Gretsch guitars are manufactured mostly overseas, primarily in Japan, Korea, China, and Indonesia, with a small number of high end Custom Shop models built in Corona, California. The Gretsch family still owns the brand, but Fender handles nearly all development, production, and distribution under a long running agreement.
This arrangement means Gretsch functions much like a licensed brand today, even though the Gretsch name itself has never actually left family hands.
This article covers who owns Gretsch, where its guitars are actually manufactured, its founding history, and what happened to the separate Gretsch drums business.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns Gretsch?
Gretsch is privately owned by the Gretsch family, with Fred W Gretsch serving as president. Current guitar models are shown on Gretsch’s official guitars website.
In 2002, Gretsch entered a strategic agreement with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, giving Fender exclusive rights to develop, produce, market, and distribute Gretsch guitars worldwide.
The Gretsch family retained ownership of the brand and its trademarks, but Fender effectively controls how the guitars are actually built and sold.
This structure is unusual in the guitar industry and follows an earlier period when Gretsch was owned outright by Baldwin Piano and Organ Company for roughly 17 years before the Gretsch family repurchased the brand.
Where Are Gretsch Guitars Made?
Most Gretsch guitars are manufactured overseas. The flagship Professional Collection is made in Japan, while the more affordable Electromatic and Streamliner lines are produced in Korea and China depending on the specific model.
Gretsch also offers American made instruments through its Custom Shop, a small operation housed inside Fender’s Corona, California factory alongside the larger Fender Custom Shop.
Gretsch Custom Shop production is limited to only a couple hundred guitars per year, a tiny fraction of Fender’s own Custom Shop volume at the same facility.
Hollow and semi hollow Electromatic models with a center block are typically built in Korea, while solid body Electromatic guitars are generally made in China, so country of origin can vary even within a single product line.
When Was Gretsch Founded?
Gretsch was founded in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York, by Friedrich Gretsch, a 27 year old German immigrant who began by manufacturing banjos, tambourines, and drums. More on the company’s history is documented on Wikipedia.
After Friedrich’s death in 1895, his son Fred Gretsch Sr took over and expanded the company into string instruments, including guitars and mandolins.
Gretsch guitars later became closely associated with rockabilly and rock and roll, with artists including Chet Atkins, George Harrison, and Eric Clapton all playing Gretsch instruments.
George Harrison famously played a Gretsch guitar during the Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, cementing the brand’s place in rock history.
What Happened to Gretsch Drums?
Unlike the guitar business, Gretsch Drums operates under a separate arrangement. In 2024, GEWA Music USA acquired a global license from Drum Workshop to develop, manufacture, and distribute Gretsch Drums, taking over the Gretsch Drums factory previously located in Ridgeland, South Carolina.
This means Gretsch’s guitar and drum businesses are now licensed out to two entirely different companies, Fender for guitars and GEWA for drums, even though the Gretsch family still holds the underlying brand and trademarks for both.
Are Gretsch Electromatic Guitars Good Quality?
Owners on dedicated forums like Gretsch Talk and The Gear Page consistently describe both Korean and Chinese built Electromatic guitars as excellent value, with many long time players saying the gap in build quality between the two countries has essentially closed over the past decade.
Fit and finish are frequently compared favorably to guitars costing far more, and several forum members report their Chinese made Electromatics have stayed in tune and held up as well as pricier Japanese built Gretsch models.
Minor complaints do surface around hardware, particularly open geared tuners on some Chinese models feeling less substantial than the Grover tuners used on higher tier Electromatics.
Early Electromatic models from the mid 2000s drew more mixed reviews, with some owners reporting electronics and hardware issues out of the box, but consensus among current players is that quality control has improved significantly, and today’s Electromatic line is considered one of the best value propositions in the guitar market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Who Makes Gretsch Guitars
Does Fender own Gretsch?
No, Fender does not own Gretsch. The Gretsch family retains ownership of the brand, but Fender holds an exclusive agreement to develop, manufacture, and distribute Gretsch guitars worldwide.
Are any Gretsch guitars made in the USA?
Yes, Gretsch offers American made guitars through its Custom Shop, located inside Fender’s Corona, California factory. Production there is limited to only a couple hundred guitars per year.
Are Gretsch guitars made in Japan good quality?
Yes, Japanese made Gretsch Professional Collection guitars are widely considered high quality, with builds and quality control comparable to guitars from established American brands at similar price points.
Is Gretsch Drums the same company as Gretsch Guitars?
They share the same underlying Gretsch brand and family ownership, but the two businesses are licensed separately. Fender handles guitars, while GEWA Music USA has managed Gretsch Drums manufacturing since 2024.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.