Used 1998 Gibson Chet Atkins Tennessean

Sonic Evaluation

One of the dangers of working at Wildwood is that it's easy to sit down with a guitar for evaluation purposes only to look up and realize that an hour has passed and you're way behind for the day, and that's nearly what happened with this '98 Gibson Chet Atkins Tennessean! It has a MASSIVE acoustic resonance that fills the room, and things only get better when you introduce electricity to the equation. It's remarkably touch-sensitive and has a wide dynamic range, which makes for an incredibly expressive player experience. The bridge pickup has just the right amount of bite and twang with a sweet, jangling high-end. The neck pickup is warm and woody with deep bass response, and it sounds big enough that single-note lines feel weighty but clear enough for chord work with touch of sunny sparkle in the highs and mids. If you're looking for an awesome blues, rock, folk, or country guitar, this serial will compel you to play 'til your fingers bleed!

Condition Report

This Chet Atkins Tennessean is AWESOME! It has clearly been played but also well-maintained, and it has tons of vibe as a result. It shows moderate-to-heavy fretwear (a common occurrence on guitars this difficult to put down), and it has a good amount of scratches throughout the finish and some buckle rash on the back, but there are no sizable dings. There's also some checking on the the top, back, and the neck, where there is some color missing. Nevertheless, the neck joint is as solid as an NFL defensive end's bicep. The hardware has also tarnished somewhat, and the knobs are slightly cracked.

All in all, it gives this Tennessean a vintage vibe and a lived-in feel that makes playing it feel like slipping into your favorite pair of jeans. A previous owner also installed Schaller-style straplocks, but we are missing the strap side. Also, somebody put a bone nut on it, which gives the tone and sustain a nice boost. It's a certified guitar fit for a certified guitar player, and we have no doubt it will inspire some lucky Gibson aficionado to wander its fretboard for hours on end.