Gretsch G6120EC Eddie Cochran Tribute video review demo Guitarist Magazine

Darrel Higham puts this sumptuous semi-acoustic guitar through its paces. Taken from Guitarist magazine issue 332. For more guitar news, advice and interviews, and to find out more about the magazine, visit www.guitarist.co.uk

[@darrenhill5034]

There are few out there who love and understand Rockabilly more than Darrel. He was at the forefront of the revival in the UK and through his work with Imelda he keeps Rockabillly guitar modern and relevant. Big respect to the man.

[@InTheLifeOfAnArtist]

Darren Hill I'd love to play the music

[@banjo22bo]

Finally, someone who knows exactly how much delay and echo to use for a REAL rockabilly sound. Most of the so-called rockabilly demonstrators on KZbin sound like crap. I could listen to this guy for hours. Great sound, great playing (simple but rockin') and great looking guitar.

[@wineoe]

Darrel is an amazing guitarist-his sound is deep and expressive. He is a Gentleman who plays the guitar. I love to listen to his speaking voice and learn àbout this kind of music. Darrel has the gift of sharing his knowlege in absolutely unpretentious manner.

[@paullittle5200]

Darrel is the nearest guitar imitation of Eddie Cochran that I've heard.

[@aronhallam6449]

incredible what Eddie achieved in a short life.

[@lmlSaul80]

this musician was incredible.we miss you Eddie!!!!

[@TheKURYAKIN]

eddie would be glad to be represented by darrel higham,as he is a genuine fan and very talented.

[@Noodlerification]

Articulate guy, great sounds, and gave you something you can go away and play straight away. Gift of the gab, this guy "gets" what we love about rock and roll! Bravo.

[@mikemckenna6607]

Great review. Great respect for Eddie and his gretsch 😀

[@jfhudak]

I've got three Gretsches, a 6120-1959, a 6131, and a 6128. Now I know what I want my next guitar to be!!! Kudos to Darrel for doing such a nice tribute and review.

[@paullittle5200]

Thanks for explaining the practicalities of Eddie's guitar playing, he was such an original rock n roll star.

[@Susan-mc2rn]

That guitar sounds fantastic I really want one so bad! I started out listening mainly to Eddie Cochran Little Richard Muddy Waters Elvis first album John Lee Hooker....Jimi Hendrix loved Eddie Cochran there was a band playing Eddie Cochran songs at his wake!

[@TheWGLOVER]

A great tribute to Eddie and that gorgeous guitar.

[@evilpandakillabzonattkoccu4879]

There was a streamliner in gorgeous 'midnight wine' that had a licensed bigsby and came with a dog ear p-90 in the neck position for sale.....so I ordered it. Cant wait to get it! Not the exact sound, obviously, but its as close to it as I can get, so that works for now :-D

[@promerops]

A fine tribute to a great performer. I've been an Eddie Cochran admirer since I was nine. Thanks Darrel.

[@MissKrissTea]

I want that guitar.

[@5150show]

Rest in peace Eddie

[@davidmccarron5042]

Eddie Cochran ,the one and only, the best ,and not recognized ,enough.in the rock world.

[@chuckvincentcochran1027]

Excellent demo

[@Mission2Transition641]

great video..watched it 3 times already...nice lesson on the lead licks...love the story how Darrel played Eddie's Gretsch! the Holy Grail! how cool is that???

[@LSTRAW1234]

Darell is carrying the torch!

[@teddyleather9079]

darell very well done im a huge eddie fan too,and yes I have that album on vinyl!! no truer words spoken!! u r one of the best!!

[@paullittle5200]

See Darrel live, you won't be disappointed! I saw him a few times, once with the Crickets and again with Imelda May.

[@greatvanzini]

Saw him with Imelda & he blew me away! He is a top notch player,,,, & historian.

[@paullittle5200]

Totally agree!

