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Gretsch Guitars |
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Here are just a very small number of Gretsch Guitar Players: Brian Setzer, George Harrison as well as the other Beatles. The Gretsch Company's founding father was Friedrich Gretsch. He was born in 1856, in Mannheim Germany. At the age of 27, he took off to America in the year 1883, and landed in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was married with one son when he got here and started what has become a sort of cult musical instrument manufacturing business. He started out making Drums, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, and Tambourines. He was sort of a musical instrument maker for other outlets, and that must have kept him fairly busy, because he prospered as soon as he got started. You know this was the great Industrial Age, shortly after the Civil War here in the states. Unfortunately, he met an untimely death on a trip back to his homeland back in 1895. He was only 39 yrs. young while trying to get back to Manheim. Can you imagine what life must have been like for someone living in Brooklyn, or Europe for that matter, in the late 1800’s? I have placed a few notes at the end of this article with historical facts pertaining to this era, if your interested .But the biggest news of the year 1883 was the eruption and explosion of Krakatau. The Tsunami from that event killed close to 40,000 people. The waves were felt as far away as France, and the bodies washed up as far away as Zanzibar. Anyway, that left his family back in Brooklyn to contend with keeping the business alive from that time on. So in 1895, his son Fred Gretsch Sr., at the age of 15, took over the business, with the help of his Mother, and two younger brothers, Louis and Walter. A few years of hard work had built Fred Gretsch Mfg. Company, House of Gretsch, into one of the largest musical manufacturing companies and importers in the world. Fred Sr. invented the first warp free drum hoop in the world, and shortly thereafter, built the 10 story Gretsch Building at 60 Broadway, that still stands today. Next up to bat was Fred Jr., born in1905 and entered the business in 1926 after graduating from Cornell University. Whereupon he became a leader in Creative Business Management. Now WWII broke out in '41, and Fred became a decorated Naval Officer. It was after the War that Fred Jr. transformed the predominately wholesale and manufacturing business into a professional drum and guitar Co. All the while attracting such Artists as Chet Atkins, Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Tony Williams. Fred Jr. led the company through its Golden Years of the 50's, and 60's. Unfortunately, due to hard times that were changing the musical landscape of that era, Gretsch Co. sold to the Baldwin Co. in 1967. And naturally, without the family's involvement, or dedication to product and customer, the company started to slide. It took 18 yrs. for the family to be in a position to buy back the business, but that's exactly what happened with the dream of Fred W. Gretsch, who was able to return the company to family ownership. This was in the year 1985. Once in control again, the family moved the business to Savanna, Georgia. And the rest is history. Gretsch has become synonymous with quality and innovative musical instruments ever since. One only has to go to their web-site to view the beautiful Guitars that the manufacture today to see the quality of their workmanship, and innovation, with a touch of class that puts them a step ahead of the run of the mill guys. In the early 1930’s the guitar was becoming more popular and Gretsch followed with a line of arch top (the tops have an arch to them) and flattop acoustic guitars. The first actual electric arch top was introduced in 1939 and was actually manufactured by Kay guitars. It didn’t seem to be a popular model but after the war the electric guitar would become even more popular. Gretsch’s main focus shifted from acoustic guitars and instruments to making electric guitars (and acoustic) for professional musicians. In the post war period the bands had become larger and louder and many guitarist complained that they just couldn’t be heard. So the demand for electrified acoustics was greater than previous years. This new line (old line from 1939) was called the Electromatic Spanish model while the acoustic guitars where called Synchromatic. The Electromatic Spanish had one single coil pickup and wasn’t actually made by Gretsch but rather was made by DeArmond. DeArmond who, like Fender and Gibson, had been experimenting with the electric pickup at this time. Gretsch actually branded the DeArmond pickup ‘Dynasonic’. In the late 40’s and early 50’s Gretsch was manufacturing Lap Steel and the Electromatic Spanish guitars. The electric guitar at that time had one single coil DeArmond pickup with a tone and volume control. It still had some problems with feedback but did allow guitarists to heard. The early 50’s found the cut-a-way hollowbody electrics in vogue. The cut-a-way was added where the neck met the body. The body was ‘cut a way’ to allow the fingers greater access to the upper frets of the guitar. These models where the Electromatic and Electro II. They where archtop cutaway’s with one or two single coil pickups. In 1954 the Electro II was renamed the Country Club, while the Electromatic Spanish became the Corvette, and the Electromatic was renamed the Streamliner. One notable mention: One of the guitarists Gretsch was supporting was James Webster who was promoting a new style of guitar playing where he would tap and various harmonically rich points upon the neck. This is the same thing Ed Van Halen became famous for. The early 50’s also found them getting into solid body electrics. They actually had a drum set called the ‘Broadkaster’. Fender at the time had named there first Telecaster the ‘Esquire’ and then changed it to the ‘Broadcaster’. Fender changed the name to Telecaster at the request of Gretsch. Gretsch had been manufacturing drums for years and still do. They are very well made and sound excellent J The race was on in a way. Solid Body electrics where about to change the sound of music for ever. The first solid body electric from them was the Duo Jet which was a single cutaway guitar. The Duo Jet was also one of the Gretsch guitars used by George Harrison in the Liverpool days. It however was a 1957 model. He also used the Country Gentleman extensively while in the Beatles. It wasn’t actually completely solid as it had carved out blocks in the body. This was also the first electric to have a plastic covering over the top guitar. This was the same plastic used on their drums just glued on to their guitars. This gave a whole new range of colors and types of coverings. One of the other things it was known for was the two-piece strap buttons and a new bridge called the Melita Synchro-Sonic. This was actually the first bridge that allowed for intonation adjustments on each string. The Gibson Tune-O-Matic followed this design about a year later. What Les Paul did for Gibson, Chet Atkins did for Gretsch. Atkins was a popular country singer who had built quite a name. They put out a Chet Atkins Hollowbody which had a branded ‘G’ on the body and cactus and horns inlays. It also had two pickups and a Bigsby Tremolo bridge. The Bigsby bridge allowed for slight bending of the notes which simulated the sound of a slide or lap steel guitar. This guitar is still made today and has been one of their most popular hollow bodies. Later that year the White Falcon was born. It was meant to be a guitar for the cream of the crop guitarist. At the time it was one of the more expensive guitars on the market and was meant be impressive and classic looking. It used DuPont White paint to great a lustrous finish. This along with the gold plated hardware made the guitar quite sought after. Guitarists like Stephen Stills and Neil Young both loved this guitar. The guitar also was one of the first Gretsch models to use Grover Tuners. It also had one of the more interest bridge artwork designs. It had a ‘V’ with a ‘G’ below it. Other appointments included the intricate engraved inlays and gold plastic pickguard. It was marketed as “This is the finest guitar we know how to make”. They also made a solid body equivalent called the ‘Penguin’ and is a much sought after model. Both models are collector’s items and many purchase new models just to add to their collection. |
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