Gretsch

Gretsch was started in Brooklyn, New York in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a German immigrant, as a maker of banjos, drums and tambourines. His teenage son Fred took over after his death and built it into a major instrument company. Guitars became important with the big-band era of the 1930s, and the first Gretsch electric guitar, the Electromatic, came in 1939.

The golden age began in 1954, when Gretsch worked with Chet Atkins on a signature model. The White Falcon followed in the late 1950s, along with the Country Gentleman and Duo Jet that George Harrison and others made famous. The Gretsch family sold the business to Baldwin in 1967, and Fred W. Gretsch bought it back in 1984.

Since the early 2000s Fender has run guitar development, manufacturing and distribution while the Gretsch family keeps ownership. Gretsch also sells drums separately. Guitar Radar follows Gretsch's Custom Shop and Electromatic models and artist signatures.