Friedrich Gretsch was born in 1856, and emigrated to America when he was 16. In 1883 he founded a musical instrument shop in Brooklyn which prospered. The Fred Gretsch Company began manufacturing instruments in 1883 (while Friedrich maintained his proper name, he "Americanized" it for the company). Gretsch passed away unexpectedly (at age 39) during a trip to Germany in April 1895, and his son Fred (often referred to as Fred Gretsch, Jr. in company histories) took over the family business (at 15!). Gretsch Sr. expanded the business considerably by 1916. Beginning with percussion, ukuleles, and banjos, Gretsch introduced guitars in the early 1930s, developing a well respected line of archtop orchestra models. In 1926 the company acquired the rights to K. Zildjian Cymbals, and debuted the Gretsch tenor guitar. During the Christmas season of 1929, the production capacity was reported to be 100,000 instruments (stringed instruments and drums); and a new midwestern branch was opened in Chicago, Illinois. In March of 1940 Gretsch acquired the B & D trademark from the Bacon Banjo Corporation. Fred Gretsch, Sr. retired in 1942.
William Walter Gretsch assumed the presidency of the company until 1948, and then Fred Gretsch, Jr. took over the position. Gretsch, Jr. was the primary president during the great Gretsch heyday, and was ably assisted by such notables as Jimmy Webster and Charles "Duke" Kramer (Kramer was involved with the Gretsch company from 1935 to his retirement in 1980, and was even involved after his retirement!). During the 1950s, the majority of Gretsch's guitar line was focused on electric six-string Spanish instruments. With the endorsement of Chet Atkins and George Harrison, Gretsch electrics became very popular with both country and rock ´n roll musicians through the 1960s.
Outbid in their attempt to buy Fender in 1965, the D.H. Baldwin company bought Gretsch in 1967, and Gretsch, Jr. was made a director of Baldwin. Baldwin had previously acquired the manufacturing facilities of England´s James Ormstron Burns (Burns Guitars) in September 1965, and Baldwin was assembling the imported Burns parts in Booneville, Arkansas. In a business consolidation, The New York Gretsch operation was moved down to the Arkansas facility in 1970. Production focused on Gretsch, and Burns guitars were basically discontinued.
In January of 1973, the Booneville plant suffered a serious fire. Baldwin made the decision to discontinue guitar building operations. Three months later, long-time manager Bill Hagner formed the Hagner Musical Instruments company and formed an agreement with Baldwin to build and sell Gretsch guitars to Baldwin from the Booneville facility. Baldwin would still retain the rights to the trademark. Another fire broke out in December of the same year, but the operation recovered. Baldwin stepped in and regained control of the operation in December of 1978, the same year that they bought the Kustom Amplifier company in Chanute, Kansas. Gretsch production was briefly moved to the Kansas facility, and by 1982 they moved again to Gallatin, Tennessee. 1981 was probably the last date of guitar production, but Gretsch drum products were continued at Tennessee. In 1983 the production had again returned to Arkansas.
Baldwin had experimented briefly with guitar production at their Mexican organ facilities, producing perhaps 100 Southern Belle guitars (basically renamed Country Gentlemans) between 1978 and 1979. When Gretsch production returned to Arkansas in 1983, the Baldwin company asked Charles Kramer to come out of retirement and help bring the business back (which he did). In 1984, Baldwin also sold off their rights to Kustom amps. In 1985 Kramer brokered a deal between Baldwin and Fred Gretsch, III that returned the trademark back to the family.
Kramer and Gretsch, III developed the specifications for the reissue models that are currently being built by the Terada company in Japan.
On January 1, 2003, Gretsch guitars was sold to Fender (FMIC) as the exclusive distributor, producer, developer, and marketer of Gretsch.
Gretsch guitars are in the Fender booth now at the NAMM shows, and Fred is still consulting for Gretsch guitars. In 2010, Gretsch discontinued production on most of their acoustic guitars including the entire Rancher Series.
Charles "Duke" Kramer first joined the Gretsch company at their Chicago office in 1935. When Kramer first retired in 1980, he formed D & F Products. In late 1981, when Baldwin lost a lease on one of their small production plants, Kramer went out and bought any existing guitar parts (about three 42-foot semi-trailers worth!). While some were sold back to the revitalized Gretsch company in 1985, Kramer still made the parts available through his D & F Products company. Duke passed away on July 28, 2005 at the age of 88.
Instruments currently produced in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and China since 1989. Distributed by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) in Scottsdale, AZ since 2003. Instruments were originally produced in New York City, NY from the early 1900s to 1970, in Booneville, AR from 1970 to 1979, and various other assembly locations between 1979 and 1981. Previously distributed by the Fred Gretsch Company of Savannah, GA from 1989 to 2002.

GRETSCH Acoustic Guitars Models

GRETSCH CORSAIR (MODEL 6014/6015/6016) Image

GRETSCH CORSAIR (MODEL 6014/6015/6016)

- carved spruce top, arched maple back, maple sides, two f-holes, single binding on top and back, three-piece maple neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with large block, hump, or thumbnail inlays, bound headstock with three-per-side tuner...

GRETSCH SYNCHROMATIC G400 (NO. 260-0100) Image

GRETSCH SYNCHROMATIC G400 (NO. 260-0100)

- arched spruce top, raised bound tortoiseshell pickguard, bound cat's-eye soundholes, three-stripe bound body, arched maple back, maple sides/neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl split hump block inlay, adjustable stylize...

GRETSCH CRIMSON FLYER G6020 Image

GRETSCH CRIMSON FLYER G6020

- single round cutaway body, solid spruce top, triangle soundhole, multi-bound body, floral pattern rosette, chestnut back/sides, two-piece mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, pearl scroll inlay at 12th fret, p...

GRETSCH BURL IVES (MODEL 6004) Image

GRETSCH BURL IVES (MODEL 6004)

- spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with nine-ply ring, double bound top, mahogany neck, 14/19-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlay, black peghead face with Gretsch and Burl Ives logos, three-per-side tuners...

GRETSCH ELDORADO (MODEL 6040/6041) Image

GRETSCH ELDORADO (MODEL 6040/6041)

- single round cutaway body, arched spruce top, maple back/sides, two f-holes, triple-bound top and back, maple neck, 21-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearloid hump top and black/white/black slash block inlay, triple-bound black face he...

GRETSCH NIGHTBIRD G6030 Image

GRETSCH NIGHTBIRD G6030

- single round cutaway body, solid spruce top, maple back/sides, triangle soundhole, three-stripe bound body, floral pattern rosette, twp-piece mahogany neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, pearl scroll inlay at 12...

GRETSCH FLEETWOOD/ELDORADO (MODEL 6038/6039) Image

GRETSCH FLEETWOOD/ELDORADO (MODEL 6038/6039)

- single round cutaway body, arched spruce top, maple back/sides, two f-holes, triple-bound top and back, maple neck, 21-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearloid hump top and black/white/black slash block inlay, triple-bound black face he...

GRETSCH OZARK SOFT STRING (MODEL 6005) Image

GRETSCH OZARK SOFT STRING (MODEL 6005)

- classical style, spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole, double-bound top and back, rosewood fingerboard with no inlays, slotted headstock with three-per-side open-style tuners, rosewood bridge, available in Natural finish,...

GRETSCH MODEL 25 Image

GRETSCH MODEL 25

- carved spruce top, arched maple back, maple sides, two f-holes, no body binding, three-piece maple neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with dot inlays, rosewood covered headstock with a pearl scroll logo placed diagonally and three-per-sid...

GRETSCH DREADNOUGHT G503X (NO. 270-2110) Image

GRETSCH DREADNOUGHT G503X (NO. 270-2110)

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, laminated maple backand sides, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, triangle soundhole, tortoise pickguard, rosewood bridge, gold hardware, available in Tobacco Sunburst, Orange Stain, Black, or Natural f...

GRETSCH MODEL 30 Image

GRETSCH MODEL 30

- carved spruce top, arched maple back, maple sides, two unbound f-holes, single bound top, three-piece maple neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, rosewood rounded top headstock with a pearl scroll logo inlaid...

GRETSCH RANCHER (MODEL 6022/7525) Image

GRETSCH RANCHER (MODEL 6022/7525)

- laminated spruce top with stylized "G" brand on the bass bout, maple arched back, maple sides, triangle soundhole with rosette, four-ply bound top, double bound back, maple neck, 14/21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearlo...

GRETSCH MODEL 35 Image

GRETSCH MODEL 35

- carved spruce top, arched maple back, maple sides, two f-holes, single bound top and back, three-piece maple/rosewood neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with pearloid dot inlay, rosewood peghead veneer with pearl logo inlay, three-per-sid...

GRETSCH MODEL 50 Image

GRETSCH MODEL 50

- carved spruce top, arched maple or avoidire back, figured maple sides, two f-holes, triple-bound top and single boudn back, three-piece maple neck, 14/20-fret bound ebony or rosewood pointed end fingerboard with pearloid diamond inlays, b...

GRETSCH MODEL 65 Image

GRETSCH MODEL 65

- carved spruce top, arched maple back, maple sides, two f-holes, four-ply top and back body binding, three-piece maple neck, 14/20-fret bound ebony fingerboard with notched diamond inlays, rosewood covered headstock with a vertical floral...

GRETSCH MODEL 75 Image

GRETSCH MODEL 75

- arched spruce top, raised bound tortoise pickguard, f-holes, bound body, figured maple back/sides, three-piece maple neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood pointed end fingerboard with pearloid block inlay, adjustable rosewood stairstep bridge/n...

GRETSCH MODEL 100F Image

GRETSCH MODEL 100F

- arched spruce top, arched maple back, maple sides, two f-holes, two-stripe bound body, three-piece maple/rosewood neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with small diamond inlays, rosewood veneer headstock with fern inlay and pearl s...

GRETSCH SUN VALLEY (MODEL 6010/7514/7515) Image

GRETSCH SUN VALLEY (MODEL 6010/7514/7515)

- spruce top, laminated Brazilian rosewood back with stripe and sides, round soundhole with rosette, four-ply bound top, single-bound back, 14/20-fret bound ebony fingerboard with dot inlay, rosewood bridge with black pins, bound headstock...