[@ROCKINGMAN]

l really liked your feelings about Eddie Cochran. I also loved music from about 3 or 4 but was aware of the Elvis E.P's my dad had and the guitar twang including Scotty Moore and Duane Eddy,Carl Perkins and Buddy Holly to name a few. Eddie Cochran was a great and effective player as were all the great rock n' rollers and the 6120 Gretsch. Thanks for sharing

[@blondegretsch]

Darrel Higham tu mérites mille fois de poser tes mains sur la gretsch tribute Eddie Cochran tellement que est l'artiste qui c'est rapproché et compris l'esprit de se géantdu rock'n'roll.Les deux cd que tu a consacré a Eddie sont les deux plus beaux hommages que j'ai entendu sur Eddie.Je pense aussi que tu es un artiste qui mérite d'être plus reconnu.Tu as une sincérité rare quand tu interprète aussi bien te chansons que celle des autres.

[@Broonzied]

I enjoyed this a lot. Great stuff.

[@TheAron4444]

Way ahead of his time. ✌🏼

[@s4wgb]

I WANT ONE PLEASE. Great playing for a true fan.

[@Kaffyboy]

When I visited Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cypress Hills, California, I paid my respects to Eddie's grave, and his headstone has a Grestch on it.

[@PrincePurple]

At 4:18 is one hell of a ripping solo. I suppose it is a version of Cochran's solo from "Jelly Bean," but the way Darrel Higham plays it here sure takes it to another level. A fantastic level, I might add.

[@advancedbookmaptradinggroup]

No word of a lie, when I was looking for a guitar to buy 11 years ago after a long break of playing, this video was quite influential on me and I ended up getting a 6120 (with a fender tube amp and delay pedal), pretty much this video tipped me over the edge cause I love Eddie's records. Had to sell it to move overseas eventually but I had a blast learning these riffs. Darrell don't underestimate how influential you are, you should keep making videos for us :)

[@L0ngLiveRnR]

that's just my set-up on my 5120. Saddenly only could find a gibson p90, but it does sound great with the magnatron. Absolutely gorgeous combo. Twang and gretsch mellow sound you just can't have enuf

[@MorrisMinorTraveller]

it;s in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

[@stephenkater9621]

Really feel your Guitarplaying man !!

[@coupe662]

Thanks for doing this

[@Steve52344]

I love this!!

[@006sick]

@TheMG63 thanks a lot! :D

[@promerops]

This guitar is a fine tribute to Eddie and well overdue, as Darrel states. I remember seeing, on a Dick Clark show, Eddie's mother and sister, plus his Gretsch. Isn't it so that Eddie also used a Martin flat top a lot in the studio? It certainly sounds like it in much of his rhythm work.

[@rolandjohansson2714]

Yes, he used a Martin gtr on, for example 'Summertime Blues', 'Cut Across Shorty' et al.

[@eltrane5127]

This model, specifically the Eddie Cochran 6120 came out after I already had my 6122s, which I was very seriously considering having a P90 installed in the neck position. A buddy or mine at the time had the 6120 with the brand, and had also installed a clear pick guard. Good stuff. We had a rockabilly band for a few months, that was very enjoyable. I used flatwounds on my 6122s, and loved the chunky sound. I ran it through a danecho, as tape echos at the time were just not an option. Later on I found out that I’d probably been outbid on a few on eBay by a guy called Brian Setzer. Haha. I was never ever in Brian’s or Eddie’s class, musician-wise. I did enjoy playing. Especially 20 Flight and summertime blues. Great video.

[@chrisst8922]

Brian Setzer says that in the encylopedia, where it says 'electric guitar' there should be a picture of the 6120.

[@randmdesigns]

Jim Cregg, I've followed Darrel's career for 20 years and if you followed the Rock and Roll circuit which you obviously don't you would definitely know of him. If you listen to his early Cochran tribute album you would not be able to tell the difference other than recording techniques of today making everything too clean. He is a true fan of Eddie, your comments are unfounded and I'm sure down to a 'jealous I could do better attitude' get a life and a hearing aid.

[@MrRuss192]

Brilliant.

[@bluesman4270]

I play my As the same way lol, been playing them that way for 22 years

[@albertomartinez2479]

Reverend Horton Heat!

[@nandokinks]

Really great, man! Which song you're playing at 4:20???

