About Gretsch

The Gretsch Guitars' trajectory wasn't always upward. In the late '60s, Gretsch became a subsidiary of the Baldwin Piano Company. Numerous problems, including factory fires, during the Baldwin years finally resulted in a halt to Gretsch guitar production in 1981. Fortunately, the Gretsch family led by Frederick Gretsch III reacquired the company in 1985 and began to restore the brand's luster. In 2002, Gretsch and Fender reached an agreement giving Fender, maker of some of the most famous guitars and basses, control over production and distribution of Gretsch Guitar products.
Instrumental in the Gretsch comeback, rocker Brian Setzer appreciated the Gretsch Guitar sound so much that after they had gone out of production he searched out classic Gretsch models on the used market. So avid a user was Setzer, that when Gretsch resumed their guitar business, they named several models in Setzer's honor. Today you can get a Brian Setzer Signature Nashville Electric Guitar, a Brian Setzer Hot Rod, or a Gretsch Brian Setzer Black Phoenix.
Other Gretsch guitarists include notables like Lou Reed, Brian Jones, Pete Townshend, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, Bo Diddley, Bono, David Crosby, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Rory Gallagher, Jeff Beck, Roy Orbison, Joe Perry, Tom Petty, Slash, Stephen Stills, Malcolm Young, Dave Grohl, Jack White, and many others.
Another Gretsch enthusiast, Patrick Stump of the multi-platinum selling band Fall Out Boy, also has a signature model: the Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitar, a stylish sonic monster.
Today Gretsch Guitars makes accurate re-creations of many of the classic Gretsch models that contributed so much to the sounds we love. The budget-friendly Gretsch Electromatic series gives you a whole lot of electric guitar, bass, or amplifier for a small outlay of cash. Gretsch also offers their Rancher line of flattop acoustic-electric guitars that come in dreadnought, jumbo, and junior configurations.