Since its founding in 1883 by German immigrant Freidrich Gretsch, the storied company has produced a long line of high quality guitars, banjos, drums and tambourines. Their electric guitars alone account for some of the most iconic designs and models in guitar history, played by several legendary ax-men including George Harrison, Chet Atkins, Brian Jones, Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Pete Townshend, just to name a few. Today, Gretsch is still manufacturing some the highest quality hollow-body and semi-hollow guitars (most of which include their famous Bigsby tremolo system), acoustic guitars, acoustic-electric and solid body electrics. You definitely cannot talk about the history of the modern guitar without giving a big mention to Gretsch!  

Below Is Just A Small Sample Of Gretsch's Electric And Acoustic Guitars!

 

G5420T Electromatic Hollow Body

2504811537 The Gretsch R&D team recently unearthed a Baldwin-era Filter ‘Tron pickup with knockout punch and phenomenal twang, they incorporated its DNA into dynamic new 'Black Top' Filter'Tron pickups, which now endow Electromatic hollow-body instruments such as the G5420T with an electrifying new voice and identity. The G5420T Electromatic Hollow Body is a sharp Gretsch guitar with a bound single-cutaway hollow body featuring sound-post bracing and elegant bound f holes. Other features include a maple neck, bound rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and hump-block pearloid inlays, silver plexi pickguard, three-position pickup switch, classic 'G' arrow control knobs, rosewood-based Adjusto-Matic bridge and Bigsby-licensed B60 vibrato tailpiece, vintage-style open-back tuners and chrome-plated hardware.  

Gretsch G5655T-CB Electromatic

aGreen The G5655T-CB Electromatic CB Electric Guitar features a classic Gretsch sound with the advantage of a center-block build. The interior solid spruce center block running the length of the guitar's 1 3/4 inch deep Double Jet body makes for a lively "high gain-friendly" tone and delivers greater control over the kind of feedback players want. The new dual-coil Super HiLoメTron neck pickup is voiced to produce a clean, high-end sparkle with robust low-end, low-noise performance. Together with the "Black Top" Filter'Tron bridge pickup, itメs a potent tonal combination. Other premium features include five-ply maple body construction with a bound arched top and back, a bound maple neck and a 12.5"-radius rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and Neo-Classic "thumbnail" inlays. The G5655T-CB also has three-way pickup switching, single-ply black pickguard with Gretsch logo, four "G-arrow" control knobs (volume for each pickup, bridge-pickup-only tone, master volume), anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge and flat-handle Bigsby-licensed B50 vibrato, Grover tuners and knurled strap retainer knobs. Available in Black, Rosa Red and Georgia Green gloss finishes.  

G5441T Double Jet

aRed Pro Jet models take on a new voice and identity, with chambered double-cutaway basswood bodies and arched maple tops that resonate true to the classic Gretsch sound, a two-tone body color scheme (Black or Gold tops with Walnut-stained back and sides), dual 'Black Top' Filter'Tron pickups and Bigsby B50 tailpieces. Other classic features include rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and hump-block inlays, three-position pickup toggle switch, anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge, 'G' arrow knobs, white pearloid Gretsch-logo pickguard and threaded/knurled strap buttons.  

G5022CE Rancher

271-4022-522 The richly resonant Rancher first appeared in the early 1950s with its highly distinctive triangular sound hole and sweepingly elegant pickguard, and Gretsch is now very proud to re-introduce the model. The biggest and fullest-sounding Rancher is the G5022CE Rancher Jumbo Cutaway Electric, which produces great volume and broadly expansive tone complemented by its elegant Venetian cutaway for easy access to the fingerboard’s upper reaches and onboard electronics that let it be heard even more loudly and clearly. Premium features include a solid spruce top with scalloped X bracing and the traditional Gretsch Rancher triangular sound hole, flame maple back and sides, mahogany neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays, 1940s-style pickguard with Gretsch logo, compensated bridge with rosewood base, gold-plated hardware, deluxe die-cast tuners and a classic gloss Savannah Sunset finish. Onboard Fishman electronics include a Sonicore under-saddle pickup and Isys+ preamp system with onboard tuner, battery life indicator and controls for volume, treble, bass and phase.  

G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top Acoustic

aJimDandy As part of their Roots Collection, the G9500 Jim Dandy acoustic pays homage to the long forgotten line of Rex-Branded guitars that were produced by Gretsch during the 20s and 30s. Much like many of the acoustics produced by Stella, Gibson and Martin – not to mention all of those notoriously cheap models sold through Montgomery Ward catalogues along with Sears & Roebuck – Rex instruments helped quell the overwhelming dominance of banjos in popular music at the time. Unlike the original Rex guitars which were manufactured in Kalamazoo,Michigan, the Jim Dandy is fully built in Indonesia and features an agathis body that measures 13 inches (330mm) across its lower end. The guitar also features its predecessors’ compact feel with its 24-inch scale neck. This well-built guitar instills some much needed character and variety to the typically stale entry-level acoustic market and is a great indicator that you shouldn’t have to shell out thousands of dollars for a solid instrument. Definitely worth every penny!    

Your Turn to Sound Off!

What's your favorite Gretsch acoustic or electric guitar model?

Sound off in the comment section below!