[@old65rocker]

Great tribute to an orginal rock and roller

[@67Stu]

Hi Darrel! You said when you played Eddie's guitar it had the original strings on it. Were they flat (tape) wound, or round (wire) wound? Also, about what gauge would you say they were? Thanks!

[@ClassicPopIcons]

The Beatles did play the Cow Palace in 1964, but if you saw Elvis at the Cow Palace it was either 1970 or 1976. Elvis was doing the movies in the mid-60s and wouldn't return to the stage until 1969 (apart from the live tv studio performances in 1968).

[@analogalien]

Fantastic! What string brand and gauge are you using?

[@bigbopper28]

@vladdii125 The solo at 4.20 is from 'Jellybean'. Theres a few different versions of it.

[@peterjason731]

Thanks.....Great👍🍺

[@richfiryn]

I saw Elvis in 1964 at the Cow Palace in San Fran. And also the Beatles same year & same place. One of the many perks of being old and at the right place at the right time. By the way, i just looked up the price for this guitar, $12,000 I don't care care how this sounds 12 G's is way way too much money for this. Hell you could make one yourself from parts for at most $2000.

[@vladdii125]

anybody know what song he's playing at 4:20 ?

[@vladdii125]

@The170460 @ikilledawhale Thanks

[@wisesatyr72]

John lennon plays his E chord the same I think really if you look the way he plays the chord in videos

[@perfuzz]

Dude! You need to get that Bassman to a tech. After that many years idle most of the caps have gone south.

[@thechetpicker]

Darrel, How do you keep your guitar in tune with a bigsby? I've just bought a G6120 from a shop (brand new) and it keeps going out of tune if I use the bigsby

[@1959buddyh]

Try using ghs GRAPHIT ALL Guitar Lube. I put it on the nut and the bridge and it just makes it so the strings slide better and prevent binding. Cause my Eddie Cochran Gretsch has a brass nut and metal on metal can bind and cause it to go out of tune. I use it every time I change the strings. Works great and does the job!!!

[@mandolingrass]

I use flat wound strings, I find they stay in tune better but also they last a hell of a lot longer, but they do decay in sound quite quickly and sound a bit dull even fresh on but that's the compromise, but they sound authentic , depends on what your gonna play on it. I play 50's rnr an rockabilly.

[@theenforcer6207]

ya keep your gretsch in tune because (if yours is a real Gretsch it will have screw locking M/c heads on it. they are on all the best Gretsch's be careful, these;s china imports are good they look they same, when Gretsch brought out a Brian Setzer copy of his Gretsch he had in the 70/80's they copied that down to the last notch on the fretboard and and had it on sale for $500 dollars, but Gretsch don't help them selfs they started selling the decal stickers from Brians Gretsch, so every one with a G6120 got the stickers.

[@mandolingrass]

I find that if you also stretch the strings in when you re string, and put a locking wrap on them, and graphite the nut with a pencil, also when you tune before playing dip the arm to settle the strings . Like I said before I use flat wound strings because they don't need changing very often, I have a set on now that has been on for nearly 12 months but I only gg twice a week, but every week , and I'll play the guitar maybe once or twice in between.

[@19flipped1]

Is that the 'Real McCoy' ? Original guitar owned by Mr. Cochran ?

[@BCTGuitarPlayer]

But...can you play the GD thing? I took lessons back in 1971......................................

[@RE_Bullet03]

@3:43-4:06, isn't that the solo from summertime blues?

[@richieluckenbill1590]

There is no solo in "Summertime Blues"... This is actually the solo from "Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie".

[@mrcreative6020]

What is the graphic/logo on the guitar that looks like a G? Is it something to do with chet Akins

[@derrickbullock4540]

The guitar manufacturer is Gretsch & the G is Gretsch ‘G’ brand/badge. They come on a lot of the early older western looking Gretsch guitars.

[@mrcreative6020]

@@derrickbullock4540 cheers for that.

[@Ojoe2010]

Darrel "and-ehm" Higham :)

[@genxr9553]

huh? Eddie did amazing guitar solos(in fact he innovated many of them) so i'm not sure what this guy's talking about on that one.

[@topnobby]

Wot he said!

