Gretsch Guitars

Gretsch Guitars have played a key part in the development of jazz, country and guitar based music in general. The story of Gretsch began with Friedrich Gretsch. A German immigrant to the USA, he set up business in Brooklyn, New York back in 1895. Under the guidance of Friedrich's son, the company then went on to become the major guitar manufacturer that it is today. The history of Gretsch guitars stretches back to 1883 when Gretsch was founded in New York by the German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch. As a family business they changed hands through Fred Gretsch Sr and then Fred Gretsch Jr, at which point they started to focus on guitars.

While Gretsch have a very long history, the era of most interest to guitarists will be from the Atomic age to the present day. In the 1950s and 60s many popular models such as the White Flacon, the Country Gentleman, Nashville and Duo Jet were designed and launched by Gretsch 'ideas man' Jimmie Webster. These guitars were adopted by early rock n roll heroes like Chet Atkins, Eddie Cochran and Duane Eddy, cementing their legacy in popular music - a legacy that continues with those models remaining in production today! An avid Gretsch player, George Harrison of the Beatles helped to skyrocket their popularity in the 60's.

Influential guitarists such as Chet Atkins, Billy Duffy, Eddie Cochran and Mary Osborne have all used Gretsch guitars. As you can probably tell from this wide selection of players, there are models to suit all styles of music. Although known for their pristine clean sound, there are also options that are great for rock and heavier styles of music. Gretsch guitars also offer a great selection of bass guitars, which are filled with vintage vibes, just like their electrics.

Gretsch is best known for its hollowbody guitars including the famous White Falcon and the Country Gentleman. They have long been seen as a luxury, top price brand. Though they continue to make high end guitars, in recent years the have also added more affordable ranges. The Streamliner and Electromatic lines are much more affordable the Professional Collection. These have become incredibly popular and are a great entry point into Gretsch. Gretsch guitars are available in a wide variety of colours, including more unusual choices such as grey and even sparkle!

One of the distinctive features of Gretsch electric guitars that gives them their unique tone are their unique pickups - Filtertrons are perhaps the most famous and offer a great middle ground between humbuckers and single coils while retaining their own character. Gretsch have a great range of hollow, semi hollow body guitars and solid body guitars in every price bracket with the Streamliner and Electromatic series making That Great Gretsch Sound more attainable than ever.

What Makes a Gretsch Guitar Different?

• Distinctive sound and look
• Unique sound
• Especially good for Jazz, Blues and Rock/Rockabilly styles
• Stylish retro looks
• Great value for money
• Years of experience and knowledge invested into all models