Brian Setzer shot to prominence in the 1980s with his trio, the Stray Cats. Since 1992, he has been serving up his distinctive brand of big bad rockability with the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

A longtime fan of Gretschs, he purchased a 1959 “6120 Nasville” electric in NY in 1999, and had used it extensively onstage. Gretsch’s “Artist Signature Model” range currently contains a pair of 6120’s closely resembling this prized guitar.

Named the G6120SSU and G6120SSL, they have identical specifications, but slightly different finishes. This model is the SSL. Like other Setzer-endorsed instruments, they feature pickups designed by TV Jones, and “white dice” control knobs like those on Setzer’s original Gretsch.