[@pottopissin1222]

Live not fair from where he had his car crash :( lovely gretsch

[@jarirusi]

Is this signature model or real one Eddie Cochran owned ?

[@vicke9210]

Jarski J. Its a limited custom-shop guitar, made in USA. The standard EC signature models are made in Japan. Eddies original guitar hangs on a museum now :)

[@theenforcer6207]

ya i saw him with Imelda and a whole other people doing some thin for les paul, which i found funny cause if your into Rockabilly you don't get a Les Paul guitar, you get a Gretsch, i knew what i liked and would not play any thing other than a Gretsch, and i did all my touring, gig's, dive's, working men's clubs, with my Gretsch then hit the big time i think you say, and know got 12 gretsch guitars and still pumping it out,

[@HarryWebb46]

I thought it was a replica! If that's Eddie's guitar how much dude?

[@ronnieblanchet4072]

Soli Deo Gloria

[@rocknrollfanatic96]

Can they minor in other genres important to music and rock such as blues, jazz, country, etc.? I mean if a rock n roll major doesn't even know who guys like Muddy Waters are then what's the point?

[@19flipped1]

What I liked about Eddie is he could sing + play the hell out of a guitar. While Elvis could sing but couldn't play the guitar worth shit.

[@markstaggs7342]

Elvis was a good guitar as well as bass

[@rocknrollfanatic96]

You're looking up guitar videos and you don't know who Eddie Cochran is?

[@orlymg1985]

3:31

[@edwardmasters3582]

you first heard Eddie when you were 5 or 6 !, you'd already heard Elvis's Music ! ! and you loved his music ! ! !. Really

[@Gretsch6113]

what is your point?

[@darrenkastl8160]

I think he's saying he wasn't potty trained till he was 8 yrs old and questioning the fact that he couldn't have been coherant at 6. Lol!

[@rupertbear8274]

Pity they messed up on this guitar by not branding the 'G' as the originals and routing it instead, also messed up the neck Pickup Volume by not putting it as on Eddie's guitar !!

[@old65rocker]

Bet you wish you had been born in the mid forties then you would have known who he was talking about. No insult intended

[@TRICK-OR-TREAT236]

EDDIE COCKROACH WAS MY FAVORITE GUITAR PLAYER !

[@moped1975]

TRICK-OR TREAT my too jack

[@006sick]

Who is he talking about? seriously

[@user-fg4hk8lx6k]

Круче рок н ролла нет музыки и танца

[@garyrobinson9542]

youbknow what....i remember Eddie and holding that guitar you look alot like him plus you play that thing the way hed be smiling if he herd you

[@guitarman7597]

Tony Smith is 100% correct. Get your facts straight before posting hate garbage that does nothing other than display your ignorance and lack of acumen to the world.

[@GrahamCooke]

Great guitarist. He'll never be a presenter though. :)

[@markjohnson1224]

Jeez, somebody tell me the Dave Dee story is apocryphal. Shock horror. I realise he is no longer with us but someone must know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...

[@markjohnson1224]

harvey1954 Yeah, this bit I knew but, would they really have let him play it...? Did he?

[@vintagebrew1057]

Eddie often let other musicians try out his Gretsch. There are photo's of him jamming with swapped guitars. He was more than happy to share his knowledge and guitar tips with others. I don't think he would have minded Dave playing his guitar. Darrel got to play on the actual guitar when he visited Ed's mum which was a wonderful moment for him.

[@bluesguy8220]

Toooo muchhhhhh taaaalkkk

[@jordantalarico4880]

I just poopReally bad

[@richfiryn]

you may be right, old timers disease must be showing up

[@angeloskappa2703]

too much talking....

