chawkie Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Hey Guys, Just bought my first Gibson guitar today off craigslist. I have always wanted a hollow body Gibson, and stumbled across and amazing deal for (what I believe is) a Chet Atkins Country Gentleman. The guitar was manufactured in 1996 (according to the serial), in pretty much immaculate shape, and has all the stock treatments (although the Bigsby was upgraded with a new bar and the pick guard was removed, the originals were both included). I was super excited to grab it, but my excitement has turned into slight bewilderment as after checking the serial decal, which had peeled off the guitar and was located in the case, and finding that it was marked as a ARCT instead of a ARCF (Tennessean and Country Gentleman respectively). Now looking at the guitar and comparing pictures between the two models, I am 99% sure that it is a Country Gentleman. My question then is, is there a chance that Gibson screwed up the model name on the decal? The only other thing that could have possibly happened is somebody switched out all the appointments and changed a Tennessean into a Country Gentleman, but that makes no sense as even the necks are different. Maybe I am just being paranoid, but check out this pics and let me know what you think! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I'm not super familiar with Gibson's Chet Atkins line but from the pics your guitar looks to be legit: period correct speed knobs, arm rest, fret markers, the wires I can see thru the f-holes look like Gibson wires & not el cheapo Chinese poo poo platter stuff... the case looks legit, so does the bigsby, no red flags that my eye can see. Anybody else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chawkie Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Yeah I am pretty sure that it is legit. I don't know much about Chinese knockoffs, but I don't think I have ever heard of a Chet Atkins from China. Also, if this thing is China made, then I want to buy the factory that made it as it is one of the nicest guitars I have ever handled. The only thing that has me confused is the serial thing. Is there a list of Country Gentleman serials floating around there somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I would love to have one of those... that;s what Scotty Moore was playing when I saw him, Link Wray, ? and the Mysterians, Ace Cannon, & a bunch of others at this badass bowling alley concert in New Orleans right before the flood. Yours even has the same finish as Scotty Moore's did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 which guard did it come with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chawkie Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 It has the original pick guard that matches the tortoise shell pattern of the arm rest pictured. I will probably put it back on at some point, but have left it off for now. I actually took it into a shop a couple days ago, and the owner assured me that it was a legit Gibson, as well as let me know that he thought I stole it for the price I got it for. I am leaning at this point that it was a simple mistake on the Gibson side, as there is no way that this is a Tennessean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycho Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Coming in a bit late on this, but I'm pretty sure that brown finish was only used on CGs. As far as I know (and I could be wrong), Tennys are always cherry red, wine red or Gretschy orange, with a few black ones made in the early years. Also, as you probably know, the Tenny pickguard says "Tennessean" in big old scripted letters and is shaped differently from the CG pickguard. Finally, on my 2001 Tenny, the truss rod cover is blank and the headstock has Chet's signature. So I suspect your first thought is right; this is an error on the serial decal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelAnne Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Resurrecting an old topic, I have just bought a Gibson Chet Atkins ARCF. Trawling the internet before jumping in and buying it, it appears Gibson did the ARCF differs from the ARCA in that (possibly among other things) it comes with a fingered tailpiece instead of the Bigsby tailpiece. Anyway, what I am wondering is does anybody on here know how many Chet Atkins ARCF guitars were made by Gibson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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