.
I am sure many of you can remember seeing that big, beautiful, Gretsch "Gent" on the Ed Sullivan shows in February 1964.
Above left is my personal, vintage 1964 Gretsch Country Gentleman. Like George's "Gent", it has only the Gretsch name on the plexiglass pickguard and dual mutes with red felt under the rockers. Mine has one Filter Tron and one Super Tron pickup, which is slightly different than a "Super George," which has two Filter Trons. George's Gent had Grover Imperial tuners, mine has the "kidney bean" style.
Gretsch has also reissued the "Country Gentleman", right down to the dual flip up mutes, gold hardware, dark brown finish, Filtertron pickups, back pad, and Grover Imperial "stait step" tuners. The Gretsch 6122 -1962 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman has all the tone and style of George's beloved "Gent."
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