Gretsch
Gretsch is a musical instrument manufacturer currently being distributed by Fender and Kaman. It is known primarily for drums and electric guitars such as the White Falcon and Duo Jet. Gretsch was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a young German immigrant. His Brooklyn shop was made for the manufacture of banjos, tambourines, and drums. In 1895, at the age of 39, Gretsch died, and the successful company was taken over by his son Fred. By 1916, Fred had moved the company into a larger 10-story building in the Williamsburg district, becoming one of the most prominent American musical instrument makers.
Players and collectors of vintage guitars feel that Gretsch's best years started in the mid 1950s, after Fred's son Fred Jr. had
taken the reins. It was during this time the company introduced several distinctive models, including the 6120 Nashville, the
Duo Jet chambered solidbody, the Country Club, and the White Falcon.
However, the single biggest contribution to Gretsch's success was the addition of Chet Atkins as an endorser. Atkins was one of the pre-eminent guitarists of his day, and his endorsement gave Gretsch greater visibility in competition with Gibson and Les Paul. Gretsch ultimately sold thousands of guitars with Chet's name on the pickguard, most notably the 6120 Chet Atkins model, one of which was purchased in 1957 by a young guitar player named Duane Eddy. The worldwide success of Duane's twangy instrumental records, television appearances, and extensive touring helped expose the Gretsch guitar to a huge new market, that of the teenage rock and roll fan. George Harrison, years later, was to refer to this model as 'the Eddie Cochran/Duane Eddy guitar'.
Many rockabilly players had followed in the footsteps of Eddie Cochran, who also wielded a 6120 (though modified with a Gibson P-90 pickup in the neck position) and Gene Vincent's guitarist Cliff Gallup, who played a Duo Jet. Elvis Presley himself later owned a Gretsch Country Gentleman - (recently manufactured as Gretsch Country Classic but now renamed Chet Atkins Country Gentleman), playing it briefly both on stage and in the studio. Gretsch quickly became a legitimate competitor to both Gibson and its main rivals, Fender and Rickenbacker. Gretsch fortunes rose yet again in the early 60's when George Harrison played a Gretsch Country Gentleman on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The British Invasion brought with it, in addition to an extensive use of Rickenbackers, further popularity to Gretsch models. In addition to the Beatles, Brian O'Hara of the Fourmost extensively used a Country Gentleman. The Animals' Hilton Valentine played a Tennessean on the classic "House of the Rising Sun." Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones used a 1963 model 6118 Double Anniversary from late 1963 to mid 1964, used on the Stones' version of "I Wanna Be Your Man" as well as the Rolling Stones' first album as well as a few tracks on 12 X 5, notably "It's All Over Now." Gerry Marsden from Gerry and the Pacemakers can also be seen using a Gretsch guitar.
Beginning in 1966, Gretsch had weekly television exposure when the company supplied the guitars and drums for The Monkees, extending the demand for guitars. Both Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison of the Velvet Underground used a Gretsch Country Gentleman during the bands' lifetime, as did Stone Roses guitarist John Squire. As the sixties waned into the seventies, Gretschs were seen in the hands of Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Pete Townshend of the Who also used an orange Gretsch 6120 (given to him by Chet Atkins) on their 1971 Who's Next album, including their hit "Bargain."