[@theenforcer6207]

yes saw him on with Imelda and to be honest (and this is just me saying what i saw) i did not think much of him did not see any out standing guitar work, he was stuck up at the back a bit porky looking, and his singing not to impressed in faked i had to turn it off, because if he said one more time (Rock is are**** you know the rest) he must have said that 12 times in a row, did my head in, but i don't know if any body else seen, that when Brian Setzer came on with his Gretsch good old Darrel melted into the back ground, YOU can't fool an old picker, and to call him an historian is a joke i am thinking ?, he is only able to do things like that because of his job, he only knows what the Meg he works for tells him to go find out, different when you live it , for me being from the far very far of the UK i had two passions and (NO NOT ELVIS) CAN'T LISTEN TO THAT, IT WAS FROM THE U.S.A Buddy Holley AND FROM ENGLAND IT HAD TO BE OUR KING OF ROCK AN ROLL - ROCKABILLY. HAD TO BE BILLY FURY THE TRUE KING, I CAN SING PLAY EVERY RECORD AND EVERY NONE RELEASET TAPE THEY EVER DID, I EVEN HAVE A REEL TO REEL 4 TRACK OF BUDDY HOLLEY THAT HIS WIFE GAVE ME, IT HAS ON IT RECORDING FROM THERE FLAT AND WITH THE CRICKETS IN THE GARAGE AT HIS MUM AND DAD'S HOUSE, THE ONLY OTHER PERSONS TO HEAR IT WAS BUBBY'S BROTHERS LARRY AND TRAVIS, I WENT FOR TEA AT TRAVIS'S HOUSE AND PLAYED IT FOR THEM, IT WAS A SHAME HIS SISTER COULD NOT MAKE IT, BUT THATS IT NO ONE ELSE HAS HEARD IT, THE SONGS ON IT HAVE NEVER BEEN REALEST, AND NEVER WILL BE THAT WAS MY PROMISE TO HIS WIFE, PLUS WHO HAS THE COPY RIGHTS TO BUDDY'S MUSIC, PAUL MCCARTNEY, AND I THINK HE GETS ENOUGH MONEY AS IT IS FOR SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING,

[@theenforcer6207]

***** who is talking bullcrap ????????????????

[@LRS905]

Spare THE ENFORCER...I think he is on the upper side of his bipolar disorder, lol

[@InTheLifeOfAnArtist]

What? Do you ever play?

[@lamportnholt9509]

this fella doesn't know what he's talking about....Cochran didn't cut out the scratch plate to fit the pickup.......of you look at Duane Eddys factory Gretch the scratch plate is already cut out

[@Gretsch6113]

You have everything wrong, Duane Eddy's guitar pick guard did not have to be cutout because he had factory pickups, Eddy Cochran installed a P90 neck pickup and he installed the pick guard over the top of the P90 lower ear, I was in ,my mid teens when rock and roll started , Eddy Cochran was one of my favorite Rockabilly performers out of the many that got their start in the the mid 1950s, I have 3 Gretsch guitars because they are my favorites and those are what I use in our band.

[@lamportnholt9509]

it's not very often i am right but i am wrong again........i have two guitars hanging on my wall.........a Strat and a Washburn.......arthritis prevents me playing now but i can't bring myself to get rid of them.....sad 75 year old

[@lamportnholt9509]

ive just watched Eddys mum showing off his guitar .......the scratch plate still doesn't look like it's cut out more than factory issue

[@markjohnson1224]

You know what, thinking about it, if Edward was the last person to play it (the original) I reckon you should have left it as such. Really I do. Journos ego and all that... Shameful. Did Sprimper have a say in the matter?

[@markjohnson1224]

AjaxEddiefan Glad we have a clairvoyant or personal friend of the family out there tuning in... Will you look at me pressing the wrong key... Disgraceful.

[@alfsmith4936]

Dave Dee played it in the police station before it was sent back to the USA.

[@samuelvalenzuela4541]

Bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla and no music

[@theenforcer6207]

