Gretsch 6128

The Duo Jet was first introduced in 1953, after the success of the Gibson Les Paul Goldtop. A key difference between the two was that the Duo Jet was a semi-solid body with routed channels and pockets inside, instead of a solid.[1][2]

It is believed that the name Duo Jet was inspired by the fact that the guitar has two pickups (Duo) and by the advanced aircraft of the time (Jet). This was the first Gretsch guitar to feature a truss rod accessible through the headstock, a pickup selection switch on the cutaway, and a master volume on the body.[1]

Made of a chambered mahogany body, one of the most notable differences between the Duo Jet and comparable guitars is its configuration variations. While it shares their dual pickup, single cutaway style with the more popular Gibson Les Paul, the 6128 Duo Jet models take various unique approaches for shaping the tonality of the instrument.

While a master volume is standard on this model, some variations will either have independent neck/bridge pickup volume knobs with a master tone knob, or will have the same independent neck/bridge pickup volume knobs, but with a tone switch next to the pickup selector switch instead of the master tone knob.

The versions with a master tone knob are equipped with DeArmond Dynasonic pickups, which have a full-bodied, low frequency tone. Most associated with the sound of guitarist Duane Eddy, Dynasonics are single- coil pickups, and have been used on certain Gretsch models since the 1950s. Most models of the guitar come equipped with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece in conjunction with a rocker bridge.

The most famous example of this Duo Jet was played by George Harrison during The Beatles' early days in Hamburg, and on their first album. Harrison also posed with the guitar for the cover of his 1987 solo album, Cloud Nine.

The tone switch versions of the Duo Jet come equipped with Gretsch's own Filtertron humbucker pickup made popular by country music guitarist Chet Atkins, and are still in demand to this day. Notable players of this version include David Gilmour of Pink Floyd as well as George Harrison.

• G6128 – Filtertron pickups, no Bigsby tailpiece
• G6128T – Bigsby and Filtertron pickups
• G6128T-DS – Bigsby and Dynasonic pickups, Rosewood fingerboard, originally based on 1957 version, currently based on 1955 version
• G6128-DS – Dynasonic pickups, no bigsby, Rosewood fingerboard
• G6128T-DCM – Bigsby and Filtertron pickups, Double Cut-away, Dark Cherry Metallic, Ebony Fretboard
• G6128-1962 – Double cutaway version of the Duo Jet, equipped with Bigsby and Filtertron pickups
• G6128T59 – Bigsby and TV Jones classic pickups (Vintage Select '59 Duo Jet edition)
• G6128TCG – Bigsby and Dynasonic pickups, in a Cadillac Green finish with Gold hardware
• G6128TVP – aka the "Power Jet" Pickups are upgraded to TV Jones Power'Trons
• G6128T-TVP – Bigsby equipped version of the Power Jet
• G6128T 6 12 – Double-necked six- and twelve-string guitar with 4 Filtertron pickups.
• G6128T-GH – Custom shop and standard versions of George Harrison's Duo Jet. The custom shop version is designed and built to appear like George Harrison's original appears today. Standard version has the color scheme of Harrison's guitar and features his signature on truss-rod cover. Both versions include all black body and moved bottom strap pin.
• G6128T-CLFG - Cliff Gallup Signature Duo Jet. Cliff Gallup kept his guitar stock, so this version is essentially a custom shop replica of a '54 Duo Jet.[3]
• G6128B - "Thunder Jet" bass version with TV Jones Thunder'Tron pickups

• G6128T Duo Jet at Zuitar Guitar DataBase