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Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
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Playability
75
Sound
73
Build
78
Value
60
Score
75
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Playability
78
Sound
74
Build
77
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
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Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman vs G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman over G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

Type of Frets
Vintage vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Solid Body
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
3 vs 2
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Tremolo
Intense vibrato with a solid arm

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet over G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman

Release Year
2018 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Vintage
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Bridge
Tremolo vs Bigsby Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Value Score
61 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman vs G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

Bridge Pickup
Gretsch TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic vs Gretsch TV Jones Power'Tron
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman vs G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.97'' (24.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Laminated 3-Ply Maple with Simulated F-Holes vs Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
U
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • 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

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet is the better choice.

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman meets only 2. 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.

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
  • Comfortable shape
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

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 G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2017 Professional Collection series
  • Chet Atkins Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Laminated 3-Ply Maple with Simulated F-Holes top
  • Laminated Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 3 volume and 0 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Bigsby B6G Vibrato Tailpiece with Gretsch Logo bridge
  • Standard U Set neck
  • 22 Vintage frets
  • Grover Imperial Die-Cast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2018 Professional Collection series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Chambered Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Power'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • Gretsch '60s Jet Vibrato bridge
  • Standard U Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Schaller Diecast tuners
  • Weight between 6.65lbs (3kgs) and 7lbs (3.2kgs)
  • 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

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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.

Woods Used in the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Winner: Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet.

Pickup Configuration

The Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman has an HH configuration while the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet has H pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

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

The Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman gives you 3 switch options while the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet gives you 0. This means that the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman's switch options

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet doesn't come with pickup 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 G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 66
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

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 G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman compares to the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet.

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 Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

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.

The Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman's brige is a 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.

On the other hand, the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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: Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman's are Grover Imperial Die-Cast while the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's are Schaller Diecast

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:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
Quality of materials 70
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 78
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Quality of materials 65
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 77

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

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition
Both Guitars Have The Same 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

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's Scale Length
Both have the same 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

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet have a U-shaped neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same 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.

Both the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor large hands .

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Frets Size
Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman's Frets Size
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Frets Size
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's Frets Size

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman'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.

Final Playability Scores

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 75
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman vs G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
General Gretsch G6122T-62 Vintage Select Edition '62 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Brand: Gretsch Gretsch
Year: 2017 2018
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: Professional Collection Professional Collection
Colors: Brown Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Solid Body
Body Material: Laminated Maple Chambered Mahogany
Bridge: Bigsby B6G Vibrato Tailpiece with Gretsch Logo Gretsch '60s Jet Vibrato
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Imperial Die-Cast Schaller Diecast
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail
Scale Size: 24.6" 24.6"
Shape: Standard U Standard U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.97'' (24.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.97'' (24.6mm)
Frets: 22 Vintage Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic (Humbucker / Passive) Gretsch TV Jones Power'Tron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 3 2
Tone Controls: 0 1