The Gretsch Became an Icon Along With The Beatles

In 1961, an 18-year-old George Harrison opened a copy of the Liverpool Echo and saw an ad for a used electric guitar. It was a 1957 Gretsch Duo Jet—coal black, more chrome than a Cadillac. The seller, a Cunard crewman, wanted 75 pounds. “I rushed right over to see it,” Harrison would recall years later, after The Beatles had made him famous. “It was my first real American guitar. … It was secondhand, but I polished that thing. I was so proud to own that.” Harrison could have been channeling the sentiments of many a striving picker who’s suffered his share of beat-up six strings. When they’re finally able to plunk down the cash for a Gretsch (and a new one’ll set you back anywhere from $600 to $3,000), they’re signaling that they take their playing—and their stage presence—seriously. Sure, the Fender-owned Gretsch also makes acoustic guitars. But the electrics tend to seal the show—the line of thickset, hollow bodies especially. “We are the market leader in pretty much every single price point and have been for many years in the hollow body segment,” Gretsch vice president Jason Barnes told ADWEEK. “When someone says Gretsch, it’s hard not to see a big orange Nashville or a big White Falcon.” Never spotted a Nashville or a White Falcon yourself? Think again. Stray Cats founder Brian Setzer is as famed for his Gretsch Nashville as his pompadour. Meanwhile, White Falcons have been seen over the years in the capable hands of Neil Young, Roy Orbison, Malcolm Young of AC/DC and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to name a few. Why these shredders opted to play a Gretsch is likely the same combination of factors that have allowed the brand to hold its own against cheap imports and pricey competitors alike since the Electromatic, its first electric hollow body, appeared in 1939. First, there’s the “great Gretsch sound”—a full-throated (read: loud) sonance with, in Barnes' words, “an articulation, dynamics and clarity unlike any other brand." Then there’s the look of the guitar itself—unapologetically huge and flamboyant, a throwback to the rockabilly era. Only musicians out to make a visual statement are comfortable with that. “The look of an instrument is extremely important.” Barnes added. “What you're trying to say and what you want it to say about you.” Finally, there’s the legacy. For disciples of Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy and Elvis Presley, the Gretsch is a holy object. But even these influential players can’t top the sway held by George Harrison, whose Duo Jet can be heard on “Please Please Me” and “Twist and Shout,” among other tracks. Thanks to the Quiet Beatle, “we were back-ordered for two years,” Barnes said. “Because suddenly, this comet hit the Earth, and he happens to be playing a Gretsch.” Going with the girl group Guitar marketing is about a niche as it gets, yet just like in other industries, influencers carry the tune. In February, Gretsch inked a deal with three-time Grammy winner Boygenius (Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus), a group already devoted to the brand. Bridgers plays a Gretsch Gin Rickey acoustic, and Dacus has a White Falcon and a George Harrison edition Duo Jet. Priced at $828, the limited-edition Boygenius Broadkaster Jr. boasted Electromatic Filter'Tron pickups, a chambered center block maple body and trapeze tailpiece. It sold out almost immediately. Brooklyn roots Synonymous with big electric guitars as Gretsch is, the company started out making … tambourines. And drums and banjos, too. German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch (l.) went into business in Brooklyn, NY, in 1883 at age 27, crafting instruments that met the demands of the time. Guitars joined the lineup in 1928, handmade at the company's factory at 60 Broadway (r.) Following a stagnant period in the 1970s under Baldwin ownership, Gretsch returned to family hands in 1984 and, today, Fender handles manufacturing and distribution from its LA headquarters. Gretsch’s old factory in Brooklyn is now a luxury condo building. Guitar heroes The Beatles’ George Harrison (above, center) bought his Gretch Duo Jet from a sailor in 1961. Even though it was used, he was ‘proud’ of his ‘first real American guitar.’ Another Gretsch practitioner was the late Malcolm Young of AC/DC (l.), whose White Falcon nearly eclipsed his 5-foot, 3-inch frame.

Perspective

The Gretsch Became an Icon Along With The Beatles

The rockabilly icon favored by countless guitar gods continues to rock on

Robert Klara

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Robert Klara