Here for sale we have a Gibson Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Thinline semi-hollow electric guitar in Sunrise Orange finish. Chester Burton Atkins, nicknamed "Mister Guitar" and "the Country Gentleman" partnered with Gibson in 1986 after a long tenure with Gretsch, during this time Gibson and Chet produced the thin-line hollow body guitars roughly between 1986 and 2005.

Made in Gibson's Memphis factory at the start of the millennium, which is cited as the ‘Good Wood Era’ where Gibson improved both the quality of manufacturing and the instruments they created, Gibson produced what some people arguably would call the best Gibson guitars ever produced. A set-neck construction is employed, comprising a Laminated Quilted Maple body with a Maple centreblock. The Maple neck is topped with a 21 Medium Jumbo Ebony fingerboard adorned with ‘Thumbnail’ inlays. Gold hardware is fitted including a Tune-O-Matic bridge and a Bigsby B3 Vibrato tailpiece as well as a set of Gibson/Schaller 'Crank Winder' tuning machines. A Gibson 492R humbucker is positioned in the neck whilst a Gibson 490T is installed in the bridge, these are wired to a Master volume/tone controls as well as independent volumes for each pickup and a 3-way pickup selector.

The Maple neck plays beautifully, with a profile that could be described as a ‘Medium ‘C’, filling the handle nicely for a dependable grip whilst also encouraging effortless flexibility up and down the register. The Ebony fingerboard has a tight grain and dark appearance, and in conjunction with the ‘Thumbnail’ inlays and overall look of the instrument ensures a luxurious playing experience, certainly one to catch the eye. The 12" radius is practical for a wide range of styles and techniques whilst providing a pleasant and tactile playing surface. The Thinline design and semi-hollow construction provides an extremely comfortable playing experience  in the arms, meaning both seated and standing playing positions are a joyous affair.

Amplified, the pair of Gibson humbuckers work in conjunction with the semi-hollow construction to deliver the full and thick sounds that we all expect from Gibson. The guitar resonates beautifully, filling out the sound with a deep and rich character whilst being faithful to Chet ‘The Guitar Man’ Atkins, delivering all of the Country, Chickin’Pickin tonalities one could wish for. The Gibson 492R in the neck position is warm and round, with plenty of power for pushing your lead lines and solos to the front of the mix. The bridge is of course brighter, perfect for chordal rhythm parts and quick firing lead lines, clear and articulate, chiming with a quality that is spacious and airy while also being distinct and bell-like. Lightly rolling down the volume and tone controls allows the guitar to ring through with its characteristic clarity and warmth, providing a richness that is sought after by many. The semi-hollow construction ensures a resonant and lively sound, with plenty of dynamic range on offer. 

Brand - Gibson

Model - Chet Atkins Country Gentleman

Finish - Sunrise Orange

Year - 2000

Made In - USA

Body - Laminated Quilted Maple w/ Maple centre block

Neck - Maple

Fingerboard - Ebony

Fingerboard Radius - 12"

Frets - 21, Medium Jumbo

Scale Length- 25.5"

Nut Width - 1.762”

Pickups - Gibson 492R (Neck), Gibson 490T (Bridge)

Controls - 3-Way Selector, Master Volume, Master Tone, Bridge Volume, Neck Volume

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1180226183851

Weight: 8lbs

Serial Number: 00800453

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall very good condition, the top front edge demonstrates some light indentation, chipping the clear coat to both front corners. Consistent light scratching is apparent to the front face, visible only under direct lighting at certain angles. 

Neck: Overall excellent condition, the rear of the neck demonstrates very light indentation infrequently throughout the register. This is only visible under direct lighting at certain angles and cannot be discerned beneath the thumb.

Body: Overall excellent condition, all aspects of the body demonstrate infrequent light indentation and light scratching, visible only under direct lighting at certain angles. This is most notable to the rear face, consistent with light buckle rash. 

Condition of Frets:

The frets demonstrate very light signs of use, not affecting playability. There is considerable material remaining for future fret work. 

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (5/16" socket) not included.

Hardware: Fully functional with light signs of use, most notably tarnishing to the hinge of the bigsby unit.

Structural: No concerns or issues to note. 

Strings on Guitar - 10-46

Height of string from 12th Fret- Treble 1.5mm - Bass 2mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height. 

Electrics: Fully functional

Case & Accessories

Gibson hard case.

Overall very good condition and fully functional. 

The case demonstrates moderate signs of use, the most apparent of these can be seen on the exterior of the lid where moderate ripping of the tolex and marking is present.

Original Gibson Pre-pack checklist, Original Gibson shipping label and case instructions all included. COA NOT included.

Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.