Having a true connection with an instrument is a wonderful thing, and the type of relationship that many of us musicians know well. A guitar that can stick with you through thick and thin, love and loss, multiple band lineups and splits—that's just the type of guitar you'd never sell.
Brian Setzer has such a relationship with a particular 1959 Gretsch 6120, the one that's been with him since some of his youngest days, which he used to write and perform hits like "Stray Cats Strut" and other classics.
Just before the release of Setzer's new album, The Devil Always Collects—out now!—and ahead of this fall's Rockabilly Riot! tour, which is coming to a town near you, Setzer sat down to chat about one of his most prized guitars.
First bought when he was 17 years old, Setzer scored it for a hundred bucks—but it came with a catch. The electronics were in a shoebox, so some assembly was required. And the matchbox under the pickups to give them a rock 'n' roll level of output, the drilled out Monopoly dice as knobs, or the attractive decal? Those came from Setzer's young ingenuity and imagination.
Since then, "It's come back and forth, it's been stolen, it's been left in taxi cabs, it's been lost on airplanes, it's been left places because everybody was drunk [laughs]—and it's made its way back to me every time," Setzer tells us.
But, as with any great love, there's certainly more to the story.
Watch the full video above to hear the whole tale straight from the rockabilly great. Then, listen to The Devil Always Collects and check Setzer's website for all the dates on the forthcoming Rockabilly Riot! tour.
Save this search to get all used Gretsch 6120s in your personal Favorites and Feed. Find one and make it your own.
Save this search to get all used Gretsch 6120s in your personal Favorites and Feed. Find one and make it your own.