Introduced in 1954, the model 6022 Rancher was Gretsch’s flagship acoustic and sported the same western cows and cactus design motif as the company’s popular electrics – the Roundup and 6120. Sometime during Gretsch’s 1957 transition from Western to Neoclassic design, this Rancher was produced. With its G brand and horseshoe headstock inlay, hump-block fretboard markers in the bound rosewood board, and a gold Lucite pickguard, this 6022 Rancher features a mix of early and later 50’s design elements – and it looks great. It’s certainly a rare variant of this model and is an absurdly cool mid-century guitar.

At 17” wide, the Rancher competed head-to-head with Gibson’s J-200 for the admiration of guitar slinging cowboys across the U.S. With its unique triangular soundhole, showy burnt-orange finish, gold pickguard and hardware, and bold bindings and inlays, the 6022 Rancher surely turned a lot of heads when it first hit the stage – as it still does today. It’s an iconic model and among the most unique vintage flat-tops to have been put into production by one of the major manufacturers of the 1950s.

Spruce top with adjustable bridge, G-brand and bound soundhole. Figured maple back and sides, bold 4-ply front and back bindings, and vibrant “Golden Red” (orange) finish. Maple neck with bound rosewood fingerboard, pearloid hump-block inlays, 25.5” scale, and 1-11/16” nut width.

The guitar is in excellent condition and plays very well with freshly dressed original frets and a set-up by our shop. There are original/period correct tuners on it now, but there remains nicely touched-up evidence of other machine heads having been installed previously. No cracks or repairs and the original binding is in excellent shape. The fretboard biding is cracked in a few places but is completely intact. Original nut, truss-rod cover and strap-buttons.

With 50’s Brown Lifton case, akin to that of a J-200.