How the Duo Jet took Gretsch’s ’50s innovation to new heights with a Jeff Beck-approved sound

The first recognisable solid-bodied Spanish ’ (namely, fretted) guitar appeared in ’ 48 when Paul Bigsby built it for noted country artist Merle Travis .

The fixed arm variant on a Duo Jet deserves special mention; it was in the way when not in use, but it adds a unique shimmer for roots, ambient or soundtrack work.

In 1957 , Gretsch debuted its humbucking pickup, the Filter’Tron, at Chicago ’s Summer NAMM Show, the same year that Gibson introduced its Patent Applied For (PAF) pickup.

The taller, narrower coil forms of the Filter'Tron hold fewer turns of wire and have much lower DC resistance.

Crudely, they combine the warmth of humbuckers with the clarity of single coils.

They're very fussy about the guitar's circuit arrangement and component values.

Cliff Gallup was an early Duo Jet user and inspired a young Jeff Beck .

Jeff Beck dedicated an album, 1993 ’s Crazy Legs, to his hero and his guitar.

George Harrison and AC/DC's Malcolm Young also used Duo Jet guitars.

This writer traded a pretty but uninspiring ’65 Tea Burst Gibson ES-330 to broaden his collection of ’ 50s single cuts and got way more than he bargained for.