Gretsch-

made

updated 14/9/2011

Gretsch

1962 Chet Atkins serial number on side of head stock

Pre WWII to present

In 1883 Friedrich Gretsch, a German immigrant, set up a shop in Brooklyn for the manufacture of banjos, tambourines and drums.  

Around 1954 the Golden Age of Gretsch guitars began.   In 1967 Gretsch, was bought by  Baldwin Pianos, which reorganized it as a subsidiary. Baldwin moved the New York guitar production to Booneville, Ark. in 1970.  Production continued in Arkansas until 1981 when Baldwin shut down guitar production. Some attempts were made to start up production again in late '81 and 82, and a handful of guitars were made in various places (including Mexico).   The Gretsch name was resurrected in 1988 for a series of inexpensive Traveling Wilburys commemorative guitars. In 1989, another Fred Gretsch purchased the remnants of the company and started to make guitars in Japan with US and European parts.   Some American-made guitars were offered in 1998 and 1999 and more recently.

In 2003 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation secured an agreement to manufacture and distribute Gretsch.  [Source: Gretschpages ]

Dating Gretsch guitars by serial number

http://gretschpages.com/serial-numbers/chart/

https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Eguitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gretsch.html

http://www.vintagerocker.com/gretsch/index.html

Gretsch reference books

The Gretsch Book - A Complete History of Gretsch Electric Guitars

50 Years of Gretsch Electrics: Half a Century of White Falcons, Gents, Jets, and Other Great Guitars

Inside The Gretsch Guitar Factory 1957/1970

Gretsch: The Guitars of the Fred Gretsch Co. (Guitars of Fred Gretsch Lo)

The History of the Legendary Gretsch 6120: Evolution of a Species By Edward Ball

other Gretsch resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretsch

Gretsch Corvette http://vintageguitarpro.com/corvette.shtml

Go to info at http://www.gruhn.com/

Gretsch catalogs

1951-1989 http://gretschpages.com/history/memorabilia/

1955-2007 http://www.acousticmusic.org/Instrument-Catalogs-sp-87.html

1968 http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/gretsch68.php

1968 + a 70s http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/Index.htm

2005,6,7,8 ,10

2008 Gretsch catalog

Gretsch Pricelists

1968 Gretsch Pricelist

2003 Gretsch pricelist

2004 Gretsch pricelist

2005 Gretsch Winter pricelist

2005 Gretsch Summer pricelist

2007 Gretsch pricelist

2008 Gretsch pricelist

2010 Gretsch pricelist

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Gretsch

Gretsch forums

http://www.gretschpages.com/forum/

http://www.gretschtalk.com/

http://setzerforum.darkbb.com/index.htm

Images from a 1965 Gretsch Country Gentleman eBay:

"I started making guitars in quantity in 1969 while in Chattanooga Tennessee, although my first instruments were built in 1963 through 1967.  All of my early guitars were stamped on the neck block with the date the guitar body was closed in (the top glued on to the rims), so guitars made before 1983 were marked like:  100379   for October 3rd of 1979.  After 1983 they were marked with the actual production number beginning with the number 300, which approximated the total number of instruments I had made to that point.  I was making 60 guitars a year from 1976 through 1997 at which time I slowed down to 35-50 a year and currently do about 45 a year.  Over the entire span of my carreer there have been about 2000 total instruments, but that includes 300 banjos, five harpsichords, and any number of odd not quite guitar types." [Source: John Greven, email 10 Mar 2008]

http://www.simplysharing.com/greven.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Greven

John Grey and Sons

John Grey & Sons Ltd. was a subsidiary company of Barnett Samuel & Sons for the making and selling of banjos, guitars and drums. [Source: Banjolin]  According to this example some if not all were made in England.