Guitars12-String Electric Archtop (6075/6076)12-String Flat Top (6020) Anniversary (6124/6125) Aniversary (6117/6118) Astro-Jet (6126) Atkins Axe (7685/7686) Atkins Super Axe (7680/7681) Bikini (6023/6024/6025) Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird (G6199) Black Flacon (6136BK/TBK/DSBK) Black Falcon (7593BK/7394BK) Black Hawk (6100/6101) Black Penguin (G6134B) Bo Diddley (G1810/G5810) Bo Diddley (G6138) Brian Setzer Hot Rod (6120SHx) Brian Setzer Nashville Broadkaster Hollowbody Broadkaster Solidbody BST 1000 Beast BST 2000 Beast BST 5000 Beast Burl Ives (6004) Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Chet Atkins Country Gentleman (6122-1958) Chet Atkins Country Gentleman (6122-1962) Chet Atkins Hollowbody (6120) Chet Atkins Junior Chet Atkins Nashville (6120/766) Chet Atkins Solidbody (6121) Chet Atkins Tennessean (6119/7655) Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose (G6119-1959/1962) Clipper (6185-7/7555) Committee (7628) Constellation Convertible (6199) Corsair Corvette Hollowbody Corvette Solidbody Country Classic I/II (6122 Reissue) Country Classic II Custom Edition (6122) Country Club Country Club 1955 (6196-1955) Country Roc (7620) Custom (6117) Deluxe Chet (7680/7681) Deluxe Flat-Top (7535) Double Anniversary Duane Eddy (6210DE) Duo-Jet (6128) Duo-Jet Reissue (6128/6128T) Duo-Jet Tenor Eldorado (6040/6041) Eldorado (6038/6039) Electro Classic (6006/6495) Electro Cutaway (6192/6193) Electromatic Spanish (6185/6185N) Fleetwood (6038/6039) Folk/Folk Singing (6003/7505/7506) Golden Classic (Hauser Model/Model 6000) Grand Concert (6003) Guitar-Banjo |
Jet 21 Jet Firebird (6131) Jet Firebird Reissue (6131/6131T) Jimmie Rodgers (6003) Jumbo Synchromatic (125F) Model 25 Model 30 Model 35 Model 40 Hawaiian Model 50/50R Model 65 MOdel 75 Tenor Model 6003 Monkees New Yorker Ozark/Ozark Soft String (6005) Princess (6106) Rally (6104/6105) Rambler (6115) Rancher Roc I/Roc II (7635/7621) Roc Jet Round-Up (6130) Round-Up Reissue (6121/6121W) Sal Fabraio (6117) Sal Salvador (6199) Sho Bro Silver Classic (Hauser Model/Model 6001) Silver Falcon (6136SL) Silver Falcon (7594SL) Silver Jet (6129) Silver Jet 1957 Reissue (6129-1957) Songbird (Sam Goody 711) Southern Belle (7176) Sparkle Jet (6129) Streamliner Single Cutaway (6189/6190/6191) Streamliner Double Cutaway (6102/6103) Sun Valley (6010/7515/7514) Super Chet (7690-7691) Supreme (7545) Synchromatic (6030/6031/6038/6039) Synchromatic 75 Synchromatic 100 (6014/6015) Synchromatic 160 (6028/6029) Synchromatic 200 Synchromatic 300 Synchromatic 400 Synchromatic 400F/6042 Synchromatic Limited (450/450M) Synchromatic Sierra Synchromatic X75F TK-300 (7624/7625) Town and Country (6021) Traveling Wilburys (TW300T) Van Eps 6-String (6081/6082) Van Eps 7-String (6079/6080) Viking (6187//6188/6189) Wayfarer Jumbo (6008) White Falcon Mono (6136/7595) White Falcon Stereo (6137/7595) White Falcon (6136) White Falcon (7593) White Falcon (7594) White Falcon Custom USA (6136-1955) White Falcon (6136T-LTV) White Penguin (6134) White Penguin (G6134) |
Bass GuitarsBroadkaster Bass (7605/7606)Committee Bass (7629) G6072 Long Scale Hollow Body Bass Model 6070/6072 Bass Model 6071/6073 Bass Model 7615 Bass TK 300 Bass (7626/7627) AmplifiersArtist AmpBroadkaster Mini Lead 50 Amp Electromatic Amp Electromatic Artist Amp (6155) Model 6150 Compact Amp Model 6151 Electromatic Standard/Compact Tremolo Amp Model 6152 Compact Tremolo Reverb Amp Model 6153T White Princess Amp Model 6154 Super-Bass Amp Model 6156 Playboy Amp Model 6157 Super Bass (Piggyback) Amp Model 6159 Dual Bass Amp Model 6160 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Amp Model 6161 Dual Twin Tremolo Amp Model 6161 Electromatic Twin Amp Model 6162 Dual Twin Tremolo/Reverb Amp Model 6163 Chet Atkins (Piggyback) Amp Model 6163 Executive Amp Model 6164 Variety Amp Model 6165 Variety Plus Amp Model 6166 Fury Combo Amp Model 6169 Electromatic Twin Western Finish Amp Model 6169 Fury (Piggyback) Amp Model 6170 Pro Bass Amp MOdel 7154 Nashville Amp Model 7155 Tornado PA System Amp Model 7517 Rogue Amp Model G6156 Playboy Amp Model G6163 Executive Amp Rex Royal Amp Model M-197-3V EffectsControfuzzDeluxe Reverb Unit Model 6149 Expandafuzz Reverb Unit Model 6144 Preamp Reverb Tremofect |