Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 vs G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120
Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 over G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120
Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 over G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120
Other Key Differences
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 vs G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120
Shared Features
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 vs G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Locking Tuners
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Table of Contents
Price History Comparison
These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.
Which One is Better Overall?
After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 72 compared to the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120's 71 score, although not by a lot.
The Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 has the upper hand when it comes to.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.
New Player Friendliness
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Comfortable neck
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
New Player Friendliness
Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Short scale
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 Overview
- From Gretsch's 2010 Professional Collection series
- Eddie Cochran Signature
- Made in Japan
- 6 strings
- 24.6"'' scale
- 9.5" Fretboard Radius
- Arched Laminated Maple top
- Laminated Maple body
- 2-Piece Maple neck
- Rosewood fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Gretsch DynaSonic (Single Coil/Passive)
- 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Bigsby B6CBVF Vibrato Tailpiece bridge
- Eddie Cochran Set neck
- 22 Vintage frets
- Grover V98 Sta-Tite Open-Back tuners
- Weight around 7.1lbs (3.2kgs)
- Compare Specs >
Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 Overview
- From Gretsch's 2011 Professional Collection series
- Duane Eddy Signature
- Made in Japan
- 6 strings
- 24.6"'' scale
- 12" Fretboard Radius
- Arched Laminated Maple top
- Laminated Maple body
- 2-Piece Maple neck
- Rosewood fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Gretsch DynaSonic (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Gretsch DynaSonic (Single Coil/Passive)
- 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Bigsby B6CBDE Vibrato Tailpiece bridge
- Duane Eddy Set neck
- 22 Medium frets
- Grover Sta-Tite Die-Cast tuners
- Compare Specs >
Sound Quality Comparison
The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.
Woods Used in Both
Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.
Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
The Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 has an SP90 configuration while the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 has SS pickups.
The single-coil pickup at the bridge will give you a really bright sound with low output, while the neck pickup brings slightly more output with a warmer tone. This is thanks to the P90-style tone, which is often used for blues and classic rock.
On the other hand, SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.
Pickups Quality
Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Winner: Tie.
Versatility Comparison
Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.
Switch Options
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.
They both share the following switching options:
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120.
Final Sound Quality Scores
Build Quality Comparison
When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 compares to the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Japan.
Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.
Winner: Tie
Nut Material
If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.
In this case, both have Brass nuts. Guitarists used to love brass nuts due to the bright tone and good sustain they help achieve. However, now they use Bone more often since it can also produce a bright tone and longer sustain, but it's also oily, which helps to keep the guitar in tune.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
Winner: Tie.
Bridge
The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.
Both come with a similar bridge: Bigsby Tremolo. Bigsby tremolos are built differently than regular tremolos. They have a stiffer arm, which is something a lot of people like because the arm won't wiggle around a lot. On the other hand, this type of tremolo is more complicated to restring and it might not be as newbie-friendly as other simpler tremolos.
Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.
Winner: Tie.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120's are Grover V98 Sta-Tite Open-Back while the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120's are Grover Sta-Tite Die-Cast
Winner: Tie.
Neck Joint
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.
Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.
Winner: Tie.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
Playability Comparison
Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.
Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.9mm (1.688'').
This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.
Scale Length
The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.
In this case, both have a scale length of 24.6".
This is a vintage-style scale length that's relatively short when compared to modern standards. A short scale makes the string tension lower, which makes the strings feel looser. This makes it easier to bend the strings, but it also makes fret buzz more likely if the action is set too low.
The shorter length also means a shorter separation of the frets. It also makes the overall tone sound warmer since the harmonics and overtones will have less space to breathe.
Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.
Neck Profile
No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.
Both the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 and the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 have a V-shaped neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.
Fretboard Radius
Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.
In this case, the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120.
Hand Size Comfortability
Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120 favors large hands more than the Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120.
Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120:
Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120:
Fret Size
The Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature 6120 has Medium frets, which should be taller than the Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature 6120's Vintage frets.
Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.