Images ebay:

Griffin Guitar Company

Griffin guitar company is based in Georgia USA

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Griffin

Kim Griffin

1977 to present

Made since "1977,  Greenwich New York.
Date on label or in the serial # punched into head block and X brace (on later models). I now, almost exclusively build custom commissioned instruments 1 or 2 at a time.  [Source: Kim T Griffin, Griffin String Instrument, email 7/6/2008 ]

Grimes

1972 to present

Grimes guitars are made by Steve Grimes, Kula, Hawaii. Originally made in Port Towsend, Washington but moved to Hawaii in 1982.

Images eBay:

1934s - late '70s

Emile Grimshaw formed a guitar manufacturing company in 1934. [Source: Grimshaw Guitars]

http://niceoldguitars.blogspot.com/2006/12/old-guitar-addiction.html

Images Guitar Sales Australia

Grinnell

late 1930s-1940s

Grinnell Brothers Music Store in Detroit, Michigan. The store sold musical instruments, radios, phonographs, and TV sets. Grinnell Brothers went out of business in 1981. [Source: Early Television]

According to Vintage Guitar Price Guide the Grinnell Guitars were made by Gibson.  This is sort of confirmed at Bassblog.

Groehsl

1890-1921

The Groehsl Company, founded in 1890 in Chicago, provided guitars for Ward's, and others and in 1921 the company changed its name to Stromberg-Voisinet (S-V). Source: Vintage Guitar ] Later became Kay [Source: Michael Wright ]

Groehsl is written 3 different ways; [Source: Harmony Central Forum]
Groehsl (on instrument labels),
Groeschl (Chicago City directory), and
Goeshel (in company literature)

Groove Tools

2002-2004

Groove Tools guitars are Korean 7 string guitars, 5 and 7 string basses offered by Conklin.

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Conklin/Groove+Tools+7/10/1

see Conklin

"I started up with my workshop in August 1996
All guitars are handmade in my beautiful little workshop in Reutlingen, Germany

Dating Gropius Guitars
The "serial number" consists of the year and a consecutive roman number starting from "1" every year. so
e.g. "2006 / IV" is the fourth guitar made in 2006
[Source: Achim Gropius, email 5/4/2008]

Image Gropius:

Guitars by Armin & Mario Gropp, Germany

Example http://www.newmillguitar.com/gropp.html

We´re a father / son master-luthiers-workshop, situated from the beginning at Markneukirchen - Breitenfeld / Saxony / Germany.
My father Armin Gropp (born in 1941) started as a violin-maker in 1955.
Since 1959 he´s making guitars, since 1968 classical.
Since 1969 he makes guitars under his brand-name.
Now he´s making our historic range of instruments (Baroque- & Romantic guitars, Renaissance- and Baroque lutes and Theorbos) , as well as our lower price guitars.
I myself, Mario Gropp (born in 1967), received a good education in playing classical guitar during my childhood and youth.
-started guitar-making in 1983 at Sandner-workshop Erlbach, since 1990 together with my father and under my brand-name.
- since 1997 I´m making our top-model guitars "SPEZIAL".

We both are using own master labels with production month / year and running number inside the guitar, visible through the soundhole.

Included please find some photos of our markable headstocks; SPEZIAL = Mario (L), Kuenstlermodell = Armin (R)" [Source: Mario Gropp, Armin & Mario Gropp GbR, email www.gropp-gitarren.de 26/10/2010]

Don Grosh

1993 to present

In 1985, Don joined Valley Arts, a famous guitar building shop in North Hollywood, California. The shop quickly grew to 35 employees with Don Grosh running the shop as Shop Foreman. After many years of building guitars for others, Don decided it was time to venture out on his own and in 1993, Don started Don Grosh Custom Guitars in the 3-car garage attached to his parent’s house up a canyon in Santa Clarita, California.

In August 2001, Grosh expanded into a new shop in a rented industrial space in Santa Clarita. That shop allowed for a larger team and increased production capacity. In 2005, Don relocated his family and the business to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Broomfield Colorado, just outside of Denver. In August 2005, Don acquired his current shop space .

