Gretsch® Guitars and Basses: Paul Yandell

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An Interview with Paul Yandell, co-designer of the G6122-1959 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman®.		Click here to visit Paul's website!
Can you give us a brief background on yourself? Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised on a 30 acre farm in Graves County which is in Western Kentucky. We were farmers and at the time I thought we had a hard life but now it doesn't seem like it was so bad.
When did you start playing guitar? Are you self-taught?
When I was young I wasn't very healthy so quite by accident I got a Stella guitar I guess I was about 13 years old it gave me something to do, I was lucky in that we had a neighbor lady by the name of Mrs. Wanda Gunn who could play guitar and she gave me my first lessons, and I might add about 10 years ago before she died at the age of 103 she gave me her guitar— the same one she taught me on and it still has the same strings on it.
What was the pivotal point in your career wherein you became a professional musician?
Well when I finished high school I went to Detroit with a friend and we played a club there. During that time which was in 1955, the Louvin Brothers came to Mayfield, Kentucky which is close to my home. A friend called me and said they were looking for a guitar player. I quit my job and came back home and went to the Opry in Nashville the next week and played for them. They hired me the next week. It was a dream come true. I was finally playing on the Grand Old Opry. I worked and recorded with them for 4 years until I went into the Army.
How did you hook up with Chet? With the Everly Brothers?
Chet and I had been friends since I came to Nashville. In 1970, I went to work with Jerry Reed and stayed with him until 1975. He got to making movies and didn't work too much so I left him and started with Chet. I worked with Chet for 25 years. It was the greatest job in the world. Chet was like a second Father to me. I never worked with the Everly Brothers except I recorded an album with them once.
Your finger-style technique is very unique... Did you develop your style before or after working with Chet? How did Chet influence you/your playing?
Well I don't know how unique my playing is. I learned so much from Jerry Reed - it was better than college. I don't think I would have been a good enough musician to work with Chet if I hadn't worked with Jerry first. About everything I know is something I stole from Chet. I never apologized for playing like Chet because if I hadn't he wouldn't have ever hired me.
Any great Chet anecdotes you'd like to share?
Well, one story which is true and some, I'm sure, have heard - when Chet and Les Paul did their first album, we went to the Bottom Line Club in New York to advertise the album. During the show Les reached over while Chet was playing and ripped his thumbpick off and threw in into the audience. Chet wasn't too happy about that I might add.
Tell me about working with Gretsch on the G6122-1959 -- how did that come to pass?
Well Fred Gretsch and I have been friends for quite a while and at different times he asked me to do some work for him. After Chet died, I sort of retired and I decided to do something with Fred. One day I got the idea to remake the 1959 Country Gentleman but do it like Chet's because he had made changes to his which made it a much better guitar. I went down to the Country Music Hall of Fame 3 or 4 times and took measurements, etc. from Chet's guitar and sent them to Fred and he made up 2 or 3 prototypes. He sent me number 02. It is a great guitar - plays great and has the old tone.
Chet's original is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, yes? Can you shed some light on all the mods he did to the guitar over the years?
Well Duke Kramer, who was a great friend, told me back in '59/'60 Gretsch offered to size necks -the regular and a wider neck, which is what Chet's is. The front pickup on Chet's is the first Super'Tron pickup which was made by Ray Butts. It is the standard 4k ohms. Chet had Shot Jackson rewind the back pickup to a little under 8k ohms. Also, the wiring is different. Chet took out the tone switch and made a tone control. He took out the volume control for the front pickup (when you have master volume you don't need a volume for the front pickup), so what you have is a pickup switch, a master volume, a volume for the back pickup, and a tone control. That is the main differences in Chet's guitar except it is a wonderful sounding guitar.
What records/hits did he use the guitar on?
Chet used that guitar for about 30 years and recorded most of his records with it. The most notable I guess is Snowbird, but there were hundreds.
I have your very extensive discography as a sideman. What about solo recordings, instructional books, etc?
Well I have 2 CD's on the market I don't know if the 1st one is still available now. Mel Bay did a couple of books on them and I did a video about 10 years ago. I think maybe Mel Bay may still sell it.
What are you currently working on now? Down the road?
Well I'm finishing up a CD that I have been working on for the past 5 months I've had some health problems and I'm trying to recover from all that and I'm doing pretty good. It should be out by July.
Gear - what kind of amps/guitars/effects are you using?
Right now I'm playing the new G6122-1959. I don't used many effects . I use a Peavey Delta Blues amp with a 15" Lansing D130 speaker - that's about it.
Thanks!