i have no clue who is guy is, i have never seen him on the Rockabilly road, think he works for some music mag some were, the lp he is talking about yes Eddie was a bit moody on it, that's because 2 things, 1 his best friend had just died [ BUDDY HOLLY ] 2, he had just landed in England with Gene Vincent to start a tour, and he was missing his girl friend, so he sent for her, the rest is not good news. this guy here go's on about Eddie like he lived next door to him, saying how Eddie was doing this that the other, SO HE CAN READ EDDIES MIND ???, I HAVE SEEN THIS GUY ONCE DOING A TRIBUTE TO LES PAUL THERE WAS A FEW ON STAGE, AND FOR ALL OF HIS [ I CAN DO THIS, O AND HE KNOWS EVERY THING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT EDDIE, AND ROCKABILLY, AND GRETSCH,, ON THE VIDEO WHEN BRIAN SETZER GOT ON STAGE, THIS GUY TRIED TO MELT INTO THE BACK GROUND, I HAD TO TURN IT OFF AFTER ABOUT 20 MIN'S HE WAS SINGING A SONG [ BADLY] AND BASICALLY THE SONG WAS A FEW WORD'S FOLLOWED BY 20 [ ROCKING IS MY BUSINESS ] THEN ABOUT 10 MORE WORDS FOLLOWED BY 20 [ ROCKING, AND HE IS SUPPOSED TO KNOW EVERY THING ABOUT ROCKABILLY, IT IS PLANE TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW ROCKABILLY, HE KNOWS WHAT EVER HE HAS HAD TO FIND OUT FOR HIS JOB, THE MUSIC MAG, WE STARTED BACK AT THE START OF THE 80'S FOR A SHORT TIME WE BACKED THE STRAY CATS, AND I DID STUDIO GUITAR WORK FOR BRIAN SETZER, THEN WE WENT ON ARE OWN, I AM NOW 55 YEARS OLD, FROM THE AGE OF 17, TO NOW 55, I HAVE MADE A LIVING FROM ROCKABILLY, ALL WAYS BEEN SIGNED TO SONY, P.S THIS GUY TALKS ABOUT THE TRIBUTE GUITAR FOR EDDIE AND HE SAYS ONLY SO MANY HAVE BEEN MADE, I THINK HE HAS GOT THAT WRONG, BECAUSE IF THAT WAS SO, GRETSCH WOULD NOT HAVE LET ME BUY 3 OF THEM, GOOD TO BE TALKING ABOUT ROCKABILLY, BUT TO PEOPLE THAT DO IT EVERY DAY AS A JOB, AND THE TEDDYBOYS FROM THE UK, IT IS A BIT OF AS WE SAY [ JUMPING ON THE BAND WAGON ] SORT OF LIKE IF PUNK ROCK MADE A COME BACK, HE WOULD READ EVERY THING HE COULD ABOUT IT AND THEN CLAIM TO BE THE MAN THAT KNOWS. The Wild Cat's

[@GrahamCooke]

Wow, that was hard to read.

[@theenforcer6207]

Limited addition ??? i bought 3 at the same time from Gretsch custom shop, and i bought a Brian Setzer G6120 custom shot did really good on this one, put the two together and it's hard to tell, all comes down to the smell, when i say smell i mean it's wood it breaths it moves, in summer i take mine out of the case's and then when winter is on it's way they go back in the case, and great news Brians guitar his gretsch that he did all the hits from the stray cats is going in the Smithsonian museum, what a fitting place to put it, and well deserved by one of the best guitarist this world will ever see,

[@mandolingrass]

+THE ENFORCER thee are other vidoes on youtube from gretsch , there are only 50 of the eddie cochran custom shop modeks made by one luthier whose name I think is stevens it escapes me at the moment, but there are gretsch licensed models which are cheaper and easier to get hold of, .............oh and just to clarify no one is interested in your career when you shout about it . Darrel is married Imelda May, has worked with quite afew artists , is a very good guitar player but doesn't claim to be amazing like some people ( who apparently own 3eddie sig gutars) wrote a book about eddie cochran , and has written and recorded several albums, and still likes to play the rock nroll rocka billy circuit. so I don't know where your from , or who you are and really I couldn't care less but don't slag someone off you don't know

[@shawnmercer4312]

+THE ENFORCER Do you know anything about playing a guitar? Rockabilly? Ever hear of a guy named Jeff Beck? Les Paul? Dude, not only can we NOT comprehend most of your lip but it seems you are uneducated about amazing musicians who may not have huge names behind them. Darrel is amazing. You is a moron.

[@PromoagentRockinJohnnyA]

How old are you? Just wondered when you said you remember Elvis being alive lol you dont look that old. Anyway I enjoyed your video as I always do.