Made since "January, 1993, Broomfield, Colorado. 

Dating Don Grosh Guitars

To tell the date of manufacture for my guitars you would have to email me the serial number and we would look in our records." [Source and images left: Brent Johnson, Grosh Guitars, email 18/11/2008]

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Grosh forum http://groshguitars.proboards.com/

There are a bunch of photo of Grosh guitars at The Gear Page Forum

Image ebay:

GRU

Guitars R Us

Guitars-R-Us are USA made Fender copies made by Albert Molinaro, California, USA. [Source: Guitars Japan]

Grubisa Guitars

current

Custom Electrics, Frank Grubisa, Petersham, New South Wales, Australia

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Grubisa

Images Watto, Aussie Guitar Gear Heads

Gruggett

1961 to present USA

http://www.gruggett.com/guitars/history.htm

Images ebay

Grunewald

Grunewald "The Harp Guitar" 10 String Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1896, made in New Orleans,

Images Retrofret :Ad from frets

Images Grunewald guitar ? 1890s ebay

1969 to 1974

In 1969, Richard Johnston and Frank Ford founded Gryphon Stringed Instruments Palo Alto, California.  [Source:  Antiques Roadshow ]

"  All the guitars were made here in Palo Alto CA, and the last one was in 1973 or early 1974. We've operated a retail store and repair facility continuously since then. There is no way to be absolutely clear on the date of the particular instruments because our record was lost some 30 years ago. There is no date mark. All the guitars and mandolins had German spruce tops because that was what was in fashion at the time.  Later, we made one banjo in 1980 for exhibition and a bluegrass banjo in 1986 for a friend and customer." [Source: Frank Ford, Frets.net ]

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Museum/museum.html

G Spot

2004-

Auckland, New Zealand luthier Gene Bennett since 2004.

http://www.guitarsmatrix.com/profiles/g-spotguitars.html

GSL

see Phoenix Guitar Company

GTX

GTX guitars are Korean made by Kaman Music

Kaman at wikipedia

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/GTX

Guerilla

Current at 2011

Guerilla guitars are made in Canada.

Images ebay:

Ivan Guernsey

1989 to present

Ivan Guernsey makes resonator guitars made in Marysville, IN, USA

1930s-1940s

New York, USA

http://www.vintagearchtop.com/38gugino.htm

Claude Guibord

Canada

Guild

1952 to present

Important dates for Guild gutiars  [Source: Gruhn's Guide To Vintage Guitars ]

1952 Guild is founded by Alfred Dronge in New York.

1966 Guild sold to Avnett (electronics company). Production moves to Westerly, RI from 66 to 69.

1986 Avnett sells to investors including George Gruhn (Vice President)  Gruhn leaves in 1988.

1989 Sold to FAAS Corporation which is renamed US Musical Corporation in 1993.  Focus is now to flat tops.

1995 Purchased by Fender. Production still in Westerly.

Dating Guild Guitars by serial number

very comprehensive (includes custom shop) 1997,98,99: http://www.adirondackguitar.com/Resources/Guild_dating.htm

https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Eguitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf

http://www.fredsmusic.com/gudating.html

http://www.dancipsax.com/iserialguildguitar.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_Guitar_Company

http://www.ggjaguar.com/guild.htm

1988 Guild Liberator search at  http://www.vintageguitar.com

Guild catalogs

1955 - 2009 Vintage Guild catalogs

69, 70, 71, 75, 78, 82 http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/catalogues.php

http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/Index.htm

Guild Pricelists

2001 Guild Pricelist

2005 Guild Winter Pricelist

2005 Guild Summer Pricelist

2007 Guild Winter Pricelist

Guild forum  http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/index.php

Guild reference books

The Guild Guitar Book by Hans Moust

Guild Guitars: Guitar History

Reviews electric  http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Guild

Acoustic http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/brand/Guild

Image 1955 Guild label eBay. D40 courtesy of MrGLyn

Guillermo Roberto

2000 to present

Electric bajos quintos, 0 string guitars made in San Fernando, California, USA

Guitarcraft

1997 to present

Jim Williams began making guitars in 1977 after attending the School of the Guitar Research & Design Center in Vermont, USA. [Source: Guitarcraft ]

Guitarcraft are Australian made.

Guitar Factory

Orlando, Florida Doug Montgomery and Bill Fels.

Played by Chris de Burgh [Source: Martin, email 17/2/2011]

Guitar Research

Guitar Research guitars are made in Korea.

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Guitar+Research

Image eBay:

Guitar Salon

Guitar Salon International home brand "GSI Studio" line of classical and flamenco guitars. Made in China.

Guitarras Condal

Guitars made in Spain 1965 ish.

Image eBay:

Guitarras Nacionales

Guitarres Nacionales made for Dimas G Medina. Lago Cuitzeo No.81 Col Anahuac Mexico D.F

Image ebAY

Guitorgan

1960s-70

Guitorgan guitars were made by Musiconics, Waco, Texas.

Guitorgan at wikipedia

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Musiconics

Images eBay:

Guldan

Guldan guitars and lap steels on ebay - some from the 1930s.  I assume that the Guldan brand was used by Jackson Guldan

Image Guldan lap steel ebay:

Gurian

1965-1986

Michael Gurian began building classical guitars with  assistants in a three-room shop in Greenwich Village in 1965.  Steel-strings were added four years later, and Gurian introduced his own distinctive body shapes soon after that. The company moved to Bedford Street and then Grand Street, his crew of builders growing to 15. In 1971 he relocated in Hinsdale, New Hampshire.  In 1979 a fire destroyed all of Gurian's guitars, tooling and machinery.  Following the fire he re-established – focusing on specialty tools, parts and decorative wood inlay for musical instrument makers.  Guitar production continued till about 1986.  [Source: Guitarplayer ]

delete above link further down.

Dating Gurian guitars

There is some dating and model identification info at http://home.hetnet.nl/~boomklever/gurian_models.html and

http://www.guitarnotes.com/gurian/

Other Gurian resources

http://home.hetnet.nl/~boomklever/gurian_models.html

http://www.acousticguitar.com/issues/ag37/dear37.html

http://home.hetnet.nl/~boomklever/gurian_models.html

http://www.acousticguitar.com/issues/ag37/dear37.html

Gurian catalog (paid)

http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_american_gurian.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Gurian

Images 1979 Gurian guitar eBay:  Name logo top left 1981.

Gurian serial number on neck block eBay apparently 1970s:

Gus Guitars

1994 to present

Gus guitars are made from wood, carbon fibre and metal by Simon Farmer in England.

"The serial number contains no dating information, but I would be happy to date the guitar from a supplied serial number using my records. I can be contacted by email - info@gusguitars.com "[Source: Simon Farmer, Gus Guitars, email 24/3/2008]

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Gus+Guitars

Guthrie Guitar Works

1970s

Very little about Guthrie guitar works on the web apart from the fact they were purchased in the mid 1970s.

Image eBay:

Gut Klang

to 1930

Gutklang guitars from Markneukirchen, Saxony. Firm closed 1930.

Ross Gutmeier

current

Ross Gutmeier guitars from Washington DC, USA

Image Trilogy Guitars:

Paul Guy

Current at 2101

Paul Guy Guitars, Stockholm, Sweden

Guyatone

1933-1960 ? mid '70s

One of the earliest guitar manufacturers in Japan, Guyatone began production in 1933. [Source: Nate DeMont Guyatone Guitars]

Guyatone guitar catalogs

http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/teisco/ refer to the Category Box LHS

1979 http://brochures.yokochou.com/index.html

http://guitar.webinjp.com/70guitar_catalog/6070.htm

Reviews are at Harmony Central

Images eBay