Gretsch

The Gretsch Music Instrument Company (commonly known as “Gretsch”) is an American musical-instrument-manufacturing company famous for making guitars, basses, and drums. The company was founded by Friedrich Gretsch in 1883 and manufactured banjos, tambourines, and drums. In 1916, his son Fredrich Jr. took over, and by the mid-1950s, his son Fred Jr. was running the company and was responsible for some of the company’s iconic guitar models, such as the Chet Atkins Hollow Body (aka “6120“), the White Falcon, and the Country Club. In its heyday, Gretsch Guitars were even more popular than Fender and Gibson guitars. Since 2002, the Fender Musical Instrument Company has owned a controlling interest in Gretsch, while the Gretsch family still